Evil Spirits

It started Thursday during fellowship. KL got up mid service and left the gathering. Immediately MO followed; she soon returned and quietly called head boy for his help. Moments later TD, BJ, and AA also left. Fellowship continued, unhindered by the absence of these six students. As I gathered my things and prepared to leave I found MO waiting for me; she was clearly upset.

KL had remained in the dorm all day, not going to classes because she was sick. MO was concerned with her behavior and was watching her closely. When KL left fellowship, MO followed. [Our school is built on a mountain side with random 20-30 ft drops- dangerous for klutzy girls like me and Bekah, easily manageable for these strong mountain people.] MO told me that KL was affected by evil spirits and asked me to come; MO had to fight to keep KL from throwing herself off the hillside when she left fellowship. After stopping KL, MO took her to the vocational classroom, left her with two teachers and called head boy for his advice. Head boy notified TD, BJ, and AA, KL’s cousins at school, to come. The door to the vocational class was locked, but head boy opened it from the inside when he saw me coming.KL was wailing/ screaming / thrashing on the floor. I took a moment to “feel out” the situation. Many things ran through my mind. KL’s family has a strong history of mental illness, ancestor worship, and depression. [I know this from observation, recounted episodes, and investigation.]While still processing I got down on the floor and gathered her into my arms. The two teachers were praying loudly, her cousins were scared. As I held her, BJ joined me on the floor, tears in his eyes. After much time, KL settled, seemed to “awake” and began weeping. She said her mom was calling her to come. Other voices were reminding her she was a worthless orphan and that all those who loved her were dead. They told her to jump. While one of the teachers was reminding KL of reality, I spoke with the cousins. AA took KL to the dorms and the boys hung around, unwilling to leave.

The next afternoon I was again told to come, this time to the dorms. The girls were attempting to carry KL to the teacher as she was “suffering from evil spirits”. Telling the girls to wait I again gathered KL into my arms. As AA ran to get their older adult cousin, G, I began talking softly with her. She soon calmed down. AA returned with two adult cousins. Let me now interject- I believe in God and the devil. I have seen some evil stuff in my short lifetime. I also believe that we as humans are fallible- chemical imbalances in our brain, unhealthy behaviors, and the decisions we make are all factors to consider when observing behavioral changes.Back to the kids; in the dorm the girls were scared. Bekah found us and gathered the girls to talk/pray while I dealt with KL. Both Bekah and I believe these “evil spirit” attacks were meant to get attention. So after the second attack I played the role of “mean aunt” and got KL dressed in her uniform and sent her to class.

That night Bekah and I left school around 10 pm (escorted by three great students who live next door to us). The head master went to pray with each dorm (2 boys and 2 girls dorms) before lights out. At the first girls dorm he found MP suffering from an attack of evil spirits. Her dad was calling her to come home. Her dad is dead. Head master prayed for her and she was fine. Next dorm he literally catches AS running from the dorm in her night clothes, screaming. Again he prays, and she is then fine.

Here is the thing- this is intense. KL’s family has a deep rooted history of polygamy, ancestor worship, mental illness and depression. She is a double orphan. MP is a single orphan, a sweet girl whose family are predominantly Christian. AS lost her mother at infancy. When she wanted to join school here she became so sick she almost died. Head master went to her home and found the elders casting curses on AS and using talisman-like things. He destroyed the shrine and put out the ceremonial fire; AS became well almost instantly. Head master discovered that her mom died when she was a baby, so the elders performed some kind of ritual binding AS to her mother for all time. They buried the mom with something belonging to AS; head master is yet to discover what it was. AS said she was going to find her mom when head master caught her fleeing the dorm.

As I have said before, life here is intense. Are these girls being attacked? Why now? I am so thankful we have a godly head master who genuinely loves these students. It is not a job requirement to make sure the borders are tucked in each night, but he cares enough to do so. Since those three days there have been no other outbursts / attacks. I still don’t know what to think about it all.