CEE Story From The Mission Field
Missionaries Get a View of Shamanism in Russia
July 22, 2004
Missionaries to the Russian Far East on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Randy and Robin Covington, along with a volunteer team from Soldotna, Alaska were invited by the Eveni people from Anavguy to attend their New Year's festival this year. This event, called "Nurganek," is celebrated on the 21st and 22nd of June and marks the beginning of a new year for the Eveni. The time is steeped in tradition, celebration of culture and fading shamanistic beliefs.
The Covingtons and Alaskan volunteers found themselves deep in the woods of Kamchatka among a group of Eveni people gathered around a large rock, considered by them to be a holy place. The shadow of a dimly lit fire danced on the rock face as Lilya Yegorovna, one of the village elders, explained the ritual to all those present.
“This sacrifice will bring to you goodwill and health. Health to your family, your brothers, your sisters, grandparents, all of your family; especially for those who cannot come to this place. For them you are doing all this.”
“If you just believe, it will, it might, you can hope it may come true,” she stumbled through her speech. Behind her words there was no support, no confidence, only a hope in a force she has not seen move, but that she vaguely believes in because it is a force her people have always believed in.
An emptied plastic butter container holds the sacrificial mix. Combined are chunks of reindeer belly fat, tea leaves, tobacco leaves, salt, oil, and various other ingredients. This mixture, often used by the Eveni as an ancient equivalent of Vicks Vapor Rub, is dropped into the fire. As the smoke wafts over the body, the Eveni believe you can be absolved from your sins. The concept of sin, disharmony, and consequences are not foreign to the Eveni, but the sources and means of forgiveness are confused. The Covingtons and volunteers stood and listened in prayer that the Eveni would one day, maybe even today, understand the truth about Christ.
Even as they prayed, two fires waited further back in the woods. Stoked continually with fir branches, they poured smoke into the forest. The first fire represented the year that had past. The missionaries watched as each person stepped or jumped over it, knowing the Eveni believed they were symbolically leaving the past year behind, and moving forward into the New Year, completely cleansed.
The second fire, lying yet deeper in the woods, represented the soul, and stepping over it is believed by the Eveni to bring cleansing to the soul, and preparation for the upcoming year. Their prayers intensified. They were able to experience first hand the hopelessness that still affects this northern land.
Although no one accepted Christ during this time, the Covingtons continue to rejoice over repeated invitations to events of importance in the Eveni life. They feel that it shows the villagers have accepted them and respect them for the work they have begun in their midst.
Because of cold weather, isolation, and location, the Eveni have had little or no access to the gospel. As they continue in their shamanist beliefs, however nominal, please consider joining the Covingtons and others in praying that God would reveal how hopeless it is to worship nature instead of the One who created nature. Pray that the Eveni people would witness the moving power of God’s consuming fire. Pray that they will see the hope and power of the Maker of Fire who is unchanging and is the only one with the power to cleanse and give new life in the New Year.