By Joe Cooke

Late last month (Nov. 20-25), I spent a few days with Matthew McDaniel, getting a picture (and a stomach-full) of some of the things that are happening to Akha culture. This was not a pretty thing to see, but I want to tell you a little about one troublesome bit of reality that I bumped into. (There are many other bits, but I don't have a clear enough picture to write about them here.)

But, before I tell my little piece of the story, I must tell you that I am a former missionary with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship, which I have always loved, and still do. I'm also sold on the missionary enterprise, provided it is conducted with a deep love for people and a true respect for the cultures within which they live. I cannot therefore be dismissed as a missions hater with an axe to grind. I'm merely saying something that I think needs to be said.

What it all boils down to is this: Akha culture is going down the tube. The same may, no doubt, be said of other tribal cultures in Thailand; but Akha culture is probably further along than the others. In fact, if something radical does not happen, this culture will very soon be done for.

The sad thing is that there is at least one missionary agency that is overtly trying to make it happen as fast as possible. This is a group from Taiwan that has concluded that Akha culture is of the Devil, and that their culture needs to be smashed in order that God's kingdom may be established.

Their modus operandi goes something like this. They will go into a new and vulnerable village (and all Akha villages tend to be vulnerable because of a centuries-old habit of yielding to those around them who have greater political and economic power than they do) and they will offer the headman a big sum of money if he will lead the whole village to convert to Christianity. If the headman refuses, they will go around the village and find those who are disaffected with him or with things as they are, and they will offer these people a good sum of money if they convert and jettison their devilish tribal ways. Then they proceed to indoctrinate their converts with their concept of the evils of Akha culture, so they in turn become as rabid as themselves. Indeed, converts have been known to go into the homes of their unbelieving neighbors and confiscate their offending devil-worshiping artefacts.

The net result is a divided village with no agreed upon guidlines for coping with the everyday activities of village life, and no accepted source of village authority. Furthermore, everyone knows that there is money waiting in the wings for those who will turn to the new way. And who can stand up against their money and their power. So the village becomes even more vulnerable than it was before--with almost predictable results..

Then, when a village has become Christian, the missionary agency builds a great, big concrete church in the middle of the village--one that's far bigger and more intrusive than it needs to be. And it's built entirely by foreign money, so it's not the fruit of the people's own values and labor, and they can't really own it as theirs in any important sense. Also, before long, they will be provided with a pastor who is likewise supprted by foreign money and has a salary way beyond what the average villager gets. Yet, at the same time, very little of the foreign money is used to really improve the lot of the bulk of the villagers.

Frankly, I do not understand this way of doing things at all. Why would anyone want to destroy a culture in the name of God? (We Americans have already tried this in our arrogance, and it didn't work. Indeed we've all but shut the door of redemption to those whom we have destroyed in this way.) And why would anyone even want converts who have to be paid to believe? And why would anyone want to create a servile dependance upon foreign funding. Do they care nothing for the dignity and initiative of the people themselves?

The whole thing makes my blood run cold. And I'm sure that most people will feel as I do. Indeed, I know that my many, many missionary friends would react in this same way--if they knew what was going on. On the other hand, surely some of them do indeed know. But if so, why aren't they speaking up? Why aren't they publishing this kind of information to the four winds? Why aren't they protesting ceaselessly about it? I wish I knew the answer.