Badjao People- Evangelization Information

About a decade ago God began to do a work among the Badjao people living off the coast of the Batangas. The Badjao's in the area were completely malnourished, illiterate, and impoverished. God not only transformed their hearts but also there lives.
Their unique way of life could cause a challenge to bringing the gospel cross culturally, but as Glenn Hatcher shared with us in class we should always be looking for ways to build bridges by asking God, "What is the biblical response to the lostness in the world?"
The missionaries who have began to work along side the Badjao people listed several helpful strategies on their website of how God used them and closed cultural gaps in order to bring the gospel effectively.
First they were able to build a relationship with the chief of the people in people in that area. Along with the chief their first step was also building relationships with the council members and community. This is vital for a lot of people groups. As we have learned in class and through our material, some people respond in groups rather than individually. Individualism is often a western way of thinking, so sometimes, just as these missionaries presented, it's best to appeal to those in charge of groups.
Along with the strategy to build relationships God used them to have crusades and also build up the community through food distribution, water provision, and health assistance.
The missionaries in this particular place wrote of how God really began to work in the crusades through the children and then from the children through the adults.
In my personal endeavors I would strategize the same way. I would probably start with observing and learning the culture, then building relationships, and follow the Holy Spirit to see how he wants to work in their lives whether through discipleship, crusades, or church plants.

Father,
I pray you would continue to work among the Badjao people. Open their hearts to your love and fill them physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Help them to walk in truth. I pray for those who are believers, that they would take what you have given them and that they would give it away. Thank you that you sent Jesus to a world that wasn't His home and  showed us the example  of living among others by making His home with us. I pray that you would use whoever you wish to make their home among the Badjao's to be a light and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.. so that you would be glorified through your sons and daughters turning to you. Give us wisdom to close cultural gaps and help us to be led by the spirit to take your message. For your glory and in the name of your son Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 47:1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.

Thanks for checking out my blog and reading about the Badjao people. Please continue to pray for this people group.
The following video is a glimpse into the life of the Badjao people from all ages and walks of life, enjoy!


Send us to the nations,to the broken... lead us to surrender, we will go
-Arisen Band

Badjao Peole: Cultural and Religious Background

      One very unique and interesting fact about the cultural background is that for most of their history they have been seafaring people. They particularly travel along the Sulu Sea, some of the most dangerous waters constantly facing piracy. Although they face such threats, it is unlike the Badjao people to use weapons; instead they flee. 

About 200 years ago, some Badjao began to settle on land in the Philippines while others still traveled among the seas or either lived on house boats near the shore.The people who live on the shorelines often live in clustered houses made of silt. Many families either share a house boat or a house on the shore. They combine efforts in order to share food and other resources. 

     The Badjao are colorful, spirited, and musical people. They often wear colorful clothing due to beliefs that they are of a royal descent. At weddings, it is common for the bride to wear many bright colors and will receive many water buffalo as dowry. Arranged marriages are quite common within the indigenous tribe.A lot of the Badjao history and culture can be discovered in folklore. Some ancient stories tell of Badjao himself, who people would follow to the rivers.

     The Badjao people consider themselves to be Sunni Muslim. Many attend mosques and participate in the daily prayers. They also believe they are descendants of Muhammad.Although many believe this, a lot of Badjao people have a more animistic religious view. They have a more spiritual way of life and way of looking at things. They believe in spirit boats and sailing spirits away and worship the sea god- Omboh Dilaut. 

    Badjao's value their rich heritage and history. They value that strongly because it's the only identity they have to hold on to considering they typically don't have a "place" of their own. They also strongly value community, families, and being together. 

    They are mainly an agricultural society, with men building fishing boats, working on iron, diving for pearls, and coins. Women for the most part weave mats and market pottery. They both have a relatively equal role in their society. 

     Their religion and culture seems like it would hinder the gospel, considering they are Sunni Muslim. Although they have beliefs in another god, they are on the search for something very real and genuine. Even though it may be an obstacle, I definitely think that because they are searching for something new that they are a ripe field.

Badjao People: Historical Information

The Badjao origianally inhabited the islands and coastal areas between the island of Mindanao and the Sulu islands. Evidence suggests that during the first mellennium AD. they begin to leave their homeland. Most of the Badjao people moved south and also westward. As the moved they established themselves along the main Sulu Archipelago the Cagayan Sulu Islands, and the Easter Borneo Coast. Many believe that they came from either Sumartra or the South Sea Islands. Their migration largely resulted from the fact that Chinese trade began to expand. Orginally this group of people may have dwelled among the land but were pushed onto the seas by other more dominant tribes. Because of  the air of superiority from other tribes, the Badjao people became known as "sea-nomads", where they found their dwelling mainly among the seas. They became a highly fragmented people with no specific political unity. The Badjao people are indegenous to area around and in Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines. With a unique history like the Badjao people it is hard to trace them to one specific area or specifically uncover their uique past; however, one thing is for certain.. Jesus provided an identity for them through death on the cross, when they pushed off of the land due to trade, God had already given them a home, a place of belonging in him.

Pray for the truth to be revealed to the Badjao people, that their eyes would be opened to the redemption and secure identity that is in Jesus.

The Badjao People: General Description

      The term Badjao in its origin simply means "Man of the Seas" which explains why the Badjao people are such a geographically scattered people group. Not only does there name give meaning to their sporadic location but it also expresses their unique way of life.
     The Badjao people are most commonly diffused throughout the Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines. They originally inhabited the coastal areas and islands between the island of Mindanao and the Sulu Islands.  Groups of Badjao can also be found in the Cagayan Sulu Islands, the eastern state of Sabah in Malaysia, and Kalimantan in Indonesia. Because they are sea nomads, they travel by boat from place to place in search of the fishing harvest.

     There are 111,000 Badjao people in the world who are by many tribes considered  'palau' or 'lumaan' which translates godforsaken. These 111,000 people carry the disgraceful label that defines them as "a people that nobody wants." Because of the severe oppression and stigma they carry, they are forced to move. To the human eye this looks common but to the spiritual eye, we can see they are on the search for something greater. This is really just an immense amount of people in search for their true identity that can only be found in Jesus Christ.
     The areas in which the Badjao people are most commonly located is that of a tropical maritime climate which implies that is is usually hot and humid. These conditions are favorable for their way of life.
     Typically, the lives of Badjao revolve around  fishing, seafaring and trade. They are the poorest ethnic group in Sulu relying mainly on fishing with arrow and diving for coins, exchanging corals, sea shells or pearl for any food or money for their daily food and survival. Trade has also become a very important variable in Badjao society. Both men and women share in agricultural  labor and trade.While the men generally fish, build boats, and work with iron, the women weave mats and market pottery.
Impoverished, poor, 'godforsaken' and a people on an endless search for identity and security barely scratches the surface of this particular unreached people group.

The Badjao People: Forsaken but not God Forsaken

      

After taking my first mission trip to Masindi, Uganda in September 2010, God led me to enroll in the Institute for World Ministry missionary training program. The classes started in January and as part of the requirement for the course we were asked to research an unreached people group. An unreached people group is a group of people in which there is no indigenous community of Christians with sufficient numbers and resources to evangelize this people group. In the world, there are 6,871 unreached people groups. 

As I was researching many different people groups on the Joshua Project website, I found the Badjou people who are scattered throughout the Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines. The Badjou people are a very unique people. One characteristic that really drew me to this particular group was that they are considered "sea gypsies" because by tradition they are sea nomads. The photo that I have chosen in this post is a representation of the Badjao's shelter. 

Keep up with the story of the Badjao people as I dig deeper into their ways of life, culture, religion, and determine the best way to reach such a unique indigenous unreached people group! 

Living Sacrifice

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1-2


In the midst of a world full of busyness and things that call for our attention is the Creator of the world itself who is actively drawing all people unto Himself. However, it is so easy to get caught up in the demands of the world, the time-fillers of life, the distractions we consider fun, and the expectations placed on us by society. All the while we are busy living our life the voice of our Father calls us, His sons and daughters, to sit at His feet. Many times we take the busy of the world and allow that to define our walk with God. We see the word sacrifice and in almost default fashion revert to busy work. What did this scripture mean when it said to present ourselves as a living sacrifice? Did God really mean to be as busy as we could working for him or did God mean to bring all we are to Him and follow Him? I often times, almost unknowingly, make the mistake of thinking that my busy tasks are sacrifice when the real sacrifice is in sitting at Jesus' feet. Why is it a sacrifice? I believe it's because little intentional goes further than much sporadic. 


Think about Mary and Martha. 
Luke 10:39-40
She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.


Today it seems easier to give our shallow worship to the world in which we live but it is a sacrifice to devote ourselves to sitting at the feet of Jesus as disciples  willing to intentionally follow Him wherever he is going. 
We have the ability to focus on many things at once today, computer, text messages, media, sound and picture etc. In 2011 we are plugged into so many outlets, but it's no good unless we are engaged and aware of the abiding presence of our Maker.  We can half-way give our attention to several things at once, but to give our whole heart, will, and future to Jesus requires a deep commitment; presenting our whole selves to God.  


God, help me to live a life of true sacrifice. 

Religion vs. Devotion: David Platt