Reaching an Unreached People Group
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REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP i REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP: THE JEHAI OF THE TEMENGGOR FOREST PAUL C.Y.CHEN ii REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP iii FOREWORD REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP: The Jehai of the Temenggor Forest. Copyright © 2010 by Paul Chen Here is an exciting account of how an unreached people group – the Jehai - was reached. The Jehai is one of the six ethnic Negrito groups of the All Rights Reserved Orang Asli cluster.What does it take to reach an unreached people group? No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by Conceptually, it would take cross-cultural evangelism and church planting. any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any Reading Paul Chen’s work, one would add that it also requires prayer and information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from research. Reading further, one would not escape the fact that cross-cultural the author. evangelism is only a partner in the overall Christian mission. In the context of the Kingdom of God, it is never accomplished in isolation from the Scripture references are taken from the New King James Version of the other basic needs of the people. Reaching the unreached takes into serious Bible. account the pressing needs of the people, whether it is food security, health care, educational opportunity and physical safety. Reaching the Jehai at the Fax: 603-80683521 Temenggor Forest captures the correct approach in seeing people within a Email: [email protected] or [email protected] holistic framework of kingdom thinking. Website: www.rlsbp.org ISBN 978-983-44265-2-1 Front cover photo : Three Jehai men dressed in their headgear (renun). In the centre is Seneberek the Jehai halaq Back cover photo : Dr Paul Chen and Penghulu Charang Kiroi Title page photo : A Jehai household unit Foreword page : Jehai Children Acknowledgements page photo : Jehai women and children Printed & Published by Akitiara Corporation Sdn Bhd 1 & 3, Jalan TPP 1/3, Taman Industri Puchong, Batu 12, 47160 Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Tel : 603-8061 9988 Fax : 603-8061 9933 Website : www.akitiara.com iv REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP v The work among the Jehai is remarkable because it has emerged out Paul is quick to acknowledge that there were challenges, obstacles, and of a holistic framework of kingdom thinking. Paul infuses in the framework resistance at several fronts of the work. Lot of prayer, wisdom from above the cultural understanding of the people along with their health, economic, and unmitigated patience saw the team overcoming the problems one by one. educational and spiritual needs. Lest one thinks that this framework is merely Interestingly some of the key problems were solved in close partnership with a conceptual one, Paul demonstrates that this framework is filled with love, the Jehai. kindness, patience, wisdom and tenacity. It is not a “wooden” framework to One of the highlights of this work is the careful and wise thinking that say the least. Rather it is an exciting story of a people’s journey towards faith went into preserving the language, music, dance and ethnic identity in their in Jesus Christ. journey to faith. Several missiological truths come alive as Paul narrates the growth and development of the people in their walk of faith. Truly an It is exciting because the story becomes alive at several points. The story indigenous church has taken a firm root amongst them. is filled with anthropological insights of the Jehai and how they respond to other people and circumstances in accordance to their worldview. The “cool” Finally, it is simply the love and grace of the Spirit of Christ that had and “hot” emotions are fascinating insights into the psyche of the people. initiated and moved and propelled Paul’s team to reach the Jehai in the way The remarkable revelation comes about when they see that ‘the fruit of the they did. And as Paul humbly acknowledged, the glory goes to God. Thank Spirit’ correspond to their understanding of “coolness.” The story becomes God, there will be Jehai in heaven! alive when medical care and basic health needs of the Jehai were met in very interesting circumstances. Paul’s vocation as doctor and medical professor This is a significant contribution to the missions in Malaysia. It is highly brings significant events and people into the story. The ‘hour of the Jehai’ recommended for every local student in missions. It would inspire similar bursts into stark reality everytime a group of Jehai are water baptized in endeavors to reach other unreached groups in the country especially among the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are other ‘live moments’, like the the Orang Asli cluster. building of the multipurpose hall, the discipling of the people, imparting cultivating skills, teaching children and speaking to the authorities. What does it take to reach and disciple the Jehai? It takes team effort. It takes a sustained and coordinated team work to disciple them. It takes sustained focus and endurance. It takes tenacity of mind and spirit to overcome obstacles. It takes humility to ask for help from others and learn from others. Doraisingam Manikam It takes a heart of faithfulness to the cause. Nine years of sustained focus and Missions Director labour saw the bearing of fruit of their efforts. Full Gospel Assembly vi REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The work among the Jehai could not have been accomplished without the active support of the Jehai people and the headmen, especially the late Penghulu Charang Kiroi, my Jehai father, the late Penghulu Semerengnoi Kemlin, and the other Jehai and Temiar headmen. I would like to acknowledge the support of Pastor Ang Chui Cheng and Pastor Ang Siew Khim of the River of Life Sanctuary Segambut, Kuala Lumpur, where I served as mission director when the Jehai work first began in 2000, Pastor Silvanus Tan and his Semai co-workers who served among the Jehai people and taught them much of great value, Joshua Prakash who served as our field captain and anchor during the critical initial years, Pastor Pengiran Ating and his wife Selama who served among the Jehai, Henry Luyan and his wife Jennie and several of their children who also served and lived with the Jehai, Pastor Alvin Tan of Sunbeam Homes for contributing food supplies, Joshua Tan of Bible League and Edwin Marsden of International Christian Mission Malaysia who contributed teaching materials, and the Rotary Club of Bandar Utama, RI District 3300, for their contribution in the form of the Support Centre in Sungei Tekam. I would also like to thank Elder Doraisingam Manikam of the Full Gospel Assembly Kuala Lumpur, where I once served as a tent-making the many donors who contributed in cash and in kind to the Jehai work over missionary, for writing the Foreword to this book. There are numerous other so many years. We trust that your valued contribution will continue into the contributors who are far too numerous to list, many of whom came on the future. Finally I would like to acknowledge the faithful efforts of my own many field trips we made to the Jehai. On behalf of my team and I, we thank team, headed by my wife Dr. Chen Siew Tin, who worked tirelessly and have each of you with our deepest sincerity. We also want to record our thanks to been a key factor in touching the lives of the Jehai. Paul Chen viii REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP ix CHAPTER 4: THE JEHAI – NOMADS OF THE 12 BELUM AND TEMENGGOR FOREST Jehai view of creation. 12 Jehai view of the origin of animals. 13 Jehai view of the soul. 16 Table Of Contents Jehai view of death. 18 Jehai view of maintaining good relationships. 18 Jehai camp communities. 21 Jehai dress and musical instruments. 23 Jehai view of bamboo. 24 FOREWORD iii CHAPTER 5: STATE POLICIES AND THE RIGHTS 26 OF THE ORANG ASLI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi The Communist Insurgency. 26 Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954. 26 The fundamental rights of indigenous 27 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 peoples. Reaching out to our relatives and friends. 1 What is the aim of this book on the Jehai? 2 CHAPTER 6: THE JEHAI REACH THE CROSS 29 Of what significance are the lessons 2 ROADS OF THEIR FUTURE described in the book? The impact of the Temenggor Dam. 29 What is a people group? 3 and the East West Highway What is a people cluster? 3 The displacement of the Jehai. 31 Who are the unreached people groups? 3 Are there any unreached people groups 4 CHAPTER 7: A DISILLUSIONED PEOPLE AND 33 among the Orang Asli of Malaysia? THE HAND OF GOD The loss of the fertile valleys of the 33 CHAPTER 2: ORANG ASLI 5 displaced Jehai. The Orang Asli cluster of peoples. 5 Hunger, disease and death stalk 34 Slavery. 6 the displaced Jehai. Official policy towards the Orang Asli. 6 The despair of the displaced Jehai. 35 The emergency period. 7 The Hand of God. 35 The Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954. 8 A vision from God. 36 Who are these people? 36 CHAPTER 3: THE NEGRITO (SEMANG) AND SENOI 9 Where are the Jehai? 37 The Negrito cluster. 9 A Jehai camp community called Tebang. 38 The Senoi cluster. 11 Signs and wonders will accompany the work. 39 We find another Jehai camp community 41 called Cuweh. x REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP REACHING AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP xi We find a third Jehai camp community 43 The Jehai halaq requests to be water 81 called Bush.