INTERVIEW
THE WORK IS GAINING GROUND IN SURINAME Eliseo Aquino
Suriname used to be a Dutch colony inhabited mainly by enslaved Africans. At some point, the country also received Indians and Chinese immigrants that changed local society through their customs and beliefs. This is one of the reasons that hinders the progress of evangelization.
Reverend Dhankumar Busjit, supervisor of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in the Guianas and Martinique, has been working in Suriname for 17 years. In an interview to the Impacto Evangelistic magazine, he talked about the social and spiritual situation of the South-American country. Not much is known about Suriname, many people even think that it is located in Africa. What can you tell us about the South-American country? Surinam Suriname is a melting pot. Many of the inhabitants are Maroons who came as slaves from Africa.
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There are also Indian, Chinese, Amerindian, and European people. Each of them has their own religion, with only 15 % being Evangelical Christian. This former Dutch colony faces nowadays a difficult economic situation; people are just trying to survive in any way they can. It is easier to get a job in the city than in the countryside, where people are hunters and farmers. Since the country harbors different cultures, how do you spread the Gospel? It is not easy, but thanks to the Lord, we are managing to reach many souls. Due to their strong beliefs, Hindus and Muslims cling to their original religions and customs. Going out to preach with the Bible is very difficult, but God is gaining ground. He has given us wisdom and we use strategies to deal with them. First, we talk with people about their everyday activities and how they are doing at work; then, we speak to them about God’s Word. Is there a spiritual need among the country’s population? There is. Suriname needs Jesus, but many people still hold on to their misguided customs and traditions. You can feel the demon’s presence in the air. At our evangelistic campaigns, sometimes people fall to the ground possessed by the devil, and so I have to go and rebuke the evil spirits one by one. Once, while I was preaching in a town of maroons, I became voiceless. I thought it was due to the dust, but the same happened to a sister who was singing a hymn. We prayed, but later on, at the fasting, when I was about to begin with the service, I became voiceless again. As we started to rebuke the evil, we saw a woman convulse. When the demon finally left her body, I recovered my voice and we had a lovely worship. What is the current situation of the WMM in Suriname? We are growing, though not as fast as we would like to. We are building churches and people are coming to the feet of Jesus-Christ. We are also gaining ground in the countryside despite the difficulties. People refuse to give up their pagan traditions, but God is setting them free. We have also tried to preach to the Amerindians despite their reluctance. But they are used to receiving “donations” from missionaries to let them preach. One of them asked me for a “package” when I got to their town. “The others bring us packages,” he said. “I have brought you the best package: God’s Word,” I replied. We also preach to the Maroons, a people who came to the country as slaves from Africa. They brought with them several traditions from their culture, and that is why we face such an important reject. But once they convert, you realize that they are kind people. They de-
