Teluk Kuantan Region
Teluk Kuantan Races
As we go further into the city we reach the longboat arena. The longboat races are a unique tradition that has an influence on many aspects of life, and which are also deeply integrated with the local sense of community. In the past, the process of longboat making was a social event where young men and women worked together and sometimes paired up for marriage!
Budi and his community are training for this year's race. Their team failed to win the title last year, but this time they are confident of winning, as they have managed to get the aid of a powerful shaman. The shaman gave them an object of power that will ward off curses from other teams’ shamans, and they believe that it will also make them go faster.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Gal. 5:19-21 (NLT)
- Pray for people like Budi that they would stop putting their trust in witchcraft and sorcery in order to win. This practice is part of the sinful nature.
- Pray for freedom from the bondage that comes with making use of these supernatural powers. Paul says in Gal 5:21 "that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God."
- Pray that God will redeem this beautiful tradition as future local believers participate in a way that glorifies Him.