The story of the Australian missionary Graham Staines has just come to the silver screen here in Westchester County, New York. As is usual with a Christian movie, that means only three possible viewing locations. Either, New Rock City at the New Rochelle Shopping and entertainment center, Ridge Hill in Yonkers, or crossing the bridge to enter Rockland County to view it at the Palisades Center Mall. I chose to cross the just completed Mario Cuomo Bridge and pay the toll on an unseasonably warm New York winter day.
Graham Staines dedicated thirty-four years of his life to serving and ministering to lepers in India. Along with his wife he made a difference in the lives of countless people who were rejected by their families and community because of the disease of leprosy. Maddeningly, the disease was no longer incurable during the time of his Ministry, which was between 1965 and 1999.
Still, the disease was considered a curse and people were shunned because of it. In one poignant scene, the film depicts a mock funeral service being held for the family and friends of a leper, even though the man was still alive and watching the proceedings. Other touching moments show a woman being shunned at the village well even though she is cured of the disease or a man who everyone is afraid to touch.
This is not a movie that you will soon forget, it is a gritty and hard-hitting tale of the missionary life. Further, Rev. Staines story highlights some of the current debates surrounding missionary work. Such as, should churches send missionaries to work in countries hostile to the Christian faith. Also, what is an acceptable way to convert people?
The question of conversion methods is a theme in this movie. Some misguided missionaries in India were actually paying people to become Christians. It is sad to think that anyone seemingly equipped to bring the gospel to poor and desperate individuals wouldn't have more biblical insight than that. Graham Staines did not ever resort to such practices although he was accused of it.
This was at a time when a real persecution of the Christian Church had begun in India. Much of this was due to the Hindutva movement. For those of you not familiar with this term, it refers to a type of pro-Hindu movement responsible for instigating a lot of violence against those who are deemed adversaries to the Hindu faith or not of Indian origin. It was a Hindutva activist who was responsible for the death of Mohatma Gandhi.
Graham Staines gets in the crosshairs of this dangerous group which had infiltrated every element of Hindu society (academia, police, press). A journalist character is introduced into the story to help us explore the effects of this and to help move the viewer towards an exploration of the truth.
Another important theme that arises in this movie concerns radical Christian forgiveness. When the unthinkable happens will the Staines family be able to continue to follow the Lord and live out their faith? The answer is yes, and it will challenge each and every one of us to dig deeper and get off the sidelines of the Christian life. If you have a chance, go and see The Least of These: the Graham Staines Story. It premiered February 2019 in the United States and will be in Indian theaters as of March 2019. Elsewhere, a Christian store or online venue in your country may be your best option.
No comments:
Post a Comment