Maritza, the Witch’s Granddaughter

Maritza is 15 years old. She lives in the jungle community of Jatari, which is right next to our Puyupungo church. Maritza started coming to our church about a year and a half ago. And she fell in love with the message of God, one she had never heard before. She never missed a service and it was only recently that we discovered that the community witch which we’d heard many tales of, was her grandmother, with whom she lives. We’ve heard countless stories of the bitterness and anger that her grandmother carries and how she often will ‘cast spell’s’ on others just because she is upset or doesn’t like them.

You’d never know it by meeting Maritza, though. She is never without a smile. She is always faithful to church, she teaches our 6-9 year old children’s class, and she is the loudest to say “Amen” when the Word is being preached. Although her grandmother restrains her from participating in many activities with her community or friends, when something is ordained of God, even the devil himself has to obey. He is powerless to stop her from attending church and serving God.