Sister Lorena Jenal with villagers in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The nun has lived and served as a missionary in Papua New Guinea for three decades. (Photo courtesy of Church Alive)
By Church Alive
Jan 12 2021
On Aug. 10, 2012 a defenseless mother fought for her life in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The woman, Christina, was surrounded by hundreds of villagers. Several men had tied her up and lit a pyre. Accused of sorcery, she had already been tortured with red-hot irons. The incident was like a scene from 500 years ago.
Amidst the shouting and chanting one woman boldly stood up to mob. “Stop the madness, release the woman!” shouted the woman who was Swiss born missionary, Sister Gaudentia Meier.
The elderly nun hurried into the village square to try and stop what was occurring but was beaten off by members of the mob.
“Get out, otherwise we’ll burn you as a witch too,” they screamed at the nun who’d worked as a nurse and midwife in the Mendi Diocese for almost 50 years.
The mob had made Christina a scapegoat and, in her desperation, the accused woman came up with a trick — she grabbed a stone and simulated a witch’s birth. The stone was smeared with mud and blood and the men considered it to be the evil in her. They finally let her go.
Sister Gaudentia took Christina to hospital and, along with other Catholics, including another Swiss-born nun, Sister Lorena Jenal, helped the woman with her emotional wounds.
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