Wife Shopping

It’s not unusual for foreign men to be asked by local people if they are looking for a wife. It’s also not unusual to have people tell you that it’s okay if you are already married, because you can have more than one wife. This is a photo of Mr. Eddy. He’s an Acehnese man workers met at a roadside coffee shop.

Mr. Eddy was an unusual proponent of having multiple wives being that he already had four wives. He suggested that because there are more women than men living in his city he is actually doing his wives a favor by marrying all of them. He considered his multiple wives as a good work that earned him merit with God. He quipped that his wives worked for him so all he had to do was hang out with friends and drink coffee.

It was hard to tell if Mr. Eddy was being serious, or just having some fun with the foreigners. Regardless of Mr. Eddy’s situation, a man having multiple wives isn’t a joke. Because polygamy is a common topic of discussion it’s interesting to hear the positions of men on the topic compared to the positions of women. Most men are in favor of the arrangement, but I’ve yet to meet a woman who thinks it’s a good idea.

I remember one man who enthusiastically told of his support of having multiple wives. I asked him what he thought about one of his wives searching for another husband. His response was equally passionate, “I’d kill her.”

This issue occasionally comes up while sharing the Gospel among the peoples of Sumatra. We have had men come to faith with multiple wives. They want to honor God, but are unsure what to do about having more than one wife. I’m guessing that this isn’t a topic covered in most marriage counseling classes or discipleship materials in the United States!

Pray for workers who are encountering tough questions about faith and culture.

Pray for new believers who are sorting through what it means to follow Jesus and dealing with baggage from their old lives.

Pray for men workers as they travel on Sumatra and often have to deal with crude joking and sexual propositions.