“They” (meaning His followers), said Jesus Christ, “will take up serpents: and if they drink any deadly thing, it will by no means harm them: they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” We love Christmas, and I don’t mean to be sac-religious, but I can’t get this old camp song out of my head that was sung to the tune of “Joy to the World”. It went like this:

Joy to the world the devil’s dead.

We barbecued his head.

What happened to his body?

We flushed it down the potty.

Around, around it went. Around around it went.

Around, around, Around it went!

Now who would ever think we would live out such a stupidly fantastic song in a very scripturally correct way?

Paul Mok, (our farm manager) was working in the rice field when he spotted a “Russel’s Viper” from the tractor. Knowing that these snakes are extremely deadly at night, but are partially blinded by sunlight. Paul grabbed a large wrench and went after the snake. It made a strike at him, but could not see well. He pinned the snake with the wrench and chopped off his head. Two days later he executed another one. Too bad Adam couldn’t have been more like Paul Mok! He’d have severed the devil’s head and barbequed him. But then, Adam didn’t have the promise of Jesus!

Chum No, a ten-year-old orphan boy was out working in the garden at the Ph’er Church/Home. A deadly Malayan Pit Viper latched onto his finger and gave him a full dose of venom. His fellow orphans dispatched the snake with a mattock hoe, and laid hands on Chum and prayed for Him. Fortunately, the home is in a Provincial Capital and they rushed him to a hospital along with the dead snake in a sack. He was given the specific anti-venom and is expected to make a full recovery, but he was kept in the hospital for three days. Not really sure all the medication was needed, but, why give the devil any room?  Just like the Bible says, “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.”