In 1956, Nelson Palmer was at the house of elder Ratu Meli in Korolevu, Fiji, when a tall, dark and handsome stranger walked in. In all appearances, this was a fine-looking man, except for the disconcerting and intense squint of his eyes whenever he talked to anyone.
Ratu Meli leaned over to Nelson and whispered, “This man is Patimo.” Nelson had been waiting to meet Patimo for a long time, and finally his opportunity had presented itself to talk to him.
Nelson had previously learned who Patimo was the local devil-man that individuals would come to when they or their loved ones were sick and dying. In exchange for money or gifts, the people believed that Patimo would talk to the devil and ask that their life be extended, and their health restored.
Nelson spoke up and said to Patimo, “Patimo, I would like to speak to you.” Knowing who Nelson was, Patimo sat upright and responded, “Say on.”
Now, it was customary in Fiji at this time that if you needed to say anything unpleasant or difficult, you were to say it directly rather than beating around the bush or trying to be tactful. The clearer the communication, the better.
Nelson said to Patimo, “Patimo, of all the people I have met in my life, I have never been so sorry for anyone as I am for you.” Patimo was caught off guard by this unusual statement and asked, “What do you mean?” Nelson continued, “Because of the fires of hell that are waiting for you . . . because the people around here regard you almost as a god. When they are sick, instead of their being taken to a doctor they are taken to you. And you take their whales’ teeth, their money, and their yagona (kava), their cows and their horses. You are growing rich through the fear you are instilling into the people. And I want to warn you that unless you give up this devil business—oh, how sorry I will be for you!—the fires of hell will be waiting for you.”
Patimo only shrugged his shoulders and replied, “I don’t tell the people to come,” before walking out of the house.
The people in Korolevu and Draubuta, Patimo’s home village, regarded Patimo very highly. One day a woman came to the village in Draubuta and entered Patimo’s house, crawling up to him on her hands and knees with tears streaming down her face. She kissed Patimo’s feet and handed him presents, including a whale’s tooth, and begged him for her husband’s life.
The woman had originally come from Suva and had sent a message 65 kilometres over hills to bring her favourite devil-man to see her husband. The devil-man walked all the way from Suva but when he arrived, he told the woman that the spirit troubling her husband belonged to Patimo, and only Patimo could heal him—if he wished to do so.
Patimo accepted the gifts the woman offered to him, but made no promises. The next day the woman’s husband died.
At this time, Nelson was in Draubuta running evangelistic meetings there. Nelson was intrigued by the reaction this incident had on the people of that area. The community thought that Patimo had been selfish and unjust in accepting the gifts yet choosing to let the man die. The community firmly believed that Patimo was responsible for the man’s death, and Patimo faced significant rejection and judgement as a result.
After a week of evangelistic meetings, among the handful of those who stepped out to accept Jesus as their Saviour was Patimo’s own son! Patimo’s daughter-in-law also became an Adventist. But this wasn’t the end. As a result of many other circumstances surrounding evangelistic outreach in the area, Patimo called together a meeting of all the people in the community and declared, “After the year-end I am no more going to be a devil-man; and if you people want to follow the right religion you had all better become Seventh-day Adventists.”
Through his family’s conversion and the community’s judgement, Patimo recognised the truth found in Jesus and confessed this truth.
This story was taken from Australasian Record, October 8, 1956.
