Text Box: The Spirit Tree As the missionaries began clearing the only good location for the much needed airstrip, their helpers suddenly refused to go any further. “We can’t cut that tree down. It is our spirit tree.” What would you do? To leave the tree would mean no airstrip, which would mean you could not bring in necessary medical supplies to begin the clinic which would save many of their lives from the common diseases. However, to cut down the tree would make them think you are a very powerful witch doctor or sorcerer who can manipulate the Creator of the Universe into protecting you from the spirits in the tree. On top of that, you don’t know the language of the people well enough yet to explain all that, and they only speak a limited amount of the trade language. If you are the missionary, what do you do?