However, while we enjoyed the most delightful summer weather, a national disaster of Noahic dimensions had struck Germany: major rivers such as the Danube, the Elbe, Isar and other rivers broke through their dikes due to massive rainfalls and flooded land and cities in their vicinity. The pictures of destruction were heart rending, and to see beautiful cities such as Dresden or Prague (capital of  Czechoslovakia) deluged with brown waters and their streets buried under mud was ever so saddening. 

Notwithstanding, I heard that still small voice within me saying, “Economy… judgment on their economy!” 

For what? 

“Because they have been sacrificing my people on the altar to their ‘godess’ economy!” 

But so many innocent people lost their homes, all they had worked for all their lives? Lord, what have they to do with this? 

“Just so innocent blood is shed daily within the cities of my people for the sake of these nations’ economy. Did they give it one single thought of remorse, of compassion, that my people have to die in order for them to enjoy the comforts of their well-‘oiled’ economy? Instead of walking in the fear of Me and having regard for my oath and my people, they rely upon their wealth, and their economy has become their ‘god’. And I will topple the economy of every nation which, for her own ‘national interests,’ furthered the disaster of daily terrorism against my people in their own land and cities. For the sake of their economy they are prepared to create an alien state upon the land I swore to my people Israel. They are prepared to reward men of lawlessness for their lawless deeds --- all for the sake of their economy. Therefore I shall strike at their economy and men of lawlessness shall rule over them.” 

All of this He said with a still small voice, almost like a whisper. And I discerned that it gave the Lord not the least pleasure to allow such judgments upon peoples, just as it gave Him no pleasure whatsoever when the two temples of world economy were struck by men of lawlessness, and thousands of innocents lost their lives in that terror attack. G-d has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, much less in the death of the innocent. 

The only ones who rejoiced and threw a party were the Palestinians!

I had no money for this trip, nor did my husband. Or Tzion’s intercessory team prayed for my trip to France, some funds came in and Or Tzion’s board approved of my drawing upon the ministry’s funds. 

My travel agent booked my complete round trip for $ 248! Lufthansa (the airline I always fly) offered  just then a free reward trip to three European cities --- one of them Paris! However, the September 11th event had upted the airport tax for Israeli travellers. It took a whopping $ 180 only to get on the plane for the flight of only $ 248 the Lord had provided! 

Nevertheless, even $ 428 were still an incredible fare for a round trip of Tel Aviv – Frankfurt – Muenster – Frankfurt – Charles de Gaulle – Frankfurt – Tel Aviv. 

I thanked the Lord profusely for His faithful provision and for the prayers of Or Tzion’s prayer warriors! 

Next I received an e-mail from a believer in Germany I had not heard from before. He wrote me because he had told my dear friend Shira (the prophetic minstrel and psalmist most of you know), with whom he had been in e-mail contact for some time, of his plans to go to Israel and visit also Beer-Sheva, at which point she told him of us. 

I wrote him of my upcoming trip to Germany and he offered his help in finding accomodations if needed. He also asked if I knew of a place in Beer-Sheva he and his wife could rent for a few days. I sent him several addresses. 

Then came the next hurdle. When I called my dear friend Christa in Germany (G-d’s angel in my and my mother’s life for the last 20 years) at whose home I always stay when visiting my mother (who is afflicted with Alzheimer’s), Christa told me that for August 29th through September 3rd she expected the visit of another friend, something already planned long in advance. 

At first I was troubled at that, but quickly turned to the Lord, sure of His instructions and appointed time and provision. In an Internet “chat” with Shira she reminded me of the German believer, and suggested to offer him to stay at our new home during his visit in Beer-Sheva. When I asked my husband he said, “Yes, of course they can stay here!” 

I wrote Samuel of my need for another place to stay in Osnabrueck, and that we would be happy to have him and his wife as our first guests in our new home. And by Samuel the Lord provided me with another place after I would have to leave Christa’s. 

Little did I realize at that time, though, how indeed marvelous the Lord’s provision was, far above and beyond anything I could have imagined! I only had seen a problem, a hurdle in my way! But the Lord had prepared a wonderful blessing! 

Samuel contacted a small congregation in Osnabrueck, and one of their families agreed to receive me for the time given. However, they did not live in Osnabrueck! Oy! Again, all I saw at first was another hurdle. Oh friends, what patience our Heavenly Father must have with us! He got it all prepared from the foundation of the world, and all we can do is look at a problem and groan, “oy!” 

Everything worked out perfect! I attended that congregation’s Sunday service and met the family that would host me. What lovely people! At that service a young woman was called forward to share about a conference she had attended, held about and in support of Israel. She had been deeply moved by the event and shared some of the things she had learned there. I was thrilled! 

I also was allowed to share a word with the congregation concerning the support of the nation Israel, and in particular of fellow believers there. At the end of the service a woman came forth and blessed me with a love gift as her first seed towards her Jewish brethren in Israel. 

The next morning while in prayer at Christa’s the Lord opened my eyes to His provision: Germans who had been sons of the devil had taken from my family possessions, lives and the genealogical record of generations; now Germans who were children of G-d would pray for the restoration of this record by which the Lord will repair the breaches and close up the gaps in the genealogy of the “succah of David.”⁷

I felt overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiving!