From there Bishop drove to his village. I was unprepared for that extra long drive and more ministry, and felt exasperated and displeased as he had assured me we would not make this long drive again. I felt tricked and angry, and said I would not be ministering due to exhaustion - the saints had drawn a lot out of me.

Upon our arrival, I only said hello and went inside the house and laid down on the bed the women hastily prepared for me. Meanwhile Bishop told the people I would only greet them and then we would be on our way. As I lay there trying to rest, angry at Simiyu and Penina, the Lord began to speak to me, that it was only out of Simiyu’s great love for his people that he drove to the village for me to minister to them. While it was wrong for Simiyu to keep me in the dark about his plans, I should let go of my anger because Simiyu’s motive had been love. He so wanted his people to get blessed by the Lord through His servant, the Prophetess from Israel.

“Give me your anger and forgive, and go, bring the people a blessing from Me.”

“O.K., Lord,” I said, “then I give you my anger and release it to you. But I do need you to strengthen and refresh me for I am truly worn out, as you know.”

I started ministering. I told them the truth, how I had felt, and what the Lord had said. And I told them that while I may not be quite perfect yet they could always trust the LORD IN me.

After I finished the children performed a song and dance for us they had practiced, and a young girl, one of Simiyu’s relatives, rendered a lovely song and recited a Psalm. With blessings and prayers we finally bid good bye. The children from the whole area had by now assembled to see and touch me. They surrounded the car and kept calling, “white woman from Israel, bless us!” So I did, and then stretched out my hand for “high five,” like our “give me 5.” Hand after hand heartily slapped on mine, some of the bolder ones repeatedly, and one even licked her finger and wiped over my hand to see, if my color would come off.

As we drove off, they ran after us and lined the narrow path to wave good bye. And I was SOO glad the Lord had spoken to my heart to let go of my anger, forgive and go be a blessing from the Lord to these people. Had I not obeyed two young men and one young girl would not have received the word and blessing the Lord gave them.

In the evening we were guests of dear sister “Ann of Kenya,” a business woman in Webuye and member of Simiyu’s church. Her husband runs a bus service to towns in Bungoma district² and to Nairobi. She cooked up a feast for us and put out her finest. She wanted me to pray for her daughter named “Witness”, for her husband, son and for herself. When I told her we needed a bus to get to Kisumu she spoke with her husband, who lent us his bus and driver free of charge for the next day, not making any money that day. Then a neighboring business man and his wife arrived together with a pastor friend and his wife from Tanzania.

All these people were drawing strength from the Lord in me throughout these 3 weeks. I had to think of the woman with the issue of blood whose faith drew her healing from the Lord when she touched him. And Yeshua knew that someone had drawn from Him. I was the people’s point of contact to release their faith for whatever they wanted from the Lord. They KNEW whom they were touching, from whom they were drawing. It was not me. I was only the facilitator, the “middle person.” They asked, they drew and they received. And I felt it as Yeshua had felt it.

And I learned again that as the Lord had always been available while in a body of flesh like ours, so too we must be available for the Lord’s infinite compassion, kindness, mercy, grace and patience to touch, heal and transform lives. We must let the people draw from Him in us, for whom else do they have? There is none like Him. He alone is life, and love, salvation and the hope of glory.

What a privilege it is to serve Him! What a thrill and joy to obey Him! What an adventure to follow Him wheresoever He goes! Hallelujah!

Beloved, the LORD bless you and keep you, the LORD make His Face shine upon you and be gracious to you: ther LORD lift up His Countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Yours in Yeshua,
Annelore