seeing HIS words come alive (Part 1)

Exactly fourteen days ago I was sitting in the back of our bus crossing the border into Tanzania. I sat there watching the people outside of our bus stare intently at fourteen white girls riding in what probably looked like a luxurious bus (granted, it was very nice).  As we got further into town and into what seemed like deserted land, I was taken back when those people that would just stare intently started running towards our bus. Not out of interest or excitement, but with rage on their faces.  At that moment with raging African people coming after a bus that would obviously get away God spoke to me.

"Babe, I will forever protect you. But I am bringing you to a place that is filled with spiritual warfare. You are going to have to fight for me. Fight for My voice within you to be heard throughout this nation. It won’t be easy, trust me when I tell you that, but I will forever protect you, my daughter.”

I heard Him say that to me, but I just brushed it to the side of my brain and continued on with the ride. Now two weeks into being here, one week before I leave, I am seeing exactly what He meant.

This past week we did our first rounds of evangelism around Moshi.  We traveled on foot to a place that desperately needed His love. We would go to a few houses that would listen (if you could call it that) to what we said, but when we walked away I could feel them pushing Him to go with us. Not until a little old lady came walking (I am sure she would have ran if she could have) up to us with arms wide open overwhelmed with excitement because she heard that there were believers, ambassadors, of Him at the next house over, did I start to feel some acceptance. The little old lady embraced one or two of us at a time in her arms almost crying saying “asante sana” (Thank you very much).

We followed her to her home were we met her family; a daughter named Hilda and two grandsons. I could immediately tell there was love that needed to be poured out to this family. As we started to talk to the mama, she told us not only of how great our God was, but also of the burdens and troubles of her life. She is an elderly women looking and caring after a family that loves God but doesn’t know Him. Her daughter is unable to care for her family because of a stroke she had 14 years ago that has left the right side of her body paralyzed. Her grandsons help with what they can but it is hard for any of them to find work. The burdens of worrying if there is going to be food for the next week, exactly what day this month will my daughter become unconscious and fall over, will we find work this month, were all on the shoulders of this little old lady.
The joy that ran across her face when she saw seven mzungu’s sharing the word quickly changed to sadness when she told her story. For fourteen years an old lady has slowly been losing her faith that God will one day pour his love out onto her and her family. But little did she know when she woke up that morning God would send a flood of his love.

I don’t know how long we spent talking with the family, but not once did that mama push us out. As we started to first pray over that mama I could feel the Lord break through to her. As she screamed and feel into the arms of His children, I knew this is what he meant. He had brought me to a place where the enemy was starting to pry his was in. The mama cried as we prayed for a healing and peace to be brought over her heart, but the flood waters really poured out when we prayed over her daughter.  The enemy was trying his hardest to fight for a place to grow, but the second we laid hands on Hilda and started proclaiming to God, I could feel a rush of the Holy Spirits presence. Tears were shed, songs of praise were sung, declarations were shouted, and the enemy was cast out by one big rush of His love being poured out of us.

That day HE worked wonders. HE picked up a home that was falling. HE loved on a family that needed exactly that. HE made an impact on a broken mama. HE brought pure joy to a daughter that lived life by living through anything. HE brought hope to family that felt hopeless.  But he did more than that, he opened my eyes.