January 2015 – South Africa.

Greetings to you in 2015!  Firstly let me apologise for the delay of this letter being published.  I had written prior to my leaving Uganda last February, thinking i would have time to post… time was more than i could have imagined, but circumstances were so different to what i had expected i was caught off guard and for much of the time offline!

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All during the Christmas and New Year i suffered with my back pain.  People were asking why? – so many have prayed and still there was no relief.  Just when i thought it was better – i became worse.  I had thoughts and a hunger to see the films of Jeremiah and Daniel – and the Book of Revelation – on Youtube.  Such was that i then needed to read for my self the stories in the Bible.  The thing i love about the Bible is that you can read something you have read before, but what you did not see before, now becomes lit up.  Although it was not lit up – i heard a voice asking me… “Will you trust Me in the pain?”  I started to see the lives of Jeremiah, Joseph, Daniel, the three Hebrews – Mishak, Shadrack and Abednigo… and of course Job, who suffered loss after loss.  As i was thinking of them, i felt the same voice say to me… “Did i take them from their ordeals, or did they trust me in the midst of it all?”    “Lord do you really want me to trust you in the pain?  I have been years trusting that you will heal all pain and sickness… now you want me to trust you in the pain?”  Two days before Christmas i went shopping, and thinking i was feeling better, took the taxi boda (motorbike) to the shop, but walking into the shop i burst into tears from the knife like pains.  I couldn’t even stand!  The staff were amazing, sitting me in a wheelchair, one pushing me and another my trolley – helping me to shop.  It was both humbling, and embarrassing, and amazing.  All the staff ran to me and hugged me – each one causing more tears as they showered me with love and concern.  Humbling because i like to see myself strong helping others.  Christmas almost came and went without much notice… no pomp and ceremony, no large shopping extravaganzas, no excess eating and drinking, and me mostly in my bed!

On the day of January 1st, i lay in my bed – this was my conversation with the Lord!:-

“I am here Lord because you have a call upon my life to be here.  It is Your Call, Your Vision, and Your Provision.  If you want me in my bed and preach my heart on a one-to-one basis to all who visit me – OK!  If you want me to travel and speak to many at a time – OK!  I TRUST YOU!  I know you have plans to prosper me and not to make me fall…. and if for some purpose my time here on my back is better for me – I will trust You in the pain Lord!”   I woke up on January 2nd completely pain free! and have been so since!!!!

Elijah Maswanganyi

January 15th – I flew to South Africa, as i mentioned in my last letter at Christmas of how i was excited and feeling it to be a Divine Appointment.  It was so wonderful – though my memory was not so great – I called the boy Martin – but he is the eldest son, and the one i met is called Themba.  I was met by a friend of Elija’s whilst he drove from a conference he was speaker for in Johannesburg.  We had a huge breakfast, followed by a wonderful lunch of Macaroni Cheese – i love cheese sauce with anything – and find it so settling on the stomach after travelling and lack of sleep.  I did manage to take a warm shower, and sleep, as well as minister the word to my host as she was hungry to hear more and more.  Then Elijah arrived!

 

Mama Thandi

Oh it was an amazing time seeing Elijah after all the years, now in 2015 February – it is 28 years ago!  Thandi – his wife had never forgotten me because of teaching a Butterfly kiss and an Eskimo kiss to Themba in the midst of the apartheid then.  Elijah told me – when i without thinking placed my eye to eye with Themba or nose to nose – without thinking or hesitating over the colour of their skin – He said i was the first white person ever to show him as a black the love of Jesus.  For me – i had not even thought of it as being something extra-ordinary, but for them who suffered in those days, it transformed Themba’s life he told me.  He returned home telling all his friends and family he had a white mum!

 

not a butterfly or eskimo kiss.. but enjoying the moment with Themba 🙂

My preaching times were reduced to one each Sunday and one mid week in two different churches, so as not to rush.  I was nervous – Elijah had prophesied over me twice the same word in 28 years… i wondered what he was expecting, but i knew in the end – i just must be me – and not worry about what he or others think of me.  The meeting went really well and half of the church responded to my message – coming forward for prayer.

After church – The Pastor and his wife took Elijah, Thandi and myself to a Country Lodge for lunch… wow – i had not eaten a three course meal in a long time and needless to say felt stuffed needing to sleep.

On the Monday, i began working on Elijah’s book for him, which he had asked me if i would edit it for him.  Elijah is 70 and does not live in the techno era of today hahahahah, with no internet connection, and he writes everything by hand, so i offered to retype as i corrected it – and gave it to him on a flash stick to give to the printer.  I felt honored to work on his book for him, and was not expecting that the words he had written were another confirmation of my reason in Africa, and what the lord has done and is still doing in my life.  As i drank in the scriptures and explanations, i was expanding and growing in the Spirit.  That evening he offered to me to be my Mentor and Spiritual Father.  I was overwhelmed.  He said you can mentor many but only father a few, and i felt so privileged.  He would like to help establish the platform for me to deliver the message from the Lord, and not just in  Africa – but also the World.  He then suggested that i base myself in South Africa, instead of Uganda.

with Papa

It was a wrench at first in my heart – and said i would pray…. what about the house and my family and the Lavender?  Elijah then had to travel away for the next six days, so i had time to talk with the Lord.  I felt very clearly that i am not leaving all the things he has thus placed in my life – He has given me a family, a vision for the Lavender, and the house, which i believe we will at some-point purchase or build, to expand with an upper floor providing guest rooms and my own living area, allowing the family to spread a little downstairs, as Melissa is getting older and will soon need to leave the room to the boys.  I have been battling with a visa problem here in Uganda for any length of time, but i don’t need one to go into South Africa, because i am British.  I could base in South Africa – to be mentored and fathered, and be free to travel for three months at a time to Uganda – for ministry / Lavender… or relax time with my family.

The following two services were amazing also, with the congregations and their pastors and wives excited for the word delivered.  The last Sunday – the Pastor and wife also took me to the Country club for lunch for another three course meal!!!!  To my surprise they also drove me to their home – a farm, where they are having a mango orchard, a pig farm and to my utter surprise, Lavender!…plus other herbs of which most are also mosquito repellents.  I suggested they increase the lavender plot and if they know a bee keeper to get lavender honey!  Again surprised, the Pastors wife is a bee keeper! Immediately we discussed my vision and a local township that is battling with mosquitoes – so who knows – that might be the next place to further the lavender vision!

Lady on the left was healed!

There were two Pastoral visits i was asked to make – praying for the sick – where one was instantly healed, and the other reported to be feeling much better the following day…. and also to minister to a Pastor whose son had suddenly died.

Time with Thandi and Corrie – the daughter, were special.  We ate well – i even cooked for them one evening a meat free pasta dish.  I had been overwhelmed by an abundance of meat every meal.  I had been accomodated in a guest apartment over the office, providing me space and time to rest as needed.  Oh such an amazing twelve days!

On my return  – Elijah had driven back from Pretoria especially to take me to the airport for the Domestic flight to J’burg, before continuing his journey to Swaziland where he was planned to minister, and continue his travels keeping him on the road for the next three – four weeks.  I checked into a guest house close to the airport, then my son Solomon, now also in South Africa – came to visit for a few hours.

with Solomon by the hotel pool

I arrived back healthy and strong, sharing with the family the news to which all seemed genuinely excited for me… ready to plan the next part of this incredible journey of my life.

Please pray with me if you are an intercessor.  I have utmost peace – despite not knowing the plan yet, and despite three weeks from now i will be on a plane to be away for sometime longer than one month but who but the Lord knows where to, i believe I am in the Lords hands, and I trust Him!

With much love to you – i will finish now and share more as and when i know the plan!

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It is now the last day of June!  If you have followed me on Facebook you will know that i was led to India for three months… you will know that after i purchased the ticket to go, my back became sick again, and that for two weeks prior to flying i could not even sit for five minutes because of the pain.  As i cried out to the Lord why i had received this pain back – He encouraged me that the first time was letting me know of His plan and preparing me… now was not the time to fear but to trust!  Trust Him in the pain.

I will post this now… and try briefly to tell of the time in India….

With much love to you all….  Joyce! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx