GKafee, Oudsthoorn—KKNK
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| Abby (top left) working her magic with some local boys |
The thousands of people walking around, the air of excitement about festivities, delighted screams coming from those on the rides, blaring music from live shows, shops overflowing with biltong, jams, t-shirts, and artwork—all sights and sounds that make up KKNK every year in Oudtshoorn. And yet in the midst of all this revelry and noise, God is working in powerful and mysterious ways, and in my case, He worked through prayer.
Because of the intense heat during the day, some of us volunteering with Gkafee walked around giving cold water to those working or walking in the streets as they came and went from the art festival. It was here that I met Cindy, as she accepted the water and chatted with me. During the following days, she came to the tent at different times to sit and talk about her day, showing me how she dyed her hair black or what she saw at the shops; other times, I caught up with her on the street since she lived close by. Cindy was a different sort of lady, in her upper 40’s or early 50’s with glazed eyes and jumping from topic to topic; one day she even carried a doll with her that looked like a real infant. Somehow, we took an interest in each other and our conversation flowed easily.
One day after she had talked to me about her problems with her husband and daughter and those in the community, I asked if I could pray for her. She complied, and I prayed briefly for her, without eloquence or in a seemingly powerful way. When I finished the prayer, Cindy looked up at me with clear bright eyes and a big smile on her face. She said, “I felt your prayer. It sent shocks through my whole body. I could feel it all the way down.” Then, she surprisingly went on speaking, almost as if prophesying over me, telling me that I would go into Africa with nothing, no money, and yet people wouldn’t want anything from me but would give me a place to stay. She said I would go with God’s passion. She encouraged me that I was one of God’s chosen people, chosen for this very moment—now.
I sat in shock. Here I had prayed for her, feeling pretty “Christiany” about it, and then she in turn spoke compelling words over me, the missionary! I don’t even know if Cindy is a born again believer and listens for God’s voice. But how could she have known that I had specifically prayed for passion in my life while here in Africa? In that hot Gkafee tent, with the buzz all around us of people enjoying the KKNK, Cindy spoke words of life over me that day, telling me I am a chosen one of the Father. God is always speaking to us—sometimes in surprising ways and through very unlikely people. May we have our spiritual ears and hearts tuned into what our Father is saying.
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