1 Kenya – Brussels 2004

AT HOME IN WEBUYE, WEST KENYA

2

I taught on the significance and importance of correct water baptism, and on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Other messages were: “Fence of Pride”; “Equal Opportunity”; “Faith like a Mustard Seed”; “Love – old and new commandment: the Lord identifies with me”; “Who we truly are in Yeshua”; “Who we truly are in Israel”; and finally, “Total forgiveness leads to total freedom.” They were thrilled about the messages as they had wanted to learn how they relate to Israel, loving the nation and people of Israel very much and having great respect for them.

I learned that several other invited pastors did not attend because they couldn’t believe a white woman, a “Jewish prophetess”, would come all the way from Israel to minister to them. Indeed I became a sensation wherever we went, for the people had not seen a white person for many years, in some areas for decades.

Bishop Christopher provided the food for all. His wife Pnina, his daughters, “Mom” Benighna and “Mom” Jane cooked and served. Every meal included “ugale”, pastry made from fine corn flour which is used to scoop up food on the plate. Ugale is for Kenyans what rice is for Asians.

Young girls fetched water from far away in huge canisters, balancing them on their heads, and young men split firewood with axes. In the backyard, a fire blazed between 3 big rocks which held the large cooking kettles. The women would insert wood into the fire or withdraw it to alternate the heat. Should we ever be without gas or electricity I will know how to cook over an open fire J

Mom” Pnina (the women are addressed as “Mama” or “Mom”, an honorary title) provided me with a special and tasty diet, which included omelets and coffee for breakfast (Kenyans drink tea, not coffee), lest I got sick from strange food. Bishop Simiyu made sure I could preach twice a day throughout my stay.

Throughout the conference visitors got saved and the Lord also had me minister personally. The anointing was very strong and people got filled with the Holy Spirit even from a bare touch.

On the last day, Sunday, the Lord had me minister personally to Bishop Christopher and the attending pastors. I asked everyone to remain as witnesses. When they saw the power of the Holy Spirit, they all requested prayer for themselves as well. I ministered for 3 hours non-stop until dark.

The Bishop hired a bus, a driver and paid for the gasoline (all very costly). With generator, speakers and instruments, the praise and ministry team, we rambled our way over countless potholes into the interior to evangelize.

In 3 villages, 521 adults and many children got saved. At Benighna’s village alone, 281 got saved. The people didn’t want us to leave and remained with us even until dark. Two brothers, on whom I saw the hand of the Lord, donated ¼ acre to build a church for the new converts. Here, Bishop Christopher left a young pastor in charge of the new believers after the pattern given in Acts.

Benighna was overwhelmed with joy by her village Malakisi coming to Jesus. The entire way back to Webuye she sang and shouted and stomped her feet, and when at home, she fell on her face and thanked G-d as I have never seen anyone do. He had answered her many years of prayer by a white Jewish prophetess from Israel whom the Bishop kept referring to as “the servant of God.”

KENYA RIPE FOR HARVEST

A breakthrough was had in this village, which up to then had resisted the Gospel, being a stronghold of witchcraft. Even the village elder came for prayer, receiving Jesus as his Savior, and one of the leading women received a healing in her chestand abdomen, testifying the next day to the whole village (as the two young pastors left in charge of the new believers reported to the bishop). Meanwhile, the pomegranate tree in the village square serves as constant reminder of John 15.

After each preaching (also during the conference) I handed the microphone to Bishop Simiyu to invite the people to receive Jesus unto salvation. The Lord showed me it was the Bishop’s birthright as Kenyan, African and as G-d’s faithful and humble servant. This man is filled with deep love for His Lord and compassion for his people.

Our final 4 days were spent at Bishop’s village. With a rented bus and driver, we drove through beautiful country side toward Kitale. Kitale is one of the larger towns with some white folks, as evidenced by nicer homes. We picked up “Mom” Lilian who lived in a “better” mud house and drove deep into the interior. Here, people had not seen a white person for decades!

At first, the smaller children ran from me, never having seen any other skin color than black. But once they overcame their fear, they approached in large numbers, eager to touch me, to shake my hand and look at me. The news of a white woman preaching in a tent made quickly the rounds, and large numbers began to gather in the afternoons, some stopping down by the road to listen but too shy to come near.

The bishop’s village is in the vicinity of Lake Victoria, the famous lake discovered by Livingston as the source of the river Nile. Perpetual rain clouds form with lightening over that lake, and despite much praying and rebuking, we could not prevent heavy rain from falling at night. Butmost of the days remained dry and clear. We lived in a mud house, the packed dirt floor covered with the plastic red flower “carpet”. Our “bathroom” was out in the yard, consisting of a chair with a large plastic bowl filled with hot water and burlap hangings draped around tree branches for cover. Our toilet was another outhouse with burlap hangings and a hole, but they had packed my movable wooden toilet without my knowing it. I was most grateful for it J

A container of glowing charcoal warmed us in chilly nights, while kerosene lamps lit the darkness until the young men brought the generator from the tent where we had needed it to empower our microphones, speakers and keyboard. When the generator failed and we lost power at two of our meetings, I used it as an example of how we too need repeated infilling with the Holy Spirit. Just as the generator needed refueling for power, so also do we need the Holy Spirit’s frequent “refueling” to live as overcomers. Consequently, a good number of people got baptized with the Holy Spirit and learned how to get “refueled”.

One night, with kerosene lamp in hand making my way to the outhouse, I happened to look up — and shouted, “hallelujah!” I hadn’t seensuch a multitude of stars3 for many years, such clarity of sky, with the bright and morning star over the horizon. It was a most beautiful and breath taking sight out there in the wilderness of Kenya!

CHRIST FOR THE NATIONS OF AFRICA

In the Spirit, I saw this training center spawning many other such centers throughout Africa. I also saw Bishop holding outdoor meetings with endless numbers of people. I didn’t know at the time that Bishop Christopher Simiyu is chairman of a pastor’s assembly from Kenya, Uganda and other African nations, and is therefore able to greatly impact the African churches and areas. A personal word of prophecy for Bishop was very powerful, the Holy Spirit visibly filling and touching him. Kneeling on the dirt floor, the Bishop received the prophetic vision and promise with great faith. He has already placed a large banner over the church, reading, “Christ for the Nations of Africa Training Center.” He understands that every fulfillment of promise begins with the first steps of faith.

But what touched all of them more than any sermon or prophecy, was my sharing with them their humble homes and way of life. The few white ministers who came insisted on staying in the Tourist Hotel in Webuye (at a cost of thousands of shillings per night), and would not mingle or fellowship with the people. They came, they preached, they received payment and left. My staying and fellowshipping with the Kenyans proved to them that Jesus truly loves and identifies with them. It was by far the most powerful and impacting message!

Back in Webuye the pastors who hadn’t come began calling the Bishop, inviting me to minister at their churches. News of my preaching and the many conversions had reached them. But we had to prepare for my departure, something not easily done in Webuye. Not less than 3 hours at the postmaster’s office were required to reserve my flight to Nairobi (the cost being only 5,960 Shillings – a little over $ 100 – as opposed to 21,000 Kenyan Shillings for bus, driver and gasoline). Then we had to bus to Bungoma, the closest town with an AMT machine, for cash to pay for my flight from Kisumu, as they refused Or Tzion’s American VISA card. Another 2 hours at the postmaster’s were spent making a phone call to Sabena to confirm my return flight the required 72 hours before departure.

The next day we visited a member of Bishop’s church, a business woman. She wanted me to bless her home and family, and prepared us some omelets, sanddwiches, tea and coffee, after I just had had the same for breakfast. Her husband would drive us the next day to Kisumu Airport.

After a scant 3 hours sleep, we rose at 4 a.m. to make my 8:10 a.m. flight from Kisumu. Bishop Christopher and wife Pnina, co-pastor Humphrey (father of baby “Annelore”) and Benighna with daughter accompanied me. We all squeezed in, getting jostled for over 2 hours along another road of potholes. After a tearful and very loving good-bye, I boarded the plane to Nairobi, where I waited 12 hours for my flight to Brussels. The check-in hall had neither chairs nor benches, so this grandmother of age 61 placed two sweaters on the floor and laid down, trying to sleep. Later I had breakfast, lunch and supper at a nearby restaurant.

ANNELORE’S QUEST IN BRUSSELS

Note: The sycamine tree puts its roots very deep and solid into the soil; it is almost impossible to remove it. But for one who believes like the mustard seed it is not impossible. The tree WILL OBEY!!!

Matthew 17:20: “… verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, ‘Remove hence to yonder place’; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Note: The mountain was the Mt. of Olives. No good purpose to have it plucked up and cast into the sea. Point made – for SUCH kind of faith nothing is impossible!

The tiny mustard seed believes BIG! We too are to believe just as big! He does not think it impossible that birds will nest one day in his branches because G-d gave him all that is necessary to grow that big. How much more will G-d give His children all they need to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven!

In 1936, as the Nazis rose to power in Germany, my mother (then about 18 years old) had to go in hiding. Her father (my grandfather) Fritz Weisstock, visited her. Wearing the complete attire for morning prayer he stood before my mother with a book in hand and began reading names. Then he said, “My daughter, that you may know that you have no reason whatsoever to be ashamed of your Jewish identity and heritage I will read to you now from this book. For this book is the evidence that your family is older and nobler than the oldest and noblest royal houses of Europe. May it help you carry your head high and not be dismayed or ashamed of your heritage, for your father’s house dates back to king David, being of the Wise Stock of Solomon.”5

I was already 23 years old (born March 1943) when my mother finally told me this story. However, many years passed and I forgot about it. My life-changing encounter with Yeshua turned me back to G-d whom I had blamed for the Holocaust, and in 1976 He clearly instructed me to return to my people and my heritage. He also confirmed my mother’s story about the family’s genealogical record, and said that He has kept this book like the Dead Sea Scrolls, meaning the book is in a “container” inside a “cave”.

My search for this book, initiated 20 years ago, led me to Bank Degroof.

A QUEST FOR THE GENEALOGY OF THE SUKKAH OF DAVID

G-d said to look for the family book where grandfather was FIRST arrested!

My grandfather worked as a fur dealer in Etterbeek and must have had dealings with a bank. Of the 3 banks in Etterbeek, we had to discover which one he dealt with.

Since our older son’s marriage in July this year I had his picture with his wife on the monitor of my computer. One day I felt prompted to place a picture made by the space Hubble on the monitor — it is a nebula called “Eye of G-d”, for it looks exactly like a giant eye out there in space.

That same day I also checked the 3 banks in Etterbeek. The web site URLs of the first two banks did not work. When I clicked on the URL of Bank Degroof, this image came up — nothing but an EYE!

It was as though G-d was saying, “My eye is on THIS bank! Look there for the ‘container in the cave!’”

Meanwhile, I was preparing for my trip to Kenya. I decided on Sabena Airlines which would give me a 12 hour lay-over in Brussels upon my return to Israel. Thus I would have enough time to find 1, Rue de la Tourelle and Bank Degroof.

I prayed, making very specific requests, one of which was for a very kind Taxi driver, who would wait for me and bring me back to the airport.

As it happened, when I landed in Brussels, I took a train from the airport to Bruxelles Nordand waited at a Taxi stand. Before I could pull out my city map, the two taxis standing there left, leaving me stranded! However, shortly afterwards another pulled up and agreed to take me to 1, Rue de la Tourelle. Across his taxi meter scrolled the words “Shabbat”, “Shalom” and “Judaica”! Here was a Jewish taxi driver! I began to speak about my 20-year quest for my family’s book of generations that was bringing me to 1, Rue de la Tourelle. He was intrigued!

My Jewish taxi driver had not stopped by the Bruxelles Nord train station in over 17 years! Surely the hand of G-d had brought him to me now! My kind Jewish taxi driver helped me check out 1, Rue de la Tourelle (now a Pizzeria); drove me to Bank Degroof where he waited for me, took me to the Musée Juif de Belgique for additional information (where I obtained the address and telephone number of the former Jewish owners of Bank Degroof), drove me to the Cercle Ben Gurion for more contacts, and finally back to the airport. All of this without charge!

He was the precise answer to our prayers! He even made important phone calls for me.

At Bank Degroof, however, our prayers were not entirely fulfilled. While I had immediate favor with the personnel and the director in charge of the safety-deposit boxes, he was not my Belgian aristrocrat friend Constant. I had prayed to be met by him, as his family was in the banking business.

Monsieur Eric took my documents to check the archives but found nothing. My grandfather was not listed as having had a safety-deposit box in Bank Degroof. My disappointment was profound.

STEPS ORDERED BY G-D

Monsieur Eric wanted to know what made me believe Degroof had been grandfather’s bank. I told him that while there are many banks in Bruxelles, there are only 3 in Etterbeek. Of these3 only 1 came up on my computer, with an eye corresponding to the “Eye of G-d” I had placed on the monitor. This led me to Degroof. He told me that the original owners of Degroof was a Jewish family and gave me their name, but that the father had died in 1958. His son lived in Switzerland. No one of this family lived in Belgium, he said.

This information convinced me even more that Degroof had been grandfather’s choice of bank, as surely he would have chosen a Jewish banker. But how to find these original owners?

My taxi driver Johannes took me to the Musee Juif which was also disappointing. However, a lady there happened to know of the former Jewish owners of Degroof, and had their address. Although their phone number was unlisted, she smiled, for she herself had their phone and fax numbers.

Johannes called for me and I was able to talk to the Baroness and receive her promise of assistance.

Later at the Cercle Ben Gurion, I met another lady who worked for the “Service Des Victimes De La Guerre“, who was responsible for checking all possible Jewish files and accounts dating back from WWII in every Bank in Brussels. If anyone could find a trace of my grandfather – I was assured – it would be her. Then Johannes drove me back to the airport.

I arrived at home totally exhausted from my 50-hour trip. The disappointment of not finding the family’s genealogical record proved so intense I immediately fell very sick with a terrible chest cold. Strangely enough my husband fell victim to the same attack the very next day. Could some witchcraft from one of the Kenyan villages have had something to do with this sudden illness?

In conclusion, my quest of faith in Brussels was not entirely in vain. May my search be crowned at last with unearthing this family treasure, which will repair the breaches and close up the gaps in the “Sukkah of David” (see Amos 9:9-11) and make of it a “tent” (an “ohel”) in which G-d will prepare a throne for our Messiah Yeshua (see Isaiah 16:5).

Reinstating the Monarchy in Israel

With shofars blasting in the background, the group – led by Prof. Hillel Weiss, a well-known Temple Mount activist and a lecturer on literature at Bar-Ilan University, and Rabbi Yosef Dayan …conducted the nisuah hamayim ritual, which they said “will begin the process of removing the secular Israeli government.”

“This ceremony will lay the foundations for instituting a Jewish king, a Jewish court, and the Third Temple,” Weiss told the 40 participants sitting near the Shiloah Spring. “We will draw inspiration and strength from the ceremony as the holy priests did in Temple times, and we will ensure that the Jewish people will not be removed from their land.”

“The purpose of the ceremony is to remove the current government, and in order to do so we need to draw strength from the pools of salvation,” Weiss said. “If we want to make a revolution, then we need to change the course of the winds blowing among the people.”

Weiss, who recently published a book calling for the institution of a Jewish monarchy in the State of Israel, refrained from spelling out how he intends to “remove Sharon,” but did say that the “religious powers will grant us the strength to do so.”

While they may be looking for something grand and impressive – and not for a fragile “sukkah” turned into a humble “ohel” – their sudden desire for the reinstatement of the monarchy and their temple ritual ceremony may indeed be a sign of the soon reemergence of our family’s genealogical record, of “The Wise Stock of Solomon”.

In this hope I am as always

Yours in Him,
Annelore