4- Praise report: Germany 2005

Death Is the Doorway into Paradise in Yeshua

Troubling News

It was March 16th, 2005, a Wednesday evening, when the phone rang and my German friend who had been G-d’s angel in my mother’s and my life was on the other end of the line.“Your mother is back in the hospital,” she said. From the grave tone of her voice I knew that my mother’s condition was serious and I better be getting on the earliest plane available.

I had been dreading this moment for years, now it had arrived, one month before mother’s 87th birthday. I often prayed the Father to make provision for this moment as I had neither funds for the plane ticket nor for a decent, and rather costly, funeral.

“I will come with the first plane I can get,” I told my friend, and immediately called my travel agent at her home. She agreed, without hesitation, to meet me at once in her office. It was 10:00 p.m. when she started her computer to get a place for me on the earliest flight available.

She found exactly 1 seat left on the next day’s afternoon flight.

I was just getting out of the shower the next day when my friend called again: “So sorry, Annelore, but your mother died early this morning. She did not regain consciousness, so even if you had gotten here in time she would not have known it.”

For years I had reminded the Lord of my request to grant me that I may hold my mother in my arms at the time of her departure from this life, so that she may pass from my arms into the Lord’s. I could not understand why He did not grant me this desire of my heart.

The day before my friend’s phone call I had felt prompted to take the bus to the Post Office (our car was without transmission) where I have my P.O. Box. My friend Elisheva in the Netherlands had written me that her small prayer group had collected some Euros for me. Perhaps they had arrived. They had – 70 Euros.

It was G-d’s provision to get me from the airport to my friend’s house in Germany, and whatever I would need once there.

I called a taxi to take me to the train station. The train would take me from Beer-Sheva into the new airport; however, I needed to change train in Tel Aviv. Finding no sign to direct me to that train I went to look for information. Immediately I met two ladies (also come from Beer-Sheva) looking for the same train. They were accompanied by the station master without whom we might have gotten on the wrong train. Within minutes we safely arrived in the airport.

She looked beautiful, radiant, as in her best years, no longer like the pitiful shriveld-up little old woman she had become.

In my mind I answered her, “Yes, Mom, now you are with Him in Paradise. At last you are free from the prison of your ailing body, waiting for the resurrection. How happy you must be! And by the grace of G-d we shall see each other again.”

Another figure seemed to appear at her side and I knew it was my mother’s mother. Both radiant, both smiling at me, both happy and knowing what the purpose of my travel was. I felt greatly comforted.

The Hideous Face Of Death

G-d is a G-d Who Hears
And Answers Prayers

I arrived at my friend’s home a little after midnight. She had waited up for me and we still talked until 2:00 in the morning.The next morning, a cold, grey and rainy Friday, a beautifully set table and generous breakfast greeted me and my dear friend, offering to come with me for the errands I had to attend to.

It was her who last year had counseled me to choose a funeral home and make the necessary arrangements, so that in the case of mother’s sudden departure the funeral home could immediately attend to every matter. I checked out two and when my friend called, decided on the one my mother had consulted with when still alive.

Before leaving for Germany I cried to G-d to help me, for I did not know what to do and how to pay for all of it.

“Please, Abba, take care of everything for me for I am as helpless as a newborn infant here. Let me hide in your arms and hear you say, ‘Hush, my child, don’t worry. Daddy is going to take care of everything.’ For I am lost without you!”

And G-d heard my cry!

My travel agent gave me the plane tickets without payment. “Don’t worry about the money,” she said with a smile. “You go and take care of things for your mother. You pay me when you can.” That is how I got to Germany on time.

G-d reward her for her kindness!

When I arrived with my friend at the funeral home, all the papers were prepared. My friend had called them immediately following our conversation, and the funeral home went “into gear” without delay. Transporting mother from the hospital they placed her into one of the “cool rooms” where mother’s mortal frame laid in the open coffin I had chosen last year, her body dressed in the lovely white gown I had selected.

I had nothing more to do than choose the ad the funeral home would place into the weekend paper and sign a release for the funeral home to attend to all legal matters. My friend brought the folder with mother’s every legal paper and form needed.

Even the minister agreed to reschedule mother’s funeral for Monday morning instead of Tuesday (since it was already Friday, and over the weekend no funerals are conducted), and to meet with me the same evening. It was as though I heard almost audibly my heavenly Father say, “Don’t worry, my child. Daddy is taking care of everything!”

I praised and thanked Him aloud right then and there!

We found the cool room and entered. A knife as cold as ice shot through my whole being, a cruel, devastating shock shaking me and making me cry out loud. This was not my mother! It was not her I was seeing — I was looking at death!!!

I was shaking and trembling violently and crying loud, fleeing the room! I had seen dead people before, they looked like sleeping, still recognizable. The face I just had seen did not resemble my mother at all. I had seen only the hideous face of death!

My friend took me into her arms, holding me firmly without saying a word. She let me pour out my heart, and finally said quietly, “Now you know why G-d did not answer your prayer that she may pass from your arms into His. Your mother’s spirit had already left, and it would not have been her but death you would have held in your arms. G-d was wanting to spare you that. So, be comforted!”

I could not stop trembling and crying. Back in the funeral home’s office they brought a bottle of cognac and poured me a small glass. I ended up drinking three of these glasses which got me to stop from trembling and crying, helping me to regain my composure and peace.

Having ordered the flower arrangements at the gardener my mother always went to my friend invited me for lunch, and then we returned to her place.

A Tsunami Of Grief

Saturday morning a friend from the inter-denominational congregation in Osnabrueck with whom the Lord had connected me 3 years ago drove up to help me with clearing mother’s room at the nursing home.

It was a difficult task, one I had done once before when I had to dissolve my mother’s household upon her being moved into the lovely nursing home the Lord had provided for her through the agency of my dear lady friend.

I was grateful for my brother in the Lord to help me not only for driving me as I had no car but also with this troublesome task as it kept me from lingering too long, pondering, grieving and undecided about what to keep and what to dispose of. We quickly filled a few boxes with items I wished to keep, the nursing home taking care of the remainders, then we drove back to my friend’s home. There my brother handed me a white envelope: in it were 335 Euro the congregation and his family had collected to help me defray the costs of the funeral.

Thank you Lord! You are so good!

Saturday afternoon the drizzle had stopped and here and there sunshine broke through. On Sunday it was only partially cloudy, but still cold and windy. I had a long visit with my heavenly Father while my friend prepared one of my favorite dishes — stuffed beef rouladen with Spaetzle and fresh, mixed vegies. Afterwards we took a walk through a lovely park and visited her younger daughter recuperating from manic depression in a special home geared for such patients.

Monday morning had dawned – the day so dreaded! I rose early to have plenty of time to abide in the Lord’s Presence. I certainly did not want to face this day without prayer and the comforting strength of His Presence and love.

My friend and I stepped outside — into warm sunshine radiating from a deep-blue, cloudless sky. It was a glorious day, as though we were heading toward a wedding and not a funeral. My spirit lifted in view of such heavenly kindness.

We arrived early at the funeral hall where the coffin was already placed, adorned with the most beautiful flower arrangement in cheerful spring colors, and surrounded by candel light on tall iron wrought candle sticks. Colored bright light was bursting through the stained glass windows. Was this to be a funeral?

The few faithful friends of almost 2 decades had arrived, as well as a few ladies from mother’s former singing group who had read about her passing in the paper. The coffin bearers sat waiting with solemn faces and the organist. Soothing melodies emanated from the organ rather than melancholic tunes of mourning. Outside birds sang so loud that we could hear them on top of the organ, as though G-d had appointed a special choir to accompany the organist.

The minister held a wonderful, sincere speech, truly honoring my mother. He really had listened to me! The moment I so dreaded had come. And no matter how often I told myself that it was merely my mother’s earthen frame which was being delivered into the grave, the finality of my mother’s passing just tore into my heart with relentless force.

It was not merely the passing of my mother effecting me so, but the fact that she was the last of an entire family that had perished in the Nazi Holocaust, except for a few survivors. All were gone now, none were left, but me alone. The realization of it washed over my heart like a tsunami.

Suddenly my friend’s hand took mine, squeezing gently as she heard me breath heavily, tears streaming down my cheeks. I was missing my husband, children and grandchildren terribly. Oh Lord, why did you not provide for all of us to accompany mother on this day of final farewell? Here I was, the youngest and last of the old generation, with none of mother’s posterity at my side.

God’s Angel In My Life And A Robin Redbreast

It was by this little robin redbreast that the Lord calmed my “tsunami” and brought peace and a gentle joy, like a faint dawning, into my heart. Only He and I knew of my mother’s delight in this little feathered creature; surely it was He Who commanded one to sing for my mother on her last journey.

We arrived at the grave site in this particularly beautiful cemetery mother had chosen for her final resting place. Flanked by two tall deciduous trees whose branches form a leafy canopy over the grave the site proved to be a particularly choice place. Who but our loving Father in heaven could have set aside such a lovely resting place for my beloved mother?

The reality of G-d’s tender care, steadfast love and great faithfulness began to rise againin my heart like the sun after a dark, dark night. In fact, the sun shone right down on us and on this grave while her body was returned to the earth from which it had been taken.

When it was all over we proceeded to my friend’s home together with two ladies who had also cared for my mother. We enjoyed the traditional meal after a funeral my friend had prepared.

She just has always been there for us, consistently throughout the years, even after my mother in a strange fit had accused my friend to the whole neighborhood of a vile deed my friend is utterly incapable of who is righteous and honest to a fault.

The Lord was at my side through her and I pray that He will do as He promised: blessing her with a triple blessing that will be far above and beyond what she could have ever hoped or imagined. She has never done any of her kind deeds expecting a return, intimating payment. In fact, the only way I could ever leave a financial blessing was by doing it secretly, inside a thank-you card, placing it in my room immediately before my departure.

I mention her because it has been by her deeds that she has always manifested G-d’s love and care for me and my mother. Once again she demonstrated G-d’s tender care at my mother’s funeral.

The Lord – My God And Provider

When I entered the bus she was the first one I saw. She had decided not to go after all. I am convinced this was the Lord’s doing Who knew I would need her.

At the bank I was informed that I could not close my mother’s savings account without those signatures. I called my friend and together we three went to take care of the matter as soon as the bank opened again for the afternoon, the only day of the week. The money I got from the savings and checking account would pay for everything – I thought. I was utterly elated!

I paid the funeral home for their services, ordered the gravestone mother had wanted, and went to the gardener to arrange – and pay – for 3 years care of the grave. Then I took the bus back to my friend. G-d had made provision more abundantly than I could ever have imagined.

The one thing I had overlooked was the fact that I also needed to pay the city for the grave site, for digging the grave, and rent for the funeral hall where the service was held. The owner of the funeral home called in the evening and pointed this out, wherefore I had to cancel the gravestone. He promised to pay the city with that money and tell them I would pay the rest in 2 – 3 months.

I had had not so much as one single Euro to take care of mother’s funeral. Two days before her death He provided me with the minimum funds needed for transportation in Germany. He provided the funds to cover the entire funeral costs, had I not ordered and paid the 3 years grave care. The owner of the funeral home advised me not to cancel this arrangement so mother’s resting place would be taken care of. I heeded his advice. Hence I am still needing 750 Euro, which in view of the whole cost of 3,485 Euro is a small amount.

My heavenly Father provided for every need no matter how small, down to a little feathered friend singing over my mother’s coffin. Had I not paid the gardener for 3 years care I would have had enough for everything except for that and the gravestone, both of which are not such an urgent, immediate need.

I felt lost and utterly helpless, without means to give my mother an honorable funeral. My heavenly Father took care of it all, mostly by people willing to be His right hand on my behalf. G-d’s laws and Yeshua’s commandments are written on their hearts.

Our Lord said that every man will be judged for what he has DONE, not for what he promises but fails to do. He commanded us to love not merely with words but with deeds — such as He loved us Who laid His life down for our redemption, salvation and deliverance.

Let us not take offense at one another but rather make love our aim, practicing forgiveness of trespasses against ourselves – whether small or great – that our Father in heaven may also forgive our own trespasses. Let us not harbor bitterness, grudge, anger and unwillingness to forgive, but let us choose to be His helping right hand, His ministers on behalf of others. For by that we glorify Him and demonstrate to all men the reality of His Person, love and faithfulness.

May this report minister to you and turn your life around if you find yourself in a similar situation of helplessness and lostness. May it inspire you to give of yourself, of your time, ability and posessions to others as you have opportunity, without expecting a reward or praise from man. May it move you to allow the Lord to engrave His teachings on the tablets of your heart that you may be a true witness and glorify Him.

Annelore

PS. Of course, the Lord eventually provided also the funds for the gravestone on which I ordered two symbols to be engraved, in addition to the text, identifying my mother as Jewish and saved in Yeshua, by having the cross run through the Star of David.

Approaching the grave under oak trees	Graves like mini-gardens	Next to the oak tree, flanked by graves
Mutti’s grave; it’s newly replanted now	Mutti’s gravestone, with her picture	The Hollage cemetary is like a park