"Even the camel-thorn trees are dying in the North West Province."
This is the news flash that really hit home in my heart. The drought was getting worse. Some of the farmers were on the brink of bankruptcy.
I felt the Lord lay on my heart to go on a prayerwalk in the North West Province. I started asking Him where he wants me to walk.
That's when I saw the notice on Facebook. A prayer-meeting for men was to be held on the next Monday evening in Tosca. I knew in my heart that was where I should go.
Tosca ... I heard the name often in the past few weeks as it was mentioned on the weather forecast as the hottest place in the country.
After some research I found that the closest bus route from Johannesburg passes through Vryburg, 155km from Tosca. I realised in my heart that this was the route for the prayerwalk.
The first challenge to my faith was when I felt Go lay on my heart to only buy a one-way ticket to Vryburg. He would arrange my return trip... and I shouldn't even take money for the ticket!
I had 4 days to complete the trek, including both the bus ride and the prayerwalk. Everything happened quickly and within 2 days I was on the bus.
I am always amazed how God has things worked out long before we ever thought, and how we often just have to take that step of faith and see how everything fits together. This even includes being on the right bus on the right time...
The bus service has an incredible vision: To spread the message of hope, repentance and restoration across the land and beyond, to give a perishing people in despair the good news of Jesus Christ and salvation through Him. 2 Chronicles 7:14. " if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land".
The bus had a public video system which started playing along the journey. The first clip was a short sermon. This quote from that sermon was very touching and appropriate for my journey to Tosca: "Take your eyes off your problem and fix your eyes on the Problemsolver" (Angus Bucchan)
The main movie was "The Calling", was about a man called by God to take a backpack and walk across America spreading the gospel, praying and touching peoples lives. That was not a coincidence!
While I was on the bus, I received an sms text message. Here are some extracts from the prayer which was written while tears were rolling over the cheeks of that prayer partner:
... farmers standing in the dust, calling out to You as Your Bride while Your rain starts drenching the dry earth. They will seek Your face in full, and not in part. Thank you for farmers who will dance with tears of thankfulness running down their cheeks. Thankfulness for a living Christ Jesus who's tomb is empty, because You have risen from the dead. Amen and Amen...
In Vryburg the prayerwalk started off on a very hot afternoon, I turned off from the main road and wanted to take a picture of the sign. As I prepared to take the picture, someone came up to me and asked what I was doing and where I was going. Reginald was the first person along the road I talked to and whom I prayed for.
The first person to stop next to me along the road made a shocking statement. It was about 10km from Vryburg when a farmer stopped next to me. He asked me where I was heading and what the reason for my walk was. We talked for a while about spiritual things and then he said: "You know, currently I am living far from God. And the way i am living makes that I don't deserve even one drop of rain on my farm."
I was shocked. We talked some more and eventually we got talking about God's grace. He then said it would be good for me to pray for him. And also to pray for rain. We did and he was clearly touched by our meeting. He drove off and within 2 hours it started pouring down with rain.
I believe in my heart this man saw with his own eyes God's grace in action.
I loved walking in that rain. It was like physically walking in the answer of my prayer. Long after, the rain stopped I found a secluded spot next to the road, pitched the tent and had a peaceful sleep.
Another drought
And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. (Eze 43:2, KJV)
I got messages from prayer partners who felt that apart from the drought in that area, there was also a drought in many farmer's spiritual lives. That was indeed the focus of a lot of praying in the following days. Prayers around farmers getting up out of the dust, and serving God whole-heartedly, with respect, holiness and as a God-fearing nation.
This prayerwalk was much a team effort. I had a team of prayer partners who stayed informed of where I was and what I was praying for. They would then send me what they prayed and what Father God laid on their hearts.
Walking into reality
The second day started off hot and dry. It was with a lump in my throat that I noticed bales of feed being transported by the truck-load to the areas up ahead.
People of all races stop during the day to give me water and snacks. What a blessing.
That night I did something prophetically. As a white person, I slept over in the black township, in a black owned and run guesthouse. In a way breaking the drought of support from white people in black businesses. The visitors book has only names of black patrons. It felt like I was plowing something into the area. Big was my surprise to see in the courtyard an ornament. It was an old plowing implement.
Cloudy behind a tree
The next day started off hot and dry. Dead animals just next to the road told a sad story of suffering and drought. For most of the morning the sky was cloudless. A small cloud made its appearance behind a tree. Soon the sky was clouded - but no sign of rain. A prayer partner reminded me that Elijah's rain storm started with a small cloud.
A very rare thing happened. I saw the sign advertising a shop 6km ahead and developed quite a craving for Cream Soda - something I haven't had for years. At the store they told me the large bottle was warm, but there were small bottles Cream Soda in the freezer. I bought 2 small bottles for the warm road ahead. They were finished off quite quickly. A car stopped next to me with some of the folk from the area. They brought me dinner. That was a nice surprise. I was overwhelmed when they also also handed me a can of cold drink; it was an ice cold Cream Soda.
The third day started off with an interesting revelation. I walked past a lion camp. Most of the previous night I heard them roar. What a majestic sound.
- You can fence in a lion, but never its magnificent roar.
Roaring grace
A lonely traveller; tired but alert
I stumble upon a tabernacle in the desert
Only by grace there’s no need to hit the dirt
when this life, I reassert
Enter through the Gate
Righteous cleansing holy fire burns off the weight
A River washes away the dirt and paths become straight
Enter into the holy place
Gentle seven lampstand candles light a path of grace
Bread of life reminds of what my Saviour had to face
Advocate before God Who daily pleads my case
Enter through a veil that is no more
In the presence of
Father, Spirit and Son
I just fall down on the floor
Surrender to the One I so adore
upon my heart He engraves His law
To Him my heart I must restore
because my sins He bore...
Now free to worship Him for evermore
His loving grace has no door
I can hear the Lion roar
One-way ticket
As I prepared for this prayerwalk, I felt God lay on my heart only to buy a one-way bus ticket and do the prayerwalk to Tosca. I wasn't to take money for the bus fare back home, I had to put my trust in Him only. That was quite a challenge.
- 20km from Tosca
On the last day, I was rationing my water very carefully. I had two liters of water left for more than 15 km. In the distance I saw a figure standing next to the road. As I got closer I saw it was a man. It was very surprising to meet someone out there. His bicycle had a flat tyre, and he didn't have anything to fix it with. I felt God urging me to give the man a liter of my water. That was a hard decision because the day was getting very hot and water was a very needed commodity. I gave the man the liter-bottle and his thankfulness spoke volumes.
We greeted and I continued on the journey. I have' walked a kilometer when someone stopped next to me. The window rolled open and a friendly greeting accompanied by a bowl of food surprised me: "Here's some lunch". As if that was not surprising enough, the person reached down and handed me two liters of ice cold water. We spoke and prayed together. As we greeted (without me saying anything about my faith challenge and the one-way ticket), this person takes out a roll of money and said: "I feel God wants me to give you this". I was blown away. It was enough for the bus ticket back home.
WOW. Thank You Jesus!
The Pomfret Connection
Along the road I had a big decision to make. Would I take the turn-off to Pomfret, which would mean a 100km to walk extra? I felt God show me to skip that and trust in Him. I didn't understand it fully. In Pomfret was a mission couple whom I wanted to pray for. I had a strung urge to go and pray with them, but had to let it be.
As I ended the prayerwalk in Tosca, a vehicle stopped in front of the shop across the road. Another vehicle came around the corner and stopped next to me. The driver called out: "Hi, there you are". This was the man who wanted me to sleep with them on the farm that night. He had all kinds of chores to do and just finished and ended up exactly in time to meet me as I ended my long walk. As we sat in the vehicle he said: Oh there is someone you must meet. He pointed to the car that was parked across the road in front of the shop. We went over and with a Godly awe I realised that this was the mission couple from Pomfret who unexpectedly had to drive out to Tosca to get some needed supplies. God brought them to Tosca to pray with me.
The Gentle Wind
The prayer meeting that evening was something that I will never forget. I met so many farmers from the area and was deeply impressed when those big strong men humbled themselves before God. They thanked God for the blessings that they still had, despite the terrible drought that was lingering. We sang the prayer from Matthew 6, "Our Father" as we ended the meeting. The sounds of those deep voices singing out boldly and the words cut through my heart. "Forgive our sins..." and "Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the power
Yours is the glory forever, amen". A gentle wind lifted the curtains of that hall and blew over the men as they sang these words...
Within a week the rain came. I spoke to a farmer who said this was the best rains for the 19 years of their time farming there.
- Waiting for the bus to return back home. Standing in the rain in Vryburg!
