Pastor's meeting

Some of the Pastors

"I have something too," Wanda says, "but it's a rebuke."

I look at her and nod, "good.".

We are scheduled to have a meeting with all the Pastors from the "interior".

Maasailand is so vast, that the people refer to the most remote locations, deep in the bush, as the "interior". Nelly accompanies us to the meeting, where we are ushered in through the small door of the rented church office. The room is about 15 feet long and 1o feet wide. Along one wall, are all the chairs for church, stacked and ready, but taking up valuable space in the small office. There is a desk and a window and of course, pictures of Obama, taped to the wall.

As I walk past Joseph, he asks if I slept well.

I reply, "no, but it's okay...".

I find my spot on a bench that hugged the wall and watch as the Pastors start piling in. Chairs are distributed where they can fit, but most of the Pastors are left to stand. I believe there are between 14 and 20, plus Nelly and the 4 of us. We are shoulder to shoulder on the bench, me sitting on only one of the two cheeks I have. The Pastors, most of whom were in the meeting the night before, had varying degrees of expectation. You could see it written on their faces. Some trying to look casual, nonchalant even, but the intensity of their eyes focused on Wanda, giving them away.

Ilene got up and spoke about how the doctors had told her not to come. How she wasn't healthy enough, but that her "physician" was far greater than any physician on earth. She talked about her past. About being healed from addiction and ultimately in how God healed her to be able to come all the way to Africa.

I spoke about my lifelong desire to be in Africa. About the yearning to see this land, even from a very young age. I explained why I had a camera around my neck at all times. How important it was for me to document what I saw.

"I don't take pictures because I am on a vacation, or am a tourist, I take pictures to move people. When someone looks at my photographs, I want them to recognize the crisis you are in. I want them to see your pain."

I tell them how God spoke to me in Swahili the first night I was there.

I remind them, "Mungu Tosha."

They clap and cheer their agreement.

God is enough.

Then I tell them my dream. Just the dream.

One of the Pastor's eyes get big. He watches me. He scrunches up his face, trying not to cry.

They bow their heads, nodding, clapping, agreeing... hoping.

Wanda stands and tells the men that she has a word, but some of them might not like it, but she hopes they can handle it.

"I'm going to talk to you about Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar again."

She reminds them of Nebuchadnezzar's dream about the tree. How it stretched to the heavens. How the animals of the land found shade beneath it's limbs. The birds, finding nesting places on the branches. About the abundant fruit and beautiful leaves of the tree.

She tells them how big and strong this tree was, how it has dominion across the earth.

Again, the men are starting to shift in their seats. Some lean forward, heads down, others do not take their eyes from Wanda.

She proceeds.

"Daniel tells the King, 'You are the tree...'"

She tells them Daniel's interpretation. That King Nebuchadezzar has "puffed himself up" and will be driven away from his people. How he will live with the beasts and eat grass like cattle.

She tells them that all is not lost. That the stump and roots of the tree are left. That his kingdom will be restored when he acknowledges heaven.

Then she pauses.... "...When you renounce your sin by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue." (Daniel 4:27, NIV)

Some of the men cry. Some sit back quickly, like they have been slapped.

They got it.

The women and children have been oppressed for so long. How could there be restoration to the land, the people, when this is the case? Here is a woman, delivering this word, her husband sitting beside her, supportive, loving, kind. They see the example.

Joseph stands and tells everyone that he wants to pray for "Mum". Eilene has most affectionately been referred to as mum, by everyone she has met in Africa.

He tells us how God awakened him at 5am and told him that she needed healing of her kidneys.

We all stand in a circle, join hands and pray. Ilene cries.

She tells us later that as we were praying, she could feel her kidney shift and move inside of her. She said she knew God had healed her.

As we leave, I am approached by the man who had been trying not to cry.

"We have the same calling I think," he says.

"I too, have a heart to bring water to this land."

I nod, saying, "I see that from your response... what is your name?"

"Noah." he says.

Noah