Naneinei

Naneinei

As we winded our way through the alleyways of the wetlands of Masiphumelele, an African woman named Vovo led us into an empty home.  “This husband and wife that live here are are always fighting”, she explained.  “I would like it if you could please just pray for them.”  A minute later, the wife  came in, avoiding eye contact with everyone.  Her name was Naneinei.  Her countenance was downcast and she seemed quite timid and fearful.  (I might be too, if I came into my house and saw a dozen foreigners standing around in a circle!)  I introduced myself to her, and taking her hand I asked if we could pray for her.  

We all laid hands on her and began to pray out simultaneously.  We prayed against evil spirits in the home, against generational curses and cycles of abuse and alcoholism.  We prayed for love to abide in the home, for salvation to transform their lives.  I prayed that their home would become a lighthouse for their whole section of Masiphumelele, that neighbors would come running inquisitive about their apparent transformation.  The Spirit was thick in the room.  I couldn’t stop praying in the Spirit. 

Naneinei was weeping as we prayed, so I began to share with her about the God who did not live far away in a church, but who lived in Masi.  I shared with her about Jesus, the Person God sent to show people what He was really like.  I talked about the power that Jesus had, about all of the miracles He worked on the earth, and about how evil spirits have to obey Jesus.  I told her about how God would change her life if she became friends with Him.  She continued to weep, and soon Vovo, who was translating was also weeping.  We had to pause for a moment because the translator was crying too hard to translate.  When Vovo regained composure we kept talking about Jesus.  “You see how Vovo’s eyes shine and how her face is bright?  It’s because Jesus lives inside of her!  You see how Christina’s eyes shine too?”  I indicated to the other African Jesus-follower with us.  “It’s because she has Jesus living in her too!”  

As Naneinei was visibly shaken, we asked if we could return the next day to talk with her more about Jesus.  I still couldn’t stop praying in the Spirit all the way back to the church.  All of us left breathing in big breaths, knowing that we had just been met by the God of the universe in a very close way in a smelly, dirty shack near a river of sewage.

  

And so, Kristin, Amanda, and Lindsay returned Friday to chat with her.  We listened to her story - she’s in Masi getting treatment for tuberculosis and is regularly beat by her husband.  She has no friends in Masi, and mostly just lives in hiding, waiting for the day her treatment is over and she can leave.  We’ll come back there with local women who can befriend her and help rescue her when she gets in abusive situations.