“…I don’t get it. What does it mater if you’r preaching in Steinhatchee, or Haiti? What’s really annoying you?” Asked one of the Amish men with an accent.
“What is annoying to me is an Amish man asking me annoying questions.” I answered with a friendly chuckle, hoping to break the awkwardness. He didn’t respond to my dry humor and continued; “What I hear you saying is: you rather be preaching where you are received and cheered, then where you are rejected and despised…”
In that moment, something rose within me; “NO!… I prefer preaching where Torah, the Word, is received and cheered, rather then where it is rejected and despised. But that’s beside the point; the issue is: G-d called my family and me to bring the Torah to Haiti, but we are stuck in Steinhatchee!…”
Several men tried to give suggestions over one another. I just wanted to go home, which is pretty bad considering I had no home.
“Why are we talking? We need to be praying!” Instructed Jerry. Then another Amish man began prophesying.
My recollection of the word he spoke is in part, yet the jest of it, is forever imprinted in my heart. As the word came, I wept the tears of countless people… “This is not a personal matter concerning this Rabbi. This is a national matter concerning a nation; the nation of Israel, and how the nations and in most cases, the body of Christ continues to reject Israel and her calling. This Rabbi is experiencing the weight, the sadness of a people with a very significant call; to be a light to the nations. The Father’s heart is that we come boldly against the powers and principalities standing in his way; unseen forces holding this Israel from fulfilling her call to be a light to a nation that is actually meant to receive the blessing; the nation of Haiti.”
The man who spoke that Word embraced me for a very long time, and wept with me. I suddenly realized, having looked at the meal menu earlier, that everything in it was biblically kosher. I thanked them for eating a little different for a weekend, on Israel’s behalf.
“Rabbi, I knew you were coming. I made sure you would be able to eat everything in the menu.” Informed Brother Gordon after composing himself, for he too, had been weeping with us. What a refreshing blessing; that my brother would choose to change a meal menu, rather then try to change my understanding of what a vision of un-kosher animals coming down in a sheet meant.
Later that evening I learned more about these Amish men. They were the family of a child who was murdered; the ones who forgave the man who took the child’s life. Having heard their moving story, the nation of Iraq asked if they would be willing to come teach them how to forgive. Amazing…
We made many new friends, and throughout the weekend, several Amish families placed love gifts in my hands.
“I wish you could come to my congregation, so my Rabbi and the people could experience this anointing.” Said the anointing man as we were heading out.
“You’r Rabbi?…” I asked perplexed.
“Yes… Solomon. Not the senior; he retired, the son: Rabbi Solomon. He would be so blessed.” The man continued.
“Well… tell him that you met the greatest Rabbi ever and He sends His love…” I instructed.
“Oh, believe me, I will! Shalom.” He said as we said goodby.
(Incidentally, for those who don’t know me; when I refer to my self as Rabbi, I am never speaking of myself, but rather the ONE who lives in me. This is why I say: I AM, the greatest Rabbi…)
Before we headed out, brother Jerry, instructed Captain and me to stop at a congregation and meet with a widow. She was very friendly, but we were very tired and let her know had little time. After paying for our meal, she asked us to follow her car… We drove threw winding long roads for almost two hours. Finally we arrived at her home. She invited us to go inside and there we waited once again for a long time. I couldn’t understand what about, “we are very tired and don’t have much time” she didn’t understand.
To be continued