As readers of these Mideast Updates will know, the last couple updates brought to our attention difficult events that required serious prayer because only intervention from God would spare Pastor R*****, at the very least, the loss of his legs, and the possibility of death from shrapnel wounds. As you remember, our pastor friend was seriously injured when a bomb exploded outside of his tent, killing the three missionaries who were with him. These three missionaries had shielded themselves over Pastor R*****, sparing his life, but were killed themselves. R***** received serious shrapnel wounds to his legs. Even though he pulled the shrapnel himself, he lost considerable blood. He was eventually taken to the hospital because his health was deteriorating.
While in the hospital, he was found to be in danger of gangrene and we sent out a request through this blog as well as e-mail for special prayer. Even though Mofidah of the “Widow Sisterhood”, had not been contacted about R*****’s condition, the Lord spoke to her and told her to pick seven of the widows in her ministry team, and travel to where Pastor R***** was in the hospital. For those of us in other parts of the world, this might not seem like such a difficult thing to accomplish, but that is not the case in Syria–especially for eight women on foot through a war zone. These amazing women walked for 3-1/2 days, nearly around the clock. A good part of this time they were also fasting and praying as they walked. I have no way of knowing how many miles they walked, but the last I had heard, most of the widows were in northern Syria, with some of them even crossing over the non-existent border into northern Iraq some weeks ago. All I know is that they had to cross a great distance through war torn Syria, right through areas where brutal fighting is going on. God was certainly with these women!
Mofidah and her group of widows went straight to the clinic / hospital where Pastor R***** was and convinced him that God had this all under control and he did not need to stay in the hospital any longer. They got him back to his base camp tent and treated him there. For those that may not know, Mofidah has been given a special gift from the Lord that has enabled her to treat many hundreds of war injured people, including soldiers, sheikhs, and a great many civilians dying in the killing fields. Part of what she does after removing bullets, or other projectiles, is thoroughly cauterize the wounds. The Lord has, however, given her a little more. She has a mixture that she puts together to use in the cauterizing process, which brings about healing to the point that there is no sign of the original injury. This also, no matter how impossible it sounds, has also been used by the Lord to heal up badly broken bones. This is nothing less than miraculous! Mofidah has now trained 100 other women to do the very same thing. As they do what the Lord guides them to do, He takes over the rest of the process and provides the supernatural touch which brings total and complete healing. Amazing, isn’t it? The greatest miracle of all, however, is the thousands of people who have become followers of Jesus Christ, the only true Messiah after witnessing such miracles. Many thousands of those who were an hour or two from death also chose to call upon the only one who could forgive them of their sins, asking Him to be their Lord and Master. These are now in the presence of Jesus.
In Pastor R*****’s case, Mofidah performed the process once and then they all slept. She then was not satisfied and cauterized all the wounds again. R***** then told me she did it a third time, this time rubbing a special oil onto the skin of his legs. Now there are only a two or three small red dots left, and they too will be gone soon! What a tremendous miracle! God is good! R***** is now gaining strength each and every day.
As I have mentioned before in other updates, a “method” is not something to mimic. Often, people hear of how one of God’s ministers operates as they follow God’s direction, thinking that God will do the same through them. Not so! Why God does some of the things He does, is often a bit hard for us to understand. We just obey and He does the work. What Mofidah does is something that God has gifted her with for the hour that she is to minister in. This is why this Gift of the Holy Spirit is called “gifts” of the Spirit. It is plural; different gifts for different people and different needs.
It is important that all reading this update realize how important prayer really is. God answers prayer!! When the need is there, we must pray! I know in my own case, the Lord had me up most of one night. During that night I found myself praying for our friend R***** earnestly several times. As it turns out, it was during the time that Mofidah was working on his legs. I found this out a couple of days later. This has happened more than once between this brother and myself–once when an attacker had entered his hospital room near Damascus, in order to kill him. God intervened then as well. It confirms how important it is for us to listen to the voice of the Spirit of God. It is often crucial.
In 2 Corinthians chapter one, we find the Apostle Paul making reference to the trials and persecutions he was going through. The same passage, written during the time of the early Church, can just as well reflect the trials and persecutions of God’s messengers of His truth to the world in the time of the Church during this last generation before the return of the Messiah. With that thought in mind, I have taken the Scripture and made it applicable to what is happening in the Middle East today. It would read something like this:
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia (or the Middle East!). We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (NIV)
Folks, this ongoing story about House of Blessing in the Middle East is still an awesome, relatively untold story. We have the opportunity to witness a harvest today that is a fulfillment of prophecies that tell of what God said He would do in the last days. HOB is not the only missionary organization fulfilling the Great Commission in the Middle East, but by God’s grace they are making Jesus Christ and His love known to a people who have never heard the Gospel of His love and the full payment made for man’s sins through Jesus Christ. Some missionary organizations are well known, but most continue to be “no name” groups, at least to the world they live in. God however is well aware and is providing them the guidance and power to do the work He has called them to do….oftentimes miraculously.
And we have the great privilege of partnering with these missionaries and martyrs as we keep them in earnest prayer. God also multiplies the resources when finances come in to help them. This is a very desperate time in the Middle East. Bibles are especially in great need. HOB has contact with a printer that always has some Bibles printed ahead. As soon as the finances are available, they are able to go directly to the printer and get the Bibles distributed. HOB is now scattered all over Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan area, and Iran. HOB has hundreds of missionaries in the field today. We must follow God’s directions in these last moments of time in this age. Jesus encouraged us to work while there is “day”, for night is coming when no man can work. The Great and Terrible Day of the LORD is just around the corner now. Expect to see prophecy fulfilled in our time and we wait in prayerful and joyful hope for the coming of our Redeemer.
Blessings,
Jake Geier
House Of Blessing (HOB); P.O. Box 2093; Redmond, OR 97756