6-10 November 2009
“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.” Rm 7, 14-16.
6 November 2009
As soon as I had waken up that morning of our departure to the airport for the mission in Egypt, everything seemed to go upside down. I had put my alarm on to wake up, as it was a morning flight, but my alarm played a trick and did not ring, it only rang an hour late. Vassula was up and ready. Very confused, I struggled to be quick and be in time as a friend of ours was going to be there in 30 minutes to drive us to the airport. Finally, I managed and was ready to go at the needed time. Going towards the door to lock my house, to my horror I noticed that my door-keys were missing from the key holder that were with other keys. Somehow they had dropped somewhere in the house, I even suspected of being burgled. There was no time to look around, although I did but could not find them. It was rush hour and I decided with despair to slam the door and leave my flat with just the door closed. I had given anyway an extra key to my mother I thought who lived nearby, then on my return from the mission I would simply pass by her and pick those extras to open my flat.
We were already 15 minutes delayed and it was rush hour, bumper to bumper. As we drove about two kilometers I suddenly realized to my horror that I had forgotten my passport home! Vassula sighed and in cold blood said to me, “Just drop out of the car and take a taxi and do what you have to do, then come and meet me that is if you manage at the airport, I cannot afford missing the plane, we will keep your luggage with us.“ I threw myself out of the friend’s car and was like a mad woman rushing between the cars that were almost at stopping speed as the traffic was really heavy. I was, searching between the cars for a taxi. When you need one of course they are never around. I was sweating cold sweat although it was cool, I was about to die, because time was getting short, the clock was ticking and here I was, knowing that I had to go first to my mother, take the extra keys, then go to my flat and so on. Suddenly, after an eternal time as it seemed to me, I saw a taxi with no one in it! However, he had not his sign on of availability, meaning he was reserved. I could not help it but jumped straight in front of him and with my arms outstretched, probably looking like a horror mask and in total panic, wild and who knows what more, the taxi man stopped. I spilled an outpour of my story to him and he accepted me canceling his reservation. Thanks be to God, I finally made it just 20 minutes before they close down the check-in counters. When he had hit the highway, he flew, he did not drive… I think this should be a lesson not only for me but for everybody. I realize now, and after Vassula talked to me that I was not focusing on the mission and get prepared, I wore myself out the day before we were to leave. Today I consider this a temptation. Arriving at the airport I sent an SMS message to Vassula telling her I had just made it. Wow. I could not believe that I made it.
The plane left in time and we were welcomed in Egypt by Elaine from Australia and Sofia. To give a message of peace and love here, in a country where the majority of the population is Moslem, it is not easy. It is very difficult to reach out to the Christian people to make a proper announcement, or publicity, these are forbidden by law. So the invitations usually are, either announced in church or they are done with word of mouth. Very few come. Very few are taught of the gift of the Holy Spirit and especially the gift of prophecy. People are afraid they would go and hear someone who is as they call it a false prophet.
Vassula and we have noticed the tremendous barriers that exist for a charism like hers. But after all, has not Paul the Apostle taken such treatment, such rejection? In the gospel and in his letters we read of the hardships he went through when announcing the Good News. In the book of Acts ch. 23, v. 22, it is written that after he said to the a crowds that the Lord told him to go far away and preach to the Gentiles, which he did, the crowd who was listening to his testimony, the crowd furiously rejected his testimony and called out to get rid of him shouting that he was not worthy to be alive. However, even when Saint Paul was flogged, put into prison and persecuted he never gave up his mission but the strength of the Lord sustained him to persevere even more. He was always encouraged to go forward by our Lord. The same with all the martyr saints, the same today with all those who witness God’s Word. The strength of the Lord sustains them during their hardships. This is mission. Mission is leaving your comfort. Mission is perseverance despite all obstacles put on your path; patience and acceptance at all times when difficult circumstances are placed on our way and slow down the work of God. Mission is to have hope and trust in God, never despairing, knowing that it is God at work and that it is His plan; that He is with us and that in His time He will open the way and touch the hearts of his people, accepting Him in their lives.
7 November 2009
As I wrote before, the news of Vassula’s arrival in Cairo was spread as the wind with word of mouth. The next day of our arrival, early in the morning, people were coming at Sophia’s flat to meet Vassula, some of them had only heard about the message of True Life in God, some had read a book and some wanted with faith to receive healing prayers for their ailments. Before giving them the blessing, Vassula was asking those who were requested to be healed, if they are church goers, if they go for confession, if they receive Holy Communion and if they pray.
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The Christians who are minority in this Muslim country, do not hide their faith, desire or zeal for Christ, they place at the entrance of their buildings and flats icons of our Virgin Mary and our Lord. One of the martyr saints most venerated by Christians and Muslims in Egypt is Saint George. Both have a great devotion to him and both receive from this Saint healing and miracles.
Vassula’s first meeting in Cairo took place on November 7, at 07.00pm in the Church of the de la Sale College as the previous one on April 28th of the same year. It was sister Carina, who is also running a Beth Miriam in Cairo who arranged to reserve the church for Vassula’s speech. About 90 people attended the meeting the majority of whom were new, different denominations who heard Vassula for the first time. Father Arsenius, a Coptic monk opened the meeting with Our Lord’s Prayer. Vassula then greeted the people in Arabic and gave them a short background with Elaine who was her interpreter.
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To watch all these people, who obviously had the thirst for God, otherwise they would not have come, gathering that evening in that church, leaving their leisure and comfort to go through a nightmarish traffic in Cairo to listen to Vassula addressing the message of Christ, was very touching. This reminded me of the words that Jesus Christ gave for us all to Vassula on April 14, 1991 when He said, “blessed are you who believe without seeing, rejoice, for the Grace you received from My Father and pray for those who have not yet received this Grace; blessed are those who espouse themselves to Me, this same joy I feel as a Bridegroom they too shall feel, the day they meet Me face to face.”
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We, and I mean all those who have read the messages of True Life in God very well know how many anointed graces we receive when we read those messages and how our Lord in His infinite mercy draws us closer to Him and makes us really columns of fire to go out and give our testimony to the world and cry out, “Look, my God, I have been picked up by Your good pleasure to become Your living tablet, Your echo and Your harp, guide me to walk in Your Celestial Courts one day!“ At the same time it reminds me how our Lord said to us, on April 15, 1991, those words: “the inner power of My Church is My Holy Spirit, this Fire which enlivens you, purifies you and makes out of your spirit columns of fire, ardent braziers of love, living torches of light, to proclaim without fear My Word, becoming witnesses of the Most High and teaching others to look only after Heavenly things.” The evening finished by all of us praying the prayer of healing and deliverance. Vassula was asked as well to pray over people, which she did.
8 November 2009
The following day, we had to be in Alexandria. We took the train and after a few hours we arrived. A friend was waiting for us to drive us to the hotel. The Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Savas that evening was having Vespers, for the next day was the feast of Saint Nectarios, a very recent Saint. The Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa Theodoros II was going to be celebrating Vespers. At the end of Vespers the Patriarch suddenly looking at Vassula, smiling, said loudly, “We want to thank you My Vassula for the Cross you gave to us with your friends from the Holy Land. It is miraculous and blessed for it comes from the Holy Land and it is made out of pure olive tree. It contains the life of Jesus and I ask everyone to go and have a look at it.“ Later on when everyone was leaving, His Beatitude approached Vassula and said, “Will you be able to come over to my office tomorrow at 10.30 after Mass?” Vassula was delighted and thanked His beatitude.
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9 November 2009
That morning we went to the Liturgy celebrating Saint Nectarios. At 10.30 a.m. we accompanied Vassula to the Patriarchate office where she went in to discuss alone with His Beatitude. During their conversation, His Beatitude proposed to Vassula to join Him with her friends in South Africa in Johannesburg during the Easter Celebrations. Vassula said she will take His proposal in consideration and will gladly try and go. She announced this to her friends in Athens on her arrival and in Rhodes, they were delighted and every one of them said they would travel and go over for Easter in Johannesburg.
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That evening the meeting in Alexandria was held in the church of the Sacred Heart at 07.00 pm. Father Kyrillos, a Franciscan monk welcomed Vassula for the second time this year in his church. About 100 people from different Christian denominations gathered to hear Vassula’s address. Many of them were there for the first time and heard Vassula speaking about the treasure of the message of TLIG. Apart from Egyptians, many people were from Sudan, Rwanda and other countries of Africa. Vassula, Jesus’ Echo, reminded us, that “the biggest virtue is Love and God’s will is to love each other as He Loves us, to learn to forgive as He forgives us, the power of prayer, the friendship of the Holy Spirit… that God is warning us, is trying to revive in us what is dead and He reacts today because He is a father full of forgiveness…” At the end she thanked people for having listened to God’s calling.
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