The Earthquake
Ruth Johnson

Excerpt From Ruth's Book - "We Have A Dream"

The miles raced by us on our flight back to East Africa and we were now a short distance from our destination. I glanced out the window at the stark beauty spread before us. Vibrant orange and red hues streaked across the African sky as the plane made its rapid descent toward Entebbe airport in the early dawn. Once again in this land so far from our lives in America, there was a place in our hearts where we felt we had come back home.

That first afternoon Barry and I were eager to walk through the village and drink in the sights and sounds of Africa. The children waved and called out, "Hello musungu."

We walked hand in hand with Paul, the former witchdoctor of Seguku, to where his shrine once towered ominously over the village. In this place that once convulsed with such evil, the presence of God still lingered just as powerfully as the day Paul first fell to his knees, passionately worshipped and then became born again.

"Mama Ruth," Paul said affectionately as he held both my hands in his. "Every morning I worship my Papa God and every night I pray to Him. He's so good to me."

Hard times had bombarded Paul since we had last seen him. He had endured a serious attack on his health; treacherous times financially; his four-year-old daughter had been violently raped and admitted to the hospital in serious condition; and difficult times growing as a believer.

As we listened to Paul pour out his heart, it was most evident that instead of these hardships crushing him, they had caused him to grow even more devoted to his Papa God.

"Come," Paul said as he gestured toward his house at the base of the slope. Moments later we crossed over the threshold of his home. The last time we entered this room it was a dark haven for deadly evil spirits. Now the floor was covered with cheery white tile. A gentle breeze from Lake Victoria refreshed and cooled us as bright sunlight streamed through the open windows and flooded the room with its welcoming warmth.

"No more darkness," Paul said with a bright smile and happy, dancing eyes. "The darkness is all gone."

Then he showed us the picture of Barry and me standing by his side with his head resting on Barry's shoulder. It hung in a prominent place on a wall in his bedroom. "Every day since you left," he explained, "when I woke up in the morning, I saw that picture and I told my Papa God, 'Please bring Mama Ruth and Papa Barry back to me.'"

We visited many hours with Paul and then Barry and I made our way through the village to the missionary compound high up on the hill that overlooked the village. We collapsed in exhaustion that first night.

When I woke up the next morning I felt an alarming evil assault coming against us. I alerted Barry and we began to pray and worship. In my heart I ran with desperation into the presence of the Lord because there I knew we were safe and that all evil would be crushed. The instant I began to play the harp, the Father spoke this powerful message to my spirit…

"The darkness began to tremble the second you and Barry began to worship Me. The mountains of demonic opposition to your return to Africa began to crumble into dust and the evil assignments that have been sent against you began to be dismantled. My Word says that in My presence the mountains quake and the hills melt away.

The mountains crumble to dust in My presence as I sweep away your enemies in an overwhelming flood and pursue your foes into the darkness of night (Nahum 1:5-8 NLT).

I promise you, from this day, I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will go before you as a cloud of My glory by day and a pillar of My consuming fire by night. All the days of your lives you will be able to go right into the enemy's camp and be safe because I am with you in this way. This is your inheritance from Me!"

I thought about what the Lord had showed me as I lingered in His comforting presence and I was deeply moved by this impartation from the Father. Our worship faded and we knelt side-by-side on the floor in front of our bed, bowed over together before the Lord and prayed. Then Barry left the room only to return moments later with a surprised look on his face.

"Ruth," he said, "there was a strong earthquake while we were worshipping. I felt the earth moving under me and the bed shaking, but I didn't know what was happening. I just thought maybe the bed was unstable. Then when I left you I found out that the whole building was shaking so violently that the family on the top floor decided to come downstairs to make sure they were safe."

"The instant Ruth began to play the harp," the mother explained to me, "something so powerful happened that it literally caused the earth to shake."

My heart leapt with encouragement that God would confirm His words to me about the darkness trembling with such a bold demonstration of His power.

We later found out that the only place there had been an earthquake that morning was in this building.

Our second day in Africa had gloriously begun.