Amos Nyarwarta and Lila Choharjo sat on Travis’ left. Seated beside them were the three couples about to be married.
They sang to their Maker with all their hearts. Amos’ voice was so deep, it practically drowned out all voices in the front rows. Jacquelyn glanced at him and was thankful for the soundproof walls.
Clayton looked down at Jacquelyn’s belly, “Won’t be long now.”
Jacquelyn smiled back wearily. The fear in her eyes was palpable.
Once everyone was assembled, the choir sang a few more songs then exited the stage. Brian approached the pulpit and looked out at the full congregation. He cleared his throat and began, “Greetings, brothers and sisters, and Merry Christmas! Wow, what a surprise this is! My hope is that each of you will feel most welcome here.”
Mulrooney looked up into the mounted ceiling camera. “To everyone viewing online, though many miles and time zones may separate us, we feel blessed to have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas Eve service with you. Just hope you’re not freezing like we are!”
Many watching online laughed.
Brian sighed, “On a serious note, I received word a few moments ago that one of our residents and dear friend of mine, had a heart attack among all the commotion. He was supposed to officiate the two weddings, which have since turned into three. Please keep him lifted-up in prayer. Thank you.”
Brian shifted his weight and continued, “To our fearless leaders—the Dynamic Duo—who never cease to amaze me, I respect and admire you both so much. I know I speak on everyone’s behalf in saying, with the walls seemingly closing in on us, now more than ever we’re so grateful to be part of this organization.”
Clayton and Travis both nodded at him. It was even more evident that the two were still mourning the loss of Braxton Rice and Nigel Jones. Add to that the crushing weight of carrying a global organization in hiding on their shoulders; combined, it had taken a toll on them.
“As God keeps leading you both, I’ll keep following your every command until the very end.” Brian paused. “I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the man who has blessed our organization so richly the past few months. Without your help, we’d have no chance at survival. Merry Christmas, Sir! You know who you are. Wish you were here with us.”
Jefferson Danforth watched and listened underground in Idaho, with Daniel Sullivan and Amy Wong. He started weeping.
This was an incredibly emotional time for him. Having endured so much pain and anguish the past few months, he could cry at the drop of a hat, whether alone or surrounded by friends. Amy rubbed her former boss’s left shoulder and said a silent prayer for him.
Brian looked skyward, “Let us pray. Lord, we lift up our dear brother, Tom, asking Your healing touch upon his heart. Please be with the doctors and nurses who are tending to him now. If it’s Your will to heal Him, we know it will be done. Though we suffer unending onslaughts from a world that hates and wants to silence us, because of You, we take comfort knowing we win in the end! For that, we gratefully thank You!”
Brian took a seat as Clayton Holmes went up on stage. Gazing out at the full congregation seated before him, he looked worn out. “Greetings, everyone! Let me begin by apologizing for the surprise visit, especially since it led to brother Tom’s heart attack. It’s the last thing we wanted. At least we know he’s receiving the best of care.
“But we can never forget the fear and panic you all felt earlier is what our brothers and sisters on the outside face every minute of every day. How much worse for those detained in Romanero’s prisons?
“With that in mind, instead of the Christmas Eve service we had planned for tonight, with so many online viewers, we must take full advantage of our time together, by addressing the situation outside our walls. Who knows, it very well may be the last time we meet like this.
“At the formation of our organization eight months ago, I warned this would happen. Just never expected it so soon. The rounding up of pregnant women and stray Christians is only the beginning. We all saw what they did to Ajit and everyone else involved in Yogesh’s failed escape. It’s a sign of things to come for believers. We must keep praying that God will provide the necessary strength they’ll need to continue on.”
Clayton frowned. “Think about it, what better gift could Romanero give to himself, on his new fake birthday, than to silence those who will never submit to his authority? I’m sure he knows true Christ followers will never pledge allegiance to him.
“I shudder to think what he’s planning next. With the great soul harvest soon to commence, the stakes have been raised to a whole new level. It’s getting crazy out there. Which is why we need to be extremely careful from here on out. We can never get too comfortable. We must constantly remind ourselves we’re on battle ships, not cruise ships!”
No one could ignore the ominous overtone his words carried. It was hard to sound joyous under such conditions. Plus, he was in mourning.
Holmes sighed, “For the longest time, Travis and I never understood why some Christians had dreams while others didn’t. We still don’t have an answer. As much as we’d love to invite everyone to stay with us, unless they’ve had dreams, they cannot join us.
“It encourages me to no end that so many have contacted us on the website, claiming they were visited in dreams by one of the hundred and forty four thousand, much like our departed brother, Yogesh Patel, said in his gripping speech. But until they contact us regarding dreams, they cannot know about our safe houses.
“This rule even applies to me and Travis. Many of you don’t know I have a brother. His name’s Cornelius. He’s three years younger than me. Talk about the rough and rowdy type! At least before the Rapture. When I tried explaining to him what happened last year, he refused to believe me.
“The good news is, I believe he got saved last summer before the explosions. Not so sure about his three sons. If I had to guess, I’d have to say no. They’re still too into the world. But here’s the thing, as much as I love my brother and would love to invite him to stay with us, he hasn’t had the dream. So it’s not possible at this time. Keep praying for him.”
Clayton grimaced, “Now more than ever, since our safehouses will be home to perhaps millions of children, our greatest task is to do all we can to protect them, like Moses was hidden as a small child. One mistake is all it would take to potentially cause great damage to us.
“However, we can’t just turn a blind eye to our brothers and sisters on the outside. After praying and fasting for weeks on end, Travis and I both felt led to share some of our cash surplus with Christians not having dreams, so they can purchase land for themselves. We’ve already given them a half-billion dollars.”
Holmes looked out and saw that his words were well received.
“We had to do it before the money became worthless or before the Mark of the Beast was implemented. They’re in the process of purchasing thousands of properties all over the world, for mere pennies on the dollar.
“Just think how many we can potentially help with that amount! Now that we’ve funded them, aside from praying for their safety, they’re on their own. All land purchased will be in their names. We can’t have any connecting points between us.
“Now, before I perform the wedding ceremonies, let me encourage you all with these words. As the unbelieving world celebrates antichrist, and plans for our extinction, I can think of no better gift this Christmas Eve than seeing Revelation seven coming to life before my very eyes.”
Holmes cleared his throat and recited verse nine, “The Disciple John said, ‘After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hand.’”
Most in attendance, having already memorized that verse, mouthed the words as Holmes recited them.
The ETSM leader gazed out at the sanctuary, “Did you hear what I said? A great
multitude no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language!” Motioning with his hands, he declared, “Look at the mixed ethnicity gathered here tonight; people from every nation, tribe and language, all living together on the same property, worshiping King Jesus as one, exactly as the Scripture declares!”
Holmes became teary-eyed, “This very well may be the only time since the days of Christ where one’s race or skin color truly doesn’t matter. For the first time in my life, I feel with every fiber of my being that we truly are one in Christ Jesus! How awesome is that?”
Seeing Miss Evelyn wiping tears from her eyes, Clayton nearly lost it. He took a moment to pull himself together, “Just a shame it happened at the end of human history instead of at the beginning. The Raptured church could have learned so much from us. Even among so much tragedy and despair, God always keeps His promises.”
Clayton gazed out at the crowd before him, “In truth, what we’ve done is nothing compared to how many the one hundred and forty-four thousand will reach for Christ Jesus. Big as our organization is, we represent only a tiny fraction of what John the Disciple saw in the vision he recorded for us!
“I believe they will greatly add to the overall diversity by reaching many we cannot reach—Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and so on. Many from those false religions have already been saved, but compared to what’s coming, it’s only a tiny fraction. Multitudes more will ultimately be redeemed as a direct result of their preaching.
“As we live in hiding, they’ll be out in the open preaching boldly and without fear, even the fear of being persecuted, which will happen to all of them, even unto death. When the world sees this, many will respond to the Call. Praise God, it won’t be long now.
“It dawned on me the other day that perhaps what John recorded in Revelation seven, verse two, about the angels not harming the land or the sea or the trees until God’s seal was put on the foreheads of His servants, was indirectly intended for us as well.
“Think about it, there’s no way we would have been able to establish thousands of safe houses in a world constantly shaking. The brief reprieve was a major blessing to us. I praise God for His faithfulness.
“As I close, I confess that for the first time since we became an organization, I’m scared of what’s happening out there. Whenever Satan controls diabolical leaders, there’s no telling how far their madness will take them. Two thousand years ago, the heads of Christians were used as torches to light the pathways of Rome. How much worse will it be for Christians at the hands of the antichrist?
“Sorry to speak such dire warnings before three of our couples get married, but whatever Romanero is devising against us, I suspect it’ll begin soon. In fact, by this time next year, many of us may be driven from our safehouses, and imprisoned or even killed. And we must expect some locations to be discovered and destroyed at some point.
“But each time I remind myself that we’re on the Good side, it gives me strength to keep on keepin’ on. Can I get an Amen?”
“Amen!”
“So, with that in mind, as we prepare for the wedding ceremonies, my hope is that God’s peace will invade every aspect of this brief time we have together. While I’m not suggesting we let our guards down, let’s do our best to enjoy ourselves tonight, despite what’s going on outside our walls. It will still be there in the morning…
“Personally, I’m honored to preside over these marriages. Not only do the three couples represent different ethnicities, they also represent the young, the middle aged and the elderly.”
This caused some to laugh. Everyone else was too frightened.
Clayton looked at Miss Evelyn, “For everything you’ve done for me, and this organization, the least I can do is enjoy myself and celebrate with you and Deacon Stone. That goes for the two other couples as well…”
The ETSM leader took a deep breath and exhaled, “Now, at this time, I’ll ask the three brides and grooms to join me on stage...”
43
AFTER THE WEDDING CEREMONY
JACQUELYN WAS THE FIRST to walk through the cafeteria doors, following the wedding ceremony. The aroma from the ham and turkey baking in the oven was scrumptious. She paused to take a long whiff.
At 5 months pregnant, this was a real treat for her. The only other meal that rivaled this one since moving onto the property was when, much like now, turkeys were brought from the farm in Kennett Square last Thanksgiving, already deep fried, to feed the many who helped fortify the safe house.
After the large equipment was shipped off property, hundreds remained behind for a Thanksgiving candlelight feast in Chadds Ford, before reporting for duty elsewhere.
Jacquelyn hoped there would be plenty of leftovers this time. There were none at Thanksgiving.
With more than a thousand people back on the property, the sanctuary once again needed to be used for dining, like during the big construction days. With the possibility of the number of residents doubling come January, both buildings would be used from this time on.
Instead of one breakfast and dinner serving, two shifts would be needed, perhaps even three. And this meant, food would be rationed even more. That is, if the enemy didn’t find them first…
Even though this was a wedding reception, there was no preferential seating, not even for the newlyweds. It was like all other days at this place—first come first serve.
Brian and Jacquelyn were seated at a cafeteria table with Donald and Mary, Sarah, Lee Kim, Jim Simonton, and Julio and Marta Gonzalez.
Charles was seated at the next table over with Deacon Stone, Miss Evelyn, Travis Hartings, Clayton Holmes, Amos Nyarwarta, and three ETSM members he and Jacquelyn didn’t know.
Halfway through the meal, Charles waved Brian and Jacquelyn over to his table, “I’d like to introduce you both to three people who are very special to me. This is my childhood friend, Santana Jiles. It took a while after the Rapture, but God finally rescued him…”
“Praise God for that!” Jiles said. “Nice meeting you both. Congrats on the pregnancy, Jacquelyn.”
Jacquelyn rubbed her belly, just as the baby kicked inside her, “Thanks, Santana.”
“As for these two individuals, believe it or not, they were the first two ETSM members I ever met in person, even if I didn’t know it at the time.”
Brian couldn’t contain his surprise. His brow furrowed, “Seriously?”
Charles nodded. “Dylan here was my waiter at a Denny’s south of Atlanta, where I was supposed to meet those two,” he said, pointing to Clayton and Travis. The two were engrossed in conversation with the Stones. “At the time, it made no sense to me. The place I saw us meeting in my dream was a cabin somewhere in the mountains, not Denny’s.
“After waiting nearly an hour, I wasn’t so sure they were coming. I remember thinking, ‘I drove all the way from Sarasota for this?’ To make things worse, this tattoo covered guy kept asking me about the people I was there to meet.” Charles shot a quick glance at Dylan, “Not gonna lie, you rubbed me the wrong way, bro.”
Dylan laughed. Even after all the hoopla earlier, his green eyes were ablaze. When he smiled it was as if he hadn’t a care in the world. It was admirable. His long hair was pulled into a ponytail; he was fair skinned.
“A short time later, he approached my table again. This time he asked how I knew the two men. My heart raced in my chest. I never told him I was there to meet two men. Seeing I was becoming visibly irate, he said, ‘Relax, Mister Calloway. I have just as much interest in them as you do.’
“When I asked how he knew my name, his answer floored me. He said he was a servant of the Most High God! Man sure knew how to get my attention! He told me the meeting was still on, but I had to drive to a hotel a mile up the road to meet this young woman, Purnima Rushi.”
Jacquelyn said, “So glad you could join us, Purnima.”
“The pleasure’s mine, Jacquelyn.”
“Dylan was the first to ever say to me, ‘Keep fighting the Good fight. Pray for m
e as I pray for you. God is with us.’
“Anyway, Purnima worked the front desk there. Dylan told me to ask for William Fuller. Purnima knew my name too. She was expecting me. She led me to William Fuller and we ultimately drove to a log cabin in the mountains, just like I saw in my dream.”
Brian was familiar with William Fuller. He said, “Braxton?”
Charles lowered his head and sighed. If there was one thing he missed about the late chief of security, it was his intensity. He had a way of keeping everyone on their toes. They all needed to step up in his absence.
“Purnima was the second to utter the words, ‘Keep fighting the Good Fight. Pray for me as I pray for you. God is with us.’”
Jacquelyn asked, “So, you were ETSM members before Charles?”
Dylan said, “Yes. We stay at the same safe house as Deacon Stone and Miss Evelyn. We drove here with them for the wedding.”
Purnima interjected, “I also wanted to see my friend, Meera, again. I met her at the cabin in Tennessee. We have similar stories.”
Santana Jiles had since joined the conversation with Clayton, Travis and the Stones. He slid out to ask Charles, “When was the last time we had turkey together? I told Deacon Stone it was three years ago, after we fed Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless at church. Am I right?”
“Yeah. Seems like yesterday. I miss Monique’s cooking…”
“Me too, Jiles said. “Especially her homemade cornbread.”
Deacon Stone said, “Best in the South Land...” Ernest glanced at his new bride. His first bride died 20 years ago. “Until I met you, that is…”
“M-m-m,” Evelyn Stone said, with a nod of forgiving approval.
“So, this is what pork tastes like?” Everyone at the table watched Amos put another forkful of ham in his mouth. “Yummy!” He had the most satisfied expression on his face; he savored each morsel.
The Sealing Page 28