Divine Protection: For He Will Give His Angles Special Charge over You to Protect You

By Elna Prinsloo

For Lindi Daniels and her son, Jonathan, moving into The Village Residents was a new beginning. Knowing who she was in Jesus Christ enabled Lindi to hold her head up high, regardless of the hideous scars on her face and neck. She could, however, not foresee the changes these very scars would initiate in other peoples lives. While most did not mind them, she was unprepared for Jason Alexanders brutal attack.

Whos the scarecrow? The force of his own cruel words almost left him gasping for breath. Jason was about to meet the God of Love and Peace the God who gathers his people from all over the world and heals their deepest wounds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Oct 22, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453585450

Book preview

Chapter One

‘I’m sure we’re going to love it here!’ Lindi Daniels was smiling at her six-year-old son, Jonathan, who was sitting next to her in the car. ‘Uncle Mark said this wouldn’t feel like living in the city. Look at the beautiful gardens and all the big trees along the road!’

Her younger brother, Mark, and his wife, Silvia, lived in a neighbourhood not far from The Village. Mark was an attorney, and Silvia used to work as a nurse in an intensive care unit before she and Mark got married. After the marriage, they both felt it would be better for the relationship if Silvia did not work the inconsistent hours required of an ICU nurse.

Mark knew about the apartments above The Village Mall. He also knew the property manager and was grateful when Apartment 8 became available about a month earlier.

He brought Lindi to look at the apartment and neighbourhood, and she immediately loved the small-town feeling of the place. She and Jonathan would feel secure here in the small apartment building nestled in the middle of an older Pretoria neighbourhood where trees stretched right across the streets as if reaching for each other.

Her son was looking out of the window, pressing his little forehead against it while his mother continued, ‘I know we won’t have our own garden, but the park is just one block away from our new home, and your new school is only a few blocks away. If we really wanted to, I could walk you to school next year.’

Jonathan glanced at his mother in the driver’s seat. He was seated to her left. She was now looking straight ahead, concentrating on driving in the not-so-familiar environment. Father God, I love my mom so much! Even with the scars on her cheek and neck, she is beautiful. He leant over and put his small hand on her leg, saying reassuringly, ‘Don’t worry, Mom. We’ll be fine.’

When she looked at him, her dark green eyes were too shiny. ‘You grew up too fast in the past year. And you know me too well.’ Her smile was a bit watery, and he could see that she fought hard to hold back the tears. ‘Here we are! We just have to turn left into this basement and find our parking bay. It’s the same number as our apartment: number eight.’ Eight means a new beginning, LORD. That is what Your Word teaches, and I know that nothing concerning me and Jonathan is coincidence.

When the car was parked in Parking Bay 8, she turned to her son, bent over, and gave him a quick kiss on a soft little cheek. ‘Let’s go open up our apartment. Uncle Mark and Auntie Silvia said they would be coming shortly with the removal van.’

She glanced at her watch as she got out of the car. ‘Come! We only have a few minutes before the furniture arrives!’ After she had locked the car, the two of them walked towards the stairs. When they passed a flower shop on the shopping level, the sweet blend of mixed fragrances streaming from the shop welcomed them. Jonathan was glad that there were a few people in the vicinity of the stairs. His hand was gripped tightly in his mother’s. Her head was bowed down as she focused on the stairs in front of her, and her long, brown hair was hanging loose, covering her face.

He did not like the way people sometimes stopped and stared when they noticed the marks on her face. The shock evident on their faces hurt him because he knew that it also had to hurt her. She never showed that she noticed the different reactions of the people around her. This time no one took notice of the woman and the little boy walking up the stairs, and that made him glad.

After opening the security gate at the top of the stairs with her special key, she turned to the left. The stairs flowed into a fairly spacious patio that divided the two rows of apartments. Apartments 1 and 2 were situated to the left of the stairs, with Apartments 3 and 4 to the right.

On the other side of the wide patio, Apartment 5 was just opposite Apartment 4. The row of apartments ended with Apartment 8 being opposite Apartment 1. A line of small trees planted in pots placed two metres apart divided the patio between the two rows of apartments into half.

Lindi and Jonathan had been here once before when Mark and Silvia had shown them the place. Lindi liked the quiet and peaceful atmosphere and the idea of other people living only a short distance from her.

They walked over the patio to their new home. She unlocked the door and opened it, expecting the smell of fresh paint that was coming from the apartment. Mark had arranged for the apartment to be repainted before they moved in. She stood motionless at the door. She was stunned . . .

Painting was not the only thing her brother had arranged for: the old carpets that used to cover the living areas had been removed and replaced with a hardwood floor. The kitchen had been completely redone. She could hardly believe her eyes!

It dawned on her that that was the reason why Silvia had been looking through all those pamphlets and booklets at home, pretending they wanted to redo their kitchen and living room. All the while, Silvia just wanted to find out what she, Lindi, would like!

The apartment looked like a brand new home. Even the curtains were hung! That must have happened when Silvia went out to ‘help a friend who was moving.’ Tears stung her eyes—it looked beautiful!

‘Do you like it, Sis?’ Mark was standing behind her.

She turned around and gave him a hug. ‘Like it? I love it!’ She also turned to her smiling sister-in-law and hugged her. ‘Silvia, and all the time I thought I was helping you plan your new kitchen and the floor for your living area!’

Silvia laughed as she hugged her back. ‘Believe me, you made it very difficult for someone to spoil you, but we enjoyed every moment of it.’

‘I’ll go show the removal people the way to your new home. You ladies can order everyone around to make sure everything gets put into its proper place.’ Mark turned to go downstairs to the removal van.

Lindi looked around inside the apartment: To the left of the entrance was the dining area and next to it was the open-plan kitchen. To the right was the living area, while the bedrooms and bathroom flowed from a short corridor.

The first of the boxes arrived, and she obtained the list detailing the contents of every box in numeric order from her shoulder bag.

More than a year ago, when Lindi was in hospital fighting for her life, Silvia and Mark had gone back to the farm where she, Joshua, and Jonathan had lived. They had packed up the house. Everything that was not covered in blood stains got packed. Mark handled Joshua’s estate, and the property was put on the market at Lindi’s request. They did not have to wait long, for the owner of the neighbouring farm wanted to buy the land.

While Lindi was recovering at Mark and Silvia’s house, she sorted out her and Joshua’s belongings so that she would only have to move the needed items to her new home. For the past year, Jonathan had been attending a nursery school in the mornings. With Lindi being in and out of hospital and after everything that had happened, Lindi, Mark, and Silvia agreed that attending nursery school in the mornings would be in his best interest.

Forty minutes after the first boxes had arrived, the movers were gone. During this time, the new lounge suite and rug as well as a new double bed had been delivered. Since Lindi’s previous ones had blood stains on them, Mark and Silvia did not even consider bringing them from the farm. Lindi decided to replace them when she moved into her new home.

All the furniture was in place now, which left all of the boxes to be unpacked. Silvia was helping Jonathan arrange his bedroom and unpack his clothes while he was unpacking—or rather rediscovering—his toys. Every now and then giggles and laughter were heard from his room.

Mark was connecting the television and sound system in the living area while Lindi was unpacking the boxes in the kitchen. She was working at full speed with the result that the remaining boxes were getting fewer and fewer as their contents disappeared into the new kitchen cupboards. Now that her body had healed she enjoyed the fact that she did not experience any discomfort during the movements.

When Mark was done, he turned to look at his sister and his eyes softened: Her hair was now tied into a ponytail behind her head, leaving the scars on her cheek and neck clearly visible. Even though he knew her inner strength and the Source of it, she still looked vulnerable to him.

When their parents died while he was still at school, Lindi and Joshua took him in and gave him a home and lots of love. They made sure he had all the support and security to finish high school and later go on to university. He did not feel like he was returning the favour now; he just wanted to make sure that Lindi and Jonathan were taken care of. Financially they did not have to worry about anything. He would make sure that they did not lack in any other aspect of their lives.

She looked up, caught him while he was staring at her tenderly, and smiled at him. ‘I’m almost done here, and then I’ll start with my bedroom.’ Her cheeks were rosy from the work she was doing.

‘I’m done with the television and stereo. I’ll start setting up your study nook so you can start working on Monday. When you have finished unpacking the kitchen, I’ll come and connect the dishwasher and washing machine for you.’

‘Thanks, Mark! What would I have done without a brother like you?’

He chuckled and answered while he turned to the study nook in the dining area, ‘Probably would have hired a handyman or just have done it yourself!’

Lindi’s L-shaped workstation was positioned in the corner of the dining area in such a way that she would face the dining table and the front door. Mark started connecting the printer and notebook cables.

He missed Joshua, and he knew she did too. The fact that Joshua had given up his life protecting Lindi and Jonathan made it bittersweet. He was grateful that both his sister and her son were alive. When Lindi had lost her husband, he had also lost his best friend.

Very few people knew what had really happened that night. Not many would believe it if they were told. He believed it: Nothing else could explain the remarkable way in which Lindi and Jonathan coped with Joshua being taken from them in such a brutal way. Since the first day after that tragic night he had noticed that Jonathan had a Peace within him that was not of this world. Jonathan missed his father very much, but the rawness that was usually linked to that kind of trauma was absent. At first he thought it was denial of what had happened or post-traumatic shock. But as the boy told him everything that had happened, he noticed that Jonathan’s eyes were far too serious for his age. He then had to consider that what the boy was telling him could be the truth.

When Lindi’s life was out of danger, she confirmed everything Jonathan had told him and Silvia. The incredible way in which she had managed to cope for the past year since she had first come out of hospital was a testimony to the fact that the God who had made the heavens and the earth was present amidst all the trauma and chaos, even though it did not seem like that to the normal eye.

Soon Lindi had finished in the kitchen and was sorting out her bedroom. Silvia made sure she and Jonathan were alone in his room when she made a phone call. ‘Shh!’ With a finger held in front of her mouth she indicated to him to be very quiet. ‘I think it’s time for the other surprise we have for Mommy. Don’t allow her into your room until I’ve finished on the phone.’ He nodded, and she could see he was very excited. His dark green eyes, which were the same colour as his mother’s, were gleaming with pleasure. He had blond hair like his dad, and when he smiled, it was with Joshua’s smile.

He knew what the surprise was. He also knew his mom would love it!

The only thing from their garden on the farm that Lindi could not part with was a beautiful water feature she and Joshua had planned and built together. Mark and Silvia had brought it to their home with the rest of Lindi’s belongings. Lindi said they should keep it with them for she could not imagine how a water feature that big would fit into an apartment with no garden.

One of Lindi’s old friends, Magdalene, and her husband, Alex, were the proud owners of their own garden services business which did landscape design and irrigation. Silvia remembered about them, and after Mark had gotten permission from the property management, they arranged for something very special to be done next to the entrance to apartment number eight.

Between the front door and the end of the building, right in front of the dining room window, was an open space of patio of about six paces in length and four paces wide. While the workers were redoing the floor and the kitchen, Alex and Magdalene came to the apartment to measure and plan the cosy little patch of tranquillity that would be created on the patio.

Silvia told Magdalene that ‘the coast was clear’ while Lindi was busy in her bedroom. Alex and Magdalene were ready to move in as soon as they got the call. Because everything had been planned long before it was to be set up on the patio, the workers knew exactly what to do. They worked in silence and the hushed sounds could not be heard in Lindi’s bedroom. Only half an hour after they had arrived, the bare corner had been transformed into a private little resting place.

As quietly as they had come, Alex and Magdalene left again to take the work team back to their business. Alex had promised that they would come back a bit later with pizzas for dinner.

Later that evening, the friends relaxed together, satisfied with the day’s work. After everyone had left and Jonathan was in bed, Lindi reflected on the precious time she had spent with her closest family and friends. The surprise little garden Alex and Magdalene had designed for her was a big bonus on top of the wonderful friendship they shared. Seeing her friend again was special! With her pitch-black hair, dark brown eyes, and chocolate-coloured skin, Magdalene was beautiful inside and out. Seeing the water feature made Lindi’s eyes overflow with happy tears.

Thank You for a new beginning, LORD! I’m so grateful for the friends You have given me: friends who love me and Jonathan unconditionally!

Even though she thought that it would be difficult to fall asleep in her new home, it was not long before her eyelids grew heavy and her breathing became slower and deeper.

In the morning, as a small hand touched her cheek, she lay still. ‘Mommy, are you awake yet?’ She giggled and grabbed her son’s body and drew him close to her. Pinning him down on the bed, she started placing kisses on his neck where she knew it tickled most. He was laughing that small-boy laugh of his, originating right from his tummy, and then they started the wrestling match that was a part of their weekend tradition.

When they were both exhausted, the bed was a mess, but it was worth it! No one could ever win this war of tickles and kisses! For a while they just lay there quietly. While watching her son in her arms, Lindi could not help but thank God for the wonderful little bundle of joy she had. Jonathan was a gift from God.

Chapter Two

After they had had a light breakfast of cereal, they left their apartment to get some basic groceries from the supermarket in The Village.

On exiting the apartment, Lindi yet again drank in the beauty of the little garden and water feature. She knew she would spend many peaceful moments in this little sanctuary.

The little garden was covered in green plants. At the far end of the garden, there were two wooden, shell-back deck chairs with wide armrests. A little path set with stepping stones led to the chairs. The chairs faced the water feature that was surrounded by various plants. A wooden lattice screen surrounded the little resting place.

Lindi locked the front door, took Jonathan’s hand, and moved towards the stairs.

From across the patio, she noticed an elderly man entering Apartment 1. He glanced up at the two of them, and she greeted him with a good-natured ‘Good morning!’ He nodded at her in acceptance of her greeting, his eyes lingering for a moment on Jonathan waving at him. Then he closed the door behind him as he entered his home.

Lindi decided that she would introduce herself and Jonathan to their neighbours as they met them on the patio.

With Jonathan’s hand tucked into hers, they moved through the shelves of the small supermarket. When people stopped to stare, she did not take any notice of them. She held her head high. Jonathan felt his heart swell; he was so proud of his mother!

Their groceries were almost too much for them to carry, so they decided to walk back to the apartment before returning to get fresh bread at The Baking Bin.

When they entered the bakery, the smell of freshly baked bread swirled around them. ‘Yummy, Mom! It smells so nice in here!’ Jonathan could not keep it to himself.

A lady, with just enough grey in her hair to let you know that she was not as young as she looked, responded to Jonathan’s statement, ‘Hi, there! You’re just in time! The bread has just come out of the ovens.’

Lindi met the woman’s gaze and was surprised to see no shock registering in the beautiful grey eyes. If she had noticed the scars on Lindi’s face, she did not show any sign that she had.

The lady continued, ‘My name is Pam. Sean, my husband, and I own The Baking Bin. I haven’t seen the two of you around here before.’

For a moment, Lindi was quiet. This was so unexpected! It usually took people a few minutes or so to adjust when seeing her face. Sometimes it took them even longer not to let their eyes stray between the scars and her eyes. Pam did not seem to have a problem with that. When her eyes wandered, it was not to look at the scar on Lindi’s cheek, but to meet Jonathan’s gaze.

Slowly a smile formed on Lindi’s lips and brightened her eyes. ‘Hi! I’m Lindi, and this is my son, Jonathan. We moved in on top of the mall yesterday.’ She gestured around her. ‘Pam, I must say, it really smells delicious in here!’

Just then, a big man entered the store from the direction of the kitchen. ‘Thank you! I’ll take that as a compliment.’ He walked to Pam, put his arm around her shoulders, and said, ‘Honey, the muffins are in the oven and will be ready in fifteen minutes.’ With that, he leant down and gave his wife a quick kiss on the cheek.

Pam blushed and giggled with pleasure while hugging him firmly. ‘This is my husband, Sean. He has been my other half for the past twenty-two years. Sean, this is Lindi and her son, Jonathan. They have just moved into one of the apartments of The Village Residents.’

Sean greeted both Lindi and Jonathan and, like his wife’s, his brown eyes did not travel from her eyes to her scars, but stayed focused on Lindi’s eyes and only left when he greeted Jonathan.

These two people would probably never know it, but they had just made Lindi’s day, and by the look on her son’s face, she could tell they were going to become regular customers at The Baking Bin.

‘What can I get Your Highness?’ Sean bowed slightly in their direction while talking in an all-too-sudden submissive voice. With the white apron tied around his huge body, he looked rather comical!

Jonathan giggled and said, ‘We’re only here to get some fresh bread.’

Never moving a muscle to change the expression on his face, Sean answered, ‘Then royal bread it would be for Prince Jonathan and Queen Lindi. Would Your Highness prefer refined white, superior brown, or imperial whole wheat?’

‘Today Your Highness would like to have refined white,’ Lindi answered, struggling to keep a straight face.

This time, Sean bowed deeply and turned to the kitchen part of the store to retrieve the freshly baked bread.

Jonathan let out another giggle, ‘He’s funny!’

Lindi looked at Pam. Pam was smiling. ‘Don’t mind him! He sometimes acts a little strange, but I love him anyway.’

Sean came back with a basket and quickly winked at Pam as he handed it to Lindi. ‘This is a welcome to the village basket. We usually give one to any new friends moving into The Village Residents.’

Lindi was speechless, and before she could object, Pam filled in, ‘We really give every new tenant this welcome gift. Please accept it. We pray that you and Jonathan will be blessed in your new home and that you will stay here for a long time.’

‘So,’ Sean continued with a very serious tone, ‘for today, Your Highness will have the royal bread for free, but from tomorrow, you will have to pay like everyone else.’

He said it in such a humorous way that Lindi could not help laughing! Next to her she heard Jonathan say, ‘I like him, Mom!’

After thanking Sean and Pam for their welcome gift, Lindi left, knowing that from then on, they would be regular customers of The Baking Bin.

Just before heading up the stairs, Lindi turned into the flower shop. The name of the shop was Zanmari’s. It was one of the smaller shops in the complex, but it was situated in such a way that the sweet smell of flowers filled a vast area of the mall. Lindi could not help but stop and smell some of the bouquets near the entrance to the shop.

‘Can I help you?’ A tiny woman with long, black hair came to her with a smile on her face.

‘Yes, please,’ Lindi answered and looked up, meeting her gaze. ‘I would like one of these bouquets.’ She indicated a bunch of wildflowers.

‘Certainly,’ the woman said while she walked over to retrieve the bouquet from the bucket of water. ‘This is a good choice. It came in yesterday and should last at least two weeks,’ the woman continued as she put a small plastic bag over the flower stems to prevent any dripping.

After paying for the flowers, Lindi leant down to ask Jonathan, ‘Would you like to carry the basket or the flowers?’

As Lindi turned to talk to her son, the woman noticed the scars on her cheek and neck. For a moment, her eyes rested on the damaged skin with interest. Then they softened, and they focused on the little boy next to his mother.

‘I’ll carry the basket, Mom. You can have the flowers. You so love