11/08/2023
Tribute to a special friend and mentor Ann Naidoo by Tich and Joan Smith.
Our beloved Annie left us on Sunday morning 5 November. Her destination: heaven, where her mansion prepared by her Lord and Saviour Jesus awaited her. She didn’t have to catch an Elon Musk rocket. A glorious golden chariot surrounded by angels escorted her straight through the pearly gates in a blink of an eye.
She didn’t need to sign the register. All of heaven was waiting with great excitement to welcome this giant woman of God.
The trumpet sounds, clashing symbols and all the heavenly voices must have been a spectacle to behold and an incomparable sound.
Our LIV children and mothers who have gone before us were probably some of the first in line for hugs and kisses, along with her mum, family and friends, and the many thousands of people she ministered to and led to the Lord
In the front Jesus was standing with arms outstretched ready to enfold our Annie into His loving arms, and everyone could hear His words: “welcome home good and faithful servant”.
Our Annie who only had 10% left of her eyesight, who had been racked with pain for so long but never complained, whose earthly tent was letting her down, could see clearly the face of Jesus and would have run into His arms. What a glorious moment that she dreamt of for so many years.
We first met Annie in 2005 when we were ministering in the Amaoti township. We asked her to help us and she offered us 6 months of her time!
18 years later we were still a team. She would refer to the 3 of us as an unholy trinity.
We are so grateful that our Lord told her to walk alongside us as we navigated our way first in Amaoti and then the LIV villages. She was truly our life and spiritual coach. I always said the only person Tich listened to was this little Indian lady.
God anointed Annie with so many spiritual gifts, including and especially love and compassion towards every person who came across her path, and those blessed enough to sit under her ministry and counsel. She wanted everyone to be set free and reach the fullness of the Lord’s plan and purpose for their lives. She spoke with such Godly wisdom you always felt you had truly heard from the Lord. Her love for, and knowledge of the word of God was profound.
Annie always treated everyone the same, whether you were the richest man in the world, or the poorest peasant, she regarded you as treasure beyond measure.
It is impossible to explain the countless lives she touched, rescued, restored, raised up and released to bring out the best in them. So many lost lives saved as she witnessed to the truth of Jesus as Lord who died for each one to receive His free gift of eternal life in heaven with Him.
Someone on hearing of the passing of Ann said she saw a giant tree fall. As the tree hit the ground seeds scattered all over.
We are all her seeds… her race has ended but the untold number of seeds she has planted is in all our lives and countless others around the world.
May we pick up the baton and continue to build God’s Kingdom, honouring the work Ann started, preach what she preached, encourage others like she encouraged us, love like she loved, fight for the church, live lives worthy of the gospel, grow and water the seeds she has planted.
Ann would say: “the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace”.
Her most favourite scripture is the Lord’s prayer that Jesus Himself taught His disciples and all of us as recorded in Matthew 6:9-13… let’s remember to pray it often.
We won’t say ‘rest in peace Annie’ as we know you will be super busy teaching His word to those who didn’t learn it while on earth. We know you are full of peace and joy beyond our imagination, worshipping in the front of the temple, just behind the 24 elders, waiting to cast down your many crowns.
Life for all of us, who knew and loved you and had the privilege of sitting under your ministry, isn’t going to be the same, but your voice and words are already resounding in our ears and hearts, and we have a library of your teachings to share with many generations to come.
Jesus said: “suffer the little children to come unto Me…” you lived this out with every LIV child and countless others in the communities.
You certainly are a one-of-a-kind special lady, loved deeply by so many of us.
We look forward to reconnecting in heaven. Oh how we are going to laugh….until then dear friend and mentor…..
