26 September 2025

A Prophet Visits South Africa

Luke 2:25–38

Daily there comes to the home of William Branham countless numbers of prayer requests. Many of these are accompanied by airplane tickets requesting him to come to pray for the sick. It was one of these requests that caused Bro. Branham to make it a definite matter of prayer pertaining to his trip to South Africa.

During the month of January, 1950, Brother Branham and Brother F.F. Bosworth were conducting meetings in Houston, Texas. Brother Bosworth showed Brother Branham a lady’s picture. It had accompanied a letter and airplane ticket from Florence Nightingale of Durban, South Africa. She was a mere skeleton.

This Florence Nightingale of Durban suffered from cancer at the entrance of the stomach. She weighed only about fifty pounds. Hearing of Brother Branham, she cried for him to come and pray for her. Thus she wrote for him to come, sending along her picture and plane ticket.

Eight weeks later the Branham party landed in England on their way to Finland. In response to a cable from the King of England, the party stopped in England for Brother Branham to pray for the King. As they made their way through the airport, William Branham’s name was called over the loudspeaker. Florence Nightingale had arrived fifteen minutes before, and those with her had put out this call for him to come quickly.

They all knelt and began to pray for her. As they started to pray a dove came and sat on the window sill, looking inside as it began to coo. After prayer, when Brother Branham said, “Amen,” the dove flew away. Before the minister could finish asking about the dove, the Spirit of the Lord moved upon Brother Branham to speak these words — “Thus saith the Lord, you will live, sister.”

Eight months after Brother Branham had prayed for her in England he received another picture. At this time she was a perfect picture of health and weighed 155 pounds. He had made his vow to God and was now convinced that he had to go to South Africa.

While we were still in Johannesburg, and weeks before we came to Durban, Brother Branham told us that our greatest meetings would be in Durban. He always spoke of Durban with the anticipation of great things being done for God.