Testimonies
The Power of Prayer
We write this with such grateful hearts, grateful for our son Wayne’s life, and for the many folk here, who are part of our church family and for the many people all over the world who faithfully prayed for a miracle – on Christmas Day the specialists did not expect Wayne to get through the night and with many ups and downs, 52 days later he was discharged from hospital relatively well. I know many of you reading this were at the Christmas Eve service when Peter B prayed for Wayne and our whole family. We believe this moved so many people to fervently pray.
Folk prayed when we were unable to do more than cry out to God saying, “Lord you know our need”.
What a mighty God we serve, and he is so GOOD all the time.
Thank you to each one of you for your prayers and support.
Angel on the N3
This is a big thank you to an angel who came to my rescue. My car engine failed uphill on the N3 to Durban, between Inchanga and Shongweni. I was in the fast lane, completely vulnerable to oncoming traffic behind me, as I was close to a bend. I cried out “Lord is this how it ends? An accident on the N3? Please protect me!’’
I put on my hazard lights, I called my insurance breakdown service and calling on angels from above, I placed two red triangles as best I could, with cars charging past me on both sides. The breakdown truck was 15 – 20 minutes away.
After about 10 minutes a small car pulled up right on the other side of the highway and a gentleman made his way across the traffic to help me. He introduced himself, sounded like Andile, and said he worked for the SANDF and had just felt he must help this person. He said the triangles needed to be further away for more warning. He faced the traffic and moved the triangles, and said I should take a few deep breaths.
He then guided me in a neutral reverse manoeuvre to position my car parallel with the barrier wall and culvert, so that the traffic could now use the far-right lane. Before I had a chance to take his name and number, he gave me the thumbs up and weaved his way back to his car.
Bless you, whoever you are!
My son was also an angel on the phone, doing all the organising and checking that his Ma had water and supporting me sitting there.
I was being protected and all’s well that ends well.
Returning Home by God’s Grace
For the last 4 or 5 years there has been an incredible amount of stress in my life. I had to sell my house to assist my daughter and her family to pay off a huge amount of debt that my son-in-law’s business had become involved in.
I was then left with very little money and nowhere to stay. A friend helped me so much by buying a unit for his family in Le Domaine and allowing me to stay in the unit almost rent free for a few years. I then decided that I was going to go overseas to do caring to try and build up some cash reserves but unfortunately at 73 I found the work very hard and was really not fit enough to work with the frail patients.
I did not know what to do but I had a sister who lived in Scotland, and she suggested I go there, which I did. I spent 7 very unhappy months there, I was lonely, it was very cold, unfortunately it was winter, and one did not go out and there were days that I did not get out of bed. I was sinking into such a deep depression.
At Christmas time I was in contact with my cousin who lived in Hillcrest with her husband but sadly on Boxing Day her husband passed away and she was devastated. Over the next couple of days, we were in constant contact, and it was agreed that I would fly back to South Africa to assist her going through that initial period of mourning. I arrived and spent a month with her and then went back to Scotland.
It was so hard for me to do this as I really wanted to stay in the country I had been born in but I had no home and very little money. I prayed every day and asked God to please help me to deal with my problems and just get on with my life as there was very little that could be done about it. I had been back in Scotland for about 2 weeks when my cousin phoned and suggested that I come home as she was lonely and needed company and she also had enough room to take me in and to assist me with financial expenses.
She believed that we would both be helping each other, I could not believe what had happened, I fell on my knees and thanked God because he had created this miracle for me. I have now been back in South Africa for 6 months and I am at peace and very grateful for all the support I have received from everyone. I came home, back to my church, which I had missed so much, and I know that God is looking after me every day.
A Little Boy’s Miracle
Seven years ago, our grandson Oliver was born and went into immediate heart failure. He was diagnosed with Spongio Cardio Myopathy. His heart muscles were like sponges and surgery was not an option. We were with the family in Johannesburg. I immediately contacted Andrew Robinson and asked him for corporate prayer. Oliver was expected to live hours and was baptized by Neil Oosthuizen on day two. He was finally sent home with numerous meds, with the words “Enjoy him while you have him.”
The prayers and support from out Hillcrest family has been amazing.
When he was two there was a measure of healing and the Spongio disappeared. The cardiologist said it was not his doing.
Oliver has just turned seven! What a miracle and all Praise to God. He is at school. He enjoys karate and swimming and ball skills. Still on meds but the Cardio says that he is a “normal” little boy. He loves a rough and tumble!
We are still often asked by members of the congregation about Oliver’s progress. As a family we are still bowled over by this miracle playing out in front of us.
Thank you for the faithful prayers of so many which is so humbling.
We worship such an Amazing Faithful Loving God. Hallelujah!
The Goodness of God in Bad Times
On Sunday February 27 2022 we received the kind of phone call no parent looks forward to, from our daughter in Cape Town, sobbing hysterically:
“Mom, our house is burning down, please round up all your prayer warriors and pray.”
By the end of the day, the entire upstairs of the home was gutted, and the downstairs was damaged by soot, smoke and water. They were left completely traumatised and with nothing.
But: The Goodness of God
Their church family and community surrounded them with love, support and care, by accommodating them in an Airbnb until more permanent accommodation could be found and showering them with essentials. They didn’t even have a toothbrush or hairbrush.
We remained home in KZN, assisting them with necessary emails and so on, as they were without any form of technology. However, on Friday March 4 we received a phone call from our daughter asking us if it was possible for us to go to Cape Town, as they were truly struggling.
From this moment on we were so aware of God’s Miraculous Hand, performing His miracles one after another. There were two seats left on the plane the following morning and a small cottage at the Airbnb which could accommodate us.
More importantly, we were able to experience the trauma “hands-on” alongside our precious family, our daughter, Julie, son-in-law, Sean, and our 10-year-old twin grandsons, William and Seth, surrounded in the bubble of love, provision, grace and mercy of our Loving Heavenly Father.
They were told by the engineer, who is heading up the team of contractors for the rebuilding of their home, that they need to sign a one-year lease on a rental home. This home was a very tall order, as it needed to be furnished, close to the boys’ school, as well as their home, and it needed to be pet-friendly, as they have two Golden Retrievers and two much loved cats. Within 12 days such a home became available with immediate occupation.
The goodness of God was shining through the darkness of trauma:
“God is good all the time and all the time God is Good.”
The only very dark cloud that continued to hand over all of us was that Samuel, one of the cats, had not been seen after the fire. We continued to leave food and water in the same place at the old house, and it was being eaten, but by what animal was unknown. Alyn, my husband, discovered an animal catcher cage that could be hired. He set it up and the next morning when he arrived at the house he heard a cat howling, it was Samuel.
Oh, the rejoicing on that day, especially when the boys returned home from school, is something we will all hold in our hearts and minds forever. Yet another expression of the goodness of God. And still further, our grateful hearts lift up thanks and praise, as we heard from the school how different the boys’ behaviour was, particularly the one, after the return of Samuel. What a faithful and loving God we serve.
Julie and Sean have chosen to hold onto the scripture from Isaiah 61:3, “Bestow on them a crown of beauty, instead of ashes, a garment of praise, instead of a spirit of despair.”
And for me, I choose the words of the worship chorus, The Goodness of God, as we continue as a family to look forward to the beauty coming from the ashes, as we keep our eyes on Jesus, giving all the glory to God, our Loving Heavenly Father.
“Yes, the goodness of God is running after me,
All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God.”
God is Mighty to Save
“Do not be afraid for I am with you!
Stop being anxious and watchful, for I am your God.
I give you strength, I bring you help
I uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
Last year while staying with my son in Johannesburg I had a very bad fall. I stumbled and hit my face on a concrete slab. It was so quick that I could not put out my hands and my husband who was next to me could not stop me. My glasses went flying and the worst injury was that I sliced my tongue with my teeth. My tongue was a flap attached by a small piece of flesh. I was quickly taken to the doctor. In deep shock I had the above verse running through my head – Do not be afraid for I am with you.
Doctors do not stitch tongues, so I was referred to a Trauma Doctor at a hospital. After a wait he agreed to stitch. Three injections into my tongue (really eina) I asked him how many stitches he had put in and his reply was “Too many to count!”
Because of the severity of the damage to my face they insisted on doing a facial bone X-ray and a brain scan. Fortunately, these were clear. All I could think of was the verse from Isaiah and thank God that He was with me. The following day my face was black and blue and very painful.
On the way home we stopped at a restaurant for breakfast. Soup for me! My husband said he got some funny looks sitting with me and my bruised and swollen face!
Back home I could not talk, eat or wear my glasses as my face was so swollen. I experienced a lot of pain. I lived on liquids for over two months. My husband loved it as life was so quiet! I was very much at peace and had time to thank God for carrying me through this.
A tongue takes a very long time to heal, it can be up to eighteen months. I am on month eleven and still have a small section which is numb, however, I can eat and talk.
I was recently told that if my tongue was completely severed it could not be reattached and I would not be able to talk. Thank you, thank you Lord for having Your hand on me through this experience.
I would encourage folk to memorise verses that are special to them. When you are traumatised, it is something good to hang on to.
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