My life of sin started when I was five years old on the day that my mother died in a car accident. On that day I rejected God and the plan that he had for me. I rebelled against my family, love, the truth and God. I learnt that it was easier to make excuses and tell lies and to always place the blame on someone else.
I matriculated in 1999 and soon afterwards I left South Africa to live in Europe, in an effort to escape the reality of my drug addiction and fouled relationships. In England I lived without any parental supervision and simply continued in a spiral of bad relationships, drugs, sorrow and depression. I was involved in a property deal where I lost €200 000.In 2012 I returned to my family home in Durban.* I was welcomed back as if I had never left but they knew very little of the person I had become. My behaviour and attitude were terrible and I avoided their probing questions. I smoked drugs openly and influenced my younger siblings negatively. At that stage my family continued to support me despite the destruction I was beginning to cause in my life and the lives of others.
I was given a book by my sister that had been written by a certain pastor. It touched me in a way that I had never thought possible. Shortly after reading this book I gave my life whole-heartedly to the Lord and accepted Him as my personal Saviour. I decided to travel by bus from Johannesburg to the Drakensburg and then to the farm where this pastor lived. I was forced to walk a considerable distance to reach my destination. I did not even own a Bible at this stage and was felt lead to find someone who would help me further in these matters.
It was a difficult journey as I was forced to sleep on the side of the freeway or on abandoned railway tracks. One night while I was sleeping, a truck roared passed on the freeway. I thought that it was a train coming along the tracks on which I was sleeping! I was up very early the next morning and completed my walk to my destination. Upon arrival at the pastor’s farm, I was given some food, a place to sleep and was able to get cleaned up. Early the following morning it was explained to me that it would not be possible for me to stay or work there. They said however, that they knew of a place where I could be helped further and would be welcomed with open arms…
It was on this morning that I arrived with the Concerned Community. I know that this is where the Lord had intended for me to go to change my life. I was able to confess my sins and to repent of the life I had been living. I was able to get to the root of many of the problems I had been experiencing. Since arriving I have felt the emptiness of my soul steadily fill with love, peace and joy.
This short testimony only gives a glimpse of how I have been taken by the hand and pulled out of the darkness and into the light and of how the Concerned Community organization and the Lord have helped me.
* Places, names and identifying details of individuals have been changed to protect their privacy.
We as the Concerned Community are thankful towards pastors and parents that send troubled youth to us for help. In that way, we all unite against the onslaught of drug addiction amongst the youth. We are an organisation helping youth dealing with drug related problems, pornography addiction and abuse.
