God is Faithful!

My School Life

I did my last year in Hambangendlela High School in the Maphophoma area. I finished grade twelve at the age of sixteen, because I started school early at the age of four, and I performed very well at school not failing a single grade. But I was a crazy naughty girl who always made noise during the teacher’s time, dodged classes, and skipped class to steal oranges from the school’s neighbor.

My Life Out of School

After grade twelve, I moved to Johannesburg to further my studies. I stayed with my father, his girlfriend, their two kids – a boy and a girl – and his stepdaughter who was the same year as me. I attended S’dingo College doing computer studies. My relationship with his girlfriend/stepmother was good for the whole year of 2004, and we used to go shopping together until August 2005. Her daughter influenced me, and I started doing bad things like falling into relationships. I engaged myself with many things like smoking, going to parties, drinking to get drunk, and I was so close to becoming pregnant. My step mom didn’t like my behavior, so we ended up having a huge conflict because of my misbehavior, and I had to move back home. In the midst of everything, God didn’t forsake me, and He even protected me from HIV/AIDS and unprepared pregnancy. I thank God for that.

In 2006 I moved to Durban (Clermont) to stay with my Aunt (Jabu). I stayed with her for only about 7 months because she was drinking so much and would come home shouting at me. I hated that life so I chose to leave her like that, and I went to KwaNyuswa (Durban) to stay with my second aunt (Mrs. Cilo). I loved her so much. She supported me financially in school, and I can count many other things as well. She told me about the Life Skills Course. I registered there to do the course for one month. Doing Life Skills helped me so much in terms of bringing back my values, my character, and many other things. I was inspired by my facilitators, and I sacrificed my time to volunteer there starting in November 2006. Really, what transformed me were the testimonies of Vusi, Msizi and Siyanda. I observed much from their lifestyles and ended up being influenced. I started to hear the voice of God, and dreaming about my future. I cleaned up my heart with God and began giving up the hindrances that were affecting my journey with my Savior. In that process, I saw God protecting me and being so faithful. I became a close friend with him in such a way that even on my way to shop, I’d speak to him. I began to feel the joy of my salvation and God revealed to me that all these years I had been living in darkness – living life with no hope – and how much he protected me along the way, and that he redeemed me from the trap of the spirit of darkness, etc.

Here is a small portion of the stories that influenced me:

Vusi and Msizi’s Story:

When they were young, they kept themselves occupied through being deeply involved in crime, drug abuse and immorality. The driving force behind these issues was the lack of council, peer pressure, unavailability of safe recreational activities for the youth, and an ignorance of their potential and purpose for existence. They were fortunate to have the opportunity to attend a life skills and leadership course at World Changer’s Academy where they were assisted in gaining insight into their unique potential. They have now been working with World Changer’s Academy for 4 years and are still involved in the co-ordination a life skills development course for unemployed and High Schools students.

During this period, they have both learnt many important skills essential to their development as young leaders. They have gained a good knowledge of the co-ordination of programmes, experience in public speaking and developed interpersonal skills including an understanding of the needs of others and the behavior of people in class. They both want to put back into KwaNyuswa community what they have learned via Light Providers Youth Club. And it is through these testimonies, that my own life was transformed.

Siyanda:

When he was younger, he was involved heavily in drinking and other immoral behaviors. Through doing Life Skills, his life changed around, and now he is a Life Skills leader. He is now able to be a role model for all the youth that come through the program. The youth relate to his past, and he is able to share with them the changes that God has done in his life. His example, along with Vusi and Msizi, impacted me while I was there, and motivated me to make the same changes in my life.