This month we had two breakfasts to accommodate those who had prior engagements on the dates set. On both occasions it was a precious time of fellowship amongst the ladies. We were blessed to have Ruth share her testimony both times. You can read it below the pictures.
RUTH'S TESTIMONY
I was born in Kenya, Nairobi in 1952 on a farm bordering the main river, with the forest on the other side of the river. My mother was doing laying hens and selling the eggs to the market.
I can remember the freedom of no fences and open land. My father had to help with security at night because the Mau Mau were causing a lot of problems in the surrounding areas. He decided to leave immediately, having heard that we were not safe. We drove down in two VW Beetles with just basics, leaving all our possessions behind. My father made a divide down the centre of the car to keep my brother and I apart.
We arrived in South Africa and rented until my father found us a house. My grade 1 and 2 was at Norwood Primary School, Then, my father was transferred to Port Elizabeth for a couple of years and then to Durban. It was there where I first became aware of God. My mother was Anglican, so I had been christened and had God parents of whom I never met.
At the church Reverend Deeble was minister. He had a great love for the young people. As he shared the Word, I became aware of God. On hearing that my father was to be transferred again back to Johannesburg, I knew that God was going to go with me. My mother and I went to see the Anglican Church in Bryanston and she was told that they didn’t want any more people because they were full. My mother never went to church again after that.
I can’t remember how I ended up going to the Presbyterian Church. The minister there as Des Clynick. He too loved the Lord. They had a campsite near Krugersdorp Which they shared with the Dutch Reformed Church. It was here where Des preached the gospel and I received the Lord into my life. It was the most awesome experience. Getting back home Des told me that I must get confirmed, but God had other plans. One of my friends who had also got saved on the same camp phoned me and asked me to a Bible study. The ministry was about the Godhead. God moved in my heart and I was filled with the Holy Spirit. My friend was getting baptised that evening, so I joined her. Getting back home, I told my parents what had happened. They refused to accept what I had to say. I went to visit my grandfather and found out that he believed as well. I was so excited. He was a Methodist Minister who had been part of the introduction of Gideon Bibles into South Africa. The Lord took him shortly after that.
Now when I began to read the Bible, I read about Enoch who lived for three hundred and sixty-three years. He walked with God, just as Adam and Eve had done in the garden of Eden. And he was not because God took him. That just blew my mind. I wanted that to happen to me.
Then I read about Moses going to meet God in the mountain. People and animals had to be kept away from the mountain otherwise they would die. Moses comes down the mountain and his face shone. Another incredible event.
When the tabernacle was built, the entrance faced the rising sun. God met Moses at the entrance, descending in a cloud. They spoke to each other.
Jesus goes up the mountain with his disciples. The glory of the Lord comes down and covers Elijah Jesus and Moses. These were all events taking place on this earth.
Then Paul is caught up into heavenly places and sees things he was forbidden to talk about. Jesus told him what must be spoken about.
John was also caught up and shown the end times. He too saw incredible sights. He lived to 104 before the Lord took him. Being imprisoned on the island of Patmos, he was unable to share with anyone but he wrote them down.
Today each one of us have something to look forward to. The return of the Lord. The rapture, where we will hear the trumpet and will be caught up to meet our Lord in the air. How exciting is that.
My testimony continues : I accepted the Lord in my matric year, the year I had to choose which field to study. The Lord wanted me to be a teacher so I went to Johannesburg College of education to get a degree. In my final year I did my last teaching practice at Norwood Primary school. On returning to college a group of us had to prepare a reading lesson in a different lecture hall. It was the there where the lecturer who saw to placing us for our teaching practices and also jobs, came rushing in and asked us if any of us had not applied yet. I had looked through the many jobs and God let me know to close the books because the job was net there. Three of us put our hands up. Two of them said they had applied. I said no. She called me into her office and put me on her phone. It was the headmaster from Norwood Primary school. He wanted to see me that afternoon That was my first job.
In the meantime, a group of us got together for 5 years to find out how God wanted the church to be run. In that time, we learned about the gift ministries and God raised them up in our midst. At the end of that time, He broke us up and we all went our different ways. I joined up with Assemblies of God in Constantia Kloof with Gerald Hawyes. We went down to Durban and met with Mike Attlee asking him to take us under his wing as it were. He believed in the gift ministries. So, the work started in Constantia Kloof. Then we were asked to start a work in Lyttleton Pretoria. The folk came through and Ray was with them. I was playing the piano. A similar situation as my mother and father.
As we planned our wedding, we were looking for a house. Ray prayed for a house for R500. A month. The lord provided one for 3 years. I had to give my notice at Norwood and the deputy headmaster, who was also moving to Pretoria asked me to join him at Hamilton Primary School where he was to become Headmaster.
Our church grew in numbers and we built our church together. It became Lakeside Assembly. Again, I saw God building up the gift ministries, and then many folks left to be used elsewhere in the work.
I stayed at home for 10 years while my children were little. Then went back to a nursery school to observe children developing. The head teacher was my mentor and taught me much. When our four children were at school I wanted to teach again in the government school. Sunnyside wanted to start a Grade 0 class as the government wanted to get them into the primary schools. Bad move I felt. So, I applied and when they heard that I was a remedial teacher, they asked me to start immediately, I started in September and did remedial till the end of the year. I then started the Grade 0 class and did it for 2 years. The headmistress then decided to bring me back into remedial, so I worked with groups of 8. from Grade 1 to 7, doing Remedial English. I was there for 6 years. Then one day I was called in and told that I was not wanted anymore. I was shattered but went home knowing that God had a plan. I went for a walk in the complex we were staying in, and my neighbour was also outside. I told her what had happened and she told me that her school needed a grade 2 teacher immediately. She worked at Hamilton Primary School. I couldn’t believe it. So, I was back at the school I had taught at when I got married. I spent 6 years there.
At church, we heard that a family near Hartbeespoort dam had heard Chris Scott on radio pulpit and asked him to please start a work there. Ray and I joined up with them and it grew. Today many of the believers are from Malawi. Very precious folk. They taught us some of their songs.
Our children were by this time grown and out of the house. They were worried about us being on our own, so told us to get ready to move down to Langebaan. I said only if we could sell the house quickly. Two days and it was sold. We moved down in August two years ago. We already knew about the church down here, because Tony and Carol had known us in the past, and their boys had been on camps with our girls.
We are now settled, with my daughter close by. The children are all happy. Both Ray and I are just waiting on the Lord to show us what His plans are for our lives down here. He showed me a mealie seed that is left to dry. On being planted it will shrivel up as the new life begins to grow. The roots into the ground (the Word of God) being food for the growth of the shoot. As the shoot reaches the surface, it can meet with different problems, other plants smothering it, yet it grows because it is being fed by the roots. It could be a rock, but it will continue to grow because it is looking for freedom to grow. Or it could appear in prepared ground with no limits and it grows freely. Our lives have new seasons and again we have to die that Christ may live in us in a different situation.
I just want to thank you all for your love. Ray hated hugs, but since he has been in the fellowship, he is learning receive as well as give hugs. It’s been awesome. The Body of Christ is truly a blessed place to belong to. And the best place is of course being near to the heart of God. May the Lord bless you all.