I was borne in Windhoek on 12/09/1961. I had an 3 year older sister and 3 years later another sister was borne. I was a spoiled son and enjoyed every moment of it. Then all hell broke lose.

My mom and dad divorced when I was 9 and we had to stay with our mom since my dad fell into the bottle way too much to look after us.

My mom suffered very much to support us and got married about 2 years later. The new dad thought it good to send me to a Cape Town  school Jan Van Riebeek to get me as far away from home as he could. Anyway, I flunked st6 and went to pretoria to stay with family members as my mom got divorced for the second time.She was diagnosed with cancer during her second marriage and kept praying for our children as she entered her final days on planet earth.

Now Fast Forward to 22 years of age.

I fell in love with a nice girl and could not be faithfully which lead to us separating. I was heartbroken but was having plenty of silly affairs. I fell in love again with a beautiful girl Tina( she was divorced with a son) and discovered after a while that she was an unassailable tiran. She dominated every aspect of my life and I was feel trapped and completely helpless. She closed all the doors to my will and inspirations. She was very jealous and kept me like pet. I stayed in her house(subsidised by the air force) and did not work a steady job. It was a slow kinda life on the outskirts of Bloemfontein plots called Rodenbeck.

How I met the Lord 22 years ago

One sunny afternoon a NG Kerk priest Ds Kritzinger and an elder came to our house. We never thought of seeing a priest or a dominee for any reason, yet he decided to pop in and confront us on our adulterous affair. He said that we are going to hell. I saw him smoking a cigarette and I boldly told him that he is also going to hell as well.It was an victorious moment considering that I only have St 8 and had to do St6 twice. Man grilling an NG dominee just made my day, and it was
like a dream come true.I cheerfully waived him and his quiet elder off knowing that I am the victor. The next 3 days was normal with the Bloemfontein show just started.I did not go, but Dina did go while I thought she was at her mothers place to be with her kid. She did not return that evening home. It was the first time it happened.

The next morning I she popped in to get dressed for work and I could see immediately that something happened. Man I was devastated. She refused to answer any questions from me.At about 10 O clock the same morning 2 big, I mean big air force fellows came to the house and told me in no unflattering language to get out of the house immediately. I did not argue at all and left with my possessions which were R 1.50 and an army bag full of clothes.I wondered around in shock around the plots and found an empty plot not far from hers. I knew there was no turning back. I also have no family to turn to.That night I found an empty plot house which had a “red polished stoep” and I laid my army clothes on the red stoep for a bed and covered myself with them recalling the familiar army clothes smell.

I was down and out flat on my back as anyone who has lost everything. I was only 22 years of age. I saw the stars above and prayed a simple prayer. It was like” Here help my asseblief, vergewe my sonde” I could not utter any more words. It was as if God knew everything. I then felt a warmth settling over me as I watch the stars above and I knew that every thing would be “ok” in 7 days. This is something I cannot describe. It was something I knew. That night I slept like a baby in a king size bed, it is hard to describe.

I wandered the plots extensively in the pursuit of food and water. Even thou my spirit was extremely high, my hair and clothes looks like I got out of an “Wasgoed Mandjie”.

The second evening after negotiating an old man offered me a place to sleep for 1 night. I remember he telling me how much he loved his dog, and that his dog was killed by a car. I did killed his dog a week earlier and I could not bring myself to confess to him. It was horrible; I cannot explain how bad I felt. The old man felt even worse.

By afternoon of the 3rd day I could not hold it anymore and phoned the welfare in Bloemfontein who told me that they do not cater for people at my age. That night e next day I was taking on another set of plots in search for help.Only now you realise how poor maplotters are. I ended up at the house near the church ground. It was the dominee’s house that I chased out of “my” home a few days earlier.

There was this women who stood at the gate (Moira Kritzinger) and as I approached she said” Martin what is wrong”. I did not know her at all and by hearing my name I broke down in a flood of tears. I had enough.She took me in and behold here was Dominee Kritsinger of Rodenbeck Ng
Church. I have never been so made so humble(Thanks Abba).

I asked him for a place to stay for about 4 days as everything would be ok then. He gave me a place to stay at a widows house and thru him found a job at a butchery. Kiewiet Wepener needed a learner blokman and I got the job. I also had a room to stay. It all was within 7 days.

The first day in the butchery was not nice. All the smells and stuff made me felt nausea. I realized that there are managers and owners in the butcheries, and told myself, “Ek kan dit ook word”.  I then became a proud owner of butcheries in Kimberley until today.It was as if the Lord placed me on a track, provide me with electricity from above and things just happened.

Sadly I ran out on the Lord, until Angus came up on Grassroots. I wrote to you about it. That day I quit cannabis and cigarettes, and now I am a Christian 24/7.  Now I seek the Lord relentlessly!

HOME

REPENTANCE