Oana Draghicescu

Grateful Forever

Kwasizabantu - the place where I and many others have found life in abundance.

I was a selfish person, living only for myself and for my own benefit. I was speaking and imposing my point of view to others without considering at all what traces I would leave in the lives of those around me.

It never occurred to me to empathize with those around me, my motto was always: be the best, win, and don't allow anyone notice my weakness. Strangely, for others, I still was a popular and appreciated person, precisely because I had the courage to say what I thought, even if it meant insulting someone.

I remember many evenings when I would weep because I was unhappy and I could no longer bear to be a fake character in my own life. But in order to not look like a weak person, I never apologized, instead I preferred to not talk to a person for many days.

God was up there somewhere, concerned with things far more important than my own life, I had no idea how interested He actually is in the life of every common man who truly seeks Him.

When I arrived at the Kwasizabantu Mission I encountered the complete opposite of everything I had chosen myself to be until then.

Here I met people ready to let go of their own opinions, even if they were tens of times better than mine, just to lift me up and make me feel appreciated. Also here I met extraordinarily nice, very friendly people and very humble. I've seen people give up the easement of a comfortable life just to help other people and that topped it all, I couldn't wrap my mind around why would anyone give up what THEY want, just to be available to others, it sounded to me like something from outside the Earth.

Then I had the opportunity to listen to the message of Revival urging us not to live in hatred/resentment for each other, but to forgive, reconcile and ask for forgiveness where we have gone wrong, so that we can enjoy peace and harmony in the family and especially to be able to obtain a fulfilled, free of sin, happy life. Again I was challenged (not forced) to leave my comfort zone and do something I never thought I would do, namely to allow God and others to see myself the way I really was, with my weaknesses and all. I started to love the Lord Jesus, I confessed my sins and I apologized and rebuilt my broken relationships with those around me. I came back from Kwasizabantu as a new creature, the old was gone and all things became new.

My words fail to express the gratitude in my heart to the Lord who founded this Mission and especially for the grace that I received, to be able to know it, to live it and share myself the message of the Revival, that the Mission proclaims.

Thank you all at Kwasizabantu for everything you did for me.

Thank you uncle Erlo for your example and for the way you presented us the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that we could only fall in love with it forever.

Oana Drăghicescu,

Kwasizabantu Mission, Voiteg - Romania