Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures for ever. (Psalm 111:2,3)
I was born in Bizana in the Eastern Cape. I came to KwaSizabantu Mission for the first time in 1981 when I was still at school. I attended the youth conference which takes place twice a year. In those days, apartheid was still law in South Africa but at KwaSizabantu a Christian atmosphere prevailed. Blacks and Whites mingled and worked together harmoniously. The love and care that I experienced at KwaSizabantu drew me back again and again over these many years.
Rev Erlo Stegen’s brother-in-law assisted me numerous times with transport to attend bursary interviews and to attend to other personal needs. We had no access to telephones in rural areas. I would just arrive at his home and ask for assistance. After completing my engineering degree, I have helped young people with their education as a direct result of what I have learned from KwaSizabantu Mission. It has been a rewarding experience for me. Rev Erlo Stegen and other co-workers from the Mission offered moral and material support when my father passed away.
I have learned many things from Rev Erlo Stegen and co-workers of KwaSizabantu Mission including the importance of a healthy and stable family life, the importance of purity before marriage and faithfulness within marriage, caring for women and children, caring for the poor and the elderly, caring for widows and orphans, respect for other people irrespective of race and social status, the dangers of drug abuse and pornography, the lordship of Jesus Christ in all areas of life, to name a few. Above all, Rev Erlo Stegen and Miss Lydia Dube have set an excellent example of a Christian life over the past 39 years for which I have known them.
I have personally referred many people with various problems to KwaSizabantu for help. Thousands of people that KwaSizabantu Mission has helped cannot air their voices because they do not have access to platforms such as these.
I am thankful to God that I could know Rev Stegen, Miss Dube and KwaSizabantu Mission. My life has been enriched through them.
Linda Magqabi
Mpumalanga
