“Give Thanks Unto the Lord”

1 Chronicles 16

8 Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!

9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!

10 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!

For the last few months, since last year, God has been working in revival power amongst the students at Domino Servite School at the mission. Scores have turned to the Lord.

This weekend we celebrated DSS’s 20th birthday, and it was also a time of thanksgiving for what the Lord has done over the past 20 years and especially in the last year.

Various students gave their testimonies, with the following being a short summary of some of them:

  • The first student was a girl who was sent to DSS by her relatives when she was 9. Her mother had passed away earlier. Because she felt like an orphan, she hated everybody and refused all authority. She became a nuisance to teachers and students alike. But God started to work in her life in 2002 and she realised that she had to change. She liked one of her teachers in particular. One day that teacher called her and spoke to her. She gave her life to Jesus and He changed her life completely. After her conversion she realised the necessity to make restitution and apologize to those she did wrong to. At first it seemed very difficult, but she persevered and made her life right. Today she praises the Lord for His great work in her life.
  • The next to testify was Sipho Maphanga from Muntunzini. He came to DSS in 2001. He was a very rebellious boy, who wanted nothing to do with Christianity. He hated the school rules and used to tell his friends that he would plunge fully into the world once he left school. However, after having met the Lord, the very rules he hated became his delight. He thoroughly cleansed his life and made restitution to those he wronged. Although he used to be quite a shy boy, today he is bold for the Lord Jesus, and isn’t ashamed to testify of his faith, even if others mock.
  • Another boy who also came to the Lord in the past year, testified of how he had rejected God for the past 12 years at the mission. He hated God’s work and the missionaries at the mission and looked at the work through political eyes. He didn’t realise that he was fighting against God. His aim at DSS was simply to get a good education. However, at the end of 2005 he experienced God confronting him and telling him to repent. At first he resisted, but eventually had to bow and God changed his life completely. The intense hatred he had towards God’s work and ministers was changed into great love for His people and His work.
  • Another girl also testified of how God met her after she had been resisting Him for years. Her mother was a Christian but her father not. She hated her mother for making rules to protect her. She used to do bad things on purpose to spite her mom. But eventually she could resist God’s work no longer and He met her and changed her life. She could confess her sin and turn from it. Today she’s ashamed of the 16 years she wasted in sin, but thankful towards God for having saved her and cleansed her from her sin.
  • Sibusiso Majola from Mapumulo also gave his testimony. He’s been a student at DSS for the past 11 years. He used to look at some of the past pupils of DSS who do not follow God, yet seem to be successful materially, and he thought to follow in their footsteps. One day God revealed to him how his way was like someone who had already gone over a cliff, and that he was on his way down to destruction. However, God caught him and today he can testify to the saving power of Jesus.

Rev Stegen closed off with the Word of God from 1Chron 16:8-10.

We need to call on the Lord and praise and magnify His Name for His working. May His Name be made known throughout the world, starting with us.

We also thank God for His grace that He’s shown us and to DSS.