Christmas 2005:
A Cape Town man resorted to a gruesome, but futile attempt to raise some cash. He disabled his wife and proceeded to cut her open and remove several vital organs to sell. He repeated this a little later on his daughter, and then turned on his son. His wife and daughter died, but his son Japtha, a pre-med student, survived. He was terribly disfigured and only now had one kidney, but he was alive. The man was arrested and convicted on two counts of murder. He is presently serving a life sentence.
July 2006:
Jonathan was bringing his message on the fourth day of the “Kidz Klub,” when Japtha came to the church. He had been sent there by a lady (whom we have never met) who found him weeping at the police station. He wanted to end his life. For the next hour I talked to him and heard his horrific story. I was able to give him the Gospel, and he knelt and asked Christ to save him. I cannot describe the joy that overwhelmed him. He came to our services and testified to the church how Christ had saved him. Today he is in Durban back in med school on a special scholarship. When he phones me, all he wants to say is, “Thank you, my pastor, for bringing me to Christ.” I just bow and say, “Thank you, my Lord, for allowing us to do your work.” Times like these remind us of how important it is to be where God has placed you. Had we not had the “Kidz Klub,” I would not have been at the church on a Saturday morning. Had faithful people not have prayed and given by faith, we would not have a building to meet in. Had churches not invested in eternal souls, we may never have been in South Africa. To this, all we can say is, “Thank you, ‘our co-laborers.’”
Rex Switzer, South Africa