Youth Week - July 2003
3 July, 3pm:

Testimony of Yolanda
Text: Mat 13:44

As youngster she came to the youth services at KSB. She and her parents were touched by the Gospel of the Lord Jesus preached here, and they came regularly. At first she was innocent and loved the Lord and His things as a child. However, she sought acceptance with her friends. Her grandmother warned her by saying that friends would get her nowhere. She rejected this and became rebellious. At 13 she started to smoke, although she knew it was wrong. Not long after that she started to drink alcohol and to deceive her parents and others about her true state. She became a problem to her parents and so they moved her to a hostel to get her away from her friends.

She went along with her friends and eventually met up with dagga. They sat in a circle and they passed the dagga round. The first time it came to her she refused to take. The second time as well. Afterwards a friend came to her and asked her what was wrong. Why did she not join them. There and then her resistance broke and she had her first introduction to dagga. The use of dagga made her feel independent replaced her friends. All of this time her parents suspected nothing. In her home her father had strict rules and the children did not dare to go off the track. Therefore she had to cover up her deeds very well, which she also did.

At the age of 17 she met a boyfriend. The devil did not leave this area alone in her life. All she could think of was to look attractive.

Later she started to set goals for herself. She wanted to do something in life she liked and do it with all her heart. She wanted to be successful and prosperous in her work quickly.

After school she left home so that she could live according her own rules freely. She thought that she enjoyed life, but a change came on her 19th birthday. Her brother died in a car accident at the age of 23. That night many people came to their home. She got frustrated with all the people and so went for a walk in anger. She was angry with God for taking her brother whom she loved. Then she thought on life's aim. Her brother was on the brink of a prosperous life, he had a fiancé, car and money, but now all was gone in a moment. Even his body remained behind. She realised that the world's glory and riches were nothing.

A few days later they as a family went to a service and she said to God that if there is an altar call that she would go forward and give her life to Him. It was mother's day and there was no service that day. However, at the end an old lady walked to the front, closed in prayer and made an altar call. She went forward, wept bitterly and gave her life to the Lord. After three weeks Satan came to her as a roaring lion and asked her how she could now be a Christian, if she had not even known what the world had to offer. She thought on this and her eyes opened to how she would like to discover city-life and other pleasures of the world. She went back to her smoking and drinking. She made a decision to go back into the world. It nearly cost her her life on several occasions. She started off with ecstasy.

She moved to the Western Cape and started to work there. She had her friends and parties, but nothing satisfied her. When she was still in a trance in a rave-club when the Lord spoke to her. One day the Lord spoke to her. She saw a woman, old and wrinkled. With horror she heard how the Lord told her that that woman is she 20 years from then on the way she was going. Shortly afterwards her father invited her to come home and to try things over again.

She took the offer and met with the Lord anew. She attempted a career in law, but she knew that that was not enough. There was a standard and calling of God for her life. The Lord had a hidden treasure for her and she realised that it is worth more than life. She remembered what she was taught at KSB as a little girl, and she heard God's call upon her life, and responded to serve Him to the end.