Please note that for privacy reasons we have used aliases in the following stories. This is to protect the integrity and identity of our residents who were willing to share their stories.

Carla: Age 38

Late April 2024, I was at work, I work as a car guard at a small business in town. A suspicious man called me to his car to find out details such as what time the shop was closing; what time it opens in the mornings, etc. Then he started asking for prices, and I told him to go to the information counter inside the shop.

As I turned my back to walk away, he stepped out of the vehicle and told me to get in the back seat. As he opened the door, the passenger who also got out of the vehicle grabbed me from behind. I was screaming and kicking and fell down on my knees to make myself a “dead weight”. His hand slipped from my mouth and one of his fingers went into my mouth. I bit him as hard as I could until I started tasting blood.

I was praying the whole time for God to have mercy. As the back door was opened, two more men were sitting inside the car ready to pull me in. Then all of a sudden, the driver shouted “leave her”, they slammed the doors and sped off. After I calmed down, I phoned my employer and told him what happened.

I have since realized that God is good, He is almighty and He cares for each and every one of us. I praise the Lord everyday for my life. I have been praying for a miracle from God to show me that He really cares and that He is listening and this was the miracle He sent me, He protected me during this entire incident.

Joseph: Age 44

My Testimony of how God changed my life.

People in my life made me feel worthless. Then I ended up on the streets for three days. During these three days something told me that there was grace and that I should read the Bible, pray and make my bed in front of Grace House and so I did. On 11 August 2023, on my birthday, uncle Hendrik called me to Grace House.

I was worried that I may have done something wrong. I went to him and he invited me into Grace House and he said that there is still hope for me. Everyone prayed for me and I could feel how my negativity changed into positivity. Till today I am still positive that Jesus has my life and that He loves me.

I want to give all thanks to God for sending people like the people of Grace House my way and I'm thankful that I can serve the Lord our God and learn so many things. I pray that the Lord will bless Grace House for what they do for so many people. Thank you, our heavenly Father we love to you so much.

Emma: Age 42

Vanaf September 2022, was my pad baie hard, donker en vol baie seer. Ek het op die verkeerde man verlief geraak en ek het verslaaf geraak aan dwelms. Min wetend dat die man ‘n baie donker mens was, ʼn baie bose man en dat net groot lelike ellende saam hom verder op my pad lê en wag. Ek het my kinders, my familie, my goeie vriende en grootste van als, my siel verloor sowel en ook al my selfrespek. My werk, blyplek, alles wat ek besit het, het ek ook verloor.

Ek het nie geweet wat om te doen of hoe om uit die onheilige lewe uit te kom nie. Op ʼn dag het ek letterlik op God geskree “Here, help my asseblief,ek kan nie meer nie”. God het my gehoor en my seun gestuur om my te kom haal uit die donker lewe uit. Ek was so ongelooflik dankbaar, maar tog was my kinders en familie nog baie skepties en baie teleugesteld in wat ek gedoen het. Ek moes maar nogsteeds my pad alleen stap, want luister wou ek nie. Ek was alleen, gebroke, vol haat en ek wou net opgee.

Maar God was nog lank nie klaar met dié gebroke verlore skapie nie. Duidelik het God nog ʼn doel met my, want net nou die dag, bietjie langer as ʼn maand terug, wat ek die  strate op en afgeloop het, nie ʼn vriend of familielid wat bereid is om my in te vat nie, het God my gelei na Grace House. Vriende en familie kon nie glo dat ek van die dwelms af is nie en ek neem hulle ook nie kwalik nie.

Nie net het Hendrik die deure van Grace House vir my oop gemaak nie, maar Lizette het dadelik gesorg dat ek toiletware en warm bedegoed kry. Hulle het my welkom laat voel en my behandel asof ek familie is. Hulle sorg tot vandag toe nog vir my.

Hier het ek God met al Sy glorie leer ken, met Jesus Christus se bloed en beskerming oor my. Was dit nie vir Grace House gewees nie, was ek óf al dood iewers in n sloot óf iewers op die straat sekerlik terug op dwelms.

Dankie almagtige Vader dat U my na Grace House gestuur het en dat U Hendrik en Lizette in beheer van Grace House geplaas het. Ek sal U altyd loof en prys vir U genade en al U seëninge wat my elke dag oorspoel.

Dankie vir Grace House.

Betty: Age 58

Betty lost her husband to death more or less a year ago. Her grief was immense and impossible for her to manage and control. Betty lacked the will and courage to continue with her life as she knew it. After the death of her husband, she moved out of her own home and on request of her son moved in with him and his family. During her stay with her son and his family, Betty was physically abused by her son. He dragged her around by her hair and punched her with his fists.

Unable to create her own new identity there was intense strain on her relationship with her children. Her son instructed her to leave the premises and they don’t want her living with them. She pleaded her case and her son gave her an ultimatum to take 60 tranquilizers (which he made her count as she drank them). His intention was clearly for her to overdose and die. She asked for something warm to wear and was told that where she was going, she would not need it. After consuming all these tablets and in a drugged state she was loaded into his vehicle and dropped off in an unknown empty field in the pouring rain.

Betty wandered the streets for 48 hours where strangers found her and eventually, she ended up with Grace House Upliftment Centre. She has in the meantime grown immensely; both spiritually and emotionally. She now has an identity in Christ and has integrated into her new Grace House family.

David: Age 48

David’s seemingly ideal life came to a screeching halt when he underwent a divorce from his wife. The single life of a newly divorced man was daunting and eventually he succumbed to a life of drugs and ended up being a drifter on the streets. This pattern continued for 20 years. During the time of his addiction (injecting of heroin) David contracted the HIV virus and on various occasions was close to death due to his compromised immune system.

David became a resident of Grace House Upliftment Centre for a stretch of time, during which he was healthy, stable and employed. David was lured away from his comfort and safety at Grace House Upliftment Centre and left for 3 months. During these 3 months he became violently ill, ended up living on the street and ended up very close to death when the manager, Hendrik van Rooyen, drove past him one day.

Hendrik convinced David to come back to Grace House Upliftment Centre and since his return 3 months ago he has been hospitalised, is back on his chronic medication and participates in the spiritual growth programmes offered by Grace House Upliftment Centre.

David is currently employed on a part time basis and is in the process of having his social grant benefits processed.

John: Age 38

At a very young age (still in nappies), John was sent away by his parents to go and live with family on a farm. John grew up in a farm environment where he learned to be extremely tough and he had to learn from an early age to physically fight for self defense and for what he wanted and needed.

As a young adult John became involved with a huge network of criminal activities including, armed robbery, drug dealing, weapon smuggling, prostitution, human trafficking, car robbery, assault, torture, mutilation, attempted murder and murder. This lifestyle ensured that he was a millionaire at the age of 19. Due to this abominable lifestyle John’s family rejected him and he was completely alone in the world. He couldn’t understand the concepts of love, empathy, sympathy or compassion. John was attacked once and took a scull crunching blow to the head. He was declared dead and awoke some time later in a body bag. The only love he ever knew was the love for his then life partner, now wife. Since his empire was built on the works of the enemy everything, he had was taken away from him.

John and his wife ended up at Grace House Upliftment Centre. At that time, he was still an extremely angry, volatile and violent person. After giving his life to Jesus, being baptized and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit John has become a loving, even tempered, kind and accommodating child of God. Today he has a loving relationship with both his parents and his brothers. He now hungers for the word of God, is an avid worshiper and prayer warrior. He spreads the gospel of Christ and prays for whoever he can at every occasion he can. God speaks directly to John in dreams and visions.