113) A New Christian
Dominic was called up to do his army service in January 1992. He had to report to the barracks at Ladysmith. His call-up had been delayed a number of times because he was studying but now he had to go. As he was twenty four by then he was a lot older than the other lads that he was in barracks with. I think that his intake was the last compulsory call-up in South Africa.
Jonny was having rather a hard time with Weld All Fabricators, he was getting work but it was rather spasmodic and not enough. Then he got a job to repair some worn screw conveyors for a soap factory. We were very happy about it as we thought it was going to be the turning point in the business. The screws turned out to be a nightmare. Some of them were aluminium and some were caste iron and they were very difficult to weld. Jonny was battling with them when into the workshop came an Indian welder looking for work. Jonny asked him if he could repair the screws and he said he could. Jonny was so pleased he hired him on the spot and they both worked solidly for a few days to get the job finished. Jonny said that that Indian welder was an angel sent to help him. I remember that they worked right through till late on Saturday 16th Jan as it was my birthday. Because the job needed to be finished there was no way we could go out and celebrate my birthday but the fact that the job was at last finished was enough of a celebration for me. On the following day Jonny decided to come to church with me because he had had to spoil my birthday and he said that he just wanted to thank God that the job was finished.
When we got to church I realised that the minister David was not preaching that day but a lay preacher called Neville Miles was giving the sermon. I was disappointed as I thought that Jonny would have appreciated David’s preaching and I did not know what Neville was like. I need not have worried, Jonny said that Miles was speaking just to him. I was amazed at the reaction. Jonny said that he just knew that Jesus had died on the cross for him and that he had been forgiven all his sins and that he was gong straight to heaven when he died. When we got home he phoned all his family to tell them about his experience. It was almost as if he was drunk. He always says that he was drunk “Drunk on the Holy Spirit”. This made a big change in Jonny’s life, he started going regularly to church and to Bible study classes. He knew he had a lot to learn about Christianity and read and studied all he could.
Together we joined a Home Fellowship group. It was held in the home of Peter and Marj MacLaren who still remain our friends. Other members of the group were Arthur and Doreen Riley, Hetty Pringle, Wendy Meyer, a couple called George and Zoe and George’s mother Freda. They were a great group and we not only learnt a lot from them we also made good friendships and had a great deal of fun.
Meanwhile Dominic had visited a church in Ladysmith where he was doing his army training and was also converted to Christianity. It was quite a coincidence that father and son should both make this commitment at about the same time when they were not living in the same place and had not discussed it in any way.
Becoming a Christian made Jonny even more determined to give up smoking. He had tried many times before without a great deal of success. He prayed a great deal for the strength to break the habit. One morning I rushed off to work and as I was unlocking the shop door I heard the phone ring. It was Jonny on the phone and he said “I have given up smoking”. I said “That’s good” but as I had left him only about 10 minutes before and he was still smoking then I was not really convinced. Jonny said “This time it is different I really feel that my prayers have been answered” and it was, from that time he has never smoked again. I suppose there has been time that he would have liked a cigarette but he managed to resist and we are both very thankful for that.
Jonny was having rather a hard time with Weld All Fabricators, he was getting work but it was rather spasmodic and not enough. Then he got a job to repair some worn screw conveyors for a soap factory. We were very happy about it as we thought it was going to be the turning point in the business. The screws turned out to be a nightmare. Some of them were aluminium and some were caste iron and they were very difficult to weld. Jonny was battling with them when into the workshop came an Indian welder looking for work. Jonny asked him if he could repair the screws and he said he could. Jonny was so pleased he hired him on the spot and they both worked solidly for a few days to get the job finished. Jonny said that that Indian welder was an angel sent to help him. I remember that they worked right through till late on Saturday 16th Jan as it was my birthday. Because the job needed to be finished there was no way we could go out and celebrate my birthday but the fact that the job was at last finished was enough of a celebration for me. On the following day Jonny decided to come to church with me because he had had to spoil my birthday and he said that he just wanted to thank God that the job was finished.
When we got to church I realised that the minister David was not preaching that day but a lay preacher called Neville Miles was giving the sermon. I was disappointed as I thought that Jonny would have appreciated David’s preaching and I did not know what Neville was like. I need not have worried, Jonny said that Miles was speaking just to him. I was amazed at the reaction. Jonny said that he just knew that Jesus had died on the cross for him and that he had been forgiven all his sins and that he was gong straight to heaven when he died. When we got home he phoned all his family to tell them about his experience. It was almost as if he was drunk. He always says that he was drunk “Drunk on the Holy Spirit”. This made a big change in Jonny’s life, he started going regularly to church and to Bible study classes. He knew he had a lot to learn about Christianity and read and studied all he could.
Together we joined a Home Fellowship group. It was held in the home of Peter and Marj MacLaren who still remain our friends. Other members of the group were Arthur and Doreen Riley, Hetty Pringle, Wendy Meyer, a couple called George and Zoe and George’s mother Freda. They were a great group and we not only learnt a lot from them we also made good friendships and had a great deal of fun.
Meanwhile Dominic had visited a church in Ladysmith where he was doing his army training and was also converted to Christianity. It was quite a coincidence that father and son should both make this commitment at about the same time when they were not living in the same place and had not discussed it in any way.
Becoming a Christian made Jonny even more determined to give up smoking. He had tried many times before without a great deal of success. He prayed a great deal for the strength to break the habit. One morning I rushed off to work and as I was unlocking the shop door I heard the phone ring. It was Jonny on the phone and he said “I have given up smoking”. I said “That’s good” but as I had left him only about 10 minutes before and he was still smoking then I was not really convinced. Jonny said “This time it is different I really feel that my prayers have been answered” and it was, from that time he has never smoked again. I suppose there has been time that he would have liked a cigarette but he managed to resist and we are both very thankful for that.
posted by MC at
5:50 pm
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