ccm Cross 0154 The Rock Magaliesburg, South Africa

ccm Cross 0154
Monday January 20, 2018

The Rock Campsite
Magaliesburg, South Africa
ccm Cross 0154

GPS/DMS 26°01’13.2″ S 27°28’51.2″ E

Additional photos after Testimony

4521 cdd Living By Faith
Cyber Daily Devotion
Volume 19 Number 030

Today’s Author: Pastor Bill

Scripture: Romans 10:17
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” NKJV

Hello, my name is Aubrey Thompson and I was the sixth born of eight children. When my mum was pregnant with me the family moved from South Africa to Zimbabwe. When we moved to Zimbabwe our dad left us. Mom was alone to raise us. It was the beginning of Living By Faith. The Lord taught me from a young age how to survive under difficult circumstances when I walked with Him. This served me well when years later I was faced with the terror, destruction and financial collapse of our government.

Growing up we lived in Mutare, Zimbabwe next to the Mozambique border. After our dad left, mom did her best to raise us in a Christian church. She wanted to give our lives hope and direction in the Lord. A missionary couple from Florida USA moved to Zimbabwe starting a Christian church. We were there whenever the doors were open. We didn’t have enough money to pay school fees so as the only boy at home, I was sent to school while my sisters learned their schooling through the church.

I was still a youngster when I heard about Jesus in an altar call. I knew he had to be Lord of my life. I accepted him right then.

I graduated high school and was hired as an assistant accountant for a Timber company. I learned the skills of an accountant and grew within the company and was promoted into a management position moving to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I began my new job working on the 6th floor of an office building called Pioneer House.

Every day I used the elevators to and from my office. A young lady caught my eye, but I was very shy. I devised a plan to meet her. I learned that she worked for a computer company of the 7th floor just above me.

I went to our computer department and asked a friend named Farirai if she would create an issue with a computer that would need technical help. At first Farirai was not receptive. I asked her again to create a computer issue that needed help! She said, I can’t create a problem that doesn’t exist.” Finally, I had to level with her, “Farirai, I met a young lady on the elevator who works on the 7th floor and I’d like to get to know her.” Farirai was all in. She wanted to help me meet the young lady from the 7th floor.

Farirai called her on the phone asking for computer help with an imaginary problem. The young lady answered, “I’m in bookkeeping, I’ll transfer you to someone who can help you.” Farirai had to tell her the story. Later that day we learned the young lady from the 7th floor was named Winnie. Winnie came to my office to check out my imaginary computer problem.

That’s how Winnie and I met. We dated for six months and one year later we were married. Fast forward to a family with three children and our government financially collapsed. We both lost our jobs. How do you feed yourself, your family, pay for school, clothing and food with no jobs and no income? Our faith walk of reliance on Jesus Christ for every provision in our lives had begun. We began each day with prayer asking the Lord to lead us.

We started our own company amid the country wide financial devastation. We would secure funds from families that needed food and drive to an adjoining country bringing back the food. Our grocery shelves were empty in Zimbabwe and every morsel of food that could cross the border was coveted. That worked for a while but soon the inflation was double and tripling every day. We would receive money one day and travel that day for food. The next day returning. By then the cost of everything had sky rocketed and we didn’t have enough money to fill the gas tank to return for another trip.

We prayed and received an opportunity to move to South Africa, but Winne didn’t want to leave her family. A second time we had an opportunity to move. Again, Winnie wanted to stay. The third time as we prayed we knew we could not stay and properly raise our family. We sold everything we had and now we had to trust the Lord for our future in a foreign land.

We moved to the Cape Town area of South Africa. There were six of us as another joined us. We immediately applied for citizenship and began looking for work. It was a tough road each day. We trusted the Lord to help make our way. We joined a church attending as often as we could.

There was always more month than there was money. We would go grocery shopping and one by one the children would ask for something. We said no. It was heart wrenching. Life was tough, but we hung on to Jesus. Month after month we struggled.

Then our angel appeared. His name was Dennis. He said Jesus spoke to him, “Help that family.” We were that family. And for a period of time as we prayed over our meager budget — which we could not meet — Dennis would contact us with an envelope.

We never asked him for money nor did we ever tell how much we needed. When we expressed the need in prayer Dennis provided an envelope with the exact amount. Time and time again our angel would call to meet or just show up with an envelope.

Some months later I received a job with Scripture Union as the administrator of their camp called Stoney Ridge. The last time I met Dennis he handed me an envelope with the exact amount needed. Then he told that he was moving to another part of the world saying, “I have been re-assigned to another family in need and you now have a job. My assignment here is done.” To God be the Glory!

We moved from Cape Town to Magaliesburg, South Africa. For nine years I was with Scripture Union organizing retreats, maintaining the facility and adding on as needed.

Then came the opportunity to purchase The Rock Christian Camp for kids. We have been blessed to host 150 kids at a time and show them the love of the Lord.

It has now been eleven years since we made the decision to immigrate to South Africa from Zimbabwe and Live By Faith. The Lord has been with us each step of the way.

My favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” NKJV — This verse became our family verse. We prayed it in the morning and in the evening. We memorized it and prayed it during the day. And the Lord never let us down.

The Cross to me is a message everyone needs to hear. We become a new creation in the Lord through His great sacrifice.

This large Cross planted in our entrance makes a statement that no one can deny when they enter the Rock. Jesus Christ is Lord!

Jesus has been with me since the beginning as I prayed for a wife. And stayed with us as we have raised our children. And He carried us when things looked the worst. To God be all the Glory for He has done more than we asked or could ever imagine.

Pastor Bill will tell you the rest of our story in the Cornerstone Miracle Cross next week, as we continue to Live By Faith. Thank you for reading about our journey and Winnie and I greet you with the Love of the Lord.

Prayer: Father thank you for watching over those who Live by Faith as You told us in Your Bible. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!