Linda Shezi

The Load on My Shoulders Lightened

My name is Linda Shezi from The Valley of 1000 Hills in Botha’s Hill (KwaNyuswa). I came to the KwaSizabantu Mission on the 3rd of December 2016. I got to know about the Mission through my Aunt from Kingscliffe, and I also saw a programme on it. I came here willingly because I had become an outcast from my home, not being in good relations with my family and community, and that was due to using drugs and alcohol.

I came with a very heavy burden of sins on my shoulders because I lived a life full of hatred, anger, jealousy, and grudges. I mostly hated my father for neglecting me at a very young age which resulted in me growing up without knowing him. At the Mission started confessing my sins – it wasn’t easy at first because I didn’t know whether it could really set a person free. As time went by the load on my shoulders lightened and I could feel my body being free and I could walk with my head held high knowing that the Lord Jesus had removed the burden of sins that I’ve been carrying all my life.

In 2017, I started helping at the Mission’s construction department and later in the year I was part of a group of young men who went out to different schools and churches to caution and educate young children about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol. I’m very grateful to have been part of CYPSA organization from then and never looked back to my old horrible life until the present moment. Today I’m celebrating four years of substance free life. I’ve been to Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and Free State provinces to pass on the message to the young lives out there that when all is said and done and it seems not to be working to provide help, there’s hope and faith in the Lord Jesus to help and renew their lives and be given a second chance in life.

The Lord has done great wonders in my life that man couldn’t do. In the middle of 2018, I left the Construction department to start in another Lord’s merciful work in the Mission, at the bottled water plant Ekhamanzi Springs (aQuellé) as a Quality Controller. As with any job, it comes with challenges, but the Lord has always helped me find a way to handle them with the help of management who are not only as managers but are also children of God in faith. Very helpful and believing in everyone’s different abilities and having faith and trust that through the will of God they can prosper into carrying and progressing the Lords work, without looking or judging them of their background. The Lord Jesus has seen and kept me to this day at His glorious work.

Through hard and embattled times of year 2020, the Lords’ grace once again fell upon me when I was able to bring my children (Amanda and Amahle) to the Mission’s school, DSS, to study. It’s been a blessing till to this day, and I thank and praise the Lord Jesus for His mighty wisdom and grace that my kids be able to learn Christian values and beliefs at a very young age that they are at. Besides the education they get, it’s been a great privilege for both myself and them to keep the unity of father and children intact , as most of young fathers like myself turn to neglect their children because of poor society life facing them and end up involving themselves in harsh and family destroying acts such as using drugs and drinking alcohol.

Finally, I would like to thank the Lord Jesus for opening my eyes so that they could see the light before reaching the end of the tunnel. Also, to thank the Mission for keeping and assisting me in getting my life right and to know that the Lord Jesus never forsakes anyone as His arms are always wide open for all sinners like myself to come and be washed and cleansed and be given new way forward in life. I would like to thank Reverend E. Stegen for taking on God’s calling to preach His Word because it has managed to reach and touch my soul as well. I pray that it carries on and revives more lost souls out there in the world.

THANK YOU, KWASIZABANTU MISSION.

Linda Shezi