Our Stories...

Andrew Smallridge

Place of Salvation: Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, SA
Date of Salvation: 00/08/2007

My Story

I was a granchild of Christ for 23 years if you can work that out-I had a constant faint knowledge and effection for God. After some witnessing from my cousin Simon and a trip to SA with the YMCA I started needing certain questions answered, the Lord brought the right people along to minister.

Though it wasn't until I met a beautiful African girl - Mwaka our relationship grew very quickly to the alarm of her Muslim step family. Her Grandmother took me to one side and said do you love her? Will you come back for her?

My mind was set and my heart told me to propose, though the family expected me to give up my faith for theirs. After some thought I realised this was nonsence and Mwaka was kicked out of home. She had made the great sacrifice for the sake of this religion I thought it was about time I understood it!

After some doubts I found myself lying in bed on new years day 2007 asking the Lord in prayer for an answer as to whether Mwaka was the girl he had chosen for me or the girl I had chosen. That evening we went for a meal in a local bar an old scruffy looking man came and sat on our table I asked if he was OK, he started telling us things about our past and families, this unnerved us a bit next he looked me dead in the eyes and told me that I must stay with this girl, this girl needs you, you must take care of her and love her. By this time Mwaka has tears gushing down and I am seriously freaked out!! Is this God speaking through an angel? On the way home I told Mwaka of my prayer and she agreed that my God may be trying to get our attention.

A few months past and I made plans for Mwaka to visit my family as she was about to leave immigration officials questioned her and arrested her due to her having a South African passport and being a Tanzanian. After 4 days of Police custody she was realeased, this started a 18month battle to get a passport reinstated. The angels visited was a constant reminder that I must not give up on her, though so many times I was anxious to.

The year was hughely up and down a lot of back sliding and resentment though in August 2007 we both gave our hearts to the Lord in the same service in West ridge AOG church in Cape Town. Our baptisms followed. Then Jesus gave me a revelation the day after Christmas 2007. At my morning devotional he gave me 2 Corinthians 4:9 to read, this told me that I would face trials be hard pressed knocked down but never destroyed. That afternoon I rolled the hire car on the out back road I was bombing down. The people behind us gave us no chance they didn't believe we would be alive. We climbed out. I had two cuts, when got back from being sown up I realised the monumentalness of what happened to us. From that my faith changed I could see the Lord was looking after me.

This year I have realised that only prayer could sort out Mwakas passport and our relationship. Mwaka finally got her freedom and passport she moved with me to Bristol and got married. I

'm now waiting on the Lord to tell me if he wants me to teach or study his word to use it for good.

But there is no going back my heart has changed forever my God got my attention and he will speak to you also, Jesus is the only way and your only hope.