GREETINGS FROM JEFFREYS BAY
  We rejoice and praise God for His goodness, mercy and grace towards us! The Spirit of God has moved upon our area in a supernatural way and we give God all the glory! Since March 2001 the church groups in our area have reached out to one another and have joined hands in prayer. Once a month we gather for prayer and the prayer coordinators also meet monthly to ask God for prayer strategies for our community. This group provides an excellent way to make prayer requests known very quickly, especially in times of crises. We had a tremendous fire in the Paradise Beach area. When prayer chains of the different church groups started to pray, the fierce wind calmed immediately! Church leaders of ten church groups meet monthly to have communion, prayer and fellowship. Once they gathered at the city gates to close the gates to evil and commit the area to God. Some of the pastors and elders also anointed the entrances to our town. Church leaders and elders went to specific locations in our area which the Spirit of God revealed to them, e.g. the Kouga cultural centre in Humansdorp which was in the process of being built. They planned to sell traditional medicine there and also to perform traditional ceremonies. As witchcraft is one of the major strongholds of the Eastern Cape, they went to saturate the place with prayer. The building of the place then stopped! One of our precious leaders flew over our town in a light plane while intercessors prayed and he poured forth anointing oil over the entire area.
The Holy Spirit showed us things that happened in the past that we had to confess. The redemptive purpose of our town was revealed to us: it should be a place of healing! Various church groups repented towards one another. Godly repentance was expe-rienced and times of refreshing followed. We participated in the project of NUPSA - the cleansing of South Africa. We truly realize that we need God to change our community! In June 2001, we as a community had our first inter-church service in the Dutch Reformed Church. Nineteen church groups were invited. At the service the leaders were introduced. Songs of praise were sung and testimonies given. The Scripture reading was Ps. 85:7. Prayers were offered in Afrikaans, English and Xhosa to thank our Father for bringing unity to our town! The offerings were given to the Joshua Project, a project which helps the street children in our community.
Alcohol misuse was a big problem in our area. In the beginning the town showed no economic growth. When liquor licences were obtained, growth commenced. Christians interceded against this curse. We also had a problem with people committing suicide at Van Staden’s bridge. Many spirits of despair hung around the area because the builder, a certain mr Van Staden, had jumped off the bridge minutes before it was completed. The heritage he left was one of suicide. When people fall into despair because of certain things happening to them they are drawn by these spirits to commit suicide. Targeting this specific stronghold of the enemy, the group praying together from different churches were really encouraged as one of the intercessors’ grandchild was born inside a car on the bridge while they were on their way to Port Elizabeth. A wonderful sign, we believe, that the Lord has given this area a new beginning. We truly trust and place our faith in God that the cycle of death has been broken!
At a next prayer meeting, while we were praying for that specific area, a minister brought a man in total despair with him who had been on his way to the bridge to commit suicide. You can imagine the rush of faith that everyone experienced, mixed with shock looking into the naked despair in the eyes of this man. We could then minister to him! On a Sunday shortly after that incident, the father of the newborn baby went to P.E. As he was crossing the bridge, he saw a parked car. He immediately phoned the police and they found a man who planned to commit suicide fast asleep inside the car!
Our town are truly saturated by earnest, heartfelt prayers. The youth of different races also take hands as we bring our area before God. We truly experience disjointed church groups becoming one body with Jesus Christ as Head. During the December 2001 holiday season we had 24 hours prayers a day for 3 weeks in the peak season. We had glorious times of prayer in the Anglican Church. Most churches participated in the holiday programmes. Counselling was available, carols were sung and street theatre teams spread the Good News that Jesus Christ is alive.
A highlight was a night of carols at the seaside, at the same place where alcohol was usually misused by young and old during holiday times. It was now used to praise and worship our Father! Jan de Wet also ministered to us in song and shared that he became born-again in this town. The presence of God was truly overwhelming! Churches overflowed during December and many people had to stand during services. No longer is every church doing his own little thing but we have truly become ONE in Him and are being blessed as a community. We thank God for the great things He has done! All praise, glory and honour belong to Him!
Christa Alberts
45 Wonderboom Crescent
Wavecrest
6330 Jeffreys Bay
Tel: (042) 296 2591

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