Deliverance

Disclosure: This is a very serious post and requires much prayer.

This letter was given to me by one of our girls in Girls Club. I was told it was serious and needed to be read immediately. Basically, this letter says that this girl has been raped and has become pregnant. She says that she went to the clinic and the baby is infected with HIV. She says that the man has threatened to kill her or her parent if she tells anyone. She goes on to say that she feels alone and wants to kill herself.

I read this letter in the presence of the girl who wrote it, Sibongile and her friend. I was in complete shock. We had previously asked the deputy principal the protocol for one of the students being raped. Therefore, we have already had a discussion with our grade 7 girls about what they need to do if they have been raped. We tell them that we want them to be able to trust us but we must report the incident to their principal who is there to help.

So, I encouraged Sibongile to speak with the deputy principal. We have such a good relationship with her and know that she cares for these children. I told Sibongile I would go with her if she needed me to. I prayed with her and told her that I love her and more importantly God loves her.

Afterwards I went to speak with the deputy principal about this. She read the letter and then proceeded to tell us that this girl has been writing letters like this for a while now. The principal does not doubt that she has been raped. They have done everything they can for her.

Sibongile is running around and sleeping with many men. Her mama has tried to help her but has come to the end of herself and feels hopeless. Her mama never knows where she is or what she is doing. Sibongile is also involved with sangomas (witch doctors) who practice ancestor worship which is basically the contacting of evil spirits. Sibongile's grandfather is forcing her to be a part of these traditional african rituals.

The deputy principal says that we must pray for deliverance from the evil spirits that are inside of Sibongile. Now, I know as soon as I say this our American mindset says... not possible. But I have witnessed demon possession and it is real. But what I have learned is that America is closed to the spirit world therefore satan works in less obvious ways. Satan uses materialism, the quest for knowledge and the worship of science to blind the eyes of Americans. On the other hand, Africans are open to the spiritual world. Satan uses his power and manifests himself in such a way that causes Africans to fear him instead of God.

I ask that you would pray for Sibongile and the many others in Soweto who do not know the Lord. Pray they would not believe the lies of the evil one. Pray that Sibongile would confess Jesus as Lord and put her trust in Him and Him alone. Pray that she would be willing to come to church and realize that the help she needs comes from the Lord.

At times I am frightened by the work of satan here in Soweto until I am reminded that God is in control and we do not need to fear, "for he who is in you (Jesus) is greater than he who is in the world (satan)." 1 John 4:4.