A new day is dawning…
The people of North West (South Africa), were very religious, but unfortunately they were still a people dwelling in the darkness. It’s a pity that very few eventually saw the light, when the gospel arrived. They might have seen the light, as was the case with Paul, but never heard the Voice. It was an episode in their lives, in which only one person gained; the one who heard that Voice. “A sound mind, is a mind that knows the Will of God and is willing to have it fulfilled, even though through suffering.”
The North West was an isolated region, because of the draughts, it’s wide open spaces, no decent roads, no telephones service, no rail roads and no water supply for our little town; Loeriesfontein.
The farms were very large, with an enormous amount of sheep, but nobody to buy it. Sheep sold for as little as 5/ (50c), if a buyer could be found at all. The wool sold for a trippens (2 and 1/2c) per pound. After a long battle with Government, we eventually go telephone- and rail- services. A railway bus were implemented, running from Klawer Railway Station, 100 miles far. This bus delivered post, passengers, groceries and other things for the local store as well wool and skins. This put the North West on the map and improved the economy to such a degree that the chariot disappeared from the scene.
1933 was a devastating year, not only for our region, but for the whole country. An extensive draught hit the country. This was the worse draught we have ever seen and after it followed the depression. Farmers, depending on their livestock, were affected the worse. Everywhere you looked, there were dead sheep lying around. The people of the North West, are taught from young to watch out for any little cloud, which might indicate some rain. That year, the clouds gathered and looked very promising every afternoon. But this, to no avail. The West wind would come and blow away every little promise and only the red dust remained in the sky. This left everybody depressed and sad. The Government tried to help by implementing standby jobs. The building of dams, bridges and roads, at a reimbursement that could hardly help a family survive. The Pension Fund were insufficient and the only ones that were considered for this, were people that did not own any property. This not regarding the fact, that a house could not put food on your table. My father was suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. My mother supported the family, by doing sowing work for other people on her sowing machine. I was a teacher in Oudtshoorn, earning Nine Pound (R18) per month. With this I had to pay, board and lodging as well as travelling costs. My father were a very quiet man, who seldom spoke. He were gone for long times, when working from home. In 1920, he left farming (being unprofitable) and started trading cattle, supplying the Abattoirs in the Cape Province with meat. This bought bitter disappointments and prepared him for receiving the gospel. (Later more about this).
He went to Calvinia, to the only Car Dealer, to buy a Buick for 300 pounds (R600). My father drove his car until 1933 and never got a Driver’s Licence. Nobody was interested in that. When the Truth came to Loeriesfontein, he was the first to acknowledge it, without attending one meeting. He could even help the workers to start their mission. (Later more about this…..)
The previous year, a rumour came to us from Nieuwoudtville, which annoyed us. We did not have a minister and fell under the Dutch Reformed Church in Nieuwoudtville. The minister of this church, came to us twice a year to baptise, introduce members, marry couples and to serve bread and wine. This were two occasions, everybody looked forward too. Something happening in for a change. There were no Bioscope’s and only one person owned a radio. Political gatherings afforded some excitement, especially when it lead to a good old fist fight. The community had their regular dances, without drinking of alcohol and other irregularities. I think it was uncle Fred Alder, who decided to dig deeper and spread the nets wider. Most of the Christians were in the big cities and Coastal towns. There were a meeting in Uniondale and Prince Albert before 1932, but the North West were still untouched. The thing that upset us, was that in Nieuwoudtville a strange religion was being preached. Something we have never heard of before. One morning uncle Eddie Duckett and John Olivier arrived in Nieuwoudtville and started a mission there. This is a small little town, situated on the Bokveldsberg. Halfway between Van Rhynsdorp en Loeriesfontein. They got Board and Lodging at Mr and Mrs Louw. Before the day was over, the minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, was informed about the new visitors. He instructed the Louw’s to cancel the Board and Lodging. When I made my choice, my eyes were opened to the iniquity that was done by the churches, especially in countryside towns. Here the minister, was acknowledged as the only Educated and was made Head over all Committees and Councils. All grave yards fell under the church. People did not know where to bury their deceased relatives. Eventually the Municipality gave permission that the velt belonging to the town may be used as cemetery. The body of uncle Fred Eloff, of Prince Albert, had to be transported to the Cape, to be acquire a grave. There lived a family Faull in Nieuwoudtville, in a small little house on the outskirts of the town. They had a workshop close by. They belonged to the Plymouth Brethren. The family included; Uncle Willie, ant Sienie, two unmarried brothers, who helped in the workshop and a couple of children. They had a natural ability to work with machinery. The workers were encouraged to knock on their door, because of the friendliness. Here they could board and these were also the only people that attended the meetings. Later uncle Toppie Louw, his wife and daughter Joey, were added. It was a very difficult time for him, as the minister threatened to have him dismissed from his job. He was the Caretaker at the local School and got a small salary from the Department. Joey later, got married to one of the Faull brothers. Later on uncle Toppie’s son Klasie and his wife Sophie were also added. It’s a pity that he did not continue, maybe out of fear of losing his job in the difficult times. He passed away, not long after that. A couple of miles outside the town, is a small waterfall and there this small congregation were baptised. Only later it was changed, to having the baptism at convention. These times were marked by poverty, but a rich harvest was yielded on the labour of the workers – the firstlings of the North West. Joey lived in Malmesbury and Sophie with her children.
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