Three friends... Three blessings...

Brandley M.M. Ngcobo, Pinky N.J. Ngcakani-Ncula and Vuyolwetu M. Malgas

Where do I begin talking about you, my dimpled friends…lol! All three of you, with the most beautiful smilesJ.

One thing I know and am sure of is that God brought you into my life. He handpicked you for this chapter of my life. The pinnacle chapter of my story. You know in life, we need accelerators in order to move forward. Those people who will, sometimes without saying a word encourage and motivate you to move up. They will push you without pressure to greater heights. They will bring out your best character and personality. They will bring out your dreams and passions to the surface, all without interrogation (ok, Pinkzo not sure ngawe aphaJ). Just like the three wise men that visited Jesus with gifts at his birth. You have come into my life, at the time of my rebirth. Bearing gifts. Each of you has made a notable contribution in making me who I am this moment. Just by being yourselves and living your lives. Most of all, by answering the call of God ngobomi benu and into mine. There are just no words that can explain how much gratitude I have ngani in my life. What joy having you has brought. It’s just all an overwhelming feeling. And yazi, it shows me the way and just how much God loves me… so in short… Ndiyanibulela ngokuvumela uThixo andithande ngani.

Brandley… my dearest friend from the netJ. Though I have not met you, it feels like I have because you have touched my heart with yours in a great way. In sharing your story in your book “What’s your story?” you gave me the inspiration to share mine. You made me realise that my life has a purpose, that it is a story and it’s one worth sharing. Also that the time to share it is now, while I am living it. That I should not let fear of inadequacy; unworthiness or failures stand in my way. Today, I know that I was born to make a difference and I am pursuing that dream. You gave me the push to want to break free from the holds that society may have had over me. To realise the giant inside of me and release her to the world so that the world may benefit from me having been born and lived. To be the best Pumza that I am meant to be because there will never be another and none can share my life story the best as I would. To look for and grab every opportunity that presents itself to me. And that there’s no great height I cannot reach.

You have and still continue to inspire me. In the decisions I make, I remember that “every choice and decision you make is always the right one if you make it”. And therefore endeavour to be careful in making the decisions so that I am not left with having to deal with harsh consequences. So, in living your life, you have motivated, taught and helped me in heading to the direction of my purpose in life. And for that I thank you Mr Ngcobo. Thank you for listening to the call of God ngobomi bakho. May God continue to bless and use you in touching our lives…

“The dawning day of success is within your reach; tell your story today while you have the time. Live for your ideals and pursue the truth, seek knowledge and wisdom at every corner, give your share to the world and hope that it will make the world a better place. Look beyond your limitations and embrace every being…” ~ Brandley M.M. Ngcobo

“While you live and live with meaning and purpose, opportunities will present themselves, oceans will carry you to worlds unseen (more opportunities) and towards the end; your life will gather speed like a steam train rolling downstream with no breaks.” ~ Brandley M.M. Ngcobo

“I am finding meaning with every step and so I wrote it down and this is what it means for me:

I resolve to live honestly, fairly, positively, humorously, and in so doing.

I shall learn, motivate, teach, love and help all those in which our paths cross and strive to be the best that I can be, in order to become an example to follow. I will remember that I control my choices and actions and in so doing: I shall remember that consequences shall flow from my choices and actions and I dare not forget to take responsibility for those choices, actions

and consequences with an aim to learn from them.” – Brandley M. M. Ngcobo

Sis’Pinky… yho!!!  Wena uyingelosi yezulu emhlabeni. I do not know where to begin ngawe nje… I never thought that I would have this kind of relationship with you. I thought I would just be “one of your patients” but yeah… God had another plan. Your faith sisi… a Doctor with mountain moving faith. What more can any person ask for? (Pity you’re not my doctor anymoreL) Had it not been for your faith, I would be anticipating my next routine HIV tests. Fearing finding out if the CD4 count is high or low and if the viral load is increasing or not (yho! The stress that would come with that...). You partook in one of the greatest miracles of my life (my healing) and you continue to allow God to use you to deliver the greatest breakthroughs of my life.  Your love and zest for God motivates me to yearn for Him more and more. To seek Him in everything I do. You have opened my eyes to see and experience the love God has for me. To see who He sees in me and long to be that person. You have taught me to rely on Him for everything. Never in my life have I felt such a connection with God as I do now.

When you speak (uyangxolisa ke moss), you speak only good and positive things over my life. You have demonstrated the heart and mind of Jesus… (Though He loves me to bits, He doesn’t encourage isigezo). It is like you see His perfect plan for my life and you continue to call it into being. You have shared so much of you and your life. And through your story (still makes me cry ke), I am more confident that God has a plan for my life too and when I allow Him to break me, melt and mould me. I will become the best me (God’s me).

You have taught to me face the challenges that life throws at me with a victorious heart. I remember when I was going through the most painful time in my life you told me “do not cry but groan. Let no tears fall from your eyes. God sees your heart and is fighting for you. Do not cry, but let the groaning of your Spirit speak to your Father and He will give you comfort” You have made me realise the strength that is within me, the strength of Jesus. You have taught to how to approach the throne of God’s grace with boldness. How to speak and prophecy greatness over my life. You have taught and motivated me to let go.  To stand strong in the roughest seas… to sail through with confidence, knowing that I will for sure get to the other side of the ocean. You opened my eyes to the peace of Jesus. You were there when my eyes saw unspeakable scenes and my heart went through the greatest turmoil. And you kept telling me that God is still there and will sail through with me. That He was only removing all that which should be shaken off my life in order for me to move to my next level. To my new heights and to my God ordained destiny. Thank you for loving god the way you do. Thank you for living your life for Him and following the example of Christ. May God bless you and shower you with more wisdom and strength to carry out your assignment in this life.

We learn to lean more on God when we are shaken. We learn to see Him as truly trustworthy, that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. These truths are tested in us when we are going on unstable and unpredictable waters. Jesus is all that He says He is that we all believe. Yet there is another dimension when we go beyond believing to actually trusting because we have known Him experientially. So, in the coming uncertainty that this year will show, rest in the boat with Jesus. There will be unprecedented turmoil in life, unlike anything 2010 and 2009 had taught us. All those were a sample of the reality that 2011 is to become. There will be signs in heaven, signs in the seas and on earth. All that is man-made will be shaken and will be found wanting. Do not even begin to invest much in them. All that is solid will be put through a moment of quaking. The true foundations will be revealed as all that will remain standing, will be the only thing that cannot be shaken. For those who are after the mind of Christ, rejoice, Judas is leaving. There will be 11 of you left, and great shall be your peace. No longer shall you be sitting in the presence of the enemy. No longer will u be stressed by the thief that is Judas. Judas will murder himself if you allow him to go. Otherwise he will murder you. Allow him safe passage. He must die.

~ Pinky Ngcakani

Vuyolwetu… oh petunana ke yena ke mani… mntanomncinci… Daddy is yet to tell me why He used usana in teaching me some of life’s greatest lessons… Through you, God has taught me to receive love and not feel any obligation to return it. You loved me (still do) with the purest of love. He has also taught me how to care for another human being. To welcome someone into my heart and my home. Through you, I am able to welcome being appreciated, being a good friend. I am now able to appreciate my “crazy side” (it’s good to know that there’s someone crazier than I am, lol). Looking at myself through your eyes has made me fall in love with the person that I have become and am still growing to be.

“With age comes different needs, a need for a play-time mate and one for sharing life lessons.”

~ Vuyolwetu Malgas

I’m glad to have met you at the time when we needed more life lessons than play mates (I don’t think I’d keep up with you, kr!). Your strength is amazing. To have endured so much and yet you still stand strong in your walk with Christ. As young as you are, you have such a great zeal for God. Your innocence and your purity makes be appreciate the blood of Jesus, His death and His resurrection.

“Some of those I call friends. They have come into my life and somehow managed to fit in where they needed to. Like a puzzle, tucked themselves into my life.”

~ Vuyolwetu Malgas

You did exactly this into my life. You fitted in like a puzzle. And yes, you just went ahead and tucked yourself right into my life. And for that I will forever be grateful. Wanga uThixo angakukhulisa, akugcine ebungcweleni baKhe.

So to you my friends… I take off my hat, bow and say... Thank You!!!

Much love and respect

P