From Gangs to Grace: A Journey of Redemption

Early Years – “I Threw My Life Away”
I grew up in Bonteheuwel with three siblings and had a good life—until I fell in with the wrong crowd. By age 14, I had my first court case. I started with soft drugs, but as the years passed, my life spiraled deeper into addiction.

When my family moved to Worcester, I chose to stay with my father in the Riverview flats. That decision led me even further into gang life and the use of hard drugs. Tik completely consumed me, and I lost all connection with my family. I had truly thrown my life away.

From Prison to Change Makers
I spent years cycling in and out of prison. Gang affiliation and drug addiction had a tight grip on my life. Then I saw a friend and fellow gang member, Danny—he was completely changed. He told me about the Change Makers Program. I enrolled and completed it in 2018. But I wasn’t yet ready to surrender. Soon after graduation, I returned to old patterns.

A Second Chance – This Time for My Children
By 2021, I had reached a point of desperation. I reapplied to the Change Makers Program, this time with a firm resolve. I didn’t want my children to grow up knowing me as an addict and gangster. I wanted to be a present, faithful father.

Family Life and God’s Faithfulness
In December 2022, I married Amelia. We now have two daughters, and together, we serve the Lord. Life hasn’t always been easy—at one point, I was retrenched, and we experienced the pain of a miscarriage. During that dark time, I was tempted to go back to old ways. A friend offered me a quick score through illegal work. But on the way there, I felt the Holy Spirit’s conviction so strongly that I turned around and went home.

My wife and I prayed—and before we could say “Amen,” my phone rang. I was offered a job.

God is faithful. I am committed to living a life of integrity and grace.