Be on Guard at all Times...Who is your Guard?

So this morning I drive my normal route to work. Yes I finally have the guts now to drive past Deipsloote again. I usually drop our complex gaurd, Dumi, off at Diepsloot and actually enjoy our conversations in the morning. I was in the jeep today coz the other car was getting fixed. The normal car I drive has smash and grab proof windows...but the Jeep is yet to be Smash and grab proofed. But I have now learn't to just put my stuff in the boot. Thinking what is the worst that could happen?

Once I had dropped Dumi off I headed off for the Deipsloot HOT Spot intersection. My mind was somewhere else ...as usual. But the next thing you know this guy runs across the road. Stands right at my window and just looks in side...first the boot then the back passenger door. I first think he is passing. But then realise that no he is actually looking to steal. I get so angry....Now you must know since the last smash and grab incident...I HAVE PLAYED THIS EVENT OVER AND OVER in my mind. SO I WAS SO READY. I Start going belistic...and just hooting my horn...not to say that was what I thougth I would really do. Once again I can't move forward but at least I didn't panic and smash the guy in front of me. He eventually ran away.

The light turned green and I drove off on my way to work, heart racing and all. Can you believe it! Same intersection and I wondered if it was the same guy. As I drove for the next 40 minutes I really started to think...What was God trying to tell me?????? WHAT? I looked at my doors and realised that they were all unlocked. I probably didnt' think of locking them once i dropped Dumi off....I was just thinking of getting back on the road. Then I turned and looked to see if the guy could steal anything but all that was there was Avons Bible.

Then IT HIT ME! The event's of this morning could have been far worse than I thought. All that guy needed to do was open the door and it would have been over! Did he know the doors were open? Was he trying to open the door? Did the bible scare him? WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? My co worker K.K just told me that she had witnessed a lady being stabbed by a thief trying to steal her lap top! I just got shivers thiking of it. I began praying and thanking God for my life.

I read my daily read and it was ironic that the verse was Psalm 121:6-7 " The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life." That moved me.

The truth is that you can try protect yourself by doing so many things. But the real protector is God. I really believe the War we are fighting goes far beyong what we see. It is supernatural! I am so greatful I have God in my life because he is the ultimate protector. PROTECT YOURSELF by putting GOD FIRST

Gauteng Crime: Smash and Grab

Hello my readers,

Okay sorry for the lack of Blogging. I finally got a job and have hardly had time even just to check emails. But I ain't complaining...having a job is amazing. I am working as a GIS and Remote Sensing specialist for a environmental company (SEF) in Pretoria...a 45 minute drive from where I live. The drive isn't so bad infact I find it very theraputic. Its my quiet time. I love people watching...even in traffic and blasting my 2 Christian CDs over and over again.But this blog is about my incident yesturday..SMASH AND GRAB. For those of you who don't know what that it....it is what it is. A person smashes your window and grabs what ever they can see....this is a common crime here in Gauteng.

Approximately 20 minutes of my drive is along a informal Settlement (Diepsloot) an apparent Smash Grab hotspot. I usually spend my morning drive wondering what the lives of the people around me are like. Funny enough I feel like I know the people I drive by (opposite direction). The morning runners, the constructions guys with their plastic lunch bags tatty shoes who always seem to be sharing some funny story while walking briskly, the school children and even the taxi drivers. Many people say the route I take isnt the safest route, but I try not to think of the negative too much.

But yesterday I was made to rethink things. On my way home form work (4:35pm) I approached the Diepsloot intersection (william nicol and N14). As I pulled in to make my right turn onto william nicol I realised the traffic lights were not working and the car infront of me had stopped. At the same time two guys were crossing the street both in different directions. It was as if they had just finished a conversation. I began day dreaming about the guy walking away from me. He seem strange...not very friendly to look at. I couldn't seem to get any pleasant thoughts about him and had a moment of "Kanya not every person is bad." The other guy approaching my car made a gesture to say he can walk behind my car instead of infront. So i pushed close forward and thought...see people can be nice but I really should have let him go...hes walking and I am driving.

Then everything happened so quickly. The guy who walked behind my car had come to the window behind me and SMASHE IT. The sound was like a bomb. I could not see anything except glass. All I could think of was a gun and my life. So I panniced and accelerated into the car infront of me which created another bash. Then there was that moment of WHAT DID I JUST DO! My heart was racing as I turned to look out my window. There I could in full speed was the theif gunning it towards Deipsloot settlment. He was struggling to carry my broken gym bag. I had a bit of a laugh thinking what an idiot he would feel when he gets to his destination only to find a bag full of dirty gym clothes and shoes.

Getting back into action. The guy I bumped into had stopped by the other side of the road. Knowing that there were more than one theif around...I rolled down my window and asked the guy if we could talk in fourways because I just got smashed and grabbed. The guy was like "YOU SMASHED MY CAR" I was like "um yes but I got a SMASH AND GRAB" ....."YOU SMASHED MY CAR" he said in a french african accent. I knew this might be a tough situation as I followed the man to fourways/lonehill shopping centre. During the drive I just prayed. That the Lord would calm this man and calm my spirit. The devil comes to install fear in our lives and I wasn't going to let that happen. I was safe, I was healthy and I will remain that way.

I managed to get the guy to come with me to Peugeot dealer by Monte where Avon could meet us. On my way there I somehow lost the guy and didn't exchange numbers with him. I thought he was behind me but he was infront and already had arrived at the dealer. While Avon was there waiting he saw a man come out of his car Cursing and punching the air saying "F#(#)*$, that is the last time I will ever trust someone" Avon came up to him and said "Hey man is everything okay" The guy explained the situation and Avon was like don't worry you can trust her...she is my wife. I think the guy felt a bit bad as I pulled in with a "where were you face."

The damages were not so bad. We managed to pay to fix his light and he was going to get a quote for the bumper.

I felt a bit dazed by it all. Even when giving the statment at the police station it still didn't quite hit me. The only time I really cried was when I tried to explain the story to Avon. I just wanted to be close to him.

This morning as I drove passed Diepsloot. I looked out at everyone shoes looking for my shocks!!! As a man tried to cross infront of me using the same gesture as the smash and grab. I let him go first...he smiled and waved. I then felt bad for the perception I had of him and said to myself agian..>I can't live in fear and I won't! So I was going to focus on the positive and not let things like this get me down and negative and continued my drive to work like any normal morning....blasting my Christian music and people watching.

These are the rhythms of my life....I will be blogging more...