In South Africa the festive season is the time where criminals like to do their shopping without compensation. How can we be safe and how can we keep our possessions safe? Let me share with you, my miraculous story of what happened to me a few years ago. Since then I always feel safe, no matter where I am in the world.
One summer-night in November after watching the DVD ‘The Secret’ the fence-alarm went off at about 3 a.m. It wasn't raining, there was no wind and I couldn't reset the fence alarm, something was wrong. I waited for the armed response to arrive. When he checked the parameters of the garden, we could see how people had broken a section of our precast wall and entered the garden through the electric fence. They set off the alarm, because one of the fence wires had broken. The burglars were gone. Why did this happen to me?
One summer-night in November after watching the DVD ‘The Secret’ the fence-alarm went off at about 3 a.m. It wasn't raining, there was no wind and I couldn't reset the fence alarm, something was wrong. I waited for the armed response to arrive. When he checked the parameters of the garden, we could see how people had broken a section of our precast wall and entered the garden through the electric fence. They set off the alarm, because one of the fence wires had broken. The burglars were gone. Why did this happen to me?
According to ‘The Secret’ we attract all our current experiences. I wondered why I would have attracted this attempted break in. I found one obvious reason. I hadn't been happy leaving the dog alone while we were on holiday, only having someone to come in and feed her. After this incident, my husband suggested to look for somebody to house-sit for us.
The following day, my gardener and I miraculously managed to find some secondhand panels to repair our precast wall. After the wall was fixed I had the strong urge to paint “Jesus loves you” on the outside of the wall. This is not something I normally would do, but the urge was very strong, so I listened to it. It made sense to me, because I had heard many stories about how burglars come back and back again, until they get in. If they would return to this wall, they could see that I wasn’t angry, that there is someone who loves them, and at the same time I am claiming Divine protection.
The following day, my gardener and I miraculously managed to find some secondhand panels to repair our precast wall. After the wall was fixed I had the strong urge to paint “Jesus loves you” on the outside of the wall. This is not something I normally would do, but the urge was very strong, so I listened to it. It made sense to me, because I had heard many stories about how burglars come back and back again, until they get in. If they would return to this wall, they could see that I wasn’t angry, that there is someone who loves them, and at the same time I am claiming Divine protection.
Saturday night my husband and I spent the night in a private game reserve. On Sunday morning I decided to go for a little walk on my own. My husband was sleeping and I left my cell phone in the room with him. As I walked through the reserve, I saw a hare hop along. Then I saw another one and another one. The American Indians believe that when an animal crosses our path, they have a message for us. I have a book at home with these messages, so I decided to look up the hare’s message for me, as soon as I was back home. Then I said to myself: "It would be nice to see some bigger animals." I felt the urge to veer off the main path, and climb a rocky hill.
On top I saw a herd of Impala. They quickly ran away. It was a beautiful sight to see them run and jump through and over the bushes. Then I thought "Wouldn’t it be nice to see some bigger animals up close which don't run away? Wouldn't it be nice if they even come to me?" I kept on walking and then I saw a herd of buffalo about 50m from me. They can be very dangerous. I was scared. We were in a bushy area where the shrubs had long thorns and were it was impossible to climb into one of them. So I suggested to the buffaloes that we would pretend we didn’t see each other, but they didn’t keep their side of the arrangement. All I could do was walk away calmly. They followed me for a short while. I kept looking over my shoulder as I continued with my walk. To my relief I saw they stopped following me.
I continued on my journey and now I was walking in an open grassland when all of sudden I heard the trampling of hooves behind me. I quickly spun around. To my horror I saw the herd of thirteen buffalo running straight at me. There was no place to hide! I realised I had to face them. I prayed out loud, like I would have put a minister out of his job. I asked for Divine protection. The buffalo stopped not even 2 meters away from me. I kept on talking calmly to them, while my legs were shaking uncontrollably. I said to the bull "You have such a lovely family. I also have a lovely family. I would love to see them again. Do you know my way home?" The big bull started to come even closer. I could see the snot on his nose and the nose-hair sticking through it. The thought of feeling his snotty nose against my bare arms made me shiver! I stuck my hand out and told him to stop in God’s name. He stopped immediately. A juvenile came up to half a meter from me, but he didn't look threatening. Then they walked away!
After I stopped trembling, I walked into the opposite direction of the buffaloes. But when I looked around and started searching for the lodge. I couldn't see it anywhere. Then I remembered that I had asked the buffalo if they knew my way home. I decided turn around and follow them. Within in two minutes I could see the lodge. I thanked them and ran back to our room.
Later that afternoon, when I arrived back home I looked up ‘hare’ in my book. Their message was “Don’t be afraid.” This was an appropriate message after the attempted burglary a few days before. Then I looked up the deer, which had the message “Do things the gentle way.” Then my husband asked me “What is the message of buffalo?” I hadn't thought of looking them up, because they look so different from our buffalo. Their message was … “Rely on the power of prayer!” I nearly fell off of my chair. Prayer had protected me against the buffalo. The buffalo also confirmed the importance of listening to my gut feel to paint on the wall “Jesus loves you.” Normally if robbers are unsuccessful, they return within a few days, to try again and again until they succeed. In our case they came only back after one and a half years, but our personal security was never at risk. They also never entered from that part of the fence again.
This attempted burglary not only changed our mind about getting a house sitter, but more importantly it strengthened our faith in power of prayer. Having this experience is priceless in helping us to feel secure while living in a country like South Africa.
I believe crime is not random. As the movie The Secret said, we attract what happens in our lives. it is important to ask ourselves "What am I supposed to learn from this event?" The more we listen to the small signs, the better we get in preventing big cosmic claps.
Enjoy your festive season. Until next time.
Later that afternoon, when I arrived back home I looked up ‘hare’ in my book. Their message was “Don’t be afraid.” This was an appropriate message after the attempted burglary a few days before. Then I looked up the deer, which had the message “Do things the gentle way.” Then my husband asked me “What is the message of buffalo?” I hadn't thought of looking them up, because they look so different from our buffalo. Their message was … “Rely on the power of prayer!” I nearly fell off of my chair. Prayer had protected me against the buffalo. The buffalo also confirmed the importance of listening to my gut feel to paint on the wall “Jesus loves you.” Normally if robbers are unsuccessful, they return within a few days, to try again and again until they succeed. In our case they came only back after one and a half years, but our personal security was never at risk. They also never entered from that part of the fence again.
This attempted burglary not only changed our mind about getting a house sitter, but more importantly it strengthened our faith in power of prayer. Having this experience is priceless in helping us to feel secure while living in a country like South Africa.
I believe crime is not random. As the movie The Secret said, we attract what happens in our lives. it is important to ask ourselves "What am I supposed to learn from this event?" The more we listen to the small signs, the better we get in preventing big cosmic claps.
Enjoy your festive season. Until next time.
