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My name is Tyrone Farquahar from Durban, South Africa.
My parents have been part of Grace Gospel Church for the past five years, but I never had any interest. The way I saw it was that these people had formed some kind of cult. My mom would beg me to attend a church service every now and then; so, to keep her happy I would go unwillingly, most of the time with a heavy hangover, and just staring at the clock and getting really annoyed! My life was too much fun to give up, and I felt I was happy enough to get through each day. But deep down, I could feel a constant emptiness that couldn't be filled no matter how drunk I got. I carried a lot of anger towards God because my younger brother has Muscular Dystrophy, and was given till his teens to live. I would pray for God to heal him, but he just got worse, leaving me with a doubt towards this God who people said could perform miracles.
After school, I took a gap year and my life of partying began, continuing on to varsity. In that year, I did not attend one church service despite my mom encouraging me to join her. I was suffering inside with many issues in my life, often finding myself in tears. I was seeing a psychologist once a week and a psychiatrist, and using “happy pills” to get me through each day. Waking up every morning was a mission... feeling constant depression, but putting on my happy face to all my friends. I was diagnosed with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Every little action in my life was a long ritual; having to convince myself of everything I did, and having a ridiculous obsession against germs, so that when I just touched someone, I would have to sneak off and wash my hands!
At the end of my first year of college, my mom asked if I would like to go to Mauritius for the youth camp and for a holiday. At first, my friend and I were totally against it, but then decided we might as well go for the holiday, and the camp was a small sacrifice to make. But the closer the time came for us to leave, the more annoyed we got with ourselves for agreeing to this; but there was no turning back, the tickets had been bought!
When we arrived in Mauritius, my friend and I were feeling so depressed... and to top it off it was raining! Our first week in Mauritius was tough, counting down each day and craving a thick jol! Then camp day arrived, and I could not believe I had to go through with this. As we drove to the youth camp, I stared at everyone and thought to myself:“I do not want to know these people!” When we arrived, I was so angry that we couldn't smoke. So I decided I would just be stubborn and not listen during the evening praise and worship meetings. But the first night, when we were sitting in the tent, I had a nervous feeling that something was going to happen, and I didn’t know if I wanted it to. A the end the Elder offered us the opportunity to give our lives to the Lord. Brad, a person I had got close to in Mauritius, asked me if I would like to go up. I couldn’t resist the pull and was the first one in front!
That night, after I had given my life, I could feel the sudden freedom I was experiencing and a new found joy that I had never known before. Lying in my bed, I worried about my life back home and my friends, but I could just feel that everything was going to be fine. As the camp continued, I started loving the people there and didn’t want to leave their presence. I was so amazed by the genuine love and care the people on the camp had for me, even though they hardly knew me.
When camp ended, my friend and I went to go stay with a friend whose parents owned a lovely home right on a private beach in Grand Baie. When I arrived there, my perception of things seemed to be different... Even though I was in paradise, I wanted to be with the people of the church so badly! That night our friend decided to take us out to see the night life and we all went to a club in Grand Baie. As soon as my friend who was also saved on the camp and I entered the club, we felt totally out of it and could not handle the atmosphere. Every swear word I heard was as if I was hearing it for the first time ever; so we both walked out and spent the rest of the night sleeping in the car till 7 in the morning, until the rest of our friends stopped partying.
Since that time, I have lost all desire of clubbing; as time goes on more and more of the things of the world no longer interest me, which seemed totally impossible to me before. For the first time, I felt a peace in my heart about my brothers condition realising that God has a plan for his life, and that He will provide me with the grace no matter what His plan is for my brother’s life. As for my OCD, I have lost almost all the symptoms and it no longer controls my life! Just to put the cherry on the cake, everyone of my closest friends has given his life to Jesus since I got back, and are giving it horns! I now live every day with such excitement for what the Lord has planned for my road ahead!
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