In April 1993 I got a temporary teaching post at one of the schools in a rural area called Stranger’s Rest. I had to travel 88 kilometres to work and back.
There was a transport problem at the time and as I was still new I had to borrow money for travelling, which was sometimes difficult.
I then decided to look for a place to stay closer to my place of work and succeeded. I shared a four-roomed house which belonged to a family in the Gauteng area with other teachers. I stayed there during the week and went home for weekends.
One night, while I was preparing for the next day, unauthorised people paid us a visit.
It was Monday at around 11pm when I heard a polite knock at the kitchen door. The two male teachers who shared the house with us were away and the other female teacher was asleep.
When I asked who it was, an unfamiliar male voice answered. The man, who pretended to be one of the teachers who shared the house with us, asked me to open the door. I kept quiet and started shivering. The man then demanded that I open the door and threatened to use force and open it himself.
I ran to the other room and woke the sleeping teacher.
All of a sudden there were many voices at the door, all demanding that we open the door and give them our money.
While we were still inside the house, they smashed the windows with stones.
A curtain fell on the lamp that we used, as there was no electricity in the house. Within seconds the whole house was filled with smoke. We screamed for help.
We were rescued by good Samaritans.
The fire calmed down and we escaped unharmed.
We were taken to hospital where we were treated for shock. I could not believe that I had survived. I know God has saved my life and my career as a teacher.
Three former students of our school were arrested in connection with the attack.
I am still a teacher at the same school and I am now permanently employed.
I will always be thankful to God and all those who had helped us during that scary night.