A young man by the name of Siyabonga has been walking from Ermelo, Mpumalanga to Cape Town since March, he was picked up by a man who shared his inspiring story.
South Africa – Siyabonga has been walking from Ermelo, Mpumalanga since March 2019. He is heading to Cape Town and hopes to get there by the end of August.
Siyabonga was orphaned after both his parents passed away and then adopted by Nicholas Jaco Swart. Nicholas is an avid hiker and long-distance walker; his adventures inspired Siyabonga to make a life-changing trek from Mpumalanga to the capital of the Western Cape.
Siya was walking from Stilbaai recently when he was picked up by a man named Eugene Van Der Walt. Eugene spent a 30-minute drive with Siya and became inspired by his tale.
“Today, on a gravel road between Stilbaai and Witsand I saw a guy carrying a backpack. Being so far from anywhere I decided to stop and offer a lift. Coming closer I saw it was a young black guy… I must admit it was then that I had second thoughts, but I decided to pick him up.”
Thankfully Eugene listened to his heart because he met an inspiring young man doing an incredible thing! Siya explained how he has been making his way across the country on foot. He has never given up despite being robbed and having to face the harsh winter elements out on the road.
“Every night he sleeps next to the road, in the rain or wind. He has been robbed a couple of times. Asked why he does this, he says it is to clear his head of past experience, as each step he takes he takes it with Jesus. He goes on to explain that on his journey, he prays for every farmer whom he passes, he prays for rain and healing.
It was such a blessing to meet him and to find a young man of 20 years old living a life of adventure and blessing people all along the way!”
People have been deeply moved by the story and started reaching out to offer assistance to Siya along his journey. Families have opened their homes to Siya since hearing about his journey.
His dad Nicholas has been updating people on Siya’s journey and most recently, he was taken in by two families.
“After spending a blessed day of worship and lunch with the Bastiaan and Omardien families in Struisbaai, Siya got a lift to Caledon. We trust that the Lord has a purpose for him there tonight. Tomorrow he plans to head back to the coast along the R320 to Hermanus. Thank you to Noel Bastiaan and his family for blessing Siya with your hospitality! Be blessed!!” – Nicholas Jaco Swart
Siya is now on his way to Hermanus. If you spot him, offer him a wave or a smile, and if you want to do more, you can contact Nicholas via Facebook, and he will pass the information on to Siya.