Hi, I am Sanri Jansen van Vuuren. I want to share with you my testimony of the power of Jesus’ blood in my life.

I was born on the 7th of July, 1997.
All my life I was familiar with the Bible and family devotions. I cannot recall a day in my young years that I was exposed to harsh words or actions. I lived a life every parent dreams for their young ones. Growing up on a farm I was familiar with nature and I loved it. I had a collection of stones, wild flowers, grass, creeping creatures, and whatever a farm-girl could be fascinated by. I loved to disappear to the field and build a bush house or wander around until someone finds me and took me home again. :-)

When I was about 5 years old, my parents went to an AEB (Africa Evangelistic Band) camp near our farm. At the Sunday-school the teacher wanted to know who wanted to go to heaven. Of course I wanted to! The teacher asked me some questions and she saw that I was sincere in my heart to serve the Lord. She lead me in the “sinner’s prayer”. I gave my heart to Jesus, and although I did not truly understand what it meant, the Lord planted a seed of the fear of the Lord in my heart. That day something happened between me and the Almighty which protected me for all the years that followed until I made my total surrender to the Lord God. Ever since, I wanted to serve the Lord and be a Christian.
My grandmother can testify that I was a naughty girl before that day, but thereafter a sweet, gentle girl who only wanted to talk about Jesus and who wanted to be an obedient girl.

But, all children grow up and I had to start school. Mom had a degree in Home Economics and her heart was to serve Pappa and bring his children up in the best way. She wanted homeschooling. Homeschooling was not a familiar thing in our country and because of that my parents struggled with support. But the Lord helped them and I was blessed to start school under Mom’s teaching. Sadly Mamma grew weak. Pappa realized that he had to do something to help her with the load of her responsibilities. Andriëtte, my sister, and I was sent to a far away school, where we stayed in the hostel. We had the privilege to come home each weekend; at least to spend short hours together as a family. Sadly, Mom grew weaker, Dad took her to a hospital in South-Africa.
At the hospital the doctors said that in the history of that hospital there has never been a patient so dead, yet alive. Many of her organs stopped working. Pappa was advised to keep his phone at hand for any moment’s notice that Mamma’s life was passed. Pappa was before the Lord in fasting and prayer. After a long wrestle of more than a month Pappa finally put Mamma on the altar. Surprisingly Mamma suddenly started to recover! No one at the hospital could belief it, but in a short time, Mamma was dismissed. What a miracle! We were truly blessed that the Lord extended her life.

A year later my dear family was bereaved of my precious mother. Dad was left with 3 girls and a baby boy. This was a very tough time. Yet, the Lord helped us in mysterious ways!
In the so called "Christian" school, I learned many things that made me slip bit by bit away from the fear of the Lord. I learned how to be a good hypocrite. After all, almost everyone was a professed Christian and looked quite happy while living as they wanted to.
But, I had a sensitive conscience which was not easily ignored. Many a time I was lonesome because I would not join in my friends' doings. Since I was a little girl, Pappa taught me that I should keep my life pure. Pappa has a beautiful testimony of how he lived a pure life and how he met Mamma. It always had such a tremendous powerful testimony, and influenced me to desire it as well. But, with the worldly examples around me and my own flesh inside of me, I moved away from these beautiful principals. Yet, the Lord protected me.

When I went to high school, I was quite upset with myself for being such a sports spoiler. I decided to give up and just go with the flow...
But God had a bigger plan!! Before long God sent a missionary to visit Pappa. This missionary would help on the farm as well as feed my father's longing soul with true biblical advise and sermons. When we children came home from school he would give youth messages. This was just what I needed! It strengthened my weak hands and confirmed my feeble knees. The Lord gave me new hope to stand up for what is right. I received a lot of ridicule from my friends, but the Lord used it to protect me.

At that time I started to wonder how baptism works. I asked my catechism teacher, who was a preacher, why he baptize babies when Scripture teaches us to baptize believers. He only explained to me that I was too young to understand it.

Our spiritual life was very confused and we went from one church to another. When we entered a new church Pappa and I would fall hard for their new teachings. But we didn’t find true nourishment for our thirsting… The only true nourishment that satisfied us was the missionary who visited us, but he was a radical Christian and we were quite uncomfortable in his presence and those like-minded with him…

The next year was time for little PZ to go to school. The Lord showed me many evil things going on in the school, and I asked Pappa to do something else for him. I didn't want my innocent brother to get in touch with the wickedness among the schoolchildren.

Pappa cried to the Lord. God promised Pappa that He will do a miracle, and all he had to do was to take the first step of faith, which was to take us out of school. So, Pappa brought us home. At home we had no idea how to get started. Some dear friends supported us while Pappa decided on a curriculum, as soon as the material came we started our new life.
We quickly lost all our old friends. But it helped me turn my eyes to the Lord Jesus. It was a good time for me to be at home and learn to take up responsibilities as the eldest.

I was a hungry soul and listened to the sermons the missionary gave us. I listened two or three sermons a day and found the Bible a tremendous book which actually spoke life deep into my heart. I repented of my sin and through His grace I left those old hypocritical ways! The Lord changed my language, clothes, music, entertainment, and desires. I started to become serious with my Lord in a way I never thought to exist in such a real reality.

Starting homeschooling with the best curriculum that ever crossed my way, we were blessed with new hope for the future. In school we actually found that we were not alone in our growing convictions in the Bible and it’s practical truths. That year my Bible subject was about church history. I learned things that I never knew, and realized why we had tremendous spiritual battles to fight against the false teachings of the churches with which we could not participate with anymore. At the end of our first homeschool year, 2013, I was baptized upon my confession of faith in Jesus Christ. With my baptism I testified that my life has ended and Christ's life had begun in me. I testified with all the saints throughout church history that there is life only in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. Although Satan tempted me worse than ever before, God never left me. God never allowed temptations above my ability to call on Him for help and He always helped me. A new reality broke open to me! The reality of knowing the Almighty and Him knowing me!! It was such a joy and exiting journey I started that I didn’t care what the cost might be, I only wanted to maintain this live relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ!

Thus the journey with my Savior begun. His blood became more precious to me than ever before. For His blood, shed on Calvary, is not to be compared with all the souls who will burn in hell for eternity! Yea, His blood-price is much more than that. A sacrifice was He, to take the fear of death away and to give eternal life with Him!!!
Every day was a new breakthrough to know the Lord’s ways more and more. Up until today, the journey didn’t stop. And I trust that it will never stop. I learned obedience through the things I suffer, just like Jesus did when He walked on earth. Many, many difficult day occurred and many, many tears as well. But the Lord stayed true to His promises. He never left me and never forsook me. His grace was always sufficient for me. He is alive, and truly also alive in me! As well as alive in His church, which is scattered over the earth. By the way, those radical Christians with whom didn’t want to be with, we found to be just normal Christians and they are now the body with whom we unite.
Life went on and I had to face each day. I learned the importance of seeking the Lord throughout the day for guidance and assurance. The first years of my life in Christ was full radical changes and I grew tremendously fast in faith in my God and His Word.

Meanwhile I finished school.
After school I had few privileges to serve other outside my family. I love to help in the homes of our church (especially) when sudden trauma struck them or they need a supporting hand. Through these visits, I grew very close to my church family and learned to love each of them dearly. :-D I know that all these visits were very needed for me and the Lord taught me a lot. I am forever grateful to God that we have found a true Christian church. I learned to love the brothers and sisters as well as to be accountable unto them. I can never thank the Lord enough for His body that always encourages me to keep my eyes on Jesus and deny myself. I am blessed to be one with the true bride of Christ. The Lord is continually busy to purify His bride and make her ready for the feast. May we remain faithful and abide in the bond of peace with our Lord.

Recently someone asked me why I became a Christian. I thought about it a while. I could answer honestly by saying that the only reason why I became a believer was because God drew me and I was drawn!! Hallelujah! The Lord in His holiness and perfectness drew me and I followed! Jesus was lifted up and is drawing all men unto the Father. Are you following?

What is your purpose for living on earth?
Why did Jesus come as a sacrifice?
Do you know why you need Jesus?
Do you fear death?
Do you know whether you are saved?
Make sure to find the answer, and don’t miss it!
May you also allow God to fulfill His purpose in you!

May grace, peace, and love be multiplied unto you.

_{(was updated 2020/11)}