It was the 5 January 2018; two days after registration at the University of South Africa had opened. I applied for the Bachelor of Education degree and got a firm offer to study. I called my sister and prayer partner, Allayania, who was miles away in Trinidad and Tobago. I remember waiting anxiously for her to pick up on the other end of the line. She answered as I was about to cancel the call.

“Hey Princess, how are you? Sorry I was in the shower when it first rang. Was up?”

“Look sis, remember I told you that I wanted to go back to school right? So I was admitted and given firm offers by different universities. Thing is the registrations have been opened for the one I really wanna go to, and I haven’t heard anything from the funders. I want to go and register, you know I don’t have money but I am trusting God on this one,” I replied.

“Woah girl that’s bold faith, go for it!” encouraged Allayania.

The following day I woke up and went to UNISA to register my modules. Fortunately, I managed to register provisionally. The deadline for payment was the 31 January. I started to panic on 15 January, there was no communication from the bursary office and UNISA kept on sending me emails about pending payment.

Desperate situations call for desperate measures. There I was standing in front of my dad with tears running down my cheeks. I was begging for registration money for the first time. However, I was fighting a losing battle. My dad told me to ask the people I stay with since I refused to stay with him. That was too insensitive but why was I surprised? We have always had a complicated relationship. My alter ego kept on saying, “I told you.” I have always been a loner and never asked even when I desperately needed something. This was humiliating, I wanted to crawl closer to the ground to avoid the embarrassment.

My dad told me where to get off and that I was not getting a cent from him. I remember running to my pastor’s house crying my lungs out in defeat.

“Lihle, my girl, if the Lord wants you to go study He will make a way for you. You should never worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking with a thankful heart,” she said to me.

Later that day Allayania texted and said we should fast on my behalf. She sent a list of scriptures from the bible, prayer points and the times we were going to spend praying. Being on someone’s gallery is cool and all but this was priceless. My education and finances were at the top of the list. I adhered religiously to the fasting and the prayer times for the first time in my life.

It was the 4 February when I received a text from the University of the Free State. The text read:

“Dear student, your funding has been allocated. Please visit the registration venue for assistance. Regards UFS FINANCIAL AID.”

I was on day 19 of our 21 days Daniel fasting when I received the text. I went to Fish and Chips to buy myself a fried chips pack, Russians and cold drink; forgetting that I was fasting.

I went to Bloemfontein boldly, not knowing anyone, where I was going to sleep or start. I can promise you this, not even a single day have I slept outside or on an empty stomach. I went to the registration venue and true to their words, I was assisted. I received my student card, course guides and private accommodation that same day with everything paid for by funders.

My ‘aha’ moment was when I realised that prayer changed things. It was exactly that moment when I realised that when the bible said, “Delight yourself in the presence of the Lord and he shall give you all your heart desires.” When you focus on God’s business, He takes care of yours.

I am currently doing my final year at the University of the Free State and I can proudly say God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly and above all that we could ever ask for. I just wanted to go study part time at UNISA but God had other plans for my life.

Tell us: What did you take away from this story?