The Rainbow Cult

Remember the friend I used to run off taxis without paying with? Her name was Poppy and her grandmother started a bible study for children in my area. It started with five girls and was meant to keep us off the streets and boys. Every Tuesdays, we met and read the bible. Soon , it was every weekday . Steadily , the granny introduced new components: she had a vision in which God told her along with twelve girls , she should form the Rainbow Christian Church .

We now attended seven days of the week . We had to go to her house before school for prayer , right after school for a short prayer and for an evening session that ended at 8pm . On Saturdays , we had to go over the township praying over the sick and selling doeks and vegetables . Sundays comprised of her taking us to different evangelical tents and churches .

Then came the fasting . We fasted until 6pm three days of the week. Our dress code strictly long dresses and doeks. Fibre extensions were demonic . Novels were taken away.She told us that the bible was the only book we needed .She even said we should not worry about about varsity or getting married because Jesus was coming . In December 2011, she said on the 24th the sun will not come out. It did . I started doubting and questioning her . I would then be told to take a break from the group. In these timeouts, I would crave going to the group immensely , feeling symptoms similar to withdrawal .

Years later , she sold her RDP house to fund an excursion in the hinterlands : she bought a tent, keyboards :the essential starter pack of an evangelist and left the township . Finally , we could now live normal teenage lives . Most of us fared well in school and managed to avoid teenage pregnancy so maybe.. just maybe.. she was a force of good.