Women’s Day celebrations are part of the August calendar. We joined the celebrations by sharing news about women who serve the Lord full-time and do remarkable work yet rarely receive the recognition they deserve (see our sister publication, Devoted – www.devotedmag.co.za). We give honour where honour is due by now sharing the life story of Lidia Dube, who serves quietly, consistently and sacrificially, without seeking recognition.
By doing so, we preserve her testimony for the next generation. Lidia started a youth development programme decades ago, which still benefits thousands of young people and will continue to do so for many years to come. When she accepted the Lord as her Saviour in her younger days (she is now in her late seventies), she began reaching out to young people by sharing her testimony with them at small gatherings. Some parents asked her to include their children, and the gatherings grew.
She then approached the founder of the KwaSizabantu Mission, the late Rev Erlo Stegen, to start a youth conference at the mission station. He agreed, and as they say... the rest is history. Lidia’s life story is inspiring. She was a troubled child with an alcoholic father. She became a gang leader who wreaked havoc in her community. After meeting Rev Stegen, she subsequently chose a fruitful life in the service of the Saviour. For more than five decades, she has faithfully served the Lord.
In the early days, Lidia travelled long distances to help neighbours in need. When the KwaSizabantu Mission was founded over 56 years ago, she helped clear the station’s land of wattle trees. She helped plant cabbage and sold it to sustain the small group of missionaries. Since opening her heart to the Lord, Lidia has reached out to her communities and, over time, become a respected community leader. Many community leaders, and even members of the Zulu royal household, still visit her for counsel and advice.
The history of the legendary youth conferences at KwaSizabantu is filled with inspiration, hope, and restoration. As a result, it grew into the most sustainable conference of its kind. It is held twice a year for one week, and thousands of young people attend regularly. The recent conference in July attracted over 6,000 young people, many of whom shared heartwarming testimonies of accepting the Lord as their Saviour. During the youth conferences, Lidia became aware of the drug and social challenges in the community. With a small group of helpers, the CYPSA restoration programme, which stands for Concerned Young People of SA, was launched in 2009.
The programme focuses on helping young people escape the clutches of substance abuse and other social challenges through the Gospel. It offers healing, reconciliation, and a renewed sense of purpose. To date, the programme has assisted more than 25,000 young people at no cost to participants. The CYPSA programme is registered as a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO). (Read more about the CYPSA restoration programme on the website: www.cypsa.org.za)