Kobie and Regina Klerck have a long history of serving God in many ways, especially distributing Bibles in the neighbouring countries of South Africa.
Some years ago Kobie had a serious health scare when he was told that he had cancer as well as that his heart had serious problems. The Oncologist advised that he should first pay attention to the heart defect and then to come back to treat the cancer. After making an appointment with a Cardiologist he received a sudden phone call from a close friend in Botswana who said that his daughter wanted to speak to Kobie. Erika, who is a strong Believer, asked how Kobie was and when she heard that he was worried about his heart, asked if she could pray for him. From a 1000km away, out of distant Botswana, over the phone, Erika called the Holy Spirit’s healing touch over Kobie. He testifies that he felt the warmth start at the soles of his feet and, moving upwards through his body, God touched him and healed him as he stood listening to the prayer under a tree on his farm. Later he felt the need to phone Erika again to tell her that he was healed. When he visited the Cardiologist a few days later, NO defect could be found, the doctor declared him healthy and sent him home with a blessing to continue his work in Botswana. This was miracle!
Soon after Erika asked to visit the farm for a weekend, to lead a Spiritual evening of prayer for healing. Kobie immediately agreed to host this evening. The problem Kobie and Regina had was where to host such an event, in or around their house, and that they did not have enough chairs to seat many people. They spent the week praying about these issues, not knowing but trusting God for solutions. On the Wednesday a stranger suddenly came by saying that he got several messages from God to pay the Klercks a visit on his way past the farm on that day and that he had no idea why but that he acted in obedience. Kobie shared about the upcoming event and the problem with seating that they were facing. By that time this man already had his phone in hand, telling his driver to deliver 50 chairs to the farm. God provided the answers to small, practical problems before all the involved parties even knew that they were part of the solution.
Subsequently Kobie invited his new friend, Anton Engelbrecht, to visit Botswana for a fishing trip. While Anton was on the trip he came across a number of refugees from Angola. Noticing their desperation & need for God’s Word, he came back determined to print Portuguese Bibles and to deliver it. Anton wanted Kobie to accompany him when delivering the Bibles. At first Kobie was reluctant but Regina joined in and said they will find a way. In the end Anton printed the Bibles but was unable to do the delivery and insisted that God told him that Kobie should deliver the Bibles, and soon! Kobie reluctantly agreed but felt very uneasy as he had never done anything of the kind and didn’t know how he would manage to take 1000 Bibles into a neighbouring Country!
The Bibles were safely packed into the camper and Kobie asked their Pastor to come along to bless the excursion. She assured them that they would be protected and covered by God’s presence. Even the border crossing into Botswana went smoothly and without incident, another blessing from God. Reaching the northern parts of Botswana and Namibia, after two days of travelling, Kobie enquired about renting a boat to distribute the Bibles on the river banks, close to Rhundu. He was told that it was impossible and that he will be caught and even may be arrested, as he did not have the correct permits to work on the Angola side of the river.
Eventually Kobie and Regina thought of going into the small town, Rhundu, the next Monday morning and to see if they can somehow figure out something. Entering the town the next morning, the first thing they encountered was people singing praise songs at a small gathering, 8 o’clock on a Monday morning. Regina went up to the group to ask about the Angolan people they were trying to find. Meanwhile a man, sent by God, came up to Kobie and explained that the Angolans could be found around the corner at the local clinic. Arriving at the clinic, the first person they ran into was the pastor of the local church. He knew all the pastors on the Angolan side and arranged for them to come across the river, to meet Kobie at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, to receive Bibles. Arriving in their best clothes, they were ecstatic because they were receiving Bibles for the first time in their lives! Kobie and Regina spent the rest of that day in the little town, handing out Bibles to as many people as they could, but they still had a lot left.
At about 5 in the afternoon, as they were leaving town, they came across a group of school children. As they came closer, in the middle of the group, there was an open area with a person in the middle, dressed in white, shining brightly. Regina got out and gave her a Bible, turned around and got back in the car. Looking back at the group, there was no sign of the lady. (They believed her to be an angel, sent to attract the attention of the passer by). At that moment someone came and parked in front of their vehicle and spoke to them in their own language, asking if they needed help. Kobie explained that they still had close on 1 000 Portuguese Bibles and weren’t sure where to distribute it. He motioned for them to follow, took them home and instructed them to off load all the Bibles. He said that they were to pray over these Bibles and to bless it as he was going to take all of it into Angola the very next day! This man worked and moved all over Angola and was able and willing to take all the Bibles all over the Country!
The resort where they were staying was on an island in the river. Although Kobie and Regina were planning to stay for 2 weeks, they insisted to settle their bill for the 2 days on that same day, planning to leave in the morning. At 3 in the morning they were woken by rushing water and debris passing by their vehicle. They immediately got up and left, driving carefully through window-high water as they passed over the bridge that was already partially washed away. Little did they know that they would be the last vehicle to get off the island. For the next 3 months passage was impossible. God enable Kobie and Regina to complete their task within a day and enabled them to leave in time to get home safely. In hind sight, Anton’s instruction from God that Kobie had to go SOON, made perfect sense. If they waited until the planned time, months later, passage would have been impossible. God created the window and orchestrated the perfect delivery of those 1 000 Bibles!
Having some spare time on hand, Kobie and Regina headed into Namibia for a bit of a holiday. Travelling south they recounted many occasions when God provided that they were just ahead of severe flooding that was happening from the north, moving southward. Again travelling along the coast they came across someone who was interested in their vehicle and homemade canopy. As Kobie invited him inside to have look, he noticed the last of the Bibles. Exclaiming in excitement, he declared: “These Bibles are mine!” Kobie willingly agreed, glad to be able to hand out the last of the Bibles. Turned out that this man was a retired pastor, who needed those Bibles.
On the way home, passing through Windhoek, Kobie and Regina decided to keep going and to stay over at a next camp site they were told of. Reaching it they were told that it was closed and, with nightfall approaching, they prayed to God for a place to stay. Many turns and dead ends further they came across a man, under the influence of alcohol, who told them to follow. Reluctantly they did and in the end he directed them to a lovely camp site back on the main road. At this place they met two young women who said that they ministered to young people but that they had a lack of proper material and music. Kobie left a few Bibles with them and later, on another occasion, went back and provided some Biblical study material and music to them. They then told of how they left one of those Bibles with a Chief who, initially, was set against any Spiritual teachings. Picking up that Bible, he was converted to Christianity, baptised and eventually his whole attitude towards God changed. Later he provided a place for these ladies to build a church and to start a full time ministry in his village.
Kobie and Regina related many more occasions of how and when God created opportunities for them to provide Bibles to so many people. On the way back to Rhundu to keep a promise of delivering Bibles to a school, they once came across a pastor, sitting in the middle of the main road, in the heat of the day. When stopping and asking where he was going, he simply said: “I am waiting for Bibles”. Reaching the same camp site on the river, close to Rhundu, not having informed anyone of their arrival, on two occasion, guys just arrived and said that they came to fetch Bibles, stating that God told them to come.
Throughout all these amazing experiences of Kobie and Regina, they give God all the glory for His perfect provision, enabling them to make a difference in spreading the Gospel. More of these stories of Devine appointments will follow soon.
God Bless.