An Answered Prayer – Marissa's Story
Vida Li Sik • April 18, 2021
Marissa Rossouw shares her story
“My name is Marissa Rossouw. I live in Port Elizabeth (now known as Gqeberha), where I teach children with special needs who are partially hearing and have speech delays. I was baptised on 9 January 1992.
I was born and raised in Cape Town, but moved to Port Elizabeth (PE) in 1990 and attended a traditional church where I taught Sunday school. In November 1991, I became aware of God’s incredible goodness and kindness towards me and prayed that He would lead me to a church or an organisation where I could serve Him.
In December of that year, I visited my family in Cape Town. A friend who’d been working in London where he had become a Christian, invited me to a party. One sister asked me to study the Bible that night. I said yes and was baptised about two weeks later. During that fortnight, I joined the group in sharing their faith and in other spiritual activities. I saw a group of people who were serious about the Bible and imitating Jesus, and knew that I wanted to be a part of them. I was also amazed at what I was learning from the Bible. Years later, I realised that this was God’s answer to my prayer the year before.
I returned to PE where church comprised a group of seven members who listened to sermon tapes–sent from Cape Town and Johannesburg–at a sister’s home on Sundays. That was because there was no evangelist or brothers who could preach in PE at the time. Through God’s grace, the membership grew and the Port Elizabeth church was established.
In 1999, the church became involved with a local children’s home. There, I met my beautiful, adopted daughter, Masindi, who was only two years old at that time. This was God’s divine plan because I did not intend to be a single mother. But I loved her at first sight and had a burning desire to be her mom. That was how I knew it was from God. He even took care of the entire adoption process. She is now a 23-year-old baptised disciple and part of the singles ministry. She also teaches the toddler class on Sundays. More than that, she serves on the worship team on Sundays. I had a lot of help from God and disciples in raising her, and I’m so grateful for all the help I received.
At church, I’m very involved in the children’s ministry, and I’m part of the Golden Girls Ministry. This group comprises women who are divorced, some who have husbands who are not part of the church, or are mature single sisters. My best friend and discipling partner, Mercia Larkin, leads this outstanding group of women.
I am grateful and privileged to be a disciple of Jesus, and I pray God will continue to use me in His Kingdom, and that I will remain faithful to Him until the day I die.”
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