TO PROFESSOR

MY PRINCIPAL

When I was a kid I went to this very great school. Today I bumped into the school founder and director's photo.I am all teary just reminiscing on how much fun I had at this school. We where so sheltered yet so unruly (happens all the time!). I remember my early primary school days having class with Mrs Brayshaw the co-founder and wife to the principal (bet now you understand when I say we where sheltered). She was so sweet and how can I forget my class teacher Mrs Botha, she had a book where she wrote all the good things we did instead of a black book which most teachers keep. This was her way of encouraging us to behave. Then the was Mrs Schutemer(forgot how to spell her name) she used to whip our butt even though corporal punishment was/is illegal in the country but because ours was a private Christian School,our parents had signed that we will be governed by the bible and yes the bible says you should not spare a rot.Oh and Mrs Prinsloo an old lady who made a National Party supporter out of me.Despite the fact that I did not qualify to vote in the first democratic elections I was a NP supporter, they had my vote. She just made a lot of sense to my young ( standard four) brain, I'm not even sure if she was allowed to talk politics with us but she did,all I know was she was my geography teacher.

My first encounter with Dr Brayshaw was on the school ground. I was shouting to one of my friends and it so happened I was doing this in Sotho(Not that where any white English speaking kids to speak English with). He spotted me and told me to go wait in his office.This sounds very crazy now but we where not allowed to speak sotho on school premises this was for our own good so they said! "to improve our speaking vocab" should have listened I' ll be on TV now-lol! After what seemed like forever he came to his office to find me praying in my heart that I don't get a whipping.As God is true to his word he heard my prayer and Professor(as we all fondly called him) did not give me a hiding. He just asked me a couple of questions and told me to write down "I will not speak sotho" 100 times. After this I only saw him from afar until we met again in high school. In between this day and high school I enjoyed listening to him sing and teach us  as he will lead  praise and worship every time we went to the hall. He taught us so many songs.One that still remind me of him to this day is the one that goes something like this

Winners are we
We have the power and prosperity
Winners are we
We have a wonderful God

The song goes further explaining how God the Father send Christ to die on the cross. Its such a lovely song, he played his guitar and had this exclusive way that he danced to his rhythm which made us all laugh every time we impersonated him.The was something about Dr Brayshaw that made us all love him,he had an authentic love for us as a community,he taught us to fear God and did a lot in his power to make spiritual giants out of us. I remember my second encounter with him, I was yet again in trouble and this time he made us write an essay about why Christ is the high priest of our lives. My friends and I had made fun of one of the songs which is called Jesus the High Priest of our lives.To this day I can tell you why Jesus is the high priest of my life! He made such an impact in my life that he never will probably know about but I am glad he listened to the Lord when he did because I am better because I had man like him raise me.

His vision, the school afforded me the opportunity to study in a friendly environment,where I was allowed to be me. Like I said I had so much fun at this school, met so many different people some which I consider friends and mentors until today. He is older today compare to my school days but his still at it,my prayer is that God grand him the strength to finish the race well and if he never gets to know the impact and role he played in my life I know without a doubt when he gets home God will say well done thou faithful servant! If not for anyone else then for me cause nothing we do for God goes unnoticed including his role in my life and many others I know he's touched and continue to touch!