No holding back Antionette

ARISTOTLE once said, ‘Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity’.

Empangeni’s Antionette van der Berg (51) is living testimony to that.

Originally from Cape Town, wife, mother and all- round caregiver, Antionette settled in Empangeni in 1981 after being forced to leave school at a very young age.

Through hard work and perseverance she has now graduated with a Master of Ministry degree.

‘My dad fell ill and this resulted in me having to leave school and find a job to help support my family,’ explains Antionette.

At 17 she met Paul who was in the army.

‘I was waiting at the bus stop and Paul walked up to me and said that the day I get married, I would be marrying him,’ she laughs.

‘In January of 1981 Paul left the army and we were married by April. It’s been 32 years since,’ she says with a smile.

Three months later the newlyweds moved to Empangeni and got involved with the Christian Social Services Welfare Department.

‘I worked there for one year and then went into foster caring, which I’ve been doing for 15 years. Both my sons are married to girls I cared for.

God’s calling

‘Always trying to help wherever we could, it was God’s calling for us to help and intercede. Six years ago God opened up doors for me to attend a three year bible course at the Zululand School of the Bible through the Empangeni Baptist Church.

‘On completion I enrolled for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology through the Great Commission Bible College United States,’ she says.

Hungry to learn more, she applied to study her Masters and was accepted.

‘I was expected to type my thesis, but was not computer literate’ she admits.

‘So I got myself a book and wrote my thesis which my son later typed out for me.’

After submitting an impeccable thesis, Antionette was approached to enrol for her Doctoral degree.

‘God has given me a word to write and spread the gospel. It is my job to be faithful. I want to encourage youngsters to never give up,’ she says.

‘If you told me six years ago I’d be doing my Doctorate, I wouldn’t have believed you. Operate in a spirit of love and be available for others; God will surely bless you abundantly. ‘You always come out stronger no matter how difficult the challenge,’ she says.