Symbolic crusade undertaken by locals
Four Benonians will depart for the Mighty Men Conference (MMC) Limpopo in March, but, other than most travellers, they will take a cross and go by foot.
The trip is being organised by Gert van Rensburg (54), whose son was part of the original walk, in the Eastern Cape, last year.
“My son (Tiaan van Wyk) and his prayer group took the initiative; they built the cross themselves, got everyone together and just started walking,” the Northmead resident said.
“I wanted to join them, but I couldn’t, so I decided to organise one in Gauteng.
“My son’s group dubbed themselves Kruiskrygers (Cross Warriors); we just adopted the name and localised it.
“As far as I am aware, this is the first such walk departing from Gauteng.
“Our vision is to have the cross carried by future Kruiskrygers all over the country.”
The Kruiskryger said the trip will be undertaken over the seven days leading up to the MMC, which starts just outside Polokwane on March 11.
The party will walk from Heidelberg, through Benoni, Pretoria and much of Limpopo to reach the conference.
“According to Google Maps the walking distance is about 380km,” van Rensburg said.
“I worked out that we’d walk no more than 60km a day, which will take from 6am to 6pm, and I found towns to overnight in, on the way.
“The men will walk in 2km shifts, with the rotation depending on the number of walkers.
“We are still in the early stages of organisation, so we don’t yet know how many walkers there will be.
“At the moment, three other men, all from my church, Oosrand Lewensentrum, have signed up.”
Andries Loots, one of the Benoni “cross-walkers”, was inspired by De Wet Swanepoel, who has been walking with a cross through Africa for several years, to join this walk.
“It will also be an opportunity for the members to bond and for us to learn more about ourselves as well as honour Jesus, who carried the real cross.”
The mission will be the second for Innes Weyer, who wanted to walk for God from Johannesburg to Cape Town in January, but got ill near Kroonstad and had to cut short the trip.
“I think in this case, with a group instead of an individual, we’ll be able to reach more people, as did Jesus with his 12 disciples,” said van Rensburg.”
Van Rensburg listed personal experience, building camaraderie and spiritual growth as the goals and message behind the journey.
“We use the cross as a symbol; we want to get the message out there that it’s now empty, nobody hangs from it anymore; Jesus lives and he is there for everyone,” he explained.
The evangelist added that the trip is meant to promote the MMC, as well as to help each individual grow.
“MMC is amazing; the testament we’ve seen there is breathtaking, some of the men made a complete turnaround in their lives.”
He added there is a small slot in the cross, where passersby can push in their prayer requests, which will not be opened by anyone, as it is “a private issue between them and God”.
According to the mission planner, a lot of work goes into the preparations for the walk, including ensuring enough food, water and other supplies.
“By law we are allowed to be on the road only between 6am and 6pm,” he said.
“We need at least two vehicles, one at the back and one at the front, each with specially fitted lights to show we are a convoy.
“We’ll stay at camping sites where we can and, where there aren’t any available, we’ll stay on the sports fields of local schools, if ablution is provided.
“Each signed-up walker takes along his own camping equipment.”
The striders will arrive in Benoni between 5pm and 6pm on the first day of the journey (March 4), walking through the CBD and toward Northmead.
Van Rensburg said anyone could join the walking party, but would have to register at the departure point at 5.45am, to keep it orderly.
Anyone interested in the walk can contact him on vanrensburggp@gmail.com or 082 974 0886.
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