In a neatly bound file filled with around 800 A4 pages, is a Bible unlike any other. Every verse has been written out by hand in immaculate, deliberate script.

This handwritten Bible is the work of Barry Geddes, a 46-year-old car guard from Sherwood Gardens. Barry, originally from Zimbabwe, told the Brakpan Herald that faith is central to his life.

He is deeply religious and believes his faith has helped him overcome countless obstacles. One such obstacle is his health. Barry was born with four heart defects, and according to him, his parents were told he wouldn’t survive a year.

As an infant, he was airlifted under the former Rhodesian State Lottery to Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town for life-saving open-heart surgery.

Today, Barry is active and independent. He walks long distances daily and proudly shared that he recently completed 20 000 steps in a single day.

Before joining a local church closer to home, he regularly walked from Sherwood Gardens to Dalview to attend services.

He moved to Brakpan with his parents Sue and Les in 2001. Sue died in 2008, and Les in 2014, leaving him without any immediate family.

Barry has lived at The Love Ones of God, a care centre and non-profit organisation in Sherwood Gardens, for almost 11 years.

He receives a disability grant, and has worked as a car guard since 2016 at the Sherwood Shopping Centre, where he is also a trolley helper. Barry is a familiar face at the centre and is known for being friendly and polite.

“It’s tiring work,” said Barry, adding that he works from 08:00 to 16:00, often in harsh weather and on weekends.
As a car guard, he has seen both kindness and cruelty. He stated that some people are quick to judge and perceive car guards to be dirty and uneducated.

“It’s a mix. Some people are really nice, while others are rude,” he said.

Despite never having held a formal job, he is exceptionally proud of his independence. His most prized possession, however, is his handwritten Bible.

Barry admits he is not inclined to show it off, and said that few people have physically seen it. He explained he first started writing out the Bible when he was around 12 years old, telling the Herald he just simply felt it was important for him to do so.

Barry began rewriting it again in around 2012. This second attempt took him about two years to complete. Page after page is written in minuscule cursive, with hardly any mistakes.

“Sometimes it would keep me busy the whole day,” he said, adding that he wrote out Psalms 120 to 150 in one day.

This is roughly 3 100 to 3 300 words, and the section consists of 31 chapters.

“I just like writing,” he said with a smile.

Barry’s cousin Esther Mc Donald, also a Brakpan resident, talks of Barry with pride.

“Barry has more patience than many of us think. He is stronger than any of us can imagine. He loves the Lord Jesus for the miracles that he has lived.

“His beautiful, neat handwriting in this Bible will leave anybody in awe when seen in reality and will forever be a precious asset, making us proud to have him,” she said.

Barry’s favourite Bible verse is Philippians 4:19, which states: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus”.

He said it is one he reflects on whenever he feels negative. Other than writing, Barry also enjoys singing, a love he inherited from his father, who sang in a gospel group in Zimbabwe called Harvest Time Country Gospel Group.

Barry has a strong singing voice, and he enjoys listening to the radio, especially music by Bryan Adams. According to Esther, Barry also has extensive general knowledge and an impressive memory, recalling birthdays, ages and details about family, friends and the world around him.

When asked what advice he would give to others facing hardship, Barry replied: “Never give up. And pray.”
His biggest dream is to visit Australia, or even move there one day. Until then, he continues to find joy in his faith.