Thembisa author shares journey of trauma, faith and healing

Bongani Lempe, a designer, poet and author of Wounded But Not Defeated: Identity Restored Through Christ, shared his journey of trauma, identity and faith.

Lempe was born and raised in Thembisa. He said his life was shaped by traumatic experiences at a young age, including being sexually assaulted as a child.

“After that experience, I went home in tears. The problem was telling people at home what had happened. I did not trust my family because I grew up in a dysfunctional household. There was no emotional support or parental presence,” he said.

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The trauma affected his sense of identity and ability to open up, leading him to hide his pain for many years.

Lempe described himself as an active, outgoing child before the incident, but said the experience was a turning point in his life.

He kept what had happened a secret until 2022, when he felt strong enough to speak publicly about it.

Around 2009, Lempe began preaching in church while struggling internally with his identity.

“At that time, we did not understand what we were dealing with. I opened up to a friend, who prayed with me, and for a time I stopped, but a few years later I found myself struggling again and living a double life,” he said.

This included balancing church involvement with nightlife, which he described as emotionally and spiritually conflicting.
In 2011, aged 17, Lempe said he was again sexually assaulted, deepening his fear of speaking out.

After completing matric, he relocated to KZN, working on a farm before finding employment as a cleaner in 2016.

“When I started working, I felt free for a while. But the emotions were still there and, eventually, I began dating men at my workplace.”

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After returning to Gauteng, Lempe said his life spiralled further, leading to destructive relationships and repeated abuse.

“I was in a relationship that started well but turned abusive, physically, sexually and emotionally,” he said.

“When I returned home, the woman who had introduced me to Christ noticed my bruises and confronted me. That was the first time I confessed to what I was going through, although I chose not to open a case.”

In 2020, Lempe said he was raped again after attending an event with friends, which left him emotionally broken and struggling to cope.

After years of silence, he began attending a church where he felt able to openlyconfront his past.

“I confessed everything. Through my faith journey, I found healing and restoration in 2023. Since then, I have committed myself to preaching the gospel and helping others who are struggling.”

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Lempe’s book explores themes of trauma, healing, faith, restoration and personal growth.

He hopes that by sharing his story, others who are struggling in silence will find the courage to seek help and healing.
His journey, he said, is a reminder that pain does not define a person’s future.

“No matter where you come from or what you have been through, healing is possible,” he said.