‘Faith Walker’ could walk away with your wallet
A man walking through South Africa on a ‘Walk of Faith’ has come to Newcastle. But is his cause legitimate, or could he walk away all the richer from your charity?
Hearing the stories ‘Faith Walker’ Jurie Pieters has to tell, one is easily amazed at his perseverance and faith.
Mr Pieters, a Cape Town resident has completed just over 13 000 kilometers on his ‘Walk of Faith’ through South Africa, and is currently in Newcastle.
In September 2013, Mr Pieters walked from Cape Town to Nelspruit. Shockingly, he was driven to walk the distance after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. He then decided to walk back to Cape Town, and he hasn’t stopped since.
“I thought about killing myself then, when I was diagnosed,” he said. “Then I saw this article in the You Magazine about a man who tried to shoot himself.”
After seeing the disfigured face of a botched suicide attempt Mr Pieters took a backpack, a tent, his cellphone and R150 and set off.
He walks from town to town, telling his story, walking for his faith.
“God will either heal me, or kill me,” he said.
His determination and stamina is beyond question: This man has travelled quite a distance on his ‘Walk of Faith.’
But is his cause one of faith, or one of shame?
The Highveld Gazette has published a story on their web site, calling Mr Pieters the ‘Lemon of the Month’.
According to the story, Mr Pieters arrived in the town of Waterval Boven earlier this year, where a local businesswoman with a soft heart took him in.
Allegedly, Mr Pieters stayed there for a couple of months, before disappearing one day with all her food, clothes and some cash.
Furthermore, a short while after that, a supermarket owner in Schagen, approximately 80 kilometers away, chased him away after she had read the article and recognised Mr Pieters.
According to the Editor of The Highveld Gazette, Mr Pieters quickly made his getaway after being confronted.
“Of course people are security conscious,” said Mr Pieters. “But when they hear my story they help me. I have slept in the same room as some people’s children. I could have been a bad person and done bad things, but I didn’t. It’s all about faith.”
Mr Pieters is currently staying in Newcastle, and will be continuing his journey. He plans to walk up to Paulpietersburg, and then take the N14 down to Springbok and eventually home, to Cape Town.
