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Friday February 21, 2020
Golf 911
Mark and Ronel Bauer
Greytown, South Africa
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GPS/DMS 29°04.2761’ S, 030° 35.5557’ E
Additional Photos After Testimony
5096 cdd Help When Needed Most
Cyber Daily Devotion
Volume 21 Number 083
Today’s Author: Pastor Bill
Scripture: Isaiah 41:10
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” NKJV
Hello, I am Mark Bauer proprietor of Golf 911 a non-profit, voluntary home and business Emergency Services Security Organization, in Greytown, South Africa. I grew up in Ladysmith, South Africa and am the middle of three children. My dad was a farmer and worked at a livestock trading company. Mom was a secretary at multiple companies as we grew up.
We were a church family attending Sunday school and all that church had to offer. We learned the Christian way and reverenced the Lord. I graduated Ag College in Mooi River, South Africa but an Ag education was outdone by my desire to be a policeman.
I met Ronel and we married — today we have three children and 2 grandchildren. Our daughters Roxette age 26, and Tamren age 23 and our adopted son Asiphile (means I’m well) age 10. Asiphile is a special needs child who is deaf. He is transported every week to Durban, South Africa about 160 km (100 miles) away. He attends special needs schooling and returns every weekend. He is such a blessing in our lives and we so enjoy him and his bubbly personality. We have been challenged learning sign language, but it has shown us an entirely new way to love.
My testimony centers on an emergency call received while on duty as a policeman. We received a call to investigate a family squabble (In Africa there are tribal issues we call Faction Fighting — like the story of the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s in America). These issues can at times get out of control, so we were called to investigate and cool off the situation.
Four of us responded to the Faction Fighting event. We were set up — as we drove to the site of the disturbance 20-gun men started shooting at us from all directions. It was a situation no one should ever have to experience. Our car traversed about 30 meters (100 feet) and was immediately disabled as the gun fire poured upon us. We cried, “God help us!” One by one we were hit by the bullets. We called for help but by the time they arrived all four of us lay wounded.
We saw the Lord’s hand in all this. When it was over I had received two bullets in my leg. My body armor was working overtime. My associates were also hit, and we were rushed to hospital. By the grace of God we all lived that day. The team that followed up from the ambush found more than 1,000 spent rounds of ammunition from the 20 gunmen. They had hate in their hearts and death in their bullets. Yet we were all alive. Our car was demolished and all we could utter was, “Thank You Jesus.”
If one was ever sitting on the fence of, “Is God Real?” An experience like this will bring you closer to your creator than you could ever imagine.
Once out of the hospital and completing rehab, I received a Medallion for Valor presented by the United States Military Police. I was medically released from the Police Force. It was time to start a new life with my God and my family. I started a “Game Capture company.” We specialized in locating wild African game. We would capture the requested game and then deliver it to a “Game Farm” in other parts of our country. We specialized in Reedbuck, Nyala, Bush Buck and Duiker. It was a financially rewarding enterprise until the market turned sour.
Today I’m proprietor of Golf 911, a non-profit, voluntary home and business Emergency Services Security Organization in Greytown, South Africa. We have witnessed a need for specialized investigations when a crime is committed. The police are overburdened and follow up is challenging. That’s where we come in.
Our service is much like your 911 service in America but much, much more. We operate a 24/7 operations outpost and when someone is in need they call us. We immediately dispatch needed help that often is bogged down by finding the right people at the right time. But beyond emergency services we undertake a complete investigation of the incident to help those in need have the proper papers and information to bring justice.
This has become an ever-increasing need in our country as we hope to grow and build a society of respect and trust. Our customers are helped when they need it most.
Our customers in all this, are our inspiration. Like when people reached out to Jesus for help — He was there. Can you imagine in a village when Jesus walked in and everyone who required healing flocked to Him. The Bible is clear — He healed them all!
We are here to help those in need and as we can, we will help them all.
The Cross to me is God’s sacrifice for us — His faithfulness to open heaven for me. If I were the only one left on earth, Jesus would have died for me and gone through the resurrection just for me. His love has no limits.
This Cross planted today shouts to all who enter our home: Follow Jesus — He is Faithful. Trust in the Lord and He will help you.
Prayer: Father thank you for law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day for us. Protect them and watch over them. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!