It was a hot spring day (25/9/21). We were busy loading a bus full of staff at about 10.30am to go
into Vaalwater to join the market day at the Farmers Hall. I suddenly noticed smoke coming from the
direction of Boschdraai and simultaneously picked up text telling me that there was a fire there. I left
the bus to go into town and drove up to Boschdraai alone, when I got to the compound, I could see
quite a lot of smoke in the air. Phil was walking up the road and I got him to hop in while we drove to
the head of the fire at the edge of the village. When we got there the fire was burning around the
edge of the houses and there was one firefighter busy dousing the flames. However, the head of the
fire had jumped the firebreak and was burning in a large paddock full of Bankrot bush and tall grass,
it was beginning to build its own wind.
I was concerned that we were under manned, but I couldn’t get hold of anyone by phone. I told Phil
this, but he thought we might be able to get it out just us. To be fair we had no choice. Phil took hold
of the hose, and the driver began moving towards the head. The wind was picking it up now and Phil
couldn’t get close to it, the flames must have been 3-5 metres high. I had nothing to put the fire out
with so I decided that I would pray instead. I followed the edge behind Phil. I found myself praying
bold commanding prayers in the name of Jesus. I kept saying over and over “I bind a spirit of fire and
command you from this place.” When the flames looked like they were taking control and leading
the fire further into the grassland I commanded the wind saying, “In the name of Jesus, Wind I
command you to turn from the east towards the west.” In just a short time the wind did just that
and the flames turned in on themselves making them easy to douse. Within minutes the fire was
completely out.