Report Back: Prayerwalking Durban's "NET and CROSS"

 

 

THE NET AND THE CROSS a report back in story form, to the team of this monumental Prayerwalk event::"Cross Durban" Prayer WALK in an "orderly way" where God send an overseas team to spearhead it

See also:Praying for your City - Durban in KZN as a Case study

 

DURBAN, KWAZULU NATAL

The city in which I was born, and continue to live, and move, and have my being, is on the east coast of South Africa. It is the most strategic port on the continent, and probably the most strategic in the southern hemisphere. Named after Sir Benjamin D'Urban, a British governor at the Cape of Good Hope in the 1830s, and the Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of the Cape of Good Hope, it was given its name by a missionary called Captain Allen Gardiner. Sir B., on hearing that the young town was to be named in honour of him, sent fifty pounds towards the building of a church.

In earlier days the province was known by two names - the southern section was Natal, and the northern part over the Tugela River was called Zululand -the home of the Zulu people. After 1994 the two parts came to be know together as KwaZulu Natal, the name meaning literally "the place of birthing from heaven" or "the place of heavenly birth".

THE NET

It was 1997 when I first became aware of it - an old sketch in a small book which had stood in a bookcase of my parental home for many years.  The book is called "The Durban Story" and contains in fact a number of short cameos of early Durban, written for the casual reader rather than those seeking detailed, reasearched records. But the sketch caught my eye and stimulated my interest. 

Drawn in 1852 - early for our city which became an established settlement from only the 1830s - the sketch depicted the early Durban bay, undeveloped, and embraced by the arm of land known as the Bluff. From roughly the site of the early Bluff lighthouse a triangular net stretched out, reaching at its widest extremities to points on the Umgeni and Umbilo rivers respectively. In between a number of lines radiated, extending out to the Ridge running along the upper boundary of the early city. The angle of the outer lines at the Bluff lighthouse was 45 degrees, spot-on even in the crudeness of the sketch. I knew that was significant.

The other noteworthy factor was the artist - maybe architect would be a more appropriate term.  C.J. Cato was brother to George Cato - the first mayor of Durban, a banker, business man, and one with generally a fair amount of influence in the Durban of his day. Further, both were members of the organization known as the Freemasons.

As I studied and reflected on the sketch I felt that it was strategic for the city. In my local church was a civil engineer and I asked him to transpose the lines of the net onto a modern, drawn-to-scale map of the city. For six months he did his best, and indeed did very well. But at about that time, on a visit to the Killie Campbell archives which I frequent when researching for the city, I asked casually about old maps of the city. The librarian responded by placing in my hands an official City Engineers map, drawn to scale in 1932, and marked with the city coat of arms. A cursory glance told me immediately that I had found what I was looking for, for the significant points of the 1852 sketch were still there. On the inland side of the Ridge were three big farms: Cato Manor, stretching from the Umbilo River in the south to a road known today as Tighard Avenue, running down the north side of Entabeni Hospital; Brickfield, from Tighard to somewhere near East Road in Overport, and then Springfield, extending to the Umgeni River. The farms were owned by George Cato, Christopher Cato and a Mr Sparks respectively. C.J.Cato's sketch had provided the boundary markers of the farms, the 1932 map indicating their inland boundaries.

In 2002 I picked up at our local airport yet another map which featured part of the boundary lines of the Cato Manor farm - in the vicinity of the present day shopping mall called the Pavillion. In other words - 150 years from the original sketch there was still evidence of that net.

THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE

In the Bible the prophet Habbakuk writes about a net. Chapter 1:1:14-17 describes a net over the city, which serves to trap and ensnare:

"They (the wicked) take all of them up with a hook,

They catch them in their net,

And gather them in their dragnet.

Therefore they rejoice and are glad.

Therefore they sacrifice to their net,

And burn incense to their dragnet:

Because by them their share is sumptuous

And their food plentiful.

Shall they therefore empty their net,

And continue to slay nations without pity?"

(New King James Version)

To ascertain the spiritual significance of the net depicted in Cato's sketch it is necessary to understand a little about Freemasonry, although the purpose of this paper is not to provide an expose of the same - for detailed discussion of the Freemasons please refer to one of the references listed at the end. Among other things, Freemasonry is an organization which subscribes to secrecy. Oaths are taken, the disclosure of which will bring various calamities if not death itself. These oaths may be sworn upon the Bible - the Freemasons have a Masonic Bible, but they may also be sworn upon the Koran of the Moslems, or upon the sacred writings of any other religion which believes in a higher being. The organization also focuses on good works, both generally to the community at large, and particularly as they may serve to aid other members. A closer look at the various degrees of Masonry - there are 33 in all - reveals that they actually parody Biblical teachings and practices. Although there are subscribers to Freemasonry in mainline churches, in particular, there has been controversy over whether Freemasonry is compatible with Christianity. My view after examining what material is available, and particularly after hearing and reading accounts of those who have left the Order is that it is not.

Divorce, barrenness, depletion of finances, division, premature death are some of the distressing fruits of Freemasonry I have noted as I have worked with those seeking to be rid of this legacy over their lives. My maternal grandfather was himself a Grand Master of a Durban Masonic Lodge, and  it was only after prayer over a period of time that I believe I am free from the curses which I lived under for many years, a legacy of his Masonic involvement.

To return to Cato's net - over the city of Durban there has been drawn a net. In order to access Africa through the eastern gateway to the continent it is needful to pass through the net, to pass through territory marked with a Masonic influence. In fact, the central point of the triangle is Warwick Junction - called in former years "the Warwick Triangle", and named in recognition of the title of one of the children of Queen Victoria. Whether from the east via the port, or from the south or north, it was necessary to go through Warwick Triangle to access Africa. Today it is possible to bypass this by using an outer ring freeway. However, Warwick Junction still sees almost half a million commuters daily. 

WORKING WITH THE NET

From 1997, and for the next eleven years I and my small prayer group found ourselves repeatedly at places on the net. Sometimes it was with intent, but very often we felt to pray at a particular place and ascertained only afterwards that we were in fact again dealing with the net. Motivators were various - a place of repeated vehicle accidents and distresses, high and strategic places over the city,   the awareness of the importance of Warwick Junction as a hub with many markets and commuters - we had in fact walked and prayed there for a number of years before we realized that it was a central focus of the net, and the harbour mouth as the gateway to Africa. Both north and south extremities also received attention as I was invited to teach at churches in both those old city gates. In each instance the significance of these invitations was realized only afterwards. 

We prayed for the removal of the Masonic legacy over our city, and for greater measures of the light and truth of the Word of God - the Christian Bible - to be established.

 

AND THE CROSS

I mid 2007 I was approached by leaders from a Christian organization called Soul Survivor. In conjunction with a group known as Grassroots they came from England, believing God had called them to focus on the city of Durban. With a number of teams of young professionals they sought to stand alongside local church initiatives, supporting in both spiritual and very practical ways. Those who approached me had been given my name as one involved in prayer for the city. They wanted to pray as they had in London, prayer-walking around the city and seeking the establishment of the Word and ways of God through Godly governance, church unity and empowering, and such. As we chatted at an initial meeting we were reminded that the British colonial policy had been "divide and rule". The heart with which they came, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, was "unite and serve".

Because a "round" Durban prayer walk did not really work because of the port and the impracticalities of freeway walking they remained indecisive and on return to England spent more time in prayer and discussion. God gave them a different strategy - to walk a cross over the city. On a second visit we discussed this and in mid 2008 with the young leader we worked the routes of the cross. The plan was to walk about 10 kms each day, from the north to a central point, from the west to a central point on a second day, from the south on the third day, and from the centre to the east (the coast) on the fourth and last walk. So we drove the routes, looking at options for praying and connecting with local churches along the way. It was when I arrived back home and reflected on the day's planning that I realized what God in His amazing way was doing - redeeming the net!  Unplanned on our part, He was doing a sovereign work in the spiritual realm. We had the privilege of being a part of it.

THE TEAM ARRIVES

I had opportunity to brief the team from the U.K. Fourteen came in all, and there were about twelve that first day. Briefly I presented the history of the city with its net, demonstrating from the actual cartological evidence. As we shared they realized the strategic nature of their mission. That same day we went on a city orientation walk through Warwick Junction, the centre of the net. I think we were all a little awed by the strategic nature of the mission.

WALKING THE CROSS

As we set out from the northern point on the first day - 02.08.2008 - I thrilled in my spirit. We walked along the old north road leading from the city, only we were going towards the city. At the second church stop we rejoiced with intercessors there whom I had encountered about four years previously. It was clear from the upgraded and new buildings and businesses, repainted dwellings, and even the road itself which had been widened and upgraded, that there had been major improvement in the area, and we knew that prayer had been answered. I also noticed that the Trafalgar Lodge sign which had been on a building at a strategic branch in the road was no longer there. On we went, crossing the Umgeni River at the site of the old Connaught Bridge - also in recognition of the title of one of Queen Victoria's sons - indeed, the area had been previously known as Victoria County. As we headed for the central Berea we knew that God was cancelling the influence of the net. Berea, incidentally, was also named by Captain Allen Gardiner after the Berea of the Bible, recorded in Acts 17:1-14, which has served as a pointer for our prayers there through the years.

The next day we walked from the west- beyond the Masonic farm boundaries, and through the Cato Manor farm. Today the area is still known as Cato Crest and houses a large informal settlement where poverty and related social distresses abound. In a church there we invited the jobless to come forward for prayer and about 90% of the employable congregation responded. We also prayed for the men to take their rightful roles in families and community. That walk also concluded on the Berea.

The following Friday we again commenced in an old gateway of the city - Sarnia Road, at the upper end of Titren Road. The church where we met was on the extension of the Ridge line of the net. This section of Sarnia Road is colloquially known as "Jacob's Ladder", and I actually came across a document which stated: "The Freemasons believe the way to heaven is up Jacob's ladder." Needless to say, there were Masonic lodges at both ends of "Jacob's ladder".  We walked over the Umbilo River, the southern border of the old city of Durban, and towards the Berea.

On the last day of our walk (totalling in all just over 40kms) we started on the lower Berea and made our way through Warwick Junction, then through the central city to the beach. As I looked towards the Bluff I realized we were, as the crow flies, only a couple of hundred metres from the site of the old Bluff lighthouse - the starting point from which the other lines of the net radiated. Again, this was by God's sovereign plan rather than our calculating.

We felt it was strategic to finish at the water's edge - the British had come from the sea, so to speak, and our walk had cancelled in the spiritual a legacy that was neither Godly nor desirable. As I called out seven times "It is finished!" and was met with the team's response "It is finished! Hallelujah!" there was a sense of mission accomplished. It remained only for the black man from RSA, resident at present in London, to come forward spontaneously and embrace me, and I could respond, "There, Africa, it is done."

All the glory goes only to our Lord Jesus Christ who does indeed far beyond what we can ask or think. He is able to redeem, and seeks to reconcile all things to Himself.

Jean Viljoen

August 2008

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