“I was trapped in a world of drugs, darkness, loneliness and despair. Jesus rescued me and restored me and gave me a new, successful life with my family,” said Cedric Davids.
Today he is grateful to God for the blessed life that he enjoys with his wife Valene and daughters Chesne and Tyra.
Davids grew up in Parkwood, a sub-economic area near Cape Town. He was born into a Muslim family and was given the name Sedick at birth.
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During his childhood years he was exposed to gangsterism and violence. Even after his family moved to Mitchell’s Plain, life remained very difficult for him. He was constantly teased because of dysfunction in his family.
At the age of 14, Davids started dealing in and buying firearms and he soon learnt how to dismantle and fire them. In 2004 he and Valene were married. Despite having one child and another on the way at the time of the marriage, he started selling ‘tik’ and became a drug addict.
“Because of my drug addiction, I eventually lost my family and self-respect. I was no longer a ‘partner’ in the drug dealing business, but I became a ‘guard’ (like a runner) and I sold to all races, from gangsters to rich folk, “ said Davids.
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The drug addiction caused Davids to become violent and inflict serious physical harm on a number of people. That was the life he was forced to live in order to survive in his dark, underworld of crime and corruption.
Davids recalls the time when things started to change in his life.
“The turning point for me was when my wife committed her life to Christ and I started feeling uncomfortable with my lifestyle”.
In 2007 he joined a faith-based programme called Victory Outreach, but never remained in the programme long enough because of his uncertainty as to whether it would work for him.
“I then went to Hope Again Recovery Home on weekends, but still wanted to do things my way”.
Davids stopped using drugs for a month, but then had a relapse. He relapsed for more than a year and finally got tired of the life he was living.
Immediately delivered from drug addiction
On September 4, 2008, Davids committed his life to Christ and said that he was immediately delivered from his drug addiction. He explained that he didn’t continue with any programme, but with God’s help and the support of his family and mentor and spiritual father, Pastor Alfonso Schilder, he remained ‘clean’ from drugs.
“It was at this stage that I started connecting with the men at our Church and developed a close relationship with a young man, named Isadore, whose story was similar to mine”, said Davids.
Davids explained that God started using him to minister to drug addicts. He started assisting the team at Hope Again Recovery Home, where he started to minister to and help the very men who used to buy drugs from him.
Currently, Davids serves on the leadership team at his church, Mount Hope Kingdom Life Christian Church, where Hope Again Recovery Home is based.
“Today, 5 years after committing my life to Christ, I am reconciled with my family by the Grace of God,” Davids remarked with great excitement.
He said that God not only helped him to find a full-time job as an office cleaner but opened new promotional opportunities for him, in an amazing way.
“After starting as an office cleaner at my company, I got promoted to creditors clerk, two years later. My office I now occupy as a creditors clerk is the very office I used to clean. God helped us as a family to purchase a house and a car. These were achievements I never thought possible a few years ago. All this was only possible because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ,” said Davids.
Davids says that his love for the Lord grows stronger day by day. The Gospel, he says, has changed his life and that’s what he wants people to know. One of his favourite verses is Romans 1:16: — For I am unashamed of the Gospel, for it is the Power of God for the Salvation of everyone who believes.”
His greatest wish is to write a book about his life story and tell the world what Christ has done for him and his family.
Shout to the human race ” Our God is able to do all. With mustard seed faith,Jesus tells us we can move mountians!!
Miracles do happen by having faith and trusting in God anything is possible. God said he will give us anything our hearts desire if we only put our trust in him. Seek wisdom and not wealth because everyrthing comes with wisdom. What a mighty God we serve, God bless shalom
Amen by the Grace of God we become new people. I stand daily on my favourite scripture Jeremiah 29-11. Cedric I pray that God holds you in the palm of His hands and guides and directs you every step of your life. Praise God for God’s promise He will never leave us or forsake us. .
TO God all glory and honor. Look what the Lord has done. Great see to testimonies threw the grace of God. What he has done for me and my brother,he can most definitely do for others. Keep shouting out for God he will elevate u to new highest. Stay blessed.
Thanks be 2 God
Thanks all for the encouragements, God Bless you and your families. Please trust God with me for assistance in publishing a book in the near future.
GOD is able to do just what He promised us in the book of Esaiah! Happy for you bro!