About Me

Let me start right at the beginning!

The Early Years

I was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, and spent most of my life there.

I was unfortunately born on April Fools Day - April 1^st - so at school my birthday was often filled with people playing practical jokes on me. I did learn to laugh about it though, and it often turned out to be fun.

I lived in a complete daydream world as a youngster. In fact, it was amazing that I functioned at all in everyday life! But as I learned much later on, daydreaming and living in another world can be a sign of a prophetic calling in your life.

I was as skinny as a rake, gawky and was always tripping over my feet! Even though people often mocked me and made fun of me, I had the ability to play along with things and laugh at myself.

I remember one such event in High School. There was an upcoming event or something that my teacher wanted to advertise in a unique way. She wanted someone to walk around the School ground with a big advertisement pinned on their back and front , and ringing a bell to get everyone's attention.

Who was going to do it? All eyes immediately turned to me! It was rather embarrassing for me, but I played along with it, and if I remember correctly, it worked very successfully!

Introduction to Jesus

As a youngster, I went to Sunday school as many kids do. My father was the organist of an Anglican church, and so I went with him and attended the Sunday school classes.

From a young age, I always had an awareness of the Lord and never doubted that He existed. However, I did not make a full commitment to the Lord until I was a lot older.

When I was fourteen years old I went on a church camp. People from our church were invited, and so I decided to go along.

I remember how simple my salvation experience was. We sat one evening around a campfire singing songs. Then a lady began to speak to everyone. She held up a heart that was cut out of cardboard and it was painted black.

She shared how when you don't have Jesus in your heart, your sins make your heart black. But when you invite Him in, your sins are washed away (and she showed us a white heart).

She invited people to commit their lives to the Lord, and I was one of them! I remember feeling such a peace about it when I asked Him into my heart. There were no big feelings or anything traumatic - just a reassurance and a joy.

Growing in the Lord

I continued to grow in the Lord after that time. A year later, I went to the same camp again. This time two women asked me one evening if I would like to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

I was not sure about this, and to be honest I was actually rather nervous. But they reassured me and shared some Scriptures with me. Then they said if I would like them to pray with me they would.

I agreed and they began to pray for me. After a few minutes, something amazing happened! It felt as though my tongue was beginning to move on its own. It felt like there was some new life in it.

The women encouraged me to speak out in a language that was not English. I started very slowly and thought I was speaking junk, but they assured me that it was tongues. Then I began to pour it out. It was wonderful!

A Change in Focus

When I was twenty-one, I met and married my first husband. It was through him that I was introduced to some more Pentecostal-type churches.

This was quite an eye-opener for me! I was used to the quiet, traditional church that I had grown up with. Now I realized there was a whole new world out there that I didn't know about!

We were married for seven years, and during that time we were involved a lot in running youth groups. He was very good at handling young people - a great leader and very expressive.

I learned and grew a lot during this time, but mainly just supported him. I did not minister much on my own.

Enter My Own Ministry

My first husband died after seven years, and it was a traumatic time. However, the Lord kept me in His hands, and I felt confident that I would indeed remarry.

Ten months later I met Les, and my life changed dramatically!

When we got married a few months later, I suddenly found myself being thrown into the deep blue sea! He was an assistant pastor of a church when we met, and so he taught and imparted to me everything that he knew.

Within a short space of time, I found myself ministering alongside him and taking on a leadership role with him. It was exciting, scary at times, and I had to learn as I went.

Sometimes I got it right. Other times I messed up or didn't know what to do. But it was great to be under his covering of protection and to have the freedom to begin to minister more.

My Bundle of Joy

After we were married we decided we wanted to have a baby. I was an instant step-mom to his three teenage daughters, and they were a wonderful blessing to me. I was happy to leave it like that, but I still wanted to try for my own baby, because my first husband and I did not have any children.

I tried unsuccessfully for a full year to fall pregnant. I then began to believe the Lord specifically for a baby. He did not let me down! Right after our first year anniversary I discovered that my desire had been granted. I was pregnant!

It was not an easy pregnancy for me as I developed diabetes, and so I had to watch what I ate all the time. I was also not young - being 33 at the time.

John was born with the cord wrapped around his neck. He was almost black by the time he was born and had to spend some time in Hospital before we could come home. The Lord's hand was on him though, and he recovered very quickly.

He was such a source of joy and blessing to us! To me it was such a privilege to be able to pour all my love into him and share the Lord with him right from the start. 

John is now eighteen years old, and still continues to be a blessing to Les and myself. I am immensely proud of what he has accomplished, and know that the Lord will continue to lead him and raise him up as a mighty leader for Him! 

He is a self-taught cartoonist and is using his talent of making people laugh for the Kingdom of God. You can go to his website, 'Jays Cartooning' at: 

http://www.ami-family.com/jcrause/

A Time for Change

After Les and I had been married for six years, the Lord led us unexpectedly to come over to Mexico. When we got married, the Lord gave us a word that we would travel to many places we had never heard of. We wondered how that would ever be possible, but this was a fulfillment of that word.

Within a month our airfare was paid and we were on a plane heading to the other side of the world! But that was when this ministry began. It was the Lord's plan from the beginning.

From simple, very small beginnings, the ministry has built up to the huge network that it is today. It has gone through many major changes, and it continues to grow and increase as the Lord leads us.

The months pass by so quickly, and day by day we never know what wonderful plans the Lord has for us. But I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world!

Please Note:

If you would like to read more about how Les and I met, go to the Marriage page. There you will see an article entitled 'How Les and I Met'.

For more information on how the ministry started and the changes it has gone through, go to the AMI Family Home Page at:

www.ami-family.com.