Testimony by Lindy Snyman
Article originally published in JOY! Magazine July 2026
Just after we got married in 2016 (I was 28 and my husband 32), we started trying for a baby. Looking back now over the past decade, I realise how many hurdles we had to overcome. When you are in the middle of the storm, you simply live in survival mode – and that was our reality for years.
A road filled with obstacles
We experienced two miscarriages and went through three rounds of IVF (in vitro fertilisation). During that time, I also had to process a cancer scare and undergo a hysterectomy, followed by complications afterwards. Eventually, we found a surrogate, but after journeying together for a year, our application was denied in court. A second surrogate disappeared without a trace. It drained us emotionally and financially. I felt discouraged and angry with the Lord. Why was it always us? I saw the glass as half empty.
A step of faith
After all these disappointments, we decided to swallow our pride and openly ask on Facebook whether anyone would be willing to carry our embryo. It was humbling to share our story so openly, but we felt we had nothing left to lose. On 6 January 2024, I received a message that still gives me goosebumps to this day – from a relative of a close friend who had never even thought about becoming a surrogate before.
An answer to prayer
But Marisa van der Merwe wrote, “I have been thinking about you, meditating on it, and praying for you … I had never considered being a surrogate before. But the moment I realised I could do this for you my heart was set on it.” Those words changed everything. The Lord heard our prayers and sent a selfless woman across our path. Over the next two years, she and her family overwhelmed us with acceptance and love. What she did for us is immeasurable.
God’s timing is perfect
On 6 January 2026, our daughter, Olivia Jane Snyman, was born – healthy and perfectly formed. Exactly ten years after we first started trying for a baby, our prayers were answered. Exactly two years after we received that message, she was born. I realised that our story was not one of loss, but of hope. My faith wavered at times, but God was working behind the scenes all along.
A new perspective
If we had not attempted one more round of IVF, the cancerous cells might never have been discovered in time. If our previous surrogacy journeys had worked out, we would never have met Marisa. The glass was never half empty – we just could not see it at the time. Today, our cup overflows. Our gratitude towards Marisa, her family, and the Lord cannot be put into words. He worked in her heart and, by grace alone, provided for us.
A message of hope
To everyone still waiting and praying: Do not give up! Even when it feels like you are knocking on a closed door, He hears you. Even when your faith feels small, He still holds you close. Our journey took ten years, but the outcome was greater than we could ever have imagined. All glory to God.
This article appears in the July 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine. Read the digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za
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Date published: 08/07/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article published in JOY! Magazine July 2026
Content images: Provided by Lindy Snyman
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