He studied at the Seminary in Stellenbosch and was legitimised in the Dutch Reformed Church in 1880. As early as 1880 to 1893, the young minister campaigned for poor relief. Under his leadership, his first congregation, Dutiotspan, in Kimberley, bought a house that was converted into a youth home and later even a hotel that was set up as a home for young Christians men. During a European trip, Rev. Kriel became acquainted with various children’s homes and would later undertake further visits.

With the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War he was with the Dutch Reform Congregation Witwatersrand-West which would later become the Dutch Reform Congregation Langlaagte. There he ministered from 1893 until his retirement in 1918. Rev. Abraham Kriel became field preacher for the Boer forces for two and a half years. He served under Generals Lucas Meyer and Jan Smuts, and in the North-West Cape under Adjutant-General Christiaan Beyers.

The war orphaned nearly 12 000 children and the sympathetic Rev. Kriel initially took in a few war orphans at the parsonage. On 4 September 1902 the Langlaagte children’s home opened its doors to 7 orphans, soon growing in number to 92. By September 1903 the home was housing 245 children. Since his confirmation as a minister in Langlaagte, Rev. Kriel has been helping with the care of orphaned and homeless children. Miss Maria Kloppers, a Boland social worker of the Vrouesendingbond, a women’s missionary league, assisted him with this task.

From the beginning, the children’s home has been blessed with grace. In Boksburg and Middelburg, further east in what was previously known as Transvaal, orphanages were also established towards the end of 1902. Both were incorporated into Langlaagte in 1904 and 1908 respectively and in 1913, under Rev. Kriel and Miss Kloppers’ guidance, two farms were purchased. At one point, Rev. Kriel confessed: “I thank the Lord that I was obedient but admit that my faith failed me at times. Every time I say to myself that I must have faith, I get scared. But if I just close my eyes in obedience and take on my commands, the Lord solves all problems.”

Without any initial income, but by faith and grace, the founder and his staff were provided with the necessary resources for the children’s home without ever asking for donations from the public. Rev. Kriel’s practical nature also contributed to the expansion of education to the children. In addition to ordinary school subjects, trades such as bricklaying, tailoring, carpentry, farming and plumbing were also offered. Education training was also provided to the children. By 1960, 900 children were housed in the children’s home.

After the Boer War and the flu of 1918, many children were orphaned. The Langlaagte home already had too many children to accommodate and could not expand further to meet the growing need. The church council of the Dutch Reformed Church Nylstroom saw an opportunity to help children in need. The municipality was approached, and 20 ha of land was donated for building a children’s home in Nylstroom. Construction began in 1958 and in 1959 the first children moved in.

Everything we stand for and all our activities are focused on our children and their physical and emotional well-being. Expert staff cares for 170 children between the ages of 18 months and 19 years. We have 15 houses in which our children are grouped. Our schoolchildren receive education at 7 different schools. The preschool children attend 3 different kindergartens. In addition to school subjects, our children also get the opportunity to participate in various sports and cultural activities. We produce achievers who receive admission to tertiary education.

At Abraham Kriel Children’s Home we lovingly look after our children and make sure that they become happy, healthy and well-adjusted members of the community. However, we cannot do it alone, and are very grateful for the assistance we receive from our community and friends of the Abraham Kriel Children’s Home. Because our children have been exposed to physical and mental trauma, psychological and medical assessment and intervention are essential. They receive psychological treatment, spiritual counselling and speech and labour therapy. Provision is also made for education for children with special needs. We have a clinic and in addition to the care provided by our own nursing staff, our children are also referred for more specialised medical examinations. Doctors and specialists make their services available to the home.

Due to limited state funding we are dependent on additional financial support, and we are very grateful for the open hearts and hands of the public and many famous personalities and institutions in South Africa.

After the death of Rev. Abraham Kriel in 1928 the Langlaagte home was renamed the Abraham Kriel Children’s Home. The main campus is still located opposite the original Dutch Reformed Church Langlaagte, which after its merger with the Dutch Reformed Church Vergesig currently houses the Glory Divine World Ministries. Rev. Kriel and his wife were both buried on the church grounds and a memorial stone fenced with latticework was erected for them.