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“Someone gave me 2 audio cassettes, and I played them over and over, till I received the revelation through them. That was when I recognised Brother Miki as the ‘man from the East’ that my grandfather spoke about.”
My Grandfather was an evangelist, and the head of a church; he preached the message of the cross. Though he desired his son to take over in his leadership, God told him in a dream that his first grandchild would be the leader that would continue in the way of the cross. So, when I was born he named me Joshua… to lead the people out of bondage, and into the Promised Land. I was only told all this in 1991, 2 years before he died. He told me that a ‘man from the East’ would work with me, and would help bring me to understand the message of the cross.
So I have always had the call of God on my life. I was baptised in 1967 when in Secondary School. I got married, and survived a car accident in which everyone else died. The Lord spoke to me, telling me that I had been saved because He had chosen me to serve Him.
During my university studies, my Christianity declined, I was religious but un-committed. After studying in the U.K, I returned to work as a for the Government. I decided to join a private company for better pay. Then, I was headhunted by another company who asked me to open a microbiology laboratory.
In 1983, I rededicated my Christian life when Reinhardt Bonnke came to Blantyre. The Lord came to me with a strong question: “Chose your work or Mine!” I didn’t sleep for 3 days… on the 4th, I chose God’s work. I immediately resigned my job, although they tried to keep me by upping my salary; but, I told them: “The One who is calling me, is my master.” At first, my family didn’t want me to leave but I managed to convince them that it was God’s plan. 2 months later, someone wrote a letter sponsoring me for Bible College in the UK to study theology. Once I graduated, I came to my church and worked in its hospital as a medical administrator. I preached as well and that was the beginnings of my ministry. I served first as a deacon, then as an elder.
From 1996, I was the General Secretary of our Church. By 2001, I was chairman and on the board of various associated NGO’s and other associated ministries. At this time, a group of pastors began talking about me behind my back as I’d brought much change and held high positions. There was lots of infighting and I was ready to leave my ministry.
It was then that I met CTMI. I had organised a meeting of church leaders. After one meeting, I was invited to stay behind for Miki's preaching that was taking place in the same hall. That’s where I heard the message of the cross for the first time! I was convicted but I had many things in my mind. Someone gave me 2 audio cassettes, and I played them over and over, till I received the revelation through them. That was when I recognised Miki as the ‘man from the East’ that my grandfather spoke about. And I have been with CTMI since.
The Seventh Day Baptist Church has 240 churches and 300 branches in Malawi. We had our own Bible School. I oversaw 99 pastors when I received the revelation of the cross. It changed my preaching and I started living it. From being the boss in my home, now my wife and kids were amazed to see me cleaning, acting like a servant, and talking about the Cross all the time. From 2001-2003, the leadership spoke of stopping my salary as I was teaching a dangerous doctrine. Finally, in late 2005, they took our two cars, and told us on the same day, to vacate our house. We sought a shelter, as we had no money to live on. This was a terrible time of deprivation and trusting in the Lord to provide.
At that time, other pastors carrying the same revelation asked me to start a new church, founded on the gospel of the cross. So we did. We faced much persecution; they even sent thieves to steal from our shelter. My family complained, begging me to go back, but I had made a covenant with God.
We started the Christian Revival Church, a NGO, in January 2006. There are 1600 members of our church spread out across 8 branches. What is distinctive about our Church though is that our pastors and leaders are always together! I have heard that, during my time here, over 100 faithful have been added to the flock. At this time last year, we had 4 elders and 20 people in the church. Now, we have 7 pastors and are 38 being trained to become pastors; ten other churches have also asked to join us.
We also began an orphanage and a school (day-care and nursery), next year we are starting a secondary school. We had no money to start the school, it was started by faith, we got permission to start it without funds, saying that our God will provide, as He is always faithful. We had 80 children last year, now there are 140. Though members of the Church are supporting the orphanage financially, there is no money; the people who own the place are trying to throw us out. There has been no money for salaries for the teachers, even for my wife and child who work there. It is our desire to find people to support our orphans, and also, to train our teachers in the ACE program.
Through evangelisations, we reached out to the blind of our country. Living like beggars, they accepted the message of the cross; and now, more than 60 families are zealous for the gospel, wanting to work to support themselves and spread the message of the cross.
We also have a prison ministry where we trained people within the jails and keep visiting them to preach the gospel. We follow them up and look after them practically, with clothes and things upon their release. We feel that helping them is a testimony to them, to win them for the gospel.
We teach youth from 3-13, and 10-21, more than 150 have been touched by the gospel and come from different schools after classes and are taught the Bible. We want to provide sports and games time for them, but we don’t have the means at the moment.
We also hold bible studies for the elderly (widows etc), and we in turn learn from their experience.
God told me clearly that the orphanage and the school are a means to bring children to the gospel of the cross… Everything that we do, in the youth, with the elderly, the blind, even in the prisons, everything… is to that aim.
Whilst thinking about our many financial problems, we fasted and prayed as a church. That is when my invitation came to attend the International Conference.
I arrived here with my financial problems and persecutions weighing heavily upon me. The message I heard here was such a great relief. The preachers preached as if they knew my personal circumstances, and brought me to see that God has a greater plan than I could conceive of.
In my life, whenever I rose up to a place of position, the Lord brought me down and broke me. I saw that God is still working in me and that I still have much to learn. I realised that, as a servant of God, I don’t want to be bogged down by small denominational issues; but, rather, I want to be involved in a network. What is important is the gospel in my heart.
Seeing the life of the church here was wonderful, I was so blessed to spend time with everyone I wanted to see: Audrey, Veronique, Gilbert; I even met Brother Miki! Staying in the homes was so important, to see how Christians live together, I hope that my wife can come here one day.
I also desire that the youth of Malawi could attend camps in Zimbabwe, and be part of the young people’s program here. We see that there is much to do and to invest in the youth, as they are the ones who will carry things on. Most of all, I hope that my 3 sons could come to Mauritius, and that they will decide not to choose partners outside of the gospel… because we need a team to serve the Lord in the days to come.
As a family, we own a plot of land where we grow vegetables for our kids to live on. While I was here, God said to me: “You’ve received My revelation, but what of the land I gave you?” He showed me a bigger vision; of a church hall that can hold 10,000 people, a vocational training centre, perhaps a shopping centre, basically a CTMI village!!
I was convicted and immediately went to see Miki and Audrey and surrendered the land for the work of the Lord through CTMI! They are thinking of developing a health centre, a school, a conference centre as well as a Bible school for the network churches of the region.
We see God everywhere here, in ways that I can’t even begin to describe. God has looked after us in every way. I arrived here without a cent and, after giving my testimony I was blessed, and could even give some for the offering. I’ve kept some, which I hope is enough to buy notebooks for the orphans.
Miki spoke of the signs of revival and I see them in our country, it is exciting! Teddy, John, and Andrew are awaiting a report, and I am going back with fire! What I have learnt here, I will share with others. I thank the Lord that, till I die, I will have received the honour of working with these churches, and these special men of God who are bringing the gospel to so many different countries.
May 2007
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