Wednesday, 16 April 2008

• Fact File: Gift Mtukwa

  Name: Gift
  Surname: Mtukwa
  Date of Birth: 22/10/80
  Place of Birth: Harare
  Passion: To reach young people with the good news of Jesus Christ
  
  The Story of My Life
  
  SPIRITUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY
  
  CHILDHOOD
  
  I was born not exactly in a Christian family. My parents and relatives were not really professing Christians. They were regular church goers. So this is the background for my childhood spirituality. I also used to attend church regularly but not understanding anything because at home I did not get that Christian nurture needed for a child. At church there were no effective programs for children so I really did not know the purpose of going to church. My child hood was marked by such kind of environment that was so hostile to spiritual growth.
  
  TEENAGER
  When I reached accountability age I was still the same that is not spiritually alive. I also used to go to church when it was convenient for me. When I had new clothes or did no friends to play soccer with I would go to church. I was not an active member of the church. This was the Methodist church. I was not a bad person. I used to do all the church expected me to do. I could generally be called a good person who did not have anything against anyone. In spite of all this I was not saved. At age 17 I started having this desire in me to seek God. I looked around me and saw the kind of Christianity that was around me at that time. My life was far much beyond reproach as compared to those who were professing Christians. I said to my self if this is all that Christianity is all about I would never be a Christian. I had a very good reason for not being a Christian. So for some time I remained that way but the desire continued within me but I resolved not to be a Christian.
  CONVERSION
  At the age 18 my struggle continued and this time it was so overwhelming. I needed something more than what I had. One day my friend who was a Seventh Day Adventist to a Nazarene Bible Study Cell Group invited me. His aim was to get another lady over there. I went to see If the kind of Christianity I had seen in Methodist was different from this one of the Nazarenes. This Bible study really touched my life but I still had my excuse. I was invited to Church the following Sunday. The welcome I was given at this Nazarene local church made me to feel at home. I listened to the pastor preach and when he was through he read Revelations 3:20 and I gave my life to Christ. Christ was actually knocking the door of my life. My spiritual journey begins at this point in time. I was so eager to know Jesus Christ. My spiritual hunger, which I had from child hood, was gone. I had peace in my heart. I loved Jesus with all my heart and I found him to be a good friend. I loved my church and I belonged to it and became an active member.
  
  CHRISTIAN LIFE
  I became actively involved in the programs of the church. I worked mostly with youth of my church. I became the youth evangelism team chairman. We started going out to preach in the neighborhood. Many people were won to Christ because of ministry. My pastor appointed be to be the Youth Sunday School Teacher. Later on I became the Youth Vice President of my local Church. I later on joined the District Evangelism team . During all this time the Lord had been teaching me many things. This is the time I can strongly say I grew up spiritually. I became aware of the direction that God was leading me in my spiritual life. During this time period, I reasoned with God that I would never be in ministry ful time because I wanted to be a very good lay men but not to be a pastor. The more I continued serving God in this manner I became strongly convinced that God wanted me to be a pastor. I found satisfaction as I was doing God’s work. I continued to resist God’s call even though people around me started confirming what I was feeling. When ever I would not avail myself for ministry I felt remorse within me. After a strong struggle and decisive confirmation from God I finally accepted God’s call in my life. My desire now is to serve the Lord as a minister of the gospel for as long as I am alive. Ministry is my top priority, I feel I am doing the right thing whenever I am preaching the Word or counseling someone.
  SEARCHING FOR A THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL
  I was a advised to apply to Malawi Bible College but before I could do that my District Superintendent advised me to consider Africa Nazarene University. I send my application to ANU. I told God if anything does not work out it means I should not be a pastor. The way my application was processed was so fast that I could not believe it. I was admitted in August 2001 and a blow came in September when my mother died after a very short time of illness. It became a time of struggle in my spiritual life. The struggle was between to follow God’s call or to get a job and look after my sister. I prayed to God for guidance and God made it clear to me that he will provide for my sister and all my needs. In January 2002 I came to ANU.
  PRAYER
  Our dear Heavenly Father I want to thank you for your grace. Thank you Lord for your salvation and Lord I am so humbled that Lord you have called me for a special purpose. May you continue to shape me to be the kind of person you want me to be. More especially Lord I want to be an example to the believers. I want to say with the apostle Paul follow me as I follow Christ. Mould me God the way you want. In Jesus name I pray Amen.
  
  

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