My story

He is a leader of African Enterprise (AE/ and book author of
'Out of the Black Shadows'

1950's

I was abandoned by my young mother at the age of six. She had been given in marriage at the age of 13 to a man of 50. He ruled with his fists, and I grew up seeing his violence against her and being beaten myself.

Then one day, she left me holding my 2 year old sister, and said she was going to the toilet. She did not return. Hours later I was found by the police who took me to an orphanage. But instead of care, I received beatings. Confused and bullied by both teachers and children I decided to run away. I lived under a bridge, and formed a gang of other runaways. I had become a dangerous boy because I had not let out the tears of pain; and as a consequence anger was my fuel. My best friend was a knife, which I named 'Dragon'. If anyone hurt me, or was in the way of my violent outbursts, they were cut or killed. I even marked the handle for each time I had used it.

1960's Zimbabwe

The hatred I had for all those who I perceived had done me wrong, was limitless. I hated those in authority, white men and their stupid God. So I joined Robert Mugabe's freedom fighters. I was determined to destroy all who got in my way. Our 'Black Shadows' gang targeted banks and other meetings where we could execute all who attended.

One life-changing day I was planning to blow up a meeting, armed with petrol bombs, knives and guns. But we had arrived 2 minutes before I was due to give the signal. Those two minutes were enough for God to use to turn me around. Confused by the pretty girl singing at the Christian meeting (I thought that church was only for the old and foolish), I stayed and listened to the preacher with his pointing finger. That finger sought me out, talking not only of God's love, but of his judgement of sin. It was as if my gang members had told the preacher my sins, and I was ready to stab them for it. But they too felt the conviction as they thought I had told the preacher their sins!

That day I walked to the front and lay down my AK47, and bombs, powerless against God's call through the gospel. Crying because of the awareness of my sins, I explained to the preacher that God could not love a man like me; after all, I had killed people, lived a terrible life, dependent on drugs and drink. But he shared the story of how a young girl was gang raped, fell pregnant and gave birth to a baby which she left in a public toilet. Someone found the baby, and rushed it to hospital. That baby was the preacher! He said to me "You were rescued from the mess of your life by a loving God. I was rescued from a public toilet."

Reconciliation 2000

I found peace in God, and for many years worked as an evangelist telling my story and the story of the powerful Saviour who rescued me. I have been international director of African Enterprise, an NGO dedicated to evangelism and reconciliation in Africa. On one memorable mission I was privileged to see many give their lives to the Lord, and one woman came forward to receive Christ after I had told my story. She had a more powerful reason for identifying with my story. It was my mother! We were reconciled in Christ. And in 2010 when she went to be with the Lord, I took her funeral, where 3000 people gave their lives to the Lord!

Your story is powerful, because it is HIS-story! Keep telling it, so that others can know this freedom and peace.