THE LONELY JOURNEY OF PIONEERS -CELEBRATING DR NEVERS SEKWILA MUMBA – ONE OF THE GREATEST LEGENDARY APOSTLES WHO HAS IMPACTED THE CHRISTENDOM MARKET PLACE AND POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN ZAMBIA

Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba writes….

I came across something that my Dear Son and Brother in the Faith, Pastor Choolwe Wrote. Indeed, it’s not easy and the journey will never be easy. But, God wil always have a way to bring us people who give us encouragement and honour even when it is not fashionable to do so. One such soul is Pastor Choolwe. I can only say Thank You! Thank you! For your kind and gracious words. If you thought living a life like mine is tough, I can assure you that coming out and saying words of encouragement at a time as this is even much tougher….
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Pastor Choolwe Wrote:

THE LONELY JOURNEY OF PIONEERS –
CELEBRATING DR NEVERS SEKWILA MUMBA – ONE OF THE GREATEST LEGENDARY APOSTLES WHO HAS IMPACTED THE CHRISTENDOM MARKET PLACE AND POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN ZAMBIA

In June 2015, I wrote this tribute to one man who needs no introduction. As I reflected on his 59th birthday today, these same words welled up in me. I can only add by saying sir, Happy birthday to you.

I will never forget the day my biological father taught me a lesson I will never forget……:

He paid me a visit two weeks before he took his last breath and while taking him through the streets of Livingstone , I really wanted to boast about how different the vehicles in Livingstone were from the Ox-carts we used to ride in the village ON HIS FARM. Being a teacher , below was his lecture which made me keep quiet and somehow feel stupid but learnt a lesson which has made me the kind of boy I am today.

He said ” I atleast helped you ride in an ox-cart so you can go to school etc in order for you to afford a car. This car would not be here without my ox-cart which God used as a channel.”

Then he said “have you seen this beautiful car riding so fast on this road, you just need to go to the roads department (as it was called then) and you will find an old and ugly looking caterpillar (earth moving equipment) which traveled the lonely journey of clearing the bush and uprooting trees so these cars can run smoothly on a well tarred road. Never mock those who labour tirelessly to facilitate for a better life for you. Their journey may be lonely but you can’t see that their impact is greater cause they lead a generation and not individuals. Then he said only God can properly reward a man who leads a generation “

Oh my head kept spinning the rest of that day at the words of that great Tonga teacher by the name of Joel Siakapoto Siabasimbi Mudenda.

As I remembered the words of my late father today, I thought of coming out openly now about my disposition regarding the man of God in this picture. I am not into partisan politics and so I am analysing the person ; his partisan stance aside . I am analysing Nevers Mumba the Apostle of God to Zambia. Looking at the life of this man has brought a lot of wisdom, courage, strength and determination in me. He has been a front runner in destroying very retrogressive dominant paradigms and bounded rationality among born again christians in this land.

When God puts you at the forefront of a move, your journey is likely to be lonely because of the paradigm gap. I see how young men and women who are members of different churches write and attack pastors and leaders especially those who explore the unusual and all I say is forgive them Lord. What a pioneer can see while seated these ranting young people will never see even if they stood on Mount Everest.

This man of God has walked a lonely journey at different times for our sake. Today Pastors can walk with their heads high because this man made pastoral ministry so attractive and honourable in our land.

When he went on TV he was criticized for preaching the gospel using the “devil’s box” but today many are bold to be on the same “devil’s box”. Today we all do high class conferences because he showed us a different way of doing ministry.

He boldly went into politics and today I can boldly state my inner views of his move. If at all it was never God’s will. if at all he never becomes president of Zambia, one thing is for sure…….HE HAS HELPED MANY CHRISTIANS TO BE VERY BOLD ABOUT INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS. Many christians who could never imagine a Christian in politics will fill up a lot of portfolios in the political spectrum because this caterpillar was willing to endure it all alone so some mercedes benz of christians somewhere can have it easy on the tarred road as a christian politician. Do we need christians in politics, a big yes for the sake of the kingdom.

Tonight I stand on the roof top and boldly say politics aside I HONOR THIS APOSTLE OF GOD IN ZAMBIA with every ounce and atom of honour due to a man of God. One of the greatest Apostles of our land ever.

For the record, I have only sat under him in meetings twice but I have read his books, listened to his messages and what I see is a man who has somehow always lived 20 to 30 years ahead of his christian generation . How come most of what he was fought for many years ago seems normal now? And I have only personally talked to Dr Mumba for 3 minutes and only ONCE but his impact in ministry burns in me through the CDs and books I have encountered. And for the record I never attended even 1 Victory Conference cause I was in the village when they used to hold. And watched a few on TV in the later years.

I do not want to wait till heaven to say thank you for all you have done for the christendom in this land. Only God will reward you but may I never be found unworthy of that which God showed you when you bodly declared ZAMBIA SHALL BE SAVED. Because every spiritually alert Christian can see that it is happening now. The kind of evangelism carried out in your time is needed now more than ever. Hats off sir. May your God find me worthy of the blessing in your life. I am not into politics but I will always reverence God’s doing in your life as a father.

I am Pastor Choolwe I HONOUR DR NEVERS SEKWILA MUMBA AS ONE OF THE GREATEST APOSTLES EVER RAISED BY GOD ALMIGHTY IN OUR COUNTRY WITH ALL MY HEART. ….petty partisan political debates aside. The world won’t succeed to make us insult servants of God who have paved the way for us.

NSM Photo Credit : Chellah Tukuta