Musa Masinga was embroiled in gang life but has become a family man since finding Christ.,,,
In a country where fully one third of the population are AIDS orphans, Elim mission partner Challenge Ministries Swaziland is transforming the lives of vulnerable children. Now, it is calling on Elim congregations to twin with churches in Eswatini and be the brothers and fathers they don’t have.
“By the age of seven I was addicted to drugs and alcohol. It was a way to numb the pain and keep warm at night,” says Musa Masinga.
Musa and his family had been living on the streets since he was two years old after his criminal father was killed by police.
“It was harsh. To get money we used to break into homes, beg, steal and do whatever was humanly possible for the next meal. It led my mother and sisters into prostitution,” he says.
So embroiled in gang life were Musa and his brother that when their 13-year-old sister gave birth and left her new-born with Musa, he simply handed his nephew to some women at the local market.
At this time, Elim mission partner Challenge Ministries Swaziland (CMS) was providing food for street kids in the area. “I used to partake in the meals. They were always preaching, but I didn’t listen much because I just wanted to eat and leave,” says Musa.
His life was transformed when he discovered the charity was offering homes for street children too.
“When I arrived at the men’s centre everyone was so happy to see me. They had something I didn’t have – Jesus Christ. I gave my life to Christ and since then I have been changed.”
Musa learned to read English by studying the Bible. He went on to work with YWAM, go to Bible school and lead various ministries within CMS, including the men’s centre he once lived in. He also married and become a father.
Musa’s nephew came to live in CMS’s children’s home too, and is now studying at university. “We are beyond grateful for CMS and how they took interest in and invested in a hopeless little street boy,” he says.
Musa is just one example of the hundreds of lives CMS is changing in Eswatini each year through its childcare, community development, education, rehabilitation, Bible and leadership programmes.
This work, explains CMS missions pastor Julius Steyn, began in 1997 in the aftermath of the AIDS epidemic which ravaged the country.
“There were a lot of gold mines in South Africa. Eswatini – or Swaziland as it was known then – is around four hours from the gold mining hub, so people flocked there for work.
“There was a high rate of HIV infection in the mining industry and it spread fast because polygamy is part of our culture – the men went home to up to ten wives. AIDS wiped out a generation, and 25 years down the line we are dealing with a fatherless generation.”
EXPANSION
The charity, whose tagline is ‘Transforming a Kingdom – one life at a time’, began by providing meals and clothes to street children, but quickly expanded to housing, feeding and educating orphans and vulnerable children.
“A large percentage of the nation is orphaned and we have more than 400 children in 24-hour care at CMS,” says Julius. CMS’s website describes the charity’s aim: “to give these children the best possible education, equipping them to become Christian leaders in their country” and that “the children who come through CMS care will grow up to help Eswatini overcome the HIV epidemic that has decimated the population.”
This childcare remains the mainstay of the charity, but church planting to develop poverty-stricken communities is also a growing priority.
CMS supports other community-run businesses including farms, bakeries and honey and essential oils production too.
While CMS’s church plants are transforming communities, however, their pastors are in a challenging situation, says Julius.
“This is a nation without fathers and they have no older generations to get advice from.”
So now, CMS is calling on Elim churches to help.
“We’re asking mature churches in the UK to twin with churches in Eswatini to be the prayer partners, advice givers and mentors our pastors lack. We’re not asking for money here, but for people’s time, skill and love.
“We would like churches to build transformational relationships that will last for decades.”
How would this work in practice? CMS would connect the pastors then facilitate communication between them, says Julius. “I imagine a UK pastor having a monthly connection with a pastor in Eswatini where they would share updates, prayer requests and encouragement.
“Our pastors need advice on running their businesses, ministries and family lives, or someone to be the brother and father they don’t have.”
How you can help:
Twin churches
CMS is looking for mature UK churches to twin with churches in Eswatini to support and mentor young pastors.
Prayer support
Help CMS by praying for its work and growth. Sign up for newsletters for regular updates.
Sponsor children
CMS runs a sponsorship programme to provide complete care and educa- tion for orphaned and vulnerable children.
Mission trips
CMS runs two-week mission trips each year to see and support its life- changing work in Eswatini.
For more details, visit cmswazi.org.uk
From Direction Magazine issue 242
