In the home where I grew up, we attended church and read the Bible regularly, though our family didn’t fully grasp the concept of Christianity. Our life-altering encounter with the message of a born-again experience began in 1978, in my hometown of Masvingo in southern Zimbabwe. My mother was drawn to the faith by a radiant woman who exuded genuine joy, and her testimony of salvation and healing was compelling. Hearing it, my mother, who was dealing with numerous health problems, was moved. Traditional and modern medicine alike had failed to alleviate her pain. Seeking healing and solace, we began attending services at the Apostolic Faith Church with this woman. God healed my mother, and a few weeks later, she was born again, then sanctified, and then baptized with the Holy Spirit. I was about thirteen years old at the time, and the transformation in her life was inspiring, igniting a desire in me to get to know the Gospel better.

Since our family had been part of a different church, my father was hesitant about our involvement with the Apostolic Faith, but my mother urged us on. There, I saw young people whose lives had been remarkably transformed by salvation, and their dedication to pleasing God was evident. Although their testimonies touched me, my heart was hardened against change. It was not until June of 1981, when my mother survived a horrific car accident, that I began to reconsider. I was supposed to be in the car with my mother that day, which made me realize that God had spared my life because He wanted me to be saved.

In July 1981, I found myself in church, crying and confessing my sins with a truly repentant heart and Jesus graciously saved me. I turned away from my old sinful ways, cutting ties with my unsaved school friends. Since I was one of the first students from my school to be saved, I chose to instead spend time with older, more spiritually mature individuals from church. They encouraged me to live righteously, and my behaviour improved dramatically. They also urged me to join the church’s youth activities and to participate in street evangelistic outreaches, where I had the opportunity to tell others about the transformative power of salvation.

After high school, I attended college and then started working, eventually joining the Zimbabwe Diplomatic Service. In 1988, when I was in my early twenties, I was assigned to work in Tanzania as a diplomat. Regrettably, while living far from my church family, I also neglected to read the Bible and pray. My lack of spiritual discipline led me back to a path of sin, though I tried to hide my backslidden state from my mother and the brethren in Zimbabwe. I was living a double life that was filled with worldly pleasure but devoid of happiness.

Despite my failings, God’s conviction never left me. I also thank God for a pastor who continued to enquire about my spiritual walk and always communicated that he was praying for me.  I was too ashamed to tell him that I was no longer saved, but God’s Spirit led him as he sent me Bible verses. One of his letters quoted from Revelation 2:4-5 about those who “left thy first love,” referring to those who leave the Lord. That letter haunted me for a long time, and I knew that despite the distance between us, my pastor knew that I was not saved.

In December 1992, I returned to Zimbabwe after my diplomatic tour of duty in Tanzania and married a high school friend, Felix. We both shared a past with the Apostolic Faith Church. After our wedding, I came to the realization that sin could destroy our marriage. I made a vow to God, promising that if He would save me again, I would serve Him faithfully for the rest of my life. In October 1993, I attended a church service in Harare, Zimbabwe. With a truly repentant heart, I surrendered everything to God, and He graciously saved me again. I can hardly express the immense joy I felt, and I pledged to devote my life to God. Some months later, my husband also gave his life to the Lord.

Despite my failings, God’s conviction never left me.

In April 1994, Felix and I moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for another diplomatic assignment. Since there was no Apostolic Faith Church there, we decided to hold fellowship in our home, using materials we received from our church in Zimbabwe and the world headquarters office in Portland, Oregon. I did not want to repeat the mistakes I had made in Tanzania and I knew that sanctification would help me resist turning away from the Lord again. Our children were born in Malaysia, and the desire to raise them in a godly way also intensified my prayers for sanctification. In September of 1995, God sanctified me wholly, and later, in 1996, I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The fear of backsliding disappeared, and I was filled with a renewed vigour to testify and spread the Gospel.

Over the years, our family has faced several health scares, but God has always been our Healer. Our firstborn son, Daryl, was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at around two years old. Despite medical interventions, his condition did not improve. However, after fervent prayer and faith, God miraculously healed him at the age of nine. Even as recently as last year, I again witnessed God’s power to heal. In 2024 I became sick to the point that I could not walk, sit, or even sleep, but when I prayed, Jesus miraculously healed me.

God also helped our family in a time of great sorrow. In 2005, my world came crashing down when Daryl passed away in a car accident at the age of eleven. The comfort of the Holy Spirit and the prayer support of the saints sustained us during that dark time. Our consolation is in knowing that Daryl had confessed his faith in Jesus before his passing, and we will see him again one day.

I am grateful for the opportunity to work in several different countries as a diplomat for thirty-four years. Though at times we faced difficult and trying situations, God’s guidance was ever present. My greatest joy has been the grand opportunity to serve the Lord in those countries. He gave our family the privilege to be part of the establishment of the Apostolic Faith work in Brazil and in Aylesbury, a small town in the United Kingdom.

Today, I am profoundly grateful to God, for He has truly guided my life in wondrous ways. As I look to the future, I am eager to keep working in His vineyard, spreading the Gospel, and sharing the love of Christ with others, especially my own family. I am eternally thankful for His mercy, love, and faithfulness. I remain committed to living out the Gospel message, trusting in God’s plan for me, and staying steadfast in the journey ahead, looking forward to meeting Jesus at the end of it all.