Africa: A Land of Healing

When the call to send missionaries to Africa came, I was certain that the Lord was calling me to serve Him in that continent.  I guess it was because it was the least things that I know of from amongst the continents and a totally different area where I know I will encounter my God everyday away from my family and the comforts of my life.

I have one challenge before going.  I have a new relationship for about 7 months and I know that my girlfriend during that time was also a gift.  And therefore I hesitated and decided on my own that the Lord can wait and Africa will just be there.

The following year, the call for me to go to Africa became stronger. I asked my dad what I will do and he replied, “My son, this has been the second time that the Lord is calling you to Africa. If you will not respond to this call, the Lord will take away the anointing that He has given you to have the privilege of becoming a missionary in Africa.  Go embrace our African brethren and share with them how Christ transformed our family and bring with you all our love for you have been prepared and filled.”

I immediately said Yes and proposed to my girlfriend.  She hesitated, but I was firm in saying that I need to do this for God and myself.  I won’t find peace if I will pass this opportunity.  With all the saving I got, I proposed and have a small house as a wedding proposal gift.

A day after my conversation with my dad and girlfriend, the unexpected happened… my dad died with a multiple heart attack on December 16 at 7am. Embraced with grief, I consulted my mom if I should still go for mission in Africa. To my surprise my mom said, “Go to Africa. It is your father’s wish to see you go on mission in that continent. Don’t worry about us, God will take good care of us here in the Philippines.” She further said, “this Christmas, we are giving our best gift to baby Jesus and that is our father.”

January 2003, I was in Johannesburg, South Africa. By the end of January, I was already based on my mission country… Zimbabwe.  I felt so much joy as I was welcomed by our community there.  I had my host family, the Te Braake family, who considered me their own. My extended family became bigger with the Kunaka, Mamutse and Chisvo families taking good care of me.  Our parish at Mabelreign led by Fr. Makaka, S.J. was always a source of inspiration to me. Everyone was just amazing and I felt so much love and comfort welcomed by everyone and even given my own African name and totem… Mudiwa (means beloved in Shona language.)  and my totem is the Cheetah.

February came and I got a call. It was winter already in Zimbabwe and the weather was 3 degrees Celsius.  My fiancée is pregnant.  Of course it was not mine! My world collapsed. I wanted to question God.  I wanted to just go home and retaliate. With anger, confusion and tears, I knelt down and went to church pouring my heart out to the Lord. “It’s okey to grief”, says Fr. Makaka, but he further said, “Look the Lord took you away from further pain. Imagine if that happened when you are already married.  You need to forgive and allow the Lord to give you a new spring time and you will know that He has the best plan in stored for you.”

Healing was easy as I basked in the love of my brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe.  They became my source of inspiration that the Lord indeed has something greater in stored for me. I went home to the Philippines that year and was able to face my fiancée and forgive her.

Losing my father just before the mission became so easy as the Lord replaced him with father figures like Bro Theo Te Braake, Bro. George Chisvo, Bro. Celestine Mamutse and Bro. Anthony Kunaka, who were all a great mentor as I embraced my love of Christ in Africa. As to having someone special, the Lord just allowed me to be whole again and await my new springtime.