Reflections from the Zambezi

Dr. Conrad Mbewe, one of the pastors of Kabwata Baptist Church early this month celebrated 30 years of pastoral ministry at Kabwata Baptist Church where I have been a member since 2004. In this blog, I reflect on Conrad Mbewe's love for the Bible, love for reading sound literature, love for the family, love for his flock, love for writing and love for Reformed Theology.  Firstly, Pastor Mbewe's love for God's word. Pastor Mbewe is committed to the reading and study of God's word. He applies the teaching of God's word to his personal and family life. He also applies what God's word says to Church Government and also to the preaching ministry. In a day when many preachers are feeding their congregations on a cocktail of personal stories, motivational talks, prosperity gospel and faith-healing, we are grateful that in Conrad Mbewe we have a pastor who is committed to the word of God in his personal life and in his preaching. Secondly, Pastor Mbewe...

Official Opening of TVET Macro-Policy Seminar at Ningbo Polytechnic in China on          12 October 2017 TVET Macro-Policy Group Photo at Ningbo Polytechnic One Belt One Road Summit in Beijing, 18 October, 2016

I've appreciated Pastor Choolwe Mwetwa's ministry both from the preaching and pastoral aspect from the late 80's. I've heard Pastor Mwetwa preaching at SU, ZAFES and in many churches. Pastor Mwetwa's preaching is unique in that he can take the most unlikely of biblical texts and make it come alive to you. He has a unique way of illustrating biblical truth that makes his preaching very clear. He has also been able to come in just handy at very critical times in our nation e.g. his sermon at the Cathedral of the Holy Crossheight of the 3rd term debate and his message on Proud to be Zambian at a Civil Society meeting. And who can forget his controversial yet very clear articles in the local media on various issues be it civil, ecclesiastical and domestic?  As a pastor, Pastor Mwetwa has always found time to shepherd his flock by regularly visiting them. At one time when his church, Central Baptist was overseeing   Trinity   Baptist   Church   in ...

Last week on Monday, 1 st May, 2017, I learned about the death of my Aunt Jessica. I had gone to visit my cousins and mother to my cousin Shingisai in Bindura in Zimbabwe. Aunt Jessica had been ill for some time and was especially sick in the last two weeks prior to her death. Though my plans during the visit had not been to visit friends and relatives in Bindura and Mutoko, the passing on of my Aunt changed all that. As I was already in Zimbabwe and as transport was available to take us to Mutoko and back, I made plans to travel for the burial of late Aunt Jessica. A team of seven travelled to Mutoko via Harare i.e. Andrew (Shingisai’s husband), Shingisai, Pedzai Revai, Christine and her son. In Harare we got Teddy (Pedzai’s husband) and we dropped off Luyando my daughter in Grange, Harare at the home of Ernest and Nyadzi Gore (where we were staying). This tribute is dedicated to Aunt Jessica, the only surviving family member in my late mum’s family. She is survived by two childre...

Whenever you are feeling lonely and the evil one accuses you madly, Whenever your springs of joy seem to run dry, Then remember Him who bore your sins gladly, And let your cries to his throne fly. "My God, my God why have you forsaken me", Christ cried. It was for our sin that God forsook Him. Christ in that instant God's presence was denied That we may never be forsaken by Him. Oh that our eyes on Christ may ever gaze, And on him our hopes be stayed, That when we stray in this earthly maze, May know that one day we shall to heaven be transported. Can I bear this glorious thought That forever​ in His presence I'll be? Let the evil one rage as he is won't I know Christ will never never forsake me. ©Gabriel Konayuma, 1989

Group Photo of Symposium Delegates Introduction In the last week of August 2016, I attended a Vocational Education and Training Development Symposium at the Namibia University of Science and Technology in Windhoek, Namibia. The Symposium organised by the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and the University of Röstock, Germany was supported by the Volkswagen (VW) Foundation. The Symposium brought together representatives from 16 countries to establish networks for increased opportunities for research and collaboration between VET practitioners. The symposium was held under the theme “ Current situation and development of further education research in Vocational Education and Training in Sub-Saharan Africa ”.   Objective of Symposium The main objective of the Symposium was to develop a framework for the establishment of a training system for Vocational Education and Training (VET) at postgraduate level in Sub-Saharan African universities. Participan...

After working on my dissertation Challenges and Enablers of eLearning Policy Implementation in Vocational Colleges in Zambia for almost 3 years at the University of Cape Town, it was time to graduate on 9th June 2016. The graduation was the biggest at UCT due to the Faculty of Humanities being the larges faculty at the varsity. I was accompanied to the graduation by my wife Judith and first born daughter Twalumba. We left Lusaka on 6 June 2016 at 09 00 hours by a Johannesburg bound bus. The bus passed through Zimbabwe where we had a taste of an overzealous cop who slapped a heavy fine on the bus driver for an imaginary fault on the bus. The back and forth negotiations set us back by 45 minutes with a further 2 hour delay on the Beitbridge border due to lengthy border formalities. It was my first time to use this border. I experienced for myself why many complain about the very lengthy border formalities.  We arrived in Johannesburg at 11 00 hrs the following day where we ...