‘Hooked to the world’ no more
LUANSHYA, Zambia — Mathews Ndalama has returned to the Lord. And he wants everyone in the bars to know about it.
The former evangelist, who fell away from his faith about eight years ago, broke the hearts of many Christians, said Kennedy Mukuka, a preacher and longtime friend of Ndalama.
“Church members would visit his home, and he would threaten them with violence if they ever came back,” Mukuka said. “The church got tired of visiting his house but did not give up praying.”
Neither did Mukuka. After years of no contact, the minister found Ndalama, through one of his nephews, in the mining town of Luanshya. He contacted Ndalama, and the two began talking.
The fallen Christian told the minister, “If you come to Luanshya and take me to church, I will give up my useless lifestyle and return to my Lord.”
Mukuka did just that. The two men rekindled their friendship and visited two Churches of Christ in the area. Then Ndalama insisted that Mukuka accompany him to all of the bars he used to patronize.
“From this day I have decided to stop drinking beer,” Ndalama announced in the bars. “Please don’t offer me any beer, as I want to work for the Lord. The brother you are seeing with me is a preacher who used to work with me before I got hooked to the world. Now my worldly life is over.”
Mukuka said, “I have never seen anybody do such a thing, but I could not stop him.”
Some of the bars’ patrons looked at Ndalama with astonishment. Others made fun of him “because he was a well-known drunkard,” Mukuka said.
“Please pray for Mathews Ndalama,” the minister added, “so that he remains faithful to the Lord.”
The former evangelist, who fell away from his faith about eight years ago, broke the hearts of many Christians, said Kennedy Mukuka, a preacher and longtime friend of Ndalama.
“Church members would visit his home, and he would threaten them with violence if they ever came back,” Mukuka said. “The church got tired of visiting his house but did not give up praying.”
Neither did Mukuka. After years of no contact, the minister found Ndalama, through one of his nephews, in the mining town of Luanshya. He contacted Ndalama, and the two began talking.
The fallen Christian told the minister, “If you come to Luanshya and take me to church, I will give up my useless lifestyle and return to my Lord.”
Mukuka did just that. The two men rekindled their friendship and visited two Churches of Christ in the area. Then Ndalama insisted that Mukuka accompany him to all of the bars he used to patronize.
“From this day I have decided to stop drinking beer,” Ndalama announced in the bars. “Please don’t offer me any beer, as I want to work for the Lord. The brother you are seeing with me is a preacher who used to work with me before I got hooked to the world. Now my worldly life is over.”
Mukuka said, “I have never seen anybody do such a thing, but I could not stop him.”
Some of the bars’ patrons looked at Ndalama with astonishment. Others made fun of him “because he was a well-known drunkard,” Mukuka said.
“Please pray for Mathews Ndalama,” the minister added, “so that he remains faithful to the Lord.”
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