The testimony of Edward Sheko written by Eddie himself. I hope
you enjoy reading this as much as I did.
you enjoy reading this as much as I did.
I was born of influential Muslim parents; I was almost killed for believing in Jesus Christ in May 1982.
My grandparents were associated with Arab slave traders in Malawi.
These Arabs were Muslims. Thus my grandparents were among the pioneers
of Islamic religion in Malawi. Our village is Islamic and my family is
a Muslim family.
From the age of 7 my Uncle began preparing me intensively for
active participation in the Muslim religion, he trained me in the
principles of the Islamic faith and taught me the practices of Muslim
propagation. All of the training was based on refuting the claims of
Christianity, by pointing to assumed errors of the Bible and it’s
teachings. I was instructed that there were over 50,000 errors in the
Bible.
active participation in the Muslim religion, he trained me in the
principles of the Islamic faith and taught me the practices of Muslim
propagation. All of the training was based on refuting the claims of
Christianity, by pointing to assumed errors of the Bible and it’s
teachings. I was instructed that there were over 50,000 errors in the
Bible.
Naturally
I became so committed to the anti Christian religion. In 1976 I was
placed in the actual work. I joined the Islamic movement whose goal
was to confuse Christians, especially in their meetings. This movement
brought me into frequent contact with Christian workers, especially
freelance evangelists and consequently I became skilled in presenting
my arguments against Christianity and its book the Bible. Many
Christians became aware of my influence and began praying for me.
Though I was committed to the Islamic Faith I did the opposite of its
claims. I was doing magic, witchcraft, drinking beer, smoking,
involved in sexual immorality, fought with people, robbed and many
others. I saw these indignities as help in my aggressive approach to
Muslim propagation. It was a total (though blind) commitment.
I became so committed to the anti Christian religion. In 1976 I was
placed in the actual work. I joined the Islamic movement whose goal
was to confuse Christians, especially in their meetings. This movement
brought me into frequent contact with Christian workers, especially
freelance evangelists and consequently I became skilled in presenting
my arguments against Christianity and its book the Bible. Many
Christians became aware of my influence and began praying for me.
Though I was committed to the Islamic Faith I did the opposite of its
claims. I was doing magic, witchcraft, drinking beer, smoking,
involved in sexual immorality, fought with people, robbed and many
others. I saw these indignities as help in my aggressive approach to
Muslim propagation. It was a total (though blind) commitment.
The
turning point came in 1982. My Uncle just returned from his trip to
Mecca and I was invited to a Christian meeting. I proudly accepted and
I was ready to fire confusing questions at these Christians about their
Bible. I sat at the back row. The gospel was preached and this time I
heard it differently. It was so powerful that I began paying attention
and I miraculously moved forward and knelt in front of the preacher.
The preacher however, did not care about me, because he thought I was
there to start opposition. But, the Lord had touched me within. The
word convinced me and the Spirit convicted me. I was a rebellious
sinner. There and then my life was transformed and I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and the Lord on my life. I stopped fighting against God. The peace of God subdued my worries. How it happened is God’s mystery.
turning point came in 1982. My Uncle just returned from his trip to
Mecca and I was invited to a Christian meeting. I proudly accepted and
I was ready to fire confusing questions at these Christians about their
Bible. I sat at the back row. The gospel was preached and this time I
heard it differently. It was so powerful that I began paying attention
and I miraculously moved forward and knelt in front of the preacher.
The preacher however, did not care about me, because he thought I was
there to start opposition. But, the Lord had touched me within. The
word convinced me and the Spirit convicted me. I was a rebellious
sinner. There and then my life was transformed and I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and the Lord on my life. I stopped fighting against God. The peace of God subdued my worries. How it happened is God’s mystery.
When news of my conversion reached our Islamic village, Satan stirred the hearts of all my relatives to attack me. I
was severely beaten by my uncle to the point that I fainted. The next
three weeks I was again severely beaten and fainted three times by the
elders led by my uncle. He was the first man to beat me. He beat me
heavily with his walking stick to the point of death in his house.
He then ordered that all my clothes, schoolbooks and papers be burnt.
He also ordered to take me to the circumcision camp. I was already
circumcised but this time it was to subject me to great pain so that I
could renounce Jesus Christ, the Bible and my new found faith in
Christ. They tied my hands and my feet and with a big pole carried my
body to the camp. There I was tied upside down to a tree and I stayed
hanging there head down, five feet above the ground, for the whole
day. This was repeated for the next six days. They rubbed substances
all over my body and I was brutally beaten for three weeks, fainting
three times in the process. When my uncle saw that I was determined to die as a Christian, but never to live as a Muslim, he ordered for my release.
was severely beaten by my uncle to the point that I fainted. The next
three weeks I was again severely beaten and fainted three times by the
elders led by my uncle. He was the first man to beat me. He beat me
heavily with his walking stick to the point of death in his house.
He then ordered that all my clothes, schoolbooks and papers be burnt.
He also ordered to take me to the circumcision camp. I was already
circumcised but this time it was to subject me to great pain so that I
could renounce Jesus Christ, the Bible and my new found faith in
Christ. They tied my hands and my feet and with a big pole carried my
body to the camp. There I was tied upside down to a tree and I stayed
hanging there head down, five feet above the ground, for the whole
day. This was repeated for the next six days. They rubbed substances
all over my body and I was brutally beaten for three weeks, fainting
three times in the process. When my uncle saw that I was determined to die as a Christian, but never to live as a Muslim, he ordered for my release.
Commitment to the evangelical faith in Christ resulted in being disowned as a member of my family and my village.
I was ordered to leave the village. During this time Christian
brothers opened their homes to me. They took care of me spiritually,
physically, paying my school fees and involved me in Christian
fellowship where I was asked to share my testimony to them and other
Christians. Many were convicted and challenged. In April 1984 is when
I was baptized in a Baptist Church in water at a public testimony of my
faith.
I was ordered to leave the village. During this time Christian
brothers opened their homes to me. They took care of me spiritually,
physically, paying my school fees and involved me in Christian
fellowship where I was asked to share my testimony to them and other
Christians. Many were convicted and challenged. In April 1984 is when
I was baptized in a Baptist Church in water at a public testimony of my
faith.
I am
now serving the Lord as Pastor – Evangelist and pioneer worker among
Muslim people in my area. The majority of the people that I work among
are Muslims, the youth and prisoners in jails in the rural area. In my
ministry I hold open-air meeting, conduct door to door visitation,
distribute gospel tracts among the lost and reach many people with the
word of God through Crusades. At the Crusades many people who are sick
are being healed and delivered from the bondage of the devil. Through
prayer my goal and vision is to plant churches among the Muslim
villages and to serve the youth and prisoners in the jail. Please pray
for me that I will fulfill God’s plan to expand His kingdom. Pray for
me as they are still hunting for my life. But, God our father is still
protecting me. Romans 15:20 and Isaiah 54:17 are two verses that
really minister to me. God is always great. I praise him for he is
always faithful. I am now ready and prepared to work with those who
are ready to do the mission of reaching the unreached, church planting
and rural evangelism.
now serving the Lord as Pastor – Evangelist and pioneer worker among
Muslim people in my area. The majority of the people that I work among
are Muslims, the youth and prisoners in jails in the rural area. In my
ministry I hold open-air meeting, conduct door to door visitation,
distribute gospel tracts among the lost and reach many people with the
word of God through Crusades. At the Crusades many people who are sick
are being healed and delivered from the bondage of the devil. Through
prayer my goal and vision is to plant churches among the Muslim
villages and to serve the youth and prisoners in the jail. Please pray
for me that I will fulfill God’s plan to expand His kingdom. Pray for
me as they are still hunting for my life. But, God our father is still
protecting me. Romans 15:20 and Isaiah 54:17 are two verses that
really minister to me. God is always great. I praise him for he is
always faithful. I am now ready and prepared to work with those who
are ready to do the mission of reaching the unreached, church planting
and rural evangelism.
May God bless you as you read this testimony and pray for the expansion
of the great commission of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
In Christ – Eddie Sheko
