Edwin: Barnabus Chukwueke invited me to church one Saturday morning during my last year of high school in 1989. I was queuing to make a phone call at a public booth. Barnabus had come to Zimbabwe on the mission team while he was still studying the Bible. I was doubtful about attending but did so, and was blown away by the interracial gathering I saw. I struggled with honesty and insecurity during the studies, but was baptised in 1990. The rest is history.

Christine: A sister called Linda invited me to a Bible discussion in 1989. I was a working single at 19 years. The sisters lived in a household in my neighbourhood and built a friendship with me. Their warmth and love drew me to the church. Although I had grown up in a religious family, I didn’t know my Bible. I was quick to respond to the scriptures because I was amazed that no one had taught me these things before. The two aspects of my conversion which were the most difficult for me to change were to share my faith with strangers because I was very timid, and I had to forgive somebody in my past. It took me a while to change these aspects as I battled to think, feel and be like Jesus in these areas. Once I got over this hump, by God’s grace, I was happy to become a true follower of Christ and was baptised on 17 January 1990.

Edwin: My favourite scriptures are in five chapters (38-42) of the book of Job.

Christine: I have many, but I’ll quote Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV) that says, “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Edwin: It would have to be Joshua, so I could learn about obedience and humility from him. I’d love to know how he humbly walked under the mentorship of Moses while almost obscure the entire time. I wonder how he kept himself humble despite experiencing the wonders he witnessed when Moses spent time with God. These encounters shaped his character, and it would be great to learn all that from him. Joshua was a man of great obedience and he followed through God’s instructions right up to the end. His discipline and great fear of God is something that I’d love to learn.

Christine: I’d love to serve dinner to Simon Peter. I’ve always admired his resilience, and that he was so thick skinned. Jesus said in his presence, ‘Get behind me Satan.’ The Bible doesn’t even indicate he had an attitude with Jesus… what a pure heart. Plus, Jesus told him he’d betray him when the rooster crowed and Peter did exactly that. But then he was there at Pentecost ready to serve in the Kingdom. I’d ask him about another exciting event: walking on water. That must’ve been an amazing experience, until he started sinking and Jesus had to rescue him. I wonder how he felt, and what he thought in all these situations. Peter is like a rubber ball–always bouncing back. In my Christian journey sometimes I’ve not been spiritually okay, and experienced many challenges in working with people because we are all so different. I’d like to imitate Peter’s heart and keep bouncing back and move forward with a godly heart.

Edwin: Resilience.

Christine: “Togetherness”, broken down as doing things together as a family with our daughters Rumbidzai Kelly, Lisa and Laura.