I want to spend my
life mending broken people.
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I want to spend my
life removing pain.
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Lord, let my words
heal a heart that hurts.
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I want to spend my
life mending broken people.
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I want to spend my
life mending broken people.
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Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn.
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I'm JD Quinn.
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And we welcome
you to 3ABN Today.
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We have such an inspiring story.
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You're going to hear a divine
voice out of Africa today.
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You know that Jesus
said in Matthew 24:14 that
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before the end of the
world, this gospel must reach
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all the countries of the world.
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Now, does that mean we're
supposed to sit back and say,
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"Okay, church, get busy."
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No.
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Did you know, in Acts
1:8 Jesus told His disciples.
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"You shall receive
power when the Holy Spirit
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has come upon you.
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And you shall be My
witnesses in Jerusalem,
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in Judea, and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
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What was He saying?
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"I want you when you
receive the Holy Spirit,
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He's the one that will
give you the words to speak,
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to share your testimony.
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to share the good
news of salvation by grace,
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righteousness by
faith, into your neighborhood,
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into your country,
and around the world."
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God calls all of
us to be witnesses.
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And we have a
young man with us today.
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We found out, as we were
speaking before the program,
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we actually met about 8
years ago or 10 years ago
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when we were at the Sedaven
camp meeting in South Africa.
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And his name is Melusi
Lalamp... I messed it up.
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- Lalambi. - Ah, close.
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- Lalambi. - Melusi, hi.
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Tell us how you
pronounce your last name.
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Thank you so
much, JD and Shelley.
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And what a
blessing it is to be here.
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And greetings to your 3ABN
viewers from around the world.
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My name is very simple.
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If you just think of
Psalms 23, it actually means,
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"shepherd," in English.
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And the first name is, Melusi.
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Melusi. And the second
name is just three syllables.
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Lalambi.
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So I think, JD
you got it very close.
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~ Lalambi.
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~ For somebody from
Texas, it's real close.
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We got an "A" on that.
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But you had to be pretty
smart just to know how to
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spell your name
when you were a child.
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There were times I regretted
having that long surname.
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I'm sure.
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Well, we want to get
to know you a little bit,
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and then hear the story
of how God is using Melusi
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and his wife,
Vivian, how they have begun
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a ministry that is amazing.
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And before we get deep
into the story, though,
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we know you love music.
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I think we've got
our sister, Yvonne,
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going to sing for us today.
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Yvonne Shelton,
she's going to be singing,
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Wonders Never Cease.
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I heard He walked on
water and opened blinded eyes,
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the deaf were
made to hear again,
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and the dead
were called to rise.
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O, but when I
gave Him all my heart,
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a greater thing took place.
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The Lord of every miracle
redeemed me by His grace.
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Wonders never cease
as long as I believe
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and place my life
within the nail-scarred hands
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that bled for me.
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And when I think
I've seen His best,
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I stand amazed to see
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His glory never ends
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and wonders never cease.
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He still walks on water
to calm my troubled seas.
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And in the midst of thunder
I can hear Him speaking peace.
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And though some
believe His miracles
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are just part of yesterday,
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I'm living proof His changing
power will never pass away.
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And wonders never
cease as long as I believe
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and I place my life
within the nail-scarred hands
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that bled for me.
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And when I think
I've seen His best,
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I stand amazed to see
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His glory never ends.
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O, wonders never cease
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as long as I believe
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and I place my life
within the nail-scarred hands
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that bled for me.
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And when I think
I've seen His best,
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I stand amazed to see
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His glory never ends
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and wonders never cease.
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O, His glory never ends
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and wonders never cease.
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Glory to God, that
was a beautiful song.
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And we thank our
precious sister, Yvonne Shelton.
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And she's got a beautiful talent
and she uses it for the Lord.
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Well if you are just joining
us, our special guest today
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is Melusi Lalambi.
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Am I close?
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Lalambi.
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And he's actually,
we're here in a cornfield
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and he's clear across the
world in Pretoria, South Africa.
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Let me ask a
question real quick.
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When we were growing up,
as a Seventh-day Adventist
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when I grew up,
we all had a desire
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to be missionaries in Africa.
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Here, you're growing up in
Africa, did you ever have a
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desire to be a
missionary in America?
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I know that you use a
lot of English over there.
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- Okay. - That's true.
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So I mean, here we're aspiring,
I love the word, "aspire,"
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you're aspiring, you
know, to dedicate yourself
00:10:01.46\00:10:04.83
to the Lord and do His work, and
you're covering the whole world.
00:10:05.03\00:10:11.07
So let's, before you answer
that question, take us back.
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Did you grow up in
a Christian family?
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Good questions. Powerful.
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How much time do you have?
00:10:26.69\00:10:28.42
What a blessing it
is to be here really.
00:10:31.93\00:10:34.06
And just want to start by
thanking 3ABN for the privilege
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to be on 3ABN Today
and to share our life story
00:10:38.23\00:10:42.40
and perhaps a little
bit about what God is doing.
00:10:42.90\00:10:45.01
So greetings to
you JD and Shelley,
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to our viewers as well on 3ABN.
00:10:48.08\00:10:51.28
I thank you. My name is Melusi.
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Melusi means, "shepherd."
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The surname is Lalambi.
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It also means
something very important.
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"Lala," is, "hunger."
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"mbi," means, "hunger is bad."
00:11:03.46\00:11:05.83
So our African names
always mean something.
00:11:06.66\00:11:09.76
And your question
is quite profound.
00:11:09.80\00:11:13.80
I was born almost
half a millennium ago.
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1975.
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Half a millennium or a century?
00:11:22.11\00:11:25.95
Half a century. Half a century.
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I'm waiting for
the 1000 years to come.
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But anyway, yeah so
half a century ago, 1975,
00:11:31.45\00:11:36.66
in a small little village
in the country of Zimbabwe.
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The village is called, Zhombe.
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It's in the
midlands of the country.
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And I did my
primary education there.
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But it was during the
wartime, if you know Zimbabwe.
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And there was a
brutal war and we had to move
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to the big city and
the big lights of Harare.
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And so, I then grew
up in the city of Harare.
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Went through all my
education to university level,
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but left for the UK in
2003 for post-graduate studies.
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I'm in the health sector, I'm a
senior public health specialist.
00:12:11.56\00:12:14.73
But telling you about me growing
up, and the question that
00:12:15.40\00:12:18.47
JD asked about
whether I ever dreamed of
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being a missionary,
yes I definitely was named
00:12:21.24\00:12:25.04
Melusi because my parents
aspired that I would become
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perhaps a shepherd of
their cattle and goats,
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which I did for the
first 7, 9, 10 years of my life
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before I went to Harare.
00:12:37.75\00:12:39.09
Even when we came
back to the rural area
00:12:39.12\00:12:41.39
during school holidays, I
would always look after cattle.
00:12:41.59\00:12:45.26
So when I was in the
field with cattle and goats,
00:12:45.29\00:12:47.90
I was the rightful man
because my name means, shepherd.
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Okay, so whenever they
called me, they not only called
00:12:51.33\00:12:54.50
my name, but they called
what I was doing at that time.
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And I did that until
after our high school education.
00:12:58.17\00:13:02.28
And then even in my youthful
years, the Lord, I believe,
00:13:02.71\00:13:09.15
I had a covenant with Him
as I was writing my exams,
00:13:09.65\00:13:12.75
and I said, "If You
can make me pass my exams,
00:13:12.79\00:13:15.62
I will serve You."
00:13:15.96\00:13:17.33
I remember there was
another crucible we went through
00:13:17.69\00:13:20.16
when I got married,
and I remember telling God,
00:13:20.20\00:13:23.23
"If you can sort this
out for me, just tell me what
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You want to do and I'll do it."
00:13:26.03\00:13:27.57
It's been a long journey.
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I have always
aspired to be a missionary.
00:13:29.97\00:13:32.27
But here is where
perhaps I could answer you, JD.
00:13:32.31\00:13:35.51
When I was now getting
into university education,
00:13:36.11\00:13:39.31
our country's economy
was not doing very well.
00:13:39.35\00:13:41.68
So I aspired to
leave the country.
00:13:41.72\00:13:44.25
And I applied for a U.S.
visa and was denied three times.
00:13:44.29\00:13:48.06
Because in my aspiration
I wanted to come to America,
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join the Pacific
Health Education Center,
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train in home health education,
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and perhaps launch
a ministry from there.
00:13:59.73\00:14:02.10
But the Lord denied that.
00:14:02.44\00:14:04.27
It took a bit of many
years from that time until 2010,
00:14:04.54\00:14:09.24
when out of a terrible
tragedy the economy crash
00:14:10.65\00:14:15.82
of 2008 resulted
in me losing my job,
00:14:16.02\00:14:20.06
two years down
the line retrenched,
00:14:20.09\00:14:22.26
out-of-work, based
in South Africa now,
00:14:22.29\00:14:25.43
being a foreigner, and not sure
what the Lord wants me to do.
00:14:26.39\00:14:31.57
Whether I should go
back to Zimbabwe or not.
00:14:31.60\00:14:33.84
That's when this ministry called
MelVee Productions was born.
00:14:34.14\00:14:38.51
That's what we
called it back then.
00:14:38.54\00:14:40.14
And it was in a clear
meditation process and thought
00:14:40.44\00:14:45.28
that God brought me
through the realization.
00:14:45.31\00:14:48.42
Just very quickly,
and then we can move on.
00:14:48.45\00:14:50.59
So December 2010, I'm
cleaning my office as a
00:14:51.02\00:14:55.89
deputy country
director of one of the largest
00:14:55.92\00:14:58.39
public health development
organizations in Africa.
00:14:58.43\00:15:02.93
I'm coming home to a young wife.
00:15:03.47\00:15:06.53
By then I only had a son
who was about 5 years old.
00:15:07.30\00:15:11.11
And I had no job.
00:15:11.61\00:15:13.14
Come January, as others
are saying, this January 2011,
00:15:14.71\00:15:18.71
and others are saying,
"Compliments of the new year,"
00:15:18.75\00:15:20.98
"Merry Christmas,"
and "Happy New Year,"
00:15:21.02\00:15:23.22
I'm facing the most
complicated and very difficult
00:15:23.55\00:15:27.19
life decision of my career.
00:15:27.22\00:15:29.29
That's when through the
devotions I was reading,
00:15:29.62\00:15:32.53
one of them which really stood
and remain very vivid in my mind
00:15:33.09\00:15:37.03
is what Pastor Wintley Phipps
says in one of the devotionals
00:15:37.53\00:15:41.67
I read, and his statement
was, "It is often in the quiet,
00:15:41.70\00:15:45.67
personal, private,
crucibles of our lives
00:15:46.34\00:15:50.25
that God's
greatest blessings are given
00:15:50.78\00:15:56.69
and our noblest
dreams are born."
00:15:56.72\00:15:58.65
And I harnessed the
strength of that statement.
00:15:58.69\00:16:02.76
And then I went online to
look for a sermon of the pastor
00:16:03.59\00:16:08.66
who I wanted to listen to
because he has blessed me.
00:16:08.70\00:16:11.77
Couldn't find it.
00:16:11.80\00:16:13.13
I asked all his
friends and his colleagues,
00:16:13.27\00:16:16.40
"Where can I find his content?"
00:16:16.44\00:16:18.24
He was late by then.
00:16:18.27\00:16:19.97
And I couldn't find it.
00:16:20.61\00:16:21.94
And I cannot begin to
describe the feeling I had.
00:16:21.98\00:16:26.31
My heart literally sank
to discover that this pastor
00:16:26.85\00:16:31.29
with all his gifting's,
the world never knew him.
00:16:31.32\00:16:36.02
But I knew him.
00:16:36.06\00:16:37.39
And now I cannot listen to him.
00:16:37.63\00:16:39.49
It was out of that sheer sense
of loss of a pastor who had
00:16:39.53\00:16:44.23
died that something
in me was activated,
00:16:44.27\00:16:47.60
and I said, "Surely we
cannot continue losing African
00:16:47.64\00:16:51.47
ministers, and they go."
00:16:51.51\00:16:53.78
Because it's expensive for
God to raise a pastor in Africa.
00:16:53.81\00:16:57.21
Like we say, if you kill a
pastor, you've almost killed
00:16:57.71\00:17:03.89
the church because we don't
have a lot of pastors in Africa.
00:17:03.92\00:17:06.65
So that's how
the vision was born.
00:17:06.69\00:17:08.69
We lost another senior pastor
from Zambia, Dr. Matandiko,
00:17:08.99\00:17:13.16
and the same
feeling came up in me.
00:17:13.19\00:17:15.46
And that's how perhaps I
began to see that maybe this is
00:17:16.13\00:17:21.00
where God wants me to be.
00:17:21.04\00:17:22.47
I checked with a few of
our leaders here, they said,
00:17:22.50\00:17:25.37
"Definitely I think
it's a gap in Africa.
00:17:25.41\00:17:28.28
We would need
more ministries here."
00:17:28.31\00:17:30.45
So the rest is history.
00:17:30.48\00:17:32.05
I contacted our
brother at SID Media,
00:17:32.61\00:17:36.25
which is our
Division office here.
00:17:36.28\00:17:39.59
They walked me
through the baby steps,
00:17:40.02\00:17:42.32
because back then I had no
clue what a camera looks like
00:17:42.36\00:17:45.26
and to how use it,
how to do white balancing.
00:17:45.29\00:17:47.50
So that's how the
ministry then began in 2011.
00:17:47.83\00:17:52.87
Let me pause there for now.
00:17:53.30\00:17:54.70
~ Okay, so MelVee, I assume
that's for your first name
00:17:54.74\00:17:59.64
and Vivian's first name.
00:17:59.67\00:18:01.01
That's where it came.
00:18:01.04\00:18:02.38
MelVee Broadcasting,
what is the overall mission
00:18:02.41\00:18:06.78
and purpose of the ministry?
00:18:06.82\00:18:09.25
You're quite right, Shelley.
00:18:10.72\00:18:12.05
Yes, so "Mel" is my
first three letters,
00:18:12.09\00:18:14.19
and "Vee" is the name
I call my wife, Vivian.
00:18:14.22\00:18:18.86
I call her Vee.
00:18:18.89\00:18:20.23
We created that name
before we were even married.
00:18:20.46\00:18:23.87
We were courting for about 4
years; I was still a student,
00:18:25.93\00:18:30.47
she was also a student.
00:18:30.51\00:18:31.84
So we said, let's
finish school, university,
00:18:31.87\00:18:35.34
then we'll see what we can do.
00:18:35.38\00:18:36.78
So we came up with that name,
and put our names together.
00:18:36.81\00:18:39.85
We put it on our
wedding invitation.
00:18:40.25\00:18:42.45
Our aspiration was, through
us and for us and with us
00:18:43.08\00:18:49.29
God is going to do great things.
00:18:49.32\00:18:51.23
I had no clue what that was.
00:18:51.43\00:18:53.40
But we just held on to the
belief that if we can place
00:18:53.43\00:18:58.43
our relationship in God's hands,
He will use it for His glory.
00:18:58.47\00:19:02.60
Fast forward some 15 years
later, in our life and marriage
00:19:03.17\00:19:09.08
this ministry was born.
00:19:09.58\00:19:11.15
It was born out of an
aspiration to want to preserve
00:19:11.45\00:19:14.68
the heritage of the
Adventist message out of Africa.
00:19:14.72\00:19:18.42
If I were to ask you right
now to give me five names of
00:19:19.49\00:19:22.76
preachers from
Africa, you may struggle
00:19:22.79\00:19:25.13
to remember their names.
00:19:25.53\00:19:27.16
Perhaps you may remember the
ones you have interacted with
00:19:27.46\00:19:30.27
through our Division
or Conference offices.
00:19:30.30\00:19:33.03
And yet, Africa is so
endowed and so blessed
00:19:33.47\00:19:37.24
with so many preachers and
teachers who are responsible
00:19:37.27\00:19:40.98
for building the church
in Africa, but their message
00:19:41.48\00:19:44.18
is not reaching the whole world.
00:19:44.21\00:19:45.65
So our aspiration
was that out of Africa
00:19:45.98\00:19:49.22
to the rest of the world,
may we share what God is doing
00:19:50.15\00:19:54.16
in this continent.
00:19:54.19\00:19:55.52
Because if you look in the
other sectors, Africa is not
00:19:55.82\00:19:58.86
always seen in the good light.
00:19:58.89\00:20:00.60
Very few people know
about what we do in Africa.
00:20:01.06\00:20:04.63
I remember when
I landed in the UK.
00:20:04.73\00:20:06.63
One of the students I was
sharing accommodation with
00:20:06.94\00:20:09.44
from Hong Kong said,
"How did you get here?"
00:20:09.47\00:20:11.67
And I said to him,
"I was riding a lion."
00:20:13.21\00:20:15.74
~ That's good.
00:20:18.05\00:20:19.38
So very few
people know about Africa.
00:20:19.41\00:20:21.68
So our aspiration is to
capture any preacher God sends
00:20:21.72\00:20:27.76
in our lives and put
them out so that the world
00:20:27.79\00:20:32.69
may begin to also be blessed
by ministers, and preachers,
00:20:32.89\00:20:36.93
and singers, evangelists,
and teachers from Africa.
00:20:36.97\00:20:40.94
If we can just
achieve that in our lifetime,
00:20:40.97\00:20:43.97
we will be grateful to God.
00:20:44.07\00:20:45.47
~ So it sounds like you grew up
in an Adventist Christian home.
00:20:45.67\00:20:49.54
Is that correct?
00:20:49.58\00:20:50.91
Or how did God
get your attention?
00:20:51.31\00:20:54.08
Because to just leave
a career of public health
00:20:54.12\00:20:58.35
and say, "Okay,
Lord, I'm Yours."
00:20:58.55\00:21:00.69
Obviously, you had a strong
relationship with the Lord.
00:21:00.96\00:21:04.63
Yes, Adventists in my family,
I am of the third generation.
00:21:07.40\00:21:11.93
So my grandparents
were, but my grandfather
00:21:12.43\00:21:16.60
was not a
Christian most of his life.
00:21:16.64\00:21:18.77
But by the time he died,
00:21:18.81\00:21:20.14
I'm told that he
had turned to the faith.
00:21:20.78\00:21:23.45
He died before I was born.
00:21:23.48\00:21:24.81
My father definitely grew up in
the Adventist education system,
00:21:25.61\00:21:29.48
though he didn't
live a Christian life.
00:21:30.02\00:21:32.35
But he kept beating us for not
going to church on the Saturday.
00:21:32.39\00:21:37.29
He always came and
said, "Can I see your feet?"
00:21:37.33\00:21:40.30
Because I think he had
a way of know which foot
00:21:40.33\00:21:43.20
was in a shoe and
which one went to church.
00:21:43.23\00:21:45.83
So he would look
at our feet and say,
00:21:45.87\00:21:47.30
"You were playing
soccer in the streets.
00:21:47.34\00:21:48.67
You didn't go to church today."
00:21:48.70\00:21:50.04
So he would make a
big issue about it.
00:21:50.07\00:21:52.81
So I grew up in
the Adventist church.
00:21:52.84\00:21:55.28
I was baptized when I was 14.
00:21:55.31\00:21:58.58
And I went through the
youth development program
00:21:59.18\00:22:02.48
and became a
leader at some point.
00:22:02.52\00:22:04.05
So yes, I am definitely a
third-generation Adventist.
00:22:04.09\00:22:08.52
And we strongly believe,
I think when I interviewed
00:22:08.56\00:22:11.99
my father, a good
footage of the video is sharing,
00:22:12.03\00:22:14.96
two of them
have since passed on,
00:22:15.00\00:22:16.53
that one of our great
grandfathers was actually
00:22:17.37\00:22:21.74
a guide to missionaries
who came into Zimbabwe.
00:22:21.77\00:22:25.04
So I believe the
blessing of their prayers
00:22:25.77\00:22:30.31
is what I'm
harvesting today by the passion
00:22:30.35\00:22:32.98
I'm putting into the gospel.
00:22:33.01\00:22:34.42
I know there were
many prayers that were made
00:22:34.45\00:22:37.22
for me to be where I am today.
00:22:37.59\00:22:39.85
And I do feel the
weight, definitely, because
00:22:39.89\00:22:43.16
my career was on a
very high trajectory.
00:22:44.19\00:22:46.63
Even from 2011 when I
lost my job, I subsequently
00:22:46.66\00:22:50.23
got very high-paying
leadership positions.
00:22:50.27\00:22:53.57
I've worked for the
Johns Hopkins Foundation.
00:22:53.60\00:22:55.60
I've been to Baltimore.
00:22:55.64\00:22:56.97
I've worked for the World Bank.
00:22:57.27\00:22:59.27
I've been to
Washington DC a couple of times
00:22:59.67\00:23:02.38
for annual meetings.
00:23:02.41\00:23:03.75
But at that pinnacle
of my career, the decision
00:23:03.95\00:23:07.82
weighed heavily on me
because of the crucibles
00:23:07.85\00:23:10.42
manifested in my life.
00:23:10.45\00:23:12.85
That definitely told me
that this storm seems like
00:23:13.25\00:23:17.63
it's ordained of God.
00:23:17.66\00:23:19.16
~ Amen.
00:23:19.19\00:23:20.66
~ So when you began this,
this was kind of family-based.
00:23:20.86\00:23:26.17
MelVee Broadcasting,
you are online services.
00:23:26.57\00:23:30.94
So you're broadcasting
through the YouTube.
00:23:30.97\00:23:34.14
Tell us a little
about your start-up time.
00:23:34.18\00:23:37.25
So we started up in 2011.
00:23:38.98\00:23:41.52
It is fully and currently
a family-based ministry.
00:23:42.28\00:23:46.55
It's me, my wife, my children
who are currently running it.
00:23:46.99\00:23:51.66
But obviously the institutional
and strategic planning
00:23:51.93\00:23:55.26
is that it will grow to
become a global ministry
00:23:55.30\00:23:58.73
in the mode perhaps of 3ABN
00:23:58.77\00:24:01.00
or many other
global ministries we have.
00:24:01.04\00:24:04.54
But at this stage it is
a family-level ministry.
00:24:04.57\00:24:07.58
2011 we knew
nothing about YouTube.
00:24:08.11\00:24:13.28
We were only introduced to
YouTube by brothers and sisters
00:24:13.82\00:24:17.49
in the faith from the UK.
00:24:17.52\00:24:19.12
And we started recording
in our small little house,
00:24:19.65\00:24:24.79
which is where
I'm still sitting now.
00:24:24.83\00:24:26.29
We've since turned
it into a proper studio.
00:24:26.33\00:24:29.06
But we even worked out of here.
00:24:29.10\00:24:30.93
And because we are online,
we have invested quite a bit
00:24:31.67\00:24:35.50
in turning videos
into online content
00:24:35.54\00:24:41.64
that people can watch anywhere.
00:24:41.68\00:24:43.04
And that does not
need a very big studio.
00:24:43.08\00:24:46.55
You only need a small
space and good background,
00:24:46.95\00:24:49.82
good lighting and audio.
00:24:49.85\00:24:51.19
So we invested in cameras, very
expensive ones at that time.
00:24:51.22\00:24:55.69
Because remember
when it was 2010,
00:24:55.72\00:24:58.53
I was unemployed for 18 months.
00:24:59.33\00:25:02.46
But it was during that time
of 18 months that God gave us
00:25:02.50\00:25:06.23
enough resources to buy
high-quality broadcast cameras
00:25:06.27\00:25:10.87
and the equipment we needed.
00:25:10.91\00:25:12.54
And over time, we have
since built our production sets
00:25:13.14\00:25:16.51
to include switching
video cameras, and full lighting
00:25:16.54\00:25:21.62
systems, with microphones.
00:25:21.65\00:25:23.28
And the investment really was
coming from our personal pocket.
00:25:23.59\00:25:27.49
Much of which was a sacrifice
to take from the little we have
00:25:27.86\00:25:31.39
and share it
with the Lord's work
00:25:31.89\00:25:33.93
and grow the ministry as
we go, and a few well-wishers
00:25:33.96\00:25:37.93
who came along and
helped us here and there.
00:25:37.97\00:25:40.44
But largely we built it as a
family from private resources
00:25:40.64\00:25:45.17
the Lord has provide.
00:25:45.21\00:25:46.57
And at this stage, I
think we are at a point
00:25:47.18\00:25:50.18
where we have become almost
a very renowned media house,
00:25:50.21\00:25:55.58
and our aspirations are
to continue to do much more
00:25:56.05\00:26:00.99
and collaborate
perhaps with ministries
00:26:01.42\00:26:03.39
such as 3ABN and others.
00:26:03.43\00:26:05.29
Because I believe
when God calls you,
00:26:05.33\00:26:08.76
some of your blessings
are locked with other people.
00:26:09.43\00:26:12.13
~ Absolutely.
00:26:12.17\00:26:13.50
You've got to collaborate
in order to be successful.
00:26:13.84\00:26:18.11
God has not given us everything.
00:26:18.44\00:26:20.38
And so we hope to
expand and continue.
00:26:20.68\00:26:22.88
But I think the vision
was to produce high-quality
00:26:23.08\00:26:26.25
broadcast content.
00:26:26.28\00:26:27.62
And over the years we
have seen our quality improve.
00:26:27.65\00:26:31.42
We have benefited quite
a lot from friends of ours
00:26:32.02\00:26:35.09
that are running the SID
Media within this Division.
00:26:35.12\00:26:39.89
I think our first
mentor out of the woods
00:26:40.26\00:26:44.33
was the director for SID Media.
00:26:44.37\00:26:46.70
If I can mention
his name, Noel Sibanda.
00:26:46.74\00:26:49.64
I'm sure you might know him.
00:26:49.67\00:26:51.07
He's the director for media
services at our Division here.
00:26:51.51\00:26:54.64
And he's the first person I
called for technical guidance.
00:26:54.68\00:26:57.91
So as much as I had a calling,
I had to get the technical
00:26:57.95\00:27:02.32
experience to give me a guide
on how to run the ministry.
00:27:02.35\00:27:08.36
We have benefited
quite a lot from them.
00:27:08.46\00:27:10.16
~ You know, I just want to
speak to you sitting at home.
00:27:10.36\00:27:14.53
When God puts a call on
your life, He will equip you.
00:27:15.73\00:27:21.70
He will get the people
around you that you need.
00:27:21.74\00:27:26.61
What He is looking for
is not your brilliance.
00:27:26.94\00:27:31.08
I mean, if He can use
me, He can use anybody.
00:27:31.11\00:27:33.68
He's looking for
someone who will...
00:27:34.08\00:27:38.29
God wants your heart.
00:27:38.62\00:27:40.26
That's what God wants.
00:27:40.72\00:27:42.19
He wants your heart.
00:27:42.29\00:27:43.96
And when you
give Him your heart,
00:27:43.99\00:27:47.26
and He's looking around
saying, "Who shall I send?
00:27:47.73\00:27:52.13
Who will go for us?"
00:27:52.17\00:27:53.57
All you've got to do is
say, "Yes, Lord, send me."
00:27:53.60\00:27:57.84
And He will equip you.
00:27:58.14\00:28:01.21
I'm going to make a statement.
00:28:01.24\00:28:04.98
You tell me if I'm accurate.
00:28:05.01\00:28:06.78
You wouldn't trade your
situation right now since 2010
00:28:06.82\00:28:12.89
not being employed, now
working full-time for the Lord,
00:28:12.99\00:28:17.19
would you trade one
minute of these past years
00:28:17.49\00:28:23.10
since God led you
in this direction?
00:28:23.43\00:28:27.14
I wouldn't even
want to trade any of it.
00:28:28.37\00:28:31.67
And actually, if God can
use me in the manner He has
00:28:31.87\00:28:37.55
for the last 12 years
since we started in 2011,
00:28:37.75\00:28:44.42
surely He can use anybody.
00:28:44.62\00:28:47.52
Because I had no clue
how to do broadcasting.
00:28:47.56\00:28:50.69
Everything I know
today, God has taught me
00:28:51.69\00:28:56.33
through people He
brought into my life
00:28:56.53\00:28:59.30
and through collaborations
I've been able to engage in.
00:28:59.67\00:29:03.20
And even through this platform.
00:29:03.24\00:29:04.97
We are learning so much,
that our light has gone so far
00:29:05.37\00:29:08.84
around the world,
that God has been doing it.
00:29:08.91\00:29:11.95
Now I can't even explain
how even the channel grew up.
00:29:11.98\00:29:18.05
And here's the challenge.
00:29:18.75\00:29:20.92
In 2018 God
impresses me to step down
00:29:20.96\00:29:24.46
and come and do this full-time.
00:29:24.49\00:29:25.99
I didn't know
what God had in mind.
00:29:26.03\00:29:28.96
Fast forward to 2020,
the whole world is shut down.
00:29:29.40\00:29:33.70
People at home,
there's Covid around.
00:29:35.17\00:29:37.87
Did you know, Shelley and
JD, at that time we were 9 years
00:29:38.07\00:29:42.48
into our ministry, we were
at about 50,000 subscribers,
00:29:42.51\00:29:46.31
and it's as if God took the
9 years of our subscriptions
00:29:47.32\00:29:52.19
and doubled it in 10
months because of Covid.
00:29:52.65\00:29:56.59
People found us
ready with content online,
00:29:57.96\00:30:01.20
within live broadcast for
24/7, and even during the week.
00:30:01.23\00:30:05.40
And when I look at how God
seamlessly brought my call to
00:30:05.60\00:30:09.97
full-time ministry, and
the challenge the world faced,
00:30:10.01\00:30:14.31
and how right now we are
actually running out of time
00:30:14.34\00:30:19.38
and equipment and space to
support so many other churches
00:30:19.41\00:30:23.42
that require the
support that we've been giving.
00:30:23.45\00:30:25.72
And so I would not
trade the experience
00:30:26.02\00:30:29.12
and the road I've
gone through for anything.
00:30:29.16\00:30:33.19
In fact, that's why I
believe, when I look at the song
00:30:33.23\00:30:35.50
you played earlier
on, as long as I believe
00:30:35.53\00:30:38.67
and place my life in the
hands of the One who bled,
00:30:38.70\00:30:42.97
wonders never cease.
00:30:43.00\00:30:44.91
So I'm expecting much
more as the Lord leads.
00:30:45.21\00:30:49.18
~ You know, this is kind
of becoming kind of a hobby,
00:30:49.38\00:30:55.48
and looking, the Lord
says, the Bible tells us
00:30:56.89\00:31:01.06
that He sees, He
hears, He cares, He does.
00:31:01.09\00:31:06.23
And from an earlier age,
you know, that was your prayer.
00:31:07.40\00:31:12.07
And not only for yourself,
you were praying for others.
00:31:12.27\00:31:17.24
It was your
aspiration, "Lord, guide me,"
00:31:17.27\00:31:22.41
and then there you were
looking for other hands to hold
00:31:22.44\00:31:27.52
to help you.
00:31:27.55\00:31:28.88
And so that was
their aspiration.
00:31:28.92\00:31:31.29
And so as you sit back, and you,
"How does God really fit in?
00:31:31.32\00:31:35.92
Does God really hear us?"
00:31:35.96\00:31:39.29
~ Absolutely.
00:31:39.33\00:31:40.66
In fact, here is the
test of what God did for us.
00:31:40.70\00:31:45.27
So we set up this channel
after many months of not knowing
00:31:45.30\00:31:48.57
how we were going to
figure out use of this content.
00:31:48.60\00:31:52.11
We had been
recording for like four months.
00:31:52.14\00:31:54.58
We had tons and tons and
gigs and gigs of content.
00:31:54.61\00:31:57.98
Then God sets
up another channel,
00:31:58.01\00:31:59.78
we used to call it Isambulo.
00:31:59.81\00:32:01.38
It means, revelation.
00:32:01.42\00:32:02.95
Isambulo TV.
00:32:02.98\00:32:04.85
They have no content.
00:32:05.35\00:32:06.69
But we were sitting on
what God had already provided.
00:32:06.72\00:32:09.26
When they started, our content
was ready to share with them.
00:32:09.46\00:32:14.30
And also when you
look at how God has led us
00:32:14.96\00:32:20.64
in the last decade or so,
it's been full of miracles,
00:32:20.67\00:32:26.27
it's been full of signs,
it's been full of wonders.
00:32:26.31\00:32:29.91
And I have no idea how I
can explain how we've reached
00:32:30.38\00:32:34.32
145,000 subscribers on YouTube.
00:32:34.35\00:32:37.52
I can't explain to you
how we've been able to...
00:32:38.25\00:32:41.06
Melusi, that is your
subscribers, but you are
00:32:42.32\00:32:45.93
reaching even a greater group
of people who don't subscribe.
00:32:45.96\00:32:50.63
- Absolutely. - Okay.
00:32:50.67\00:32:52.00
Absolutely. In fact,
when we look at the viewers
00:32:52.03\00:32:54.87
who are subscribed and the
viewers who are not subscribed,
00:32:54.90\00:32:58.07
we are almost
25% more and greater
00:32:58.44\00:33:03.31
on the non-subscribed members.
00:33:03.35\00:33:06.01
Just to give you a testimony.
00:33:06.05\00:33:07.38
So I go to a meeting of
some assignment I was doing
00:33:07.42\00:33:11.19
for one of the
organizations here.
00:33:11.22\00:33:13.89
So I'm meeting people
who are not in the faith.
00:33:13.92\00:33:16.06
So I'm greeting them, and
I'm like, "Long time, no see."
00:33:16.09\00:33:19.53
And this professional lady
who is not of our faith said,
00:33:20.40\00:33:23.47
"Ah, what do you
mean, long time, no see.
00:33:23.50\00:33:25.47
We watch you every day."
00:33:25.50\00:33:27.07
And I was like...
00:33:28.97\00:33:30.31
And it was not one
person, it was a number.
00:33:30.34\00:33:32.81
The other one says, "Hey,
you're not a stranger here.
00:33:32.84\00:33:36.34
I watched your prayer meeting
00:33:36.38\00:33:37.91
when you were
live two weeks ago."
00:33:37.95\00:33:39.55
And I'm like, wow.
00:33:39.58\00:33:40.95
~ I know it's amazing.
00:33:40.98\00:33:42.62
So God is reaching
His people through us,
00:33:42.65\00:33:45.62
and we are amazed
by what He is doing.
00:33:45.65\00:33:48.02
And that's why we
feel that as a family
00:33:48.06\00:33:50.79
we want to share the
gospel of Jesus Christ
00:33:50.99\00:33:53.36
out of Africa to
the ends of the world
00:33:53.40\00:33:56.60
and use the mediums that God
has provided for us to do that.
00:33:56.80\00:34:00.57
~ Okay, I know that you
collaborate with other churches
00:34:00.60\00:34:04.34
and organizations.
00:34:04.37\00:34:05.71
Would this be a good
time, we'd like to introduce
00:34:05.74\00:34:09.14
his family to you and
give you a few pictures.
00:34:09.18\00:34:11.91
This would be a good time.
00:34:11.95\00:34:13.31
Let's run through
those pictures right now.
00:34:13.35\00:34:16.18
This is your family.
00:34:16.22\00:34:17.69
You have six children.
00:34:17.72\00:34:20.36
A pair of twins in there, a
boy and a girl; fraternal twins.
00:34:20.39\00:34:24.69
Yes, so we lost my
sister-in-law, my wife's elder
00:34:24.73\00:34:29.26
sister, when her
kids were very young.
00:34:29.30\00:34:32.07
So we just raised them.
00:34:32.67\00:34:34.04
In Africa, we don't
adopt. We are one big family.
00:34:34.07\00:34:36.81
I think adoption is
more of a western concept.
00:34:37.37\00:34:39.87
So in our community of
state, if a relative dies,
00:34:39.91\00:34:43.45
you just take the
children you can keep.
00:34:43.48\00:34:45.88
We became parents
before we had our own children.
00:34:46.08\00:34:50.59
So you'll see on the
left side in the back,
00:34:50.79\00:34:53.42
the boy who is carrying
that little girl, that's Andrew.
00:34:53.46\00:34:57.66
He is now trained and
become a production manager.
00:34:57.69\00:35:00.90
He's trained in media with a
degree in media and management.
00:35:00.93\00:35:03.87
So he is doing most of
our operations management.
00:35:03.90\00:35:06.67
He has a sister
who is older than him.
00:35:06.90\00:35:09.67
And then our four
biological children,
00:35:10.14\00:35:12.74
you see them on that screen.
00:35:12.77\00:35:14.14
The twins are
flanking the picture.
00:35:14.18\00:35:15.88
That's Claire on the
right in the striped dress,
00:35:15.91\00:35:19.01
and that's Ryan on the left.
00:35:19.05\00:35:20.78
This is a little
bit of an older picture.
00:35:20.82\00:35:22.62
You can see Wayne, our first
born, in that t-shirt written,
00:35:22.92\00:35:27.06
"Relay," on my
left in the picture,
00:35:27.09\00:35:29.39
but our right, second right.
00:35:29.42\00:35:31.29
This picture, why I'm
sharing it with you is that...
00:35:31.93\00:35:35.63
It was taken
some years ago, 2014.
00:35:35.66\00:35:39.93
Just an old picture.
00:35:39.97\00:35:41.60
Most of these guys, if I show
you now, they are much grown,
00:35:41.64\00:35:44.74
they're bigger, they're
taller than me actually.
00:35:44.77\00:35:47.01
I'm sharing that with you
because it's a picture we took
00:35:47.71\00:35:50.98
during the
recording of a testimony
00:35:51.01\00:35:53.72
by Hope Channel Africa.
00:35:53.75\00:35:56.12
They profiled me as a
father running a ministry
00:35:56.15\00:35:58.95
and what it means.
00:35:58.99\00:36:00.32
And they shared that with Hope
Channel, I think it was Europe.
00:36:00.52\00:36:04.13
It circles a very special moment
in our lives where our story
00:36:04.49\00:36:08.00
began to be watched in Europe.
00:36:08.03\00:36:10.07
And today we are on 3ABN.
00:36:10.10\00:36:12.30
And like I mentioned, it's
a divine voice out of Africa.
00:36:12.50\00:36:16.71
So God is confirming today,
and many other times before,
00:36:16.74\00:36:21.31
that the testimony of
this ministry is that it is
00:36:21.51\00:36:25.01
going around the
world and God has done what
00:36:25.05\00:36:28.75
He could do to get us there.
00:36:28.78\00:36:30.59
And no man can stop it
because it's His vision.
00:36:30.62\00:36:33.42
Though it's our story,
but it's His mission as well.
00:36:34.22\00:36:37.63
~Yes, amen. Okay.
00:36:37.66\00:36:38.99
~ And now we have a
picture of, this is your...
00:36:39.03\00:36:44.03
~ So we designed that cover
picture with our ministry name.
00:36:44.27\00:36:50.11
You can see it on
the right in the model,
00:36:50.14\00:36:52.31
which is really
the driving force.
00:36:52.74\00:36:54.91
We decided to choose a picture
of the planet with the sun
00:36:55.11\00:36:58.48
rising, but also with
the many waters that you are
00:36:58.51\00:37:03.39
seeing below there, because we
know from the Book of Revelation
00:37:03.42\00:37:07.66
the many waters are nations,
and kindreds, and tongues,
00:37:07.69\00:37:11.76
and that this gospel is to go
to all the corners of the world
00:37:11.79\00:37:16.33
before the end comes.
00:37:16.36\00:37:18.40
And so when I look at that
picture, I'm always reminded
00:37:18.63\00:37:22.47
of our vision and our mission
and what God called us to do.
00:37:22.50\00:37:25.91
There are so many
things we could do,
00:37:25.94\00:37:28.14
but at the end of the
day what matters is giving
00:37:28.18\00:37:32.35
the world Jesus, giving them
an opportunity to choose Him,
00:37:32.38\00:37:36.75
and helping them to grow in
their relationship with Christ.
00:37:37.49\00:37:40.66
And that we want to do it to all
nations and kindreds and tongues
00:37:40.69\00:37:44.49
out of Africa using the
technology that God has given.
00:37:44.53\00:37:48.26
And it's amazing.
00:37:48.30\00:37:49.63
So JD, one of our, what
you're seeing right there,
00:37:49.86\00:37:52.63
that's my lovely
wife, Vivian, and myself.
00:37:52.67\00:37:57.74
It was during one of our live
broadcasts during the lockdowns.
00:37:57.77\00:38:01.14
So just turn our cameras on,
go live and interact with people
00:38:01.18\00:38:06.28
from around the world.
00:38:06.31\00:38:07.68
And it's been a blessing to
do this together as a family.
00:38:08.18\00:38:12.89
I don't believe God would
have done much with me alone.
00:38:12.99\00:38:18.73
I actually believe Vivian is
so gifted in the other areas of
00:38:19.89\00:38:25.60
ministry that have complimented
this ministry perfectly.
00:38:25.63\00:38:28.20
You would remember, JD
and Shelley, that Jesus says,
00:38:28.24\00:38:30.97
"Man shall not
live by bread alone,
00:38:31.01\00:38:33.41
but by every word that
comes from the mouth of God."
00:38:34.01\00:38:37.71
We believe our ministry is
blessed because with the cooking
00:38:37.75\00:38:41.15
gift and talent that Vivian has,
and the ministry we're doing
00:38:41.18\00:38:46.05
on the video side,
we are actually capable
00:38:46.09\00:38:48.69
to feed the world spiritually
and physically as well.
00:38:49.46\00:38:54.73
So it's a blessing
to minister together
00:38:54.83\00:38:57.03
in those particular areas.
00:38:57.07\00:38:58.63
~ Okay, we have a
couple more pictures.
00:38:58.67\00:39:01.00
This is historic.
00:39:01.40\00:39:03.07
Many people may not see it,
but let me give you the story
00:39:03.10\00:39:05.91
behind the picture.
00:39:05.94\00:39:07.28
In 2016 to 2019,
God did a wonder,
00:39:08.31\00:39:15.48
in that the Conference
in South Africa called
00:39:15.52\00:39:18.12
Trans-Orange
Conference were looking for a
00:39:18.15\00:39:21.22
communications director, the
second one to take that office.
00:39:21.26\00:39:24.26
They couldn't find
someone until the president of
00:39:25.36\00:39:28.56
the Conference then,
which was Dr. Paulus Shongwe,
00:39:28.60\00:39:32.73
recommended that the Conference
considers me to be the
00:39:33.03\00:39:36.24
communications director.
00:39:36.27\00:39:37.61
Now I am not a
pastor by training.
00:39:37.64\00:39:41.01
I am just an ordinary, the
highest level of recognition
00:39:41.31\00:39:45.38
perhaps you could say, or
the lest, is being an elder
00:39:45.41\00:39:48.88
in the church.
00:39:48.92\00:39:50.25
So the Conference appointed me
to be a communications director.
00:39:50.29\00:39:53.02
So I became responsible
for generating content,
00:39:53.05\00:39:56.29
doing all the PR for the
Conference, for three years.
00:39:56.32\00:39:59.73
So that picture was taken in one
of our events in Pretoria here
00:39:59.76\00:40:04.23
where the Conference was holding
it's Sabbath, the big Sabbath.
00:40:04.27\00:40:09.00
And often when we do this
production, behind-the-scenes,
00:40:09.34\00:40:13.74
I think you saw another
picture that flashed there,
00:40:13.78\00:40:16.14
Vivian is doing the
mixing when she's free.
00:40:16.54\00:40:19.21
If not, it will be our sons
that will be doing the mixing,
00:40:19.51\00:40:23.35
and the live
streaming, and the broadcast
00:40:23.39\00:40:25.39
on our YouTube channel, or
wherever we are connected to.
00:40:25.42\00:40:30.09
Now just to go back
to the question you asked
00:40:30.59\00:40:33.80
around
collaborations with others.
00:40:33.83\00:40:36.67
During the lockdown,
churches couldn't meet.
00:40:37.83\00:40:42.67
And many of them
struggled to connect online
00:40:42.70\00:40:46.11
and have the systems to
take them to the airwaves.
00:40:46.14\00:40:49.88
And so many of them called us.
00:40:50.75\00:40:52.58
We said we're able to support
churches, to conduct training
00:40:52.61\00:40:55.98
for their communications people,
and to support them on how
00:40:56.02\00:41:00.66
and what kind of gear
to buy, and how to set up
00:41:00.69\00:41:03.26
and how to do live streaming.
00:41:03.29\00:41:04.63
And so word went around,
and I think one of the bigger
00:41:05.26\00:41:08.40
congregations here, I'm
sure you might know them,
00:41:08.43\00:41:10.83
Sandton
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:41:11.13\00:41:13.84
they're one of the largest
congregations here in our
00:41:14.04\00:41:17.87
territory, the pastor gave me
a call during lockdown in 2021
00:41:17.91\00:41:22.24
and said, "Would you be
able to help us to do this thing
00:41:22.28\00:41:25.41
that you're doing around?"
00:41:25.45\00:41:26.85
I said, "Absolutely."
00:41:27.05\00:41:28.38
Every Sabbath day we have been
driving to Sandton SDA Church
00:41:29.58\00:41:34.32
and conducting their live
streaming as MelVee Broadcasting
00:41:34.36\00:41:38.13
Network in collaboration
with their young media team.
00:41:38.16\00:41:41.90
You can watch those online,
those who are able to Google
00:41:42.00\00:41:45.30
YouTube Sandton SDA Church.
00:41:45.33\00:41:47.27
And we have also collaborated
with a number of other churches
00:41:47.57\00:41:50.64
in East Africa; that's Kenya.
00:41:50.67\00:41:53.17
In fact, in the
whole continent of Africa,
00:41:53.74\00:41:56.58
outside South Africa, in
Kenya we have the second-largest
00:41:56.61\00:42:01.38
best of our viewership.
00:42:01.42\00:42:02.75
So we have many
churches that have contacted us,
00:42:02.78\00:42:04.92
we have preached
there, we have trained there,
00:42:04.95\00:42:07.76
and we have covered
some of their speakers.
00:42:07.79\00:42:09.92
So collaboration is key for us.
00:42:10.19\00:42:12.76
I don't think God
has given us everything.
00:42:12.79\00:42:15.13
In fact, I
remember early in our days
00:42:15.66\00:42:18.07
we didn't have a
fast internet at our home.
00:42:18.10\00:42:20.40
So I would edit my videos and
then go to the Division office
00:42:20.77\00:42:25.81
with the communications
and IT team, and they helped
00:42:25.84\00:42:30.41
us with the uploads.
00:42:30.45\00:42:31.78
So some of the videos
that were produced as MelVee
00:42:31.81\00:42:34.18
were uploaded
through the Division office.
00:42:34.22\00:42:37.85
Even the Conferences, when
we travel around the region
00:42:37.89\00:42:40.26
in our area, they help us a
lot because they watch MelVee,
00:42:40.29\00:42:44.29
they know who we are,
and they open their doors.
00:42:44.33\00:42:47.00
And it's been a fantastic
experience to work within
00:42:47.03\00:42:50.43
the church and support the
work that the church is doing.
00:42:50.47\00:42:52.93
But also reaching
out to the whole world.
00:42:53.40\00:42:55.50
~ It is so exciting.
00:42:56.91\00:42:58.64
And I know you have a
number of initiatives.
00:42:58.67\00:43:00.38
We've just got about
eight minutes left here.
00:43:00.41\00:43:03.14
I want to get, you
have a marriage initiative.
00:43:03.18\00:43:06.85
You have, tell us
about that real quickly.
00:43:06.88\00:43:10.02
Yeah, so marriage obviously
is because our ministry
00:43:11.25\00:43:15.19
is built around marriage.
00:43:15.22\00:43:16.56
And we have faced a
ton of our crucibles
00:43:16.73\00:43:20.36
that have helped us
to perhaps by God's grace
00:43:21.06\00:43:24.87
to keep standing and see
the value of our marriage
00:43:24.90\00:43:28.70
and how God has
called us to help.
00:43:28.74\00:43:31.07
But unfortunately, Shelley
and JD, one of the greatest
00:43:31.11\00:43:36.01
epidemics we are seeing
in South Africa and globally
00:43:36.04\00:43:39.08
is the attack on the family.
00:43:39.41\00:43:41.15
~ Amen.
00:43:41.18\00:43:42.52
So naturally we felt we
cannot do ministry unless we can
00:43:42.55\00:43:46.05
help people on how to
establish, and how to maintain,
00:43:46.09\00:43:50.53
and how to grow
their relationships.
00:43:50.56\00:43:53.33
Because the Vivian I'm
married to now is not the same
00:43:53.36\00:43:57.07
Vivian, I married 23 years ago.
00:43:57.10\00:43:59.93
We are evolving, we
are changing over time,
00:44:00.24\00:44:02.50
and our needs are
changing over time.
00:44:02.54\00:44:04.41
So that's a ministry we adopted,
00:44:04.64\00:44:06.27
and we say we're going to
have to do a full package.
00:44:06.31\00:44:08.54
It's still a
growing institution.
00:44:08.58\00:44:10.35
But we are grateful to God that
00:44:11.01\00:44:12.45
God enabled us in 2019 to
add that aspect of our ministry.
00:44:12.48\00:44:17.02
We have other programs
we run as flagship programs.
00:44:17.29\00:44:20.46
And again, we've benchmarked
some of these on 3ABN.
00:44:20.49\00:44:23.36
We have a weekly
Sabbath school lesson.
00:44:23.76\00:44:26.70
It's a shorter version.
00:44:27.56\00:44:29.06
I think 3ABN
does it for one hour.
00:44:29.10\00:44:31.17
We do a 30 minute
Sabbath school discussion.
00:44:31.20\00:44:35.00
We've been doing it
for the past 7 years.
00:44:35.04\00:44:37.74
And we do have also
recently we launched in 2018
00:44:38.61\00:44:42.84
when we started full-time
what we call MelVee Gospel
00:44:42.88\00:44:48.18
Conventions. But they
were disrupted by Covid, so we
00:44:49.12\00:44:53.19
resumed in 2022. And ideally,
it's to run high level, kind of
00:44:53.59\00:44:57.46
like your 3ABN camp meetings,
00:44:57.49\00:44:59.13
get high-quality speakers,
but we do it on a Sabbath day,
00:44:59.59\00:45:03.77
and get high quality
messages that we can then
00:45:03.80\00:45:06.57
repurpose and use
to broadcast later on.
00:45:06.60\00:45:09.14
So conventions are
another area we're trying
00:45:09.17\00:45:11.44
to grow our ministry.
00:45:11.47\00:45:13.84
We also have music.
00:45:14.18\00:45:15.81
We definitely want to build
a lot of archives of musicians
00:45:16.61\00:45:20.78
out of Africa that can then
speak and teach through music.
00:45:20.82\00:45:24.69
We are aspiring to
do a children's program.
00:45:24.99\00:45:27.96
But that's a specialized one.
00:45:27.99\00:45:29.32
I'm not going to jump
onto it until I know clearly
00:45:29.36\00:45:32.39
how the Lord wants us to do it.
00:45:32.43\00:45:35.26
But I've been
surprised and blown away when
00:45:35.30\00:45:38.57
parents send to me
clips of their young children
00:45:38.60\00:45:42.34
watching MelVee
Broadcasting Network.
00:45:42.64\00:45:44.71
And the parents are saying,
"They are loving your content.
00:45:44.74\00:45:47.01
I wish you could just
do content for children."
00:45:47.04\00:45:49.74
But perhaps in the
future we will do that.
00:45:49.78\00:45:52.48
We also have special
broadcasts that we're doing.
00:45:52.68\00:45:56.75
So our children at
MelVee, all my children,
00:45:56.79\00:46:01.76
they got together,
organized themselves,
00:46:01.79\00:46:03.99
or maybe I did get
them to organize themselves,
00:46:04.03\00:46:06.93
to start running episodes that
are targeting young children.
00:46:08.33\00:46:11.90
Actually
teenagers, to be specific.
00:46:12.23\00:46:14.50
So they create a broadcast
content that then showcases
00:46:14.54\00:46:20.18
some of the topics and
the issues they deal with.
00:46:20.68\00:46:22.98
So it's quite a broad
bouquet of programs that we do.
00:46:23.01\00:46:27.08
And I think as God leads
us, we create these programs
00:46:27.12\00:46:31.05
for the audiences that the
Lord has identified for us.
00:46:31.69\00:46:35.69
It's a growing
portfolio, but we're expanding.
00:46:35.72\00:46:38.53
~ There is no limit
to what can be done.
00:46:38.56\00:46:41.96
I want to say something.
00:46:42.00\00:46:43.47
Before we began this
program, I asked Melusi,
00:46:43.77\00:46:48.07
"What is your objective today?
00:46:48.10\00:46:50.37
What do you want to accomplish?"
00:46:50.41\00:46:52.37
And he said, "I
want to glorify God.
00:46:52.67\00:46:56.24
And if I can just
inspire one other person
00:46:56.28\00:47:00.48
to follow the Lord's
lead when He asks you."
00:47:00.52\00:47:05.55
But in all of this,
we have talked about
00:47:05.59\00:47:10.36
many of the blessings.
00:47:10.46\00:47:12.59
Tell me about the role
of prayer, and how this has
00:47:13.36\00:47:17.37
helped you grow spiritually.
00:47:17.40\00:47:19.07
We've only got like four
minutes, but I also want to
00:47:19.10\00:47:22.20
know what are the challenges?
00:47:22.24\00:47:24.11
Because we don't want to
just paint the picture that,
00:47:24.14\00:47:26.94
oh you raised your hand
and said, "Here am I, Lord."
00:47:27.04\00:47:30.68
and then it's all hunky-dory.
00:47:30.71\00:47:32.38
Tell us some of that.
00:47:32.41\00:47:33.92
Prayer has been the
life blood of this ministry.
00:47:34.85\00:47:38.15
I think, like Jesus said,
we must pray without ceasing.
00:47:38.82\00:47:41.92
The situations God
has brought us through
00:47:41.96\00:47:44.63
and the challenges
we faced demanded that
00:47:45.03\00:47:48.66
we not only pray, but fast.
00:47:48.70\00:47:50.60
And we've ultimately integrated
prayer into our ministry.
00:47:50.63\00:47:55.30
So every Saturday night at
8:00 pm central African time,
00:47:55.34\00:47:59.44
we are praying
with the whole world
00:47:59.47\00:48:00.88
and ministering
to others as well.
00:48:00.91\00:48:03.08
And it's been a blessing
to know that our home has
00:48:03.11\00:48:06.41
become a broadcast center
and place where the gospel of
00:48:06.45\00:48:09.38
the kingdom of
Jesus Christ is preached
00:48:09.42\00:48:11.65
to the ends of the
world, and that He's using us
00:48:11.69\00:48:14.49
to contribute to the spreading
of the message of the cross.
00:48:14.92\00:48:19.29
And there's no better
blessing than to know that
00:48:19.33\00:48:23.63
God has commissioned you.
00:48:23.67\00:48:25.13
It is so humbling,
it is so ennobling.
00:48:25.70\00:48:29.84
You walk into a place
where you don't think you know
00:48:30.87\00:48:33.11
anybody there, but
they can identify you
00:48:33.14\00:48:35.21
and they can see you as
that person who has helped them.
00:48:35.24\00:48:38.45
Getting phone calls of
people whose lives have been
00:48:38.91\00:48:42.25
transformed by the
videos we share, it's amazing.
00:48:42.28\00:48:45.29
But it's been challenging.
00:48:45.89\00:48:47.22
In Africa, I think
internet is very slow.
00:48:47.56\00:48:50.19
Funding is a huge gap.
00:48:50.59\00:48:52.49
Our equipment gets older.
00:48:52.79\00:48:54.76
We need to replenish
it, and it's very expensive.
00:48:54.80\00:48:57.47
The spiritual attacks have
been terrible on our marriage,
00:48:58.27\00:49:01.10
our children.
00:49:01.14\00:49:02.47
We can see the devil fighting
every ounce of this ministry.
00:49:02.50\00:49:06.51
Every turn of our broadcast
has been met with challenges.
00:49:06.54\00:49:09.94
And we have taken it to
mean God is actually leading us.
00:49:09.98\00:49:13.08
And therefore, we're just
going to have to keep going.
00:49:13.11\00:49:16.32
The challenges won't stop us.
00:49:16.35\00:49:18.79
And we thank God
that in all of them,
00:49:19.12\00:49:22.09
He has led us through
and He has provided for us.
00:49:22.46\00:49:26.39
And we will do whatever we can.
00:49:26.70\00:49:28.46
One thing I've resolved is
that I'll never meet with Paul
00:49:28.50\00:49:32.17
and not have a
testimony to share.
00:49:32.63\00:49:34.34
I'm going to have to get
him to sit down and listen
00:49:34.37\00:49:37.47
to how we left our
homes without going,
00:49:37.51\00:49:40.21
we arrived without leaving.
00:49:40.24\00:49:42.18
We used this
thing called, internet.
00:49:42.21\00:49:44.08
I didn't need to
have a shipwreck at Malta.
00:49:44.38\00:49:46.92
God provided us a new way.
00:49:47.12\00:49:49.18
I'm going to have to
teach Paul what it means to
00:49:49.22\00:49:51.15
do broadcasting.
00:49:51.19\00:49:52.52
So it's been
challenging, but we're grateful
00:49:52.55\00:49:55.32
for how God has led us. Amen.
00:49:55.36\00:49:57.13
Well you know, I have to
just tell you at home that
00:49:57.16\00:49:59.49
there are some
wonderful pastors and speakers
00:49:59.53\00:50:02.73
coming out of Africa.
00:50:02.76\00:50:04.30
And the main way you can
reach them is just to go to
00:50:04.33\00:50:08.17
YouTube, type in,
MelVee Broadcasting Network,
00:50:08.20\00:50:16.61
and you can watch
some great sermons.
00:50:16.64\00:50:19.58
But also, you can get in touch
with them through their website.
00:50:19.61\00:50:23.65
We're going to put up
their information right now
00:50:23.69\00:50:26.96
on the address roll.
00:50:26.99\00:50:29.92
If you'd like to get
in touch or email Melusi,
00:50:29.96\00:50:33.96
I'm sure that
he's a praying man.
00:50:34.00\00:50:36.87
And if you feel like God
is tugging on your heart,
00:50:36.90\00:50:39.97
and you're saying, "Yes,
Lord, I want to do something.
00:50:40.07\00:50:43.97
What can I do?" there's
so many opportunities today.
00:50:44.01\00:50:48.28
You don't have to be an expert
at anything to get started.
00:50:48.31\00:50:54.35
So we're going to
come back in just a moment
00:50:54.45\00:50:57.15
for a final thought from Melusi,
but here is the information
00:50:57.19\00:51:01.52
on how you can
get in touch with him.
00:51:01.56\00:51:03.56
If you would like to
contact or know more about
00:51:06.49\00:51:08.56
MelVee Broadcasting Network...
00:51:08.60\00:51:10.50