Mlotsa, Simon

Simon Mlotsa was born at Engculwini in the Manzini area and he found the Lord there as a result of meetings held by

students. He completed his primary education at school and did some high school work by private study.

He married Mrs Victoria Mlotsa (1945-2004) in

1. She was born at Bulunga in the Manzini area. She completed her higher primary education at Manzini Nazarene School.

Feeling a call to the ministry they went to eswatini Nazarene Bible College in 1965 and both graduated with diplomas in theology in 1967. They began pastoring the following year. Mlotsa was district president of the Nazarene Youth International for eight years and district president of the Nazanene World Missionary Society for five years. Twice he was elected the Nazarene Youth International delegate from Africa Region to General Assembly in the U.S.A. In 1973 he was ordained by Dr. George Coulter.

In 1974 the Mlotsas arrived to pastor at Lugongodlwane, a small struggling church. They began keeping a cradle roll and the parents of one of the babies were won for the Lord. Later three more adults from that family were converted. Then a cradle roll baby died and Mlotsa was invited to hold the funeral. An uncle repented the following week and then the whole family came to the Lord. The Mlotsas continued to pastor at Lugongodlwane and it grew into a large strong church. [1]

In 1998 Mlotsa was elected as superintendent of the Northern District of eswatini. He retired in 2003 because of ill health and Rev. Philemon Dlamini was elected didstrict superintendent in his place.

Simon Mlotsa was called to his eternal home when a gas cylinder exploded in the house and he died after inhaling the gas.

Paul S. Dayhoff

Notes:

1. Dorothy (Davis) Cook, notes. Theodore P. Esselstyn, Cut From the African Rock: A Portrait of the Church of the Nazarene in Africa - 1974, (Kansas City, MO: Nazarene Publishing House, 1975), 54. Dr. Enoch Litswele. e-mail, July 20, 2009.

This article is reproduced, with permission, from Africa Nazarene Mosaic: Inspiring Accounts of Living Faith, first edition, copyright 2001, by Paul S. Dayhoff. All rights reserved.