Pastor Joel Mwilima (1907-1995) was the first Namibian to be ordained as pastor of the SDA in 1961. He had no formal training as a pastor and he first served as a teacher for several years. When the mission schools were closed in 1943, he and some of the other teachers remained on, preaching the gospel in their respective areas. Mwilima worked in the Kanono and Linyanti districts, while Dickson Mutabelezi worked in the Sangwali area. Mr. Davison Mubonenwa (father of the current field president) worked in the Katima Mulilo district. Mr. Mixon Fwambi worked in the Luhofu District. All of them planted local churches, raising up the congregations in each of these areas. These teachers died earlier than Mwilima, before they could be ordained as pastors in the ministry. Although they did not have the privilege of being ordained, “these men contributed a great deal in keeping the torch of the Gospel burning.” They were the original church planters of the SDA. “In all the areas where these men lived, there are today strong SDA churches.” They worked with the missionaries Willmore and, later, Cooks (Mubonenwa 1997).

The second Namibian to be ordained as pastor in the SDA (in 1969) was Libonina Lee Mubonenwa, current field president. He did a two year ministerial diploma at the Solusi College in 1963-1964. He was district pastor of the Kanono area, and Caprivi station director, and had to submit regular reports (financial and statistical) to the field office in Francistown, Botswana. By 1990, the statistics of the North East Namibia Field (Caprivi) were: 32 field churches and 55 field companies (1994 Field Directory). A “field company” is the “local company of believers” who assembles for ministry, after trained laity was involved in evangelism (soul winning).

From the beginning, the Caprivi work was under the Zambezi Mission, later the Zambezi Union. It was under the administrative supervision of the field office in Francistown, Botswana. Missionary Cooks was later stationed at the field office in Francistown. In 1972, this situation changed when Botswana urged the takeover by national leadership. In December 1975 at a Union meeting held at Solusi Mission in Zimbabwe, Caprivi was organized to form the independent northeast Namibia Field, which was directly under the Zambezi Union (not under the Botswana field).

Pastor Eric Annandale (South African) was the first field president of Caprivi, and held the post for two years (1976-1977). Pastor Mubonenwa took over as the first Namibian to become field president in Caprivi. After being field president for seven years (1978-1985) he left Caprivi for a five year period of studies at Andrews University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A. (1986-1990). After his return he was re-elected as field president in 1991. He obtained a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1989 and a Master of Arts degree in 1995. Pastor Mubonenwa was supported by a Namibian executive: Pastors Leonard Kumanina (field president 1989-1990), Bennie Mutabelezi (field treasurer), Misheck Mukubonda (B.A. Theol 1986, M.A. 1996). He was still alive and in the office when the researcher interviewed him in 1997.[1]

Gerhard Buys and Shekutaamba Nambala

Notes:

1. This story is taken from Buys & Nambala p. 135.

Bibliography

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Namibia Research Institute (www.nets.iway.na/research)

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Witbooi, H. 2002. Interview of Buys with the honourable Dr. Hendrik Witbooi, in Windhoek, on the history of Evangelists Petrus Jod and Marcus Witbooi. Dr. Witbooi is the son of Pastor Marcus Witbooi, who was a founder member of the AMEC in Namibia. At the time of the interview, Dr. Witbooi was Deputy Prime Minister in the Namibian government and leader of the AMEC (African Methodist Episcopal Church) in Namibia.

This article is reproduced, with permission, from History of the Church in Namibia, an Introduction - 1805-1990, Gamsberg Macmillan, Windhoek, Namibia, copyright © November 2003 by Dr. Gerhard Buys and Dr. Shekutaamba Nambala. All rights reserved.