My parents were upset when I shared my faith with them. They said, ‘Nobody can turn away from his ancestors and live!’ But I told them that God had sent His son Jesus Christ to redeem mankind and He had become my Saviour and protector. My Father replied, ‘My god and the god of my family is the one that I relate to through my ancestors.’

Over the years I kept sharing with my father how God was taking care of me, but I never understood why he would not turn to my God, too. Then a couple of years ago he was in hospital. A pastor came and prayed for him and they became friends. This pastor used a cultural practice to share Christ with my father. In my tribe when two people or two families have a serious conflict resulting in them becoming enemies, they cannot have anything in common unless a ceremony called gwo’ bvanye (which means ‘to grind and erase’) is performed to reconcile then. The ceremony entails getting some herbs and grinding them. Each of the two parties takes a small piece and eats it. After this, harmony is restored.

The pastor told my father that we are enemies with God because of our sin but God, knowing that we were unable to perform the rite that would please Him and reconcile us with Him, provided His own bvanye rite through His only Son who was crucified. Whoever wants to have a harmonious relationship with God should come under the cross of Jesus Christ to have his share of bvanye. Hearing this, my father said, ‘I accept God’s provision for reconciliation.’ A few months later, he requested baptism, saying, ‘I’ve now understood that God is not pleased with sacrifices under the trees made to the ancestors.’ He was baptized on Easter 2006 at 82 years old. God has now become our God, but we are still praying that He will become the God of our entire family.

Reflecting on my father’s journey with God, I realize that culture provides each individual with a set of lenses, through which they view the world, assess values and make choices. It is the presentation of the Gospel in a way that is culturally relevant that can lead to an understanding that provokes a change of one’s values and attitudes towards God.”