The Sunday Mail
Fatima Bulla —
TELEVISION personality and model, Jefferson Musererera, will today graduate as a pastor at a local church three years after the breakdown of his five-year marriage.
The 33-year-old moved to South Africa in 2006 after getting married. He said he went through a divorce that tore him to pieces but the process made his calling to ministry clearer.
“After the divorce it hit me a bit hard. I used to have blackouts, just faint while taking a shower, it really affected me. That’s when my father told me to come back home.” Muserera said.
His father is a pastor with Living Water of Life Ministries International. The divorce churned out lessons for him and the ministry that was to come.
“The episode moulded my character. Yes, in the initial stages it affected me but I got strong, I built myself up, I just said I have to take care of me now because if I keep suffering I will die young.
“My father respects how l got strong.
“It is one of the things that pushes me to work hard. A lot of people ask for my advice. I experienced it and do not encourage anyone to divorce. Even though I have gathered positives, you will never hear me saying its okay to divorce, I have to help people build, not to destroy.
“I guess the divorce opened my eyes. If you ask any man of God, they will tell you they have a scar. For me this is my scar and from that scar I have gathered courage.”
Musererera said he got a call in 2013.
“It was a new spectacle because I had never experienced such. It came through a dream of a man of God I admire, who is in Zimbabwe. He spoke to me directly saying you are going to be a great man of God, you will change the lives of young people in our nation.
“He spoke two scriptures to me — Isaiah 41: 10-16 which encourages ministry and 1 Timothy 4:12 which speaks about the youth. I believe that my calling is with the young people,” Muserera said.
As a top model par excellence, Muserera was pursuing his career in South Africa. But before he left in 2006, a prophecy hinting on the direction of his life was made.
The late Pastor Christmas prophesied that God had placed the then 23-year-old in the media as a public personality for the purpose of His kingdom.
“He said you realise that in years to come God is going to give you a calling in ministry, but He has allowed you to become famous for His kingdom. So over the years I have realised that, especially after separating from my wife.
“That’s when the call came and it didn’t make sense because I was having a difficult time. I actually said this is not God. How can God call me into ministry when I am going through such a time?” Muserera said.
Prior to his ordination in 2013, Muserera began to feel more comforable in the house of God, shedding a lot of friends and the desire for ramp modelling.
“My life has now changed. I used to go out a lot, especially in South Africa. My prayer life had changed, the way I spent time with God totally changed. This is why I then stopped ramp modelling.
“It’s been quite a lot of transformation. I do fashion modelling now, like adverts for clothing stores, magazines, and other companies. He has been nominated in four categories of the Zimbabwe Model Awards.
“My life totally changed in 2013. The things I used to see as okay were no longer okay, the conviction changed me. It was like can I be showing my six-pack on the ramp and then preach on Sunday?
“It’s the conviction that tells you it is time to hold it,” he said.
The former Glen Norah and Lord Malvern High school student is now brand ambassador for a perfume company. He landed an acting role in the local drama, Wenera. In 2017, Muserera intends to launch a gospel music album and an inter-denominational ministry focused on changing the lives of young people.
“Our generation is lost at the moment. Maybe some will say it’s economic hardships but those are just excuses. That’s one of my visions as a young pastor – to change the lives of young people.
“Even if we win one soul to Jesus per day, that would be excellent. We want to go to places and win souls,” he said.
While his hands appear full, Muserera plans to launch a program titled ‘Celebrities for Jesus’. It aims to bring together celebrities from different platforms.
“In society people admire us, young people want to be like us, are we showing the right personality, are we giving the right message?
“I will be preaching to my fellow celebrities, even if they continue singing whatever they sing, acting whatever they act, doing whatever sport they do. It’s very diverse but for them to know Jesus and be able to have events that we can go out as a team, speaking about one thing, is very important.”
Born in a family of pastors, Muserera started modelling in the year 2000. His passion for worship saw him singing in church. Even though he has established himself in modelling and television, Muserera said humility has kept him grounded.
