The Sunday Mail
Despite the death of his wife, Faith World Ministries leader-Bishop Bartholomew Manjoro has never been stronger. Dr Clara Apphia Manjoro, who co-founded Faith World Ministries with her husband in 1993, passed in April at the age of 68 after a short illness.Described as a giant, a pillar whose passion was seen in leading the Virtuous Women Community, Dr Manjoro was quoted saying, “My greatest desire is to see more women being used by God in the home, business, ministry and in leadership of all respectful nature.
My prayer to God is that I want to see great prophetesses and anointed women rising and declaring the word of God.”
Overseer for Faith World Ministries Harare, Pastor Edgar Chakaodza, said Bishop Manjoro had emerged from the tragedy stronger than ever before.
“He and the family have accepted what has happened and this should be a challenge to all Christians in similar situations. 2 Samuel 12:22-23 says, ‘While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him but he shall not return to me.’
“I feel the same for our bishop. He showed love and care for his wife, affectionately known as Mother General. He thought the Lord might be gracious to him that she would live, but now he has accepted that he shall go to her and she will not return to him.
“In his personal capacity he has accepted what the Lord has done, and considers its time to continue celebrating the remarkable life of his wife as a renowned prophetess and minister of the Gospel,” Pr Chakaodza said.
The couple wedded in 1974 and ministered together for over 40 years.
Pr Chakaodza went on: “He is giving us a double portion of what he used to do. More assemblies have been established in and around Harare, and more projects are underway in the church and church schools. Obviously on a personal note the gap left is that of a physical and spiritual mother, and wife.
“Ministry-wise, Mother General was undoubtedly active and gifted in the things of God.
Spiritual gifts are non- transferable but children who desire to follow in the footsteps of their mother will do so with ease through commitment and dedication.”
Pr Chakaodza said their daughter, Reverend Dr Faithful Mutibvu, and daughter-in-law Pr Dr Ruwa Manjoro, were trying to fill Dr Manjoro’s role in the ministry.
He said of Bishop Manjoro, who started ministering at age 23 in 1968, “I have known our bishop to be someone who obeys taking instructions or advice from God as opposed to man. This is evidenced by incidences in his life where through faith in his God, he sailed through unpredictable situations. His decision to marry our late mother was from God, and hence I believe considering to marry is not for him to decide, but for God to do so. At the moment he is focusing more on fulfilling things that they shared as a couple.
“Generally the congregants have been challenged by the strength Bishop Manjoro is having since Mother General departed from us. One can only believe that this is the power of God who is also the Comforter.”
Faith World Ministries was started as an interdenominational lunch-hour prayer meeting on June 10, 1993 in an office in Harare.
As numbers increased, the couple moved to a hall at Harare Polytechnic for Sunday services. Six years after the founding of the ministry, church members sponsored building of the first Pentecostal Cathedral in Zimbabwe in Belvedere, Harare.
