Missionary profile – Rev. Edwin B. Fussi

Rev. Edwin B. Fussi is a Tanzanian full-time missionary, with a business background. Before going to missionary training school and starting work among an unreached group in Tanzania, he owned a small shop.

“When my family arrived in the community where we serve it was 99.9 per cent Muslim. There were many barriers to the gospel: we experienced rejection, insults and ridicule.

Our strategy was door-to-door evangelism, but the community rejected us. The youth ran when they saw us, afraid we were government spies. The mosque leaders warned others to avoid us because we would convert them to Christianity. Some people said, “You have your religion, and we have ours.” We prayed and waited on the Lord.

There were other challenges too. When our sending churches did not see results, they slowly started reducing their financial support. And some of the prayer group members left. I began to think it was better to quit – after all, I could preach and share the gospel at home, as well as running my business. But one day when I was reading my Bible, God showed me how Paul used his skills in ministry.

The Lord said to me, “You can still serve me in this village. You can overcome the barriers and challenges if you obey and use the skills I gave you.”

“Thank you, Lord. I know how to run a business. Is it possible to start a business here, and continue to reach the goals?”

With a small amount of capital, I set up a shop, where I sell solar panels and drinks. I charge phones and batteries and have a haircutting salon. After a few months, I made many friends.

The villagers stopped thinking of us as enemies. There was no electricity, but they could charge their phones or buy a small solar power system at my shop. The mosque leaders told me they wanted to buy a solar power system and they wanted me to install it. So I did this, and put Scripture verses in all the bulbs I installed.

Running a business removed many of the barriers we had faced, and helped us build a strong bridge to reach the tribes in our area.