Missionary profile – *Suleiman

Tanzanian missionary to the Middle East

Once, I was in a shop in a city in the Middle East trying to buy a Bluetooth speaker. The guy helping me get the perfect speaker asked me to try it by playing music. I’m a Gospel music singer, so I played one of my Swahili Gospel songs. He asked, “Is this a religious song?”

“Yes!” I answered.

He replied, “I feel great peace when you’re playing this song.”

We started talking about God, and I Invited him to a church service. That’s how God’s Word was planted in his heart, via a song whose lyrics he didn’t even understand. I’m a missionary in the Middle East after being a pastor in Tanzania for 21 years.

I declined when I first got the call to go there. I had never imagined myself in the Middle East doing anything, let alone working as God’s minister. But God’s plans cannot be thwarted.

I’m a pastor’s kid, and at an early stage, I knew I was supposed to serve the Lord. I didn’t want to be a pastor. My dad was very busy, almost having no time for family. I was 13 when I gave my life to Christ. God put a hunger in my heart to love Him and know Him.

I joined Mwanza Bible College. I wanted to do all of ministry, anything but pastoral work.

I joined the now-defunct ministry Helping Evangelize Lost People (HELP). We’d go to villages spreading the Gospel, singing and leading people to Christ. We did a lot of outreach in schools and villages.

Because I loved singing, I joined the Good News Band. We travelled around the world, ministering and spreading the Gospel. We used music to preach in places we would not have been allowed to proclaim the Word of God.

After a while, I felt God calling me out of the pastoral ministry. I didn’t know where to go next. Then I got a call from the Middle East from a friend who had gone to work there as an engineer. He said he was feeling God calling me to go minister there. I declined.

He said, “Pray about it.” I did not pray about it. I was not going there. He called again after a while. I started praying about it, and in October 2021, we decided we would go. We did a two-week short term ministry and felt God’s call to serve there. Seventy percent of people in that country are foreigners. It’s a beautiful mission field, not just for the Muslim population but for others as well. We also empower the believers working there to spread the Gospel. The best strategy is sharing the Gospel one-to-one. The first person to take the Gospel to that place was a doctor. It’s an excellent opportunity for business people and professionals.

#Pray:

• For my work permit visa and visa for my family.
• For God’s wisdom and guidance on how to reach out to people there.
• For protection as we serve. *Name concealed for security reasons.