By G. Bwanali "Billi" Phiri

Christ saved me when I was a wreched man born in Lusaka on November 18th 1946. I am the first born in our family. My father was a muslim while my mother was a catholic. All my brothers and sisters usually attended Catholic Church. In 1959 we moved from Zambia to Malawi and then to Rhodesia. It was during this time that I began to attend Luveve Baptist Church as a Sunday scholar in Bulawayo (Rhodesia) Zimbabwe.

A few years later, we moved to Selukwe town where I did my primary education up to standard six. In 1959 Rev. L. G. Malunga came and formed another Baptist Church in Selukwe. Later Rev. A. Kachule came and took over. One Sunday afternoon, my Pastor preached on "Goliath and Life," that day all words were directed to my soul, and on that day, I gave my life to Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. I prayed to my living Lord to forgive my sins. I was baptised in the same year.

Some years later, in 1963 we went to Malawi, my father's home. My father died while in Malawi in 1965 and his sudden death prompted us to leave Malawi for Lusaka, Zambia, my mother's homeland. While in Lusaka, I had a call to go and share Christ to the world. I saw the need in the Kafue Area to preach the message of Christ the Saviour and a new Church or fellowship was formed in the old township of Kafue. Many missionaries prayed for my work. Later one missionary, Gordon Ogden, asked me to go with him to Chelston to start new work in 1966.

In 1967, I went to Kanyama township to start another new work. In 1970, the Lord helped me to open a new work in Chawama township, Lusaka, and I was pastor for these two churches. After that I was called by our Copperbelt Baptist Churches Association and Pastor Missionary on contract for two years, from 1972 to 1974. The Churches I served were Mindolo and Kalulushi. I had just completed my seminary studies in Lusaka in 1972.

I was later called to carry out the work of Evangelism in Zambia and the nearby countries using money raised from house rents, from friends and donations so that I could be able to go and win lost souls for Jesus Christ today. I founded the World Baptist Evangelistic Association on October 25, 1975. The purpose was to go to all people everywhere and make them disciples - Matthew 28:19. I conducted rallies, open air services, revivals, pre-revival meetings, church trainign in soul winning and general evangelism in prisons.

I will continue to serve Christ in the World. Please pray for us and our ministry. I am married with seven children, four boys and three girls.

Where there is no Vision, the people perish.