ccm Cross 0027
January 14, 2012
Riverside Church
Mtwapa Kenya
ccm Cross #0027
GPS/DMS 3.9386° S, 39.7498° E
Additional Pictures Below Testimony
2931 cdd He Became the Mentor
Cyber Daily Devotion
Volume 13 Number 019
Today’s Author: Pastor Bill
Scripture: Luke 4:18
Jesus Speaks:“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed” NKJV (Emphasis added)
My name is Japheth Charo James from Mtwapa area of Mombasa, Kenya. I was the first born in my family — my father was unemployed in an area where jobs were not easy to find and spent most of his time drunk. My mother was a Mganga (witch doctor). When I was one year old my father was drinking with a group of his friends to excess. While drinking my dad ran out of money and was unable to pay his share of the bill for the liquor. His friends paid for him and then to teach him a lesson started to beat him with their fists, sticks and kick him. They beat him so badly he died. I was left alone with my mother.
When I was four years old the local Pastor, Peter Kahindi would come and take me to Sunday School and church every Sunday. My mom refused to go to church. I gave my life to Christ at this early age — unaware of the spiritual battle that was about to take place over my life.
Mom was practicing as a witch doctor and knew she needed more power. She asked her coven for help and she was told she must sacrifice her son to Satan for more power. My mom did it. When I was five years old the coven of seven came to our home and prayed the sacrificial prayer over me. There were six women and the leader was a man we call a Waganga.
Two months later I was attacked with a spirit of epilepsy. I could no longer attend Sunday School. Pastor Peter began to pray for me to be set free. One day he and another pastor came to my home and walked me through deliverance and I was set free of epilepsy. The coven and my mom were not happy about it.
Spiritual warfare is real and it was taking place all around me as my mom continued as a witch doctor — seeking more power — and Pastor Peter and others praying protection for me. At the age of ten I was once more attacked by the evil spirits and became a madman. I was rummaging through the city in a terrible state of mind and physically ill all the time. This went on for seven years until a different Pastor — James Mwangome — came and set me free of the demons who were attacking me.
I started attending Pastor James’ church and found peace and contentment and a mentor who nurtured me in the Lord. Pastor Peter grew me up in the things of the Lord and taught me to fight Satan on my own. When I was 22 years old Pastor Peter died of malaria.
It was time to stand on my own and without a proper education the best job I could find was as a security guard. I became the best security guard and did all that I did unto the Lord Jesus Christ. With my spiritual training from my mentor — Pastor Peter — I was able to participate in church leadership but needed to spend most of my time working for a living.
I tried several church leadership roles and then when I was 25 years old started a new church which is the one I pastor now. Since that time the Lord has used me to mentor other pastors helping to establish additional churches.
At the age of 26 I married my wife Francisca and for six years we could not have a child of our own. We went to doctors who tested her and found tumors that prevented us from having a baby. We prayed — and prayed — and prayed. Jesus answered. Ten months ago Francisca gave birth to our first child — a boy we named James.
In this whole process of spiritual warfare over my life it was my privilege three years ago to walk my mom through deliverance — setting her free from being a Mganga (witch doctor). Presently my mom and her new husband are on a leadership team in one of the churches I helped establish.
Today we are Riverside Ministry Church of Mtwapa, Mombasa, Kenya. Francisca and I have six children. We adopted all five of Pastor Peter’s children. They now are 14, 12, 10, 8 and 3 years old. All together with our new son James that makes a total of six children.
In just a few months I’m graduating after three years in Bible school. And I thank the Lord Jesus Christ everyday for saving my life. HE set me free to set others free from the world of darkness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. To date I’m mentoring 5 other pastors and helped establish 6 area churches.
My favorite verse in the Bible is: Philippians 1:22a
“But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ” NLT
The cross to me is a sign for everyone that through the Lord Jesus Christ there is forgiveness for our sins and deliverance form our bondages.
Prayer: Father thank you for Jesus setting Pastor Japheth Charo James free from his oppression and saving his life to work for you. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
Local lumber yard where we found our materials
Pastor Carol praying for Pastor James
and his wife Francisca
Preparations for mixing cement
Final coat of varnish has been applied and waiting for
the timber to dry before hoisting
This took three tries due to a lack of man power
Additional support helped steady the cross
“Fire in the Hole”
Bishop Cosmas and Pastor James pray for
a Holy Spirit revival at the site where
the cross stands and the new church
will be built
Pastor Bill and Pastor James
inspect applied termite control
The plaque “Giving God Glory”