The Good Samaritan Coach

This testimony that occurred just this past week, shows how God turns a bad situation into a tremendous blessing – all in God’s timing.

On the first day, Thursday February 15, Frank Chewe, our FC Grace Zambia Instructor was returning home to Lusaka after holding FC Grace conferences in the Northern Province. He was less than a day’s travel from Lusaka, when he asked the driver he hired to stop for a bathroom break. When Frank returned, the driver and car were gone. Also gone were his passport, wallet, money, clothes, everything but the phone in his hands. He immediately called Bob to see if it was possible to get money to return home. Bob sent money but there was an unexpected delay in delivering the funds. Bob told Frank that he would have to wait as there were no other alternatives, so they prayed. Bob told Frank that God had a reason for this delay, there is someone he is to meet or minister to. That night, Frank fell asleep under a tree.

The next morning a man awoke Frank and asked, “What are you doing here, are you ok?” Frank explained his circumstance, and the man introduced himself as Mwala Mulange (pictured above), and invited him to his house. They walked several miles and as they walked, Frank shared the FC Grace message. At the house Frank was introduced to Mwala’s wife, and they gave Frank food, rest and good company. Mwala explained that he too is a coach and a former player, and he shared that he knew of a coach, Mabovto Mutale who was a very angry man and needed to hear Frank’s message. He asked Frank to come and meet him the next day. Meanwhile, the funds had still not arrived.

On Saturday, Mwala and Frank went and met with Coach Mabovto at the practice field before practice. Frank presented the Triangle diagram from the FC Grace website, and explained to him about relationship between coaches, players and especially God. Frank asked, “What is your relationship with your players?” Coach Mabovto opened up and shared how his players had no respect for him, that there are many problems in the club, and much bitterness, friction and dissention. Frank assessed that he was living below the line. Then Frank showed him the rectangle diagram with the living above and below the line message, explained it to him and asked him, “where do you live?” Coach Mabovto’s tone began to change, it got softer, and he admitted to Frank the bad things he had been doing, especially to his wife.

He was now crying as he explained he had been having an affair, contracted sick, and his wife had discovered pills for sickness in his pocket. He confessed that his life was a mess, and he feared losing his wife and family. The players were coming onto the field with bewildered faces watching their coach crying. They came over and overheard him confessing his sins and they hugged and consoled him. Then Frank walked him through repentance and forgiveness prayers. Someone fetched his wife, and she told her story of how this man had lied to her for many years, and now with this recent affair and sick, she was done with him. Frank walked her through the same messages and prayer, and she was able to forgive her husband. Frank watched as this couple became joyful having repented and forgiven each other, with the understanding that they had been living below the line.

Finally on Sunday, the funds arrived but Frank told Bob that he was not going home yet. He was enjoying such an amazing time with his new friends, and he saw that God was doing something special here with these people. Mwala and Mabovto organized over 40 coaches to come and hear Frank and the message. Frank told Bob that whenever this core message is presented something happens to people both spiritually and physically - they stand up and want to take action to repair and reconcile broken relationships, to free themselves from bitterness and anger. Frank departed on Monday and has promised to return and bring Coach Bob Allen with him. FC Grace has just added another community to our growing ministry. Bob spoke with others who are teaching this message, and they confirmed that they are seeing the same spiritual and physical response to the message.