“Happy birthday, pastor, we love you and God bless you”.
These were the words sang at the St John’s Apostolic Faith Mission Church, Dundee branch, to evangelist Judge Thabe, last Sunday. The evangelist and his wife, medical doctor, Angel Thabe, picked up the reigns from their late grandmother, Jeff Nonhlanhla Ngwenya, who founded the Dundee branch of the church in the early 1970s. Mama Ngwenya had a dream from God that she must ask members of the church to choose their leader because ‘she is about to leave’. She said people must choose their leader by voting. Baba Thabe and Mama Dr Angel Thabe names were raised through a secret voting process and their names were submitted to the relevant members of the church.
The church building was officially unveiled by lady Archbishop GL Maraga in April this year and saw thousands of worshippers descend onto Dundee.
“Thank you and God bless, Gogo’s legacy lives on. She taught us love and humility in Christ. She must be smiling from heaven,”said Baba Thabe when giving a vote of thanks at his surprise birthday party.