Walalalalala! We have just come from the retreat of Mizizi season 1, 2010 and words can not even begin to express what
went down at Multi Media University. We had our first joint retreat as Mavuno, together with our downtown campus and it was phenomenon to see all those 600 people in one venue. God was present and what happened, was life changing.
I was humbled and in awe. People received healing, relationships were restored, others got delivered from past wounds and the best is, the many who surrendered their lives to Christ. We would like to hear your Mizizi experience………….Come on share it with us and let us celebrate together.
If you had a bad experience, share it too….
Here are the photos from the retreat http://www.flickr.com/photos/mavuno/sets/72157623726156696/
Many things happened at the retreat that I’m grateful for. The most profound for me was the praying in groups of 5. In my group, people prayed for things that were very specific to me. Well, that in itself would not be such a big deal if it wasn’t for the fact that these are people I do not know and who I’ve told absolutely nothing about me.
Two people prayed for my health – I’ve been unwell for a few weeks now; one person prayed for a major issue in my life which they said I should go ahead and face – I just made a big decision which still makes me apprehensive. After Sato, I’m certain that God will walk this path with me. & the last person prayed for my family for which I’m thankful.
Let’s just say that it was very clear to me that God speaks..
I wasn’t in this last Mizizi class, I actually did Mizizi in 2008. Seems like a long time ago now. My experience? Awesome. Doing Mizizi was the best decision I ever made. Before Mizizi, I was in such a bad place. A very terrible place. I was in a seriously toxic relationship living with my (muslim) boyfriend, always broke, barely making it to the 5th day of the month with money in my pocket, I hadn’t been to church in 4 years, and I was too proud to admit to anyone that things were very thick in my life. I instead dug my hole deeper by getting into MASSIVE debt to keep up with Joneses, and my relationship ended up in a pregnancy which would eventually be my wake-up call. I decided to turn my life around, well at least try, so I moved out of the house that my boyfriend and I shared and went to live with friends. It was a very difficult time, and I went back to him a couple of times before I made a final resolve that I was better off alone. I thank God for my friends, especially two of my closest who stood by me and prayed for me throughout my foolishness, and who drove at night to my house to calm me when I was crying my insides out because my ex had showed up in the night with another girl to get the car and go to the rave, while here I was bearing the burden, and shame, and pain that comes with being an unwed mother. Anyway, I decided I had had my last cry and made steps to change things. I went to Mavuno, and a little later on joined Mizizi.
I have always been a Christian, so I didn’t feel like anything new was being introduced, because it was all stuff I knew and believed in, I just wasn’t putting it into practice. But having a place to go to every Tuesday evening was God’s way of giving me something to do with my time, time that I would have spent doing something useless like seeking out my ex. Soon, I got so absorbed by mizizi and the friends, and lifegroup and I suddenly had no time to ‘myself’ anymore. I joined Mizizi when I was at my end. No way out, no other solution. Only God could get me out. I couldn’t be helped by anyone else. During Mizizi, I also lost my job and I thought surely this is the end. There was a season when my lifegroup took care of my baby and I, including paying rent and bringing milk and diapers for my child. I couldn’t have been lower than I was. Now, almost 3 years later, I can see that I needed some serious major makeover. And God needed to start at the foundation.
This is just part of what is the wonderful testimony that is my life since Mizizi. I am since married to a wonderful Godly man (despite the odds; single parent, unemployed etc), and I owe that to a total surrender of my life to Christ. I left everything to Him and truly asked Him to fix it. I obeyed Him and His word even when I didn’t feel like it and God made it worth my while.
Don’t let your Mizizi experience be the end of your experience with God. This is just the beginning. Life begins at Mizizi! What you do from now on is what counts. The foundation has been laid. If you have been delivered from alcoholism, fornication, drugs etc make a conscious DECISION never to go back to what you were pre-Mizizi. Obey God, even when you don’t feel like it, and He will make it worth your while.
You are highly favoured gal!! Thanks for sharing your story with us.
When i checked in on 19th January during the Mizizi 2010 season 1 i was a stranger amidist a multitude of people.
Fast-forward to 27th March the eve to the retreat, i feel am in Christs bandwagon of fearless enthusiast!
Reason: Am no longer a stranger, i got a sense of belonging and the lord has washed me over as our life group’s name WASHING MACHINE!
I feel God has rebuked me encouraged, taught,uplifted, and reconciled me back to his place and the friends i’ve made are more than what i can handle.
can you imagine having friends who do not judge you??
I’m looking forward to the life group.All Pastors,Leaders, facilitators may God richly bless you for you drive energy and time
There is a reason I keeping coming back to serve in Mizizi, doing it over and over and over and that is the amazing way God comes down during the retreat and this one was no different.
It is hard to put into words the experience when God visits his children during the retreat and this one was no different. We start out with a room full of eager Mizizites and a bunch of leaders who have given all they had and have reached the point where they know that they cannot move any further unless God comes in and takes over. Standing amongst this group of dedicated soldiers I found myself hanging on the words of 1 Thes 5:24 ‘The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.’
The *it* part for me means a lot of things, there’s salvation for members of my class, healing and restoration of individuals and relationships, there is confession and forgiveness of sins and sanctification, there is release from the bondages of habitual sin and then the big one… experiencing God, which may mean different things to different people, but which is the reason I think that all of us are there. I always go into retreat praying that as we leave, each individual there will have met and experienced God in a way that leaves them with no doubt that God is real and he cares about them in a way no other can.
The scary part… we’re the vessels through which all these things will come through, broken flawed, imperfect as we may be… we’re it. Knowing this, more than ever I stand on these words surrendering myself to God, confessing that I am an unworthy sinner and inviting him to use me, to use us, just as we are, to carry out his will in the lives of those assigned to us, our flock.
And God never ceases to blow me away and leave me with a few bonus blessings of my own as his presence comes down, achieving every single thing that he set out to do and giving all of us there that which we desired more than anything else in the world…
An encounter with God.
My prayer for all us as we move on to Season 2 and everything else that the LORD is calling is to is this
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
I Thes 5: 23-24
Loosing the love of my life, my partner n best friend in January this year was by far the hardest thing i had to go through. I kept asking God why did his car have to stall? why did it stall in that spot one with no street light? why did those thugs attack him? why couldn’t they just take what they needed and leave him alone? I asked God why didn’t he save him even after the attack? i honestly run out of all questions possible! i lost hope n plastered this smile on my face like all was fine yet i was burning inside. ‘Hang in there’…. i was told by many but they didn’t know i was hanging by a thread! I just wanted to feel the days i was in… i went into this cocoon of happy thoughts only not know that not dealing with it was in the process harming and hurting me more…
I couldn’t sleep and resulted to drinking. I couldn’t sleep without having a drink, anytime i felt the loneliness i drank even more! thinking that Johnny walked with me was the only way to have a ‘good’ night sleep! But in turn it messed me up even more… i still went on having the smile looking all strong but i was slowly crashing… but my Mizizi group WASHING MACHINE continued with the love and support… Always checking up on me even if i was in a bar, always sending me messages not knowing of the impact they were doing… though i did still continue with my delusion where all that existed was happy thoughts and my glass.
Coming for the retreat was a challenge. i had been out the night before up to 4 in the morning. My sister waking me up in the morning felt like i had just winked! i couldn’t function, hadn’t slept but she pushed me to come and said she wouldn’t leave me behind. So i got to the retreat and decided to sleep in the car.. My group kept calling me to ask me where i was cause they knew i was around and told them though refused to come out… i finally gave in after the tea break and came for pastor Simon s session of the holy spirit… i felt as if he was talking straight to me but instead of listening i went back to sleep.
At lunch my good machinist Denno insisted that i must have lunch and so i went and joined the rest… we had the beautiful afternoon sessions n as we has dinner i mentioned to my group member that i felt something when Pastor Simon was talking but brushed it away. when we came for the evening session and Pastor Njoro was talking he said he was talking to that person that shared to a friend over dinner about that feeling he / she was feeling!!! At that time i was like that’s me…. wuwi!! but ignored. Next Pastor Molly talked of those holding things that they shouldn’t be but still ignored. ( From the beginning of the session i felt as if God was asking me back telling me all is fine and all will be OK but i was like No and always brushed it way )
At the end of it all i decided that there is no use in fighting it…. No need of being angry no more…. No need of blaming God yet he has been so faithful to me before and after the incident. I finally Dedicated my life to God and know that it is by far the best decision i have made!
* I have since slept like a baby n can say that Johnny walked away
* I have forgiven those wrong doers
* I have decided that i will leave it all to him… him who know me best and would never not be there for me… My husband he has become..
MIZIZI Season 1, 2010 was by far one of the best things in my life!!! i just cant wait for Life Group!!!
hey Becky,
it’s amazing how things have changed in your life. the last time i remeber talking to you was 04 in bapo… they say we live in a small world, and thus my perplexion wen i came to know you were sisters with J. What struck me most was th lose of your fiancee, the capt. who passed on earlier this year.
the road wasn’t easy for you but you sttod up in the Lord. as u got ur mat to work on mon morning, th glare in you said He has been faith ful to u…
Alll the best
MIZIZI was awesome in every sense of the word. I was with an awesome group of people to share it with too (Washing Machine). For the very get go, I felt the warmth of friendship and the connection to God. While in class, i was able to get many questions answered and it was easy to share about my personal life with the group.
By the end of the season (before the retreat) we were soo tight as a group and didnt want our lifegroups split. we had shared so much of each other in a non judgemental environment.
The mizizi retreat was an awesome where we had team building experiences and the event culminated in a time of prayer. I have not experienced God like that in a reallllllllllllllllyyyyy long time! God spoke to me specifically about issues i was going through in my family and at work. I experienced such peace and joy that cannot be explained!!!!I know the work He begins in us He is faithful to complete it!!!!
At the end of mizizi i have connected with God, i have connected with my purpose and i have connected with friends- the washing machine crew and other.
To anyone still deciding on whether to do mizizi or not, are you also deciding on whether to have a life changing experience with God or not? MIzizi is indeed a life changing experience. But dont take my word for it. try it out for yourself!
Thank you Pastor M for the Mizizi work book and Thank you all the mizizi facilitators and leaders who made our understanding of the material practical! God bless you all!
Hello Mizizi,
If there’s anyone out there who still doubts that Mizizi is a course where people find their purpose in life, who still wonder whether the retreat is the place of ultimate experience, who still question the reasoning behind Mavuno, 27.3.2010 was your answer.
It’s the answer told by graduate who filled a hall to the brim with hearts full of expectation, many having taken a day off from the everyday commitment; the answer told by people who braved the cold morning weather to be there in time because they believed that this time their lives must be different; that allowing God to work through them would bring that difference.
It’s the answer told by a pastor who had a dream, by a younger pastor who cultivates that dream through Mizizi supported by a zealous staff of fearless influencers.
It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, born agains and non born agains, Kenyans and foreigners; Mizizites who sent a message across the nation that we have not been created for mediocre dreams and selfish interests: We are and always will be a generation called to fulfill God’s purpose.
It’s the answer that led those who have been told before that they are failures, that they cannot influence even a fly if they tried; the answer that brought people who were condemned to the valley of the shadow of death and twined in the fear of a gruesome past and an uncertain future to release themselves to God Almighty and realize that it was all about God.
It’s been a long time coming, but that night, because of the groundwork laid by a dedicated team of facilitators, enhanced by God inspired discussions and confirmed by the anointing of the Holy Spirit that night, change is sweeping across Africa.
I’d like to thank Pastor M. for being a daring dreamer, Pastor S. for being great in simplicity. Pastor Linda for challenging us into practical action, Pastor Kevo for a leadership well executed, Pastor Molly for being a deep sea swimmer in matters all faith, pastor Njoro for his testimony and prophetic gift and all the Mavuno pastors who worked on scene and behind scenes to ensure that a generation of influencers came of age.
Kudos to facilitators who took us through the course work, shared their life experiences before and after Mizizi and gave us reasons to go on even when we thought we were out of place.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory belongs to; It belongs to God. It truly belongs to God Almighty. We were never the likeliest kingdom influencers. We did not start with much faith. Some of us came straight from bars reeking of alcohol, others from abusive relationships and marriages, a number were grabbed from the very jaws of death, prostitution, pornography, homosexuality, self defeat et cetera. We began from the friendship bonds we came to establish through out the cause. We grew strength from the realization that all of us go though issues in life that we wish we had someone close to share with. We drew strength from the fact that God laid await with answer to issues we tried to solve in unsustainable means. In the end we connected with God, we found (or tuned back to)our purpose in life. We became mizizites. A generation whom God has dusted, polished and packaged to go out there and become fearless influencers. This is His Victoryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
It’s the victory of a class that stood along a brother as he took that step of faith. It’s the victory of a sister who offered to pay the retreat fee for a student classmate; it’s the victory of a team that started slow on bonding and ended up as a formidable force that was ready to face the future together.
This Mizizi season had many firsts and many stories will be told for generations to come, but one that’s on my mind is about a mizizite who answered the second last alter call at the retreat. He’s a lot like the hundreds of Mizizites who have connected with God and found their purpose in life except for one thing: M.m.g, wrestled with God the entire evening for shame of the past and fear of the future.
He was born a generation after the Ethiopian famine in circumstances that he has not mastered enough courage to confront. A time when the only television station was KBC and the party was KANU. Pride told him that he could deal with his drinking and pornography problems by his own if and when it became an issue. Selfishness made him misuse girls and dump them without second thought. It made his success all about himself and a decorated academic CV made him think he didn’t have to work as hard as others to succeed. Procrastination became his middle name and he has written a book and short stories that have never left his hard disk for publisher’s desks. Done articles that were never submitted to editors because the topic lost relevance for lack of timely completion.
And during the night I thought about all that he had done and not done. All the questions he had for this Omnipotent God concerning his life’s purpose, his family and his development. The heartaches and healings, the doubts and hope, the fears and courage, at a time when he thought he had a complete life and the Lord spoke and said this is the testimony. I have given you eternal life and this life is in My son. He who has the Son has life. He who does not have My son does not have life.”
At a time when he did not know where to turn to for life’s answers and the Lord invited him to approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that he could find mercy and find grace to help him in his time of need.
When events of the crucifixion journey flashed through his mind and he couldn’t understand why all the scenes where Jesus was put to shame and ridicule kept repeating, it dawned on him that he had been crucified with Christ and he no longer lived but Christ lived in him. The life he lived in the body he lived by faith in the son of God who loved him and gave Himself for Him.
When he was in doubt whether he could form lifelong bonds with his class and it was put plain and straight that it’s only by loving one another that all men would come to know for sure that we were God’s disciples.
When he thought evangelism was so not for him and even questioned his preparedness for it, he was commissioned to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything God has commanded. And surely, He is with you always to the very end of the age.
When he spent all his income to gratify his body, the Lord gave him the truth that whatever he did for one of the least of these brothers, he did it for Him.
When he ran after worldly possessions and tried to be happy in vain, he was commanded to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness and all else would be added unto him.
When he envisioned what was ailing Kenya and what needed to be done to set things right and kept the vision to himself, when he knew that the answer to all our social problems today lay in the establishment of a value system that defined us as a people and yet these were the very value he was eroding, it came to him that each should use whatever gift he has received to serve others faithfully administering God’s grace in it’s various forms.
And finally, when all was said and done, he left the KCCT auditorium with a testimony in his heart. Like Paul, he had fought the good fight, he had finished the race, he had kept the faith. Now there is in store for him a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to him on that day , and not only to him but also to all who have longed for his appearing……
Mizizites, we have come so far. We have seen so much. There is so much for us to do out there. So at this moment in time, let us ask ourselves, if the future generations will come to hear of mizizi, if our children will get to know of our mizizi experience, what changes in ourselves, our families, our society, our country, our continent and in our world will they point to and say without a shadow of doubt that this was an initiative of a fearless influencer. This is our moment Mizizites, this is our time. We are a chosen generation; a people tasked to action. A fellowship of fearless influencers…. Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless Mavuno.
This past Sunday, I went for a lunch at a poolside restaurant out of town and an interesting conversation caught my ear. Two kids, no more than 6years old had just met in the baby pool and were trying to get to know each other.
Here’s how the conversation went:
Child 1: Which church do you go to in Nairobi?
Child 2: Mavuno
Child 1: Is your mum joining Mizizi?
Let me just say, there are some fearless green-housers selling Mizizi like crazy!
God is so faithful it is amaizing……. I have never experienced what i experienced on Saturday, yani my mizizi experience( season 3 2009) was nothing compared to this season… Am glad God used me to serve his people, honestly i think He wanted me to see His hand clearer…..
Thanks leaders for giving me the opportunity to serve and to my mizizites ENDA- NASI you guys are fantastic, great and blessed.
Romans 8:28 We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose..
I LOVE you all.
I don’t think it is possible to sum up the mizizi experience in one word as they told us to. Its impossible.
Form the day 1, i was expecting something good. Especially after hearing so much about mizizi. It sounds like hype and but as you go, it gets personal. God spoke to many areas of my life and as I attended the sunday services, the sermons just kept coming at me with the glaring wrongs i was doing. I gave up one thing after another. By the end of mizizi, I knew I was forgiven. But the retreat was the ‘Cross over’. I knew, I was totally sold out and dead to my will and my desires.
The very Sunday we returned from the retreat, I helped a friend to make a decision and later that day she got saved. Isn’t God wonderful. He uses us, fresh graduates, no experience! All glory be to God! I am now looking forward to walking the rest of the journey with my friends in lifegroup and what fun we will have when we all get to heaven.
You know… when I did Mizizi about two years ago, I was soooooo broke it wasn’t even funny. I used to attend the class diligently so I could have something to eat that day (those samosas we used to have before the class), and made sure I packed quite a few in a ka-serviette for the next day. Of course no one could tell coz I looked like I had it all together and used every trick in the book to look like I was fine… I couldn’t even THINK about missing the retreat… it meant 3 days of free dinner for me.
I couldn’t figure out then, why I was that broke at that period of time. I’m not much of a spender. It just happened that no money was coming in (I run a business)… To save face, I’d use a car even though the fuel prices had hit an all time high that season and quietly ask for a litre of fuel at the gas station coz 123shs was all I had mbele na nyuma…
God just simply needed to break me down and shake off that spirit of pride so I could have a relationship with Him. That was the only way He could get my attention. I was reminded about tithing, and began to practice (twasn’t easy of course), and giving, and let’s just say, things changed.
When I eventually did ‘OMBI’ after that, I had absolutely no appetite for the samosas they served before class
.
I so feel you on fuelling a litre and driving uphill on free just so you are driving a car and saving face. Whomever said “Pride comes before a fall” wasn’t kidding.
Isn’t God truly amazing. One God, meeting millions of people at their points of need. I truly serve a mighty God. Every time i hear such stories i get so encouraged about finishing this race of Christianity and one day making it to heaven. Serving in Mizizi has made me see God provide peace in the midst of storms, when i didn’t have a coin, i did not lack what i needed. Days when i didn’t know what to do, He cam through for me and gave me guidance.
When i did Mizizi, i thought i knew, little did i know that i knew nothing. I have come to learn that being a Christian is all about love, it ain’t easy but i am learning how to love and appreciate others the way they are. I am so humbled that God can use such a simple work book to rebuke me, correct me and teach me His ways. This journey is not easy but am glad am not walking it alone. The one blessing that God has given me through Mizizi is, true friends who have supported me in many different ways. I have people around me who encourage me every single day and i thank Him for that. I have been so general on this comment, but i have so much to share about Mizizi and i will. I have the privilege of seeing God at work.
WOW, its weird writting this, wn i joind mizizi after all the hype i was expecting so much.
after readin all the posts maybe am just not right cz my mizizi experience was awful
class neva started on tym, nor did it end on time which just got to my nerves so much that i simply went off radar, the only reason i kept going for the other classes is cz i had paid for them
dnt get me wrong the manual is awesome i think everyone shld read it evn bought some for my pals to read… bt as for the experience it neva brought anywhere closer to God. sorry to say bt at the start of mizizi i did morning prayers n read the bible so constantly by half way to date i dont pray anymore n cant recall reading the bible i evn stoppd coming to church… nw hw do i explain that…..its like i was on the right track n suddenly an about turn of 180 occurred…
where does one go frm there, with no mizizi awesome experience to tell, no LG to attend, going to church feels void, i kp hoping that i will watch it on tv n miss it, bt till thn lets all stay in His loving fold.
Today i’m on a rampage to set the path for others. ladies and Gentlemen welcome to an experience i’ll have a twisted memory of. i joined Mizizi coz i’s losing my ground with God. As in i spent less time reafding the Bible and prayer was fading. But i never result to the dsires of the world….
Some say i’m the most un-understable person to encounter and yet so simple. So i joined Mizizi and well things went on well. Though there were some discrepancies.
You don’t have to be hell-bopund to join Mizizi. i joined for the fun. i want to try doin three different things at th same time. But ?Mizizi gave me friends i can hangout with and chill…
the weekend for the retreat, i fell sick(purely my fault) and i missed out on lots even tho i attended the retreat. perhaps i don know the reason but what i’m sure is there’s a testimony in your life that you need to let it out.
i wish to do mizizi over n over n over again.the experience fabuntastic
Hi I was in the very first Mizizi class in Lusaka and I must say that even if I am a pastor and business man with experience on both ways of the divide, I have been challenged to think outside the box in ministry and business like never before. I have never looked at life the way I did when I am today. My names are Samuel Moyo Svikeyo I would like to challenge my fellow Zambians to come for class that starts in May, 27th 2011, for ten weeks meeting at least twice a week. If you know anyone in Lusaka please give them my number +260 (0)977 429 177 for registration.
Wow!!!! after reading all these experiences of mizizi.. it just gives me the desire and motivation to go through mizizi… I have battled with stuff in my life for a very long time from, broken relationships, abuse, drunkardness, fornication, adultery…. you name it. I first heard of mizizi from a friend whom we lost last year 2011 through a sudden illness. I have always had a relationship with God, but for some reason I just never stay faithful to him. Lately, I have been feeling like God is speaking to me through different ways asking me to seek him first and all this things shall be added unto me…..My relationship with him has been an off and on, on and off cycle. When things seem to be going well for me, I tend to forget God when things are not going so well I run back to him, and I am tired of playing God . This has been happening for the last 10yrs or so. Last year I vowed things have to be different. In my conquest to change there was still something holding me back and things werent so good. Dec came and I decided I need to start doing things differently if I want to see any change in my life. So at the begiining of this year, 2012 I have vowed to lay down the bottle and commit my life to God and start living for him… I have registered for the mizizi course and I am looking forward to a one on one encounter with God in finding my purpose and living a fearless life. Thank you all for sharing your experiences of mizizi and I know I will experience the same and maybe more. I thank God for you pastor M for letting him use you as an instrument or vessel to touch peoples lives through mizizi!!! Pray for me ask I take this journey!