8 minute read
Thankful for everyday mercies
Mercies THANKFUL for EVERYDAY by Nqobile Nene photographs SK Photograpgers make-up Livy (Black Opal)
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Prophetess Nomusa Dhlomo is a CoSenior Pastor of CFCI (Covenant Fellowship Church International) and a founder of the music group Vuka Afrika. She is a powerhouse in her own right, leading a chic, opulent congregation. Because let's not toy with each other, wo m e n an d m e n at C FC I are fashionable, elegant, polished and grand. It seems to be contagious because even those who join the church at a certain level, they are elevated to another level – I'm just saying. The congregation is the reection of its leadership.
When we asked how she would dene herself, she responds with laughter insisting that contrary to what people may think, she is not a very outgoing person. She, however, goes after what she is passionate about and she is a sensitive person who feels for others. On whether she feels any pressure being a Prophetess, she says not at all.
“I am comfortable with who I am, I am me, I am not forcing anything. I believe what I am is what God wanted for me. I understand that everything I am is a gift from the Holy Spirit. He is the one who is in charge, I am just a vessel. Like Paul would say 'it's no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me'”
A wife to Apostle MC Dhlomo and a mother to four girls, Nomusa dene family in the denition given by God, which is the picture of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. To her, a family also means unity, a place where people can live in unity, in love, and in understanding. Those are values she sticks to, to avoid two powerhouses bumping on to each other. Even when she and her husband go to the world and have different days, different s u c c e s s e s , a n d d i f f e r e n t challenges.She chooses to not leave the place she was ordained to by God, no matter who she becomes to the Like Paul would say 'it's no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me “
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outside world, she will always be a helper to her husband and nurture to her children.
She laughs when she says, she does not know if it's a blessing or a curse that her husband does not share much - which is a normal trait of a man - and she's the one who ends up sharing the most. She understands that men tend to want to carry their own loads, but as a wife to her husband she still needs to know and understand her husband enough to see the untold, that is a bond a husband and wife should share. She says 50/50 does not exist at her home. It can be in the workplace or anywhere else but not at home. A home needs a leader.
Prophetess Dhlomo is no doubt a very busy woman. I cannot imagine her schedule. Having to wear so many hats at once would lead some people to depression, but she seems to have everything under control and is taking all of it in her stride. She gives credit to God for everyday mercies.
"Every time I ask myself how I did everything, I cannot explain it. The only thing that makes sense is my everyday mercies. I nd that there is mercy for each and every day, the mercy that carries all of us through that day. This is why it is important to thank God every morning and in the noon time"
Behind every strong woman, there is a stronger mother. For the Prophetess, that woman is her mother. The love the Prophetess has for her mother needs no words. She has her mother as part of her great support system. Her mom has
always been there to take care of the kids even when they were still in the foundation phase of the church. She became grandma/nanny from when the kids were still very small up to this day. It helped that mom was an Educator and now runs a kindergarten. Even her own (Prophetess) upbringing was different. She grew up a good girl. There is not much she would change from her younger years. The great childhood she experienced was because of a strong foundation made by her parents that were present in her life and did all they could for her to be the woman she is today. She laughs jokingly when saying she could never do what her mom does; she does not even want to be compared to her mom, that's how amazing she (mom) is.
Nomusa hopes that the strength her mom has is generational and one day her daughter would be saying the same thing about her. To her own children, the wisdom to pass is in Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding". They would need to know there was nothing their mother was without depending on God. So whatever they want to become it must be rooted in their trust in the Lord. They
must never do anything without inquiring from God rst.
One of the greatest responsibilities Nomusa Dhlomo has is leading women from CFCI. It takes a certain kind of leader to lead such powerful congregation of women. On how she does it, she advises openness and clarity.
"One of the strongest traits of leadership is to be clear about the vision. Let everybody know and share the same vision. Don't keep the vision to yourself. That way, everybody owns it. And the success is not one person's success but everyone's success. That is what makes a successful leader”
Though a leader, the Prophetess says she also learns a lot from women she interacts with. They inspire her. She draws a lot from them.
As a leader of the church, her take on the challenges facing South African is that it goes back to the values.
"The issue of leadership is taken into account. Whenever there is an opportunity of a shaking in leadership, a lot goes wrong. Even at home, as soon as there is no clear leadership in a home, anything can happen. Children are quicker to see leadership is unstable and take advantage of that. The current National challenges are of the same nature as that of a family with leadership challenges"
Prophetess also says some of the challenges faced by South Africa are due to a high number child headed homes. There is no father and even mother, so children have to lead themselves. The blind cannot lead the blind.
“We cannot blame anyone. We all have a role to play. When God created men He gave them responsibility. The
responsibility to vote, to have dominion. It's not a task for one person to make South Africa better. The scripture talks about Deborah in Judges 5:7 "Villagers in Israel would not ght, they held back until I, Deborah, arose, I arose, a mother in Israel". Meaning if you see a gap and see a need, YOU have to do something about it. So basically, we can all do something in our own corners. There is an opportunity for success stories in different corners”
The Prophetess is well traveled. Comparing women from South Africa to women in other nations, she says South Africa has strong women. South African women are striving to be a success in what they do, despite challenges and circumstances. Even when the world told South Africa we are a third world country, women did not then decide it was hopeless. They continued in their journey like nothing had happened. Mothers continued putting food on the table for their children; a new business was registered on the same day the third world announcement was made, which shows the resilience of our women. They have the attitude that says "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words are just to stomp on".
H e r 9 0 th B i r th d ay vi s i o n i n c l u d e s th e acknowledgment of the goodness, the faithfulness, the love of God. The victories. She sees her children, her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren. In her vision, she is happy. She invasions herself as a pillar, even in her frail state she envisions her family still able to draw strength from her. She envisions them looking at her and saying "this is the DNA we come from, therefore we can also do what she has been able to do, and more". She envisions, her presence speaking without her speaking.
Now ladies we tried to get the secret to how she stays so young and so beautiful, unfortunately we come empty handed. But we suspect there is a youth fountain at the Dhlomo house, look at Apostle Dhlomo and tell us we are wrong.
