Gabriel's story...

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I am originally from Zimbabwe and have lived in this country since 2005. I was born into a family of Methodists on my mother’s side. My grandfather was an itinerant local preacher travelling miles on his bicycle to preach the gospel. My mother was accredited as a local preacher 44 years ago and is still an active local preacher in the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe. My father served as a Methodist preacher for over 30 years before he was called to the church triumphant.  I was baptised into Methodism as a child and have been a Methodist since then. I made a conscious decision to accept Christ at the age of 13. 

 

After A Levels I worked in various jobs before training as a secondary school teacher of Accounting and English. I qualified in December 1996. After this, I taught at various schools in Zimbabwe rising to become Senior Teacher/ Acting Deputy Head at Moleli High School, a Methodist mission school. In 2002 I took study leave to gain higher qualifications at the University of Zimbabwe. It was during this time that I first felt God calling me. I accepted a job at All Souls Church (a joint Anglican/ Methodist congregation) as a Youth Worker while studying. Working with young people helped my faith grow as I participated in and led them in worship. Working with two ministers from two similar but different Christian traditions also helped me to explore my ideas of God and mission. Once or twice I almost responded to the call to be a local preacher. But it was always ‘Maybe another time’ or ‘Not yet’. When I finished my studies I returned to my job teaching Accounting and English. 

 

When I moved to the UK, I became a teacher of English having completed a PGCE at Keele University. I still teach English to secondary age students and to adults. For many years my job took over my life as it does and that sense of call became a distant memory. Then a series of unrelated incidents worked together to bring the sense of call to the fore again. I moved to Wolverhampton and joined Darlington Street Methodist Church. Here once again I felt God calling me to preach but I did not respond. Then I became the National Steward of the Methodist Church Zimbabwe Fellowship UK (MCZF UK), a fellowship of Zimbabwean Methodists living in the UK. Visiting the 33 MCZF UK fellowships and sharing the good news made me acutely aware that God was calling me to preach. I tried to ignore it but God pursued me. 

 

In 2018 I responded to the call and was accepted as a trainee preacher in the Wolverhampton Methodist Circuit. I am on this journey of exploring what God has called me to and I feel God is affirming my call every day as I lead and participate in worship. I am ready to offer my service to God and to prayerfully listen to what God wants of me. Whenever He calls I will respond; wherever He sends I will go. My heart continues to sing the words of my favourite StF Hymn 477: 

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Teach me to dance to the beat of your heart
Teach me to move in the power of your Spirit
Teach me to walk in the light of your presence
Teach me to dance to the beat of your heart

 

​Gabriel Gidi