A Man of God

Remote areas were also being reached with the good news. It penetrated the Gambos region, near the Namibian border, through the efforts of Tchande Cuituna. He first heard the Kingdom message in what was then Rhodesia. After working for a time in the mines of South Africa, he returned home and concentrated on cattle raising. He regularly made return trips to South Africa to obtain Watch Tower publications, and on one of those trips, in 1961, he was baptized. Thereafter, he zealously spread the good news among his people.

He would load his wagon with water, food, and Bible literature and go preaching from quimbo to quimbo (from one small village to another) for two to three months at a time. When his wagon broke down, he would continue the journey riding on his bull. Even at the age of 70, he traveled on foot with other publishers for distances of over 120 miles [200 km].

Tchande Cuituna came to have large herds of cattle that would roam the plains. In this patriarchal society, he was the recognized head. The day’s activity began with the sounding of a bell so that everyone could assemble to hear him consider a Bible text in the local language. On meeting days, the familiar sound of the gong told some 100 people to assemble for spiritual instruction.

Throughout the entire region of the Gambos, Tchande Cuituna became known as the man of God. By applying what he had learned from his personal study of the Bible along with the valuable publications of “the faithful and discreet slave,” Brother Cuituna provided an excellent example for others to follow. To reach as many people as possible, he translated the booklet “This Good News of the Kingdom” into the Nyaneka and Kwanyama languages.

The office in Luanda learned of Brother Cuituna’s activity from the field service reports he would turn in from time to time through the brothers in Windhoek, Namibia. In an effort to bring Brother Cuituna into closer contact with other Witnesses, in 1979 the Luanda office sent Hélder Silva, a circuit overseer, to reach him. He well remembers the journey.

Brother Silva writes: “We traveled by car for 100 miles [160 km] to Chiange. From there the remaining 45 miles [70 km] were on foot. A torrential rainstorm lasting some six hours made it almost impossible to continue. Sometimes we were in water up to our knees, but we could not stop, as the area had many ferocious wild animals. Because of the mud, we found it easier to walk barefoot, with our belongings suspended on a stick over our shoulder. Finally, we reached the Liokafela region and our destination, the quimbo (village) of Cuituna. We were hungry and exhausted, so the womenfolk gave us sour milk, the local corn drink called bulunga (kissangua), cocoa, and a corn puree called ihita (pirão de massango). After resting by a warm fire, we were ready for the anticipated activities.” This visit marked a step forward in organized preaching of the good news in the Gambos region.

No one who was present will forget the baptism of 18 new brothers and sisters in August of 1986 in the Caculuvar River. These were the first baptisms to be held in the Gambos region during the 40 years since the Kingdom message had been introduced there. The pioneers who had come to share in the work in this area were beaming with joy. Words cannot convey the happiness of Brother Cuituna as he witnessed the baptism. Jumping with joy, he said: “I feel like King David when he accompanied the ark of Jehovah.” (2 Sam. 6:11-15) Brother Cuituna continues to serve as a regular pioneer.

Then in 1983, José Maria Muvindi, from Lubango, enrolled as an auxiliary pioneer for three months. He went south, preaching in the rural areas around the towns of Jau and Gambos. He traveled down into Namibe Province, spreading the good news among the Mukubais, the predominant tribe. Seeing the great need in these territories, he enrolled as a regular pioneer. Other pioneers followed.

When Brother Muvindi preached in the area, Bible truths touched the hearts of many of these people. They began to make needed changes in their lives. In order to serve Jehovah acceptably, they had to abandon unscriptural practices, such as polygamy, immorality, drunkenness, and superstition. They began to wear more than the traditional tchinkuani, or loincloth. A steady stream of couples began to travel to Lubango to get legally married. For some, this meant leaving the village for the first time in their life! A civil registry office in Chiange that had been closed for ten years was reopened to accommodate the sudden influx of people from the Gambos region who wanted birth certificates and identity cards in order to register their marriages.

Sadly, Brother Muvindi died from hepatitis in 1986, but his zealous ministry bore good fruit. Through his efforts and those of others who worked in these regions, many received a witness. Today, there are in this area nine congregations as well as ten groups that have not yet been organized as congregations, all of which are promoting true worship in that region.