Hello everyone, grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm happy to report I am now "Pastor Zacarie" (Zaick).
It's a great pleasure for me to share this testimony with all of you to increase our faith in our almighty God. I told you last year how God called me to ministry, but today I'm going to share a bit about my rocky journey during my two and a half years in Bible School.
I was nearing the end of my required seminary courses when for reasons I didn't know, two classmates gave false information about me to the staff. They said "Zaick is a bad person, doesn't respect the school rules, doesn't do what's required, etc". I was shocked that I was dismissed that day without following any of the standard student rules for investigation and discipline. I was even more shocked to learn it was two of my closest friends that had falsely accused me.
I reflected on Psalm 41:9... "Yes, my familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me". Regardless of who spoke falsely about me, the staff is responsible for making such an unwarranted decision without properly investigating the claims for accuracy, allowing me to speak to the allegations, and imposing the unjust discipline (of the harshest level) instead of following the disciplinary matrix and actually verifying my guilt or innocence.
I admit making a mistake. Every Wednesday night we have a service called "anagkazo live" where you are required to scan in and out. I was aware others weren’t doing this and made the mistake of not scanning in and out properly, in my case for the first time. While there were more than 14 who made this same mistake, I was the only one dismissed for the offense.
The Dean was in the UK when this happened and I couldn't reach him. I did my best to reverse the situation but I couldn't because the people I should have called hadn't been there for a while. I was so disappointed, but even more so for my family, friends and supporters. I worried, "How am I going to tell them I was dismissed from the school shortly before graduating". They know all my struggles, my sacrifices, my suffering that I've endured here for the sake of my education to become a Pastor, and now I have to tell them such disappointing news. I had to recover quickly, because if I wasn't able to do so, it could be a big problem for me. Even though it wasn't easy to do, I explained the story to them.
In the midst of it all I wanted to faint but my spirit kept telling me "be strong Zaick, trust God in the good times and the bad". The Bible also tells us to thank God in the good as in the bad... 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (that's Christianity). From that moment, I became strong when I was talking to my supporters. I was able to encourage my supporters by telling them that while we don't often understand it, God's plan is always the best.
The school told me I had to leave the campus within 2 weeks, without knowing where to go. When I called my pastor (who had gotten the scholarship for me) he told me I had to go to "Kumasi". So I left my home in Ghana's main city Accra and went about an 8 hour drive to Kumasi. The Pastor has a house there and said I could have a room. Romans 8:28 was on my heart... We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. I prayed for a few days before attending church. On my very first day at church I saw a bishop who came to visit the church for the first time too. After the service I greeted him and introduced myself to him.
I started to tell him my story about what happened at "anagkazo live". He said Zaick, don't worry about it because you don't know why it happened? Leave it to God and let's move on. He then quoted Roman 8:28, the same verse I had on my mind ! I was amazed how God was really working! I became closer with the Pastor since then and I was given the opportunity to work with him as my Bishop. I was working with him without having any expectations when suddenly he called me into his office to tell me "in 3 months I am going to ordain you as a Pastor because you have fulfilled all the requirements"! Now I needed to have the school who unfairly dismissed me agree to approve my certificate. In that moment, I had a dream about the school… I went there for a couple of days cause I wanted to wait on God.
I found it was difficult to book a room because they didn't want to give me a room. Eventually they agreed to give me a room but a few seconds later they called to cancel my room because there were no available rooms.
I shared this story with my Bishop and he said “you really have to fight because life is a daily fight. He told me among all of us it’s only me the school didn't want to print out my pastoral certificate. He said he had to fight for me and used his power as a Bishop so that they would approve my certificate.
After a very long discussion they finally granted my certificate on May 13 of 2023.
Glory to God…the ordination ceremony took place on the following day May 14, 2023. I am now an ordained Pastor of the same church and have all the required documents from the school that I had attended. This is evidence of the Lord working on my behalf and blessing me for being faithful. I have started a church in my community by the grace of God and the support of my Bishop. I thank God he has always been there for me in all circumstances.
For all who are reading my testimony my advice to you is to be strong, rely on God no matter the situation you find yourself in. God is our refuge and our shelter. The Bible says… many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
Psalm 34:19.
Thank you all for your support of the work of CFM through your prayers and finances. May the peace of God be with you all.
Blessings,
Pastor Zaick
E-Mail: IAFFMerv@gmail.com
