adminStates to a pastor who wants to help change the world.
He was one of the finest talents who became a legend at Gweru United, when Pisa Pisa were a powerful football force in the country, playing alongside the likes of Nobert Zimuto, Knight Mathe, Peter Mazarire, Takesure Tito and Roseman Drago.
He remains one of the best footballers to emerge out of Gweru in an exclusive club that also includes Wonder Chaka, Kizdo Matsika, the late Ashton Mhlanga, Knight Mate, and Jonah Murehwa.
The man who was so good they called him ‘Computer’, also had a short stint at CAPS United before leaving the country for the United States in 1989, initially on a football scholarship, before venturing into the aviation industry, thanks to a number of degrees he completed along the way, as a systems engineer.
As Semwayo’s career soared, it brought some personal challenges and in 2003, he split from his wife of 15 years, Anna, and he decided to dedicate his life to God.
After 24 years in the United States, without ever coming back home once, Semwayo is returning to Gweru, the city where it all started, next month for a Baptist church convention where he will be one of the keynote speakers.
Yesterday, Semwayo spoke to The Saturday Herald from his base in the United States and, predictably, there was a journey down memory lane to the time of Gweru United, his life in America and his homecoming show.
“Like many ghetto kids from poor families, I also grew up in a soccer loving community. My elder brother, Sam Semwayo, was a midfield powerhouse for Gweru United,” said Semwayo.
“At age seventeen, while at Ascot Secondary School, I had already made a name for myself as a soccer player in Zimbabwe, playing for Gweru United (Pisa Pisa).
“From my teenage years, soccer was my passion. In fact, we didn’t have many choices, we lived soccer. Soccer in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening under streetlights, that’s all we knew.
“When I look back at the decision I made then to leave my beloved Zimbabwe, I do not regret it at all. Zimbabwe soccer, especially Zifa, then and now, is somewhat short-sighted.
“A big concern for me is Zifa’s failure to implement retirement benefits for the guys. It is okay to make the headlines in Monday morning newspapers, but the dilemma was what life would be like after soccer, especially if one did not command a higher education.
“Life after soccer and the future was my concern. I feel for all those players, past or present.”
After 24 years of studying and working in the United States, Semwayo is coming home to Gweru next month but not as a football ambassador but as a pastor and will be one of the keynote speakers at the Homecoming convention.
“After almost 20 years of being away from family and friends, it is with great joy that the gracious Lord has opened up a door for us to share His Gospel in Gweru,” said Semwayo.
“We will hold a public event to feed the needy. It is going to be one hack of a Bar-B-Que in Mambo. You see man we serve a God who loves Bar-B-Que. Just as it was in Egypt on Passover night, so shall it be in Mambo Township.
“Of course, in addition to that, a major component of our Homecoming Conference will be to evangelise the streets, and the beer halls of Gweru. We need to heed Jesus’ words in Luke 5:32 ‘I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.’
“To those soccer lovers, and to Pisa Pisa fans and friends wondering what became of your once beloved soccer star, Colin Semwayo is well and kicking.
“Arguably, life is not unique to me, but it stands to underscore the power of God to transform. My wish is for my former teammates, friends, and fans to know the way of the Lord.
“So soccer fans and friends there it is, you can hang out with Pastor Colin Semwayo next month in Gweru.”
Semwayo is a man who has seen it all and went through a divorce and survived a life-threatening injury.
“In my wildest dream, I never thought that one day God would call me to be a preacher man,” said Semwayo.
“I once held a low view of the pastorate. I considered pastors as high school drop-outs who just went to Bible school to find something better to do, but man, I was terribly wrong.
“God is God and he will not let some simpleton like me mock him. He knocked the socks right out of my feet! Now I am an ordained pastor, how ironic.”
Semwayo is now married to Florence Mpwagi from Morogoro, Tanzania, and the couple have been blessed with a three-year daughter, Dadayinashe Lillian and an eighteen-month-old son, Itayinashe Steven.
The couple launched Zion Huts International Ministries with a congregation in Gweru.
In Phoenix, Arizona, they established Zion Gates Evangelical Ministries, an outreach missionary ministry established to help equip others to walk in the future God has for them.
Semwayo gave up his engineering career in 2007, and enrolled at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary and graduated two years later with a Masters in Divinity.
He is in the last phase of his Ph.D. work at Dallas Theological Seminary with a focus on the Old Testament.
While teaching Biblical Hebrew is his passion, other ministry duties include developing and teaching new believer’s classes, and personal evangelism.
Semwayo says he has an unrelenting passion for young adults who are going through adversities, peer pressure, divorce and marital problems and is developing a programme to advocate for this group to become spiritually mature and actively fulfil God’s purpose and mission for their lives.
Online Reporter