Online Reporter
Gift Moyo, [email protected]
Having faced life-threatening health complications, Isabel Mavengano, a 53-year-old teacher from Bulawayo, has been given a second chance at life, thanks to a life-saving kidney transplant in India.
Mavengano, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 16 and has relied on regular insulin ever since, faced kidney failure in 2020.
Doctors reported her kidneys were functioning at just eight percent capacity, placing her at serious risk of multiple complications. After three years on peritoneal dialysis with no improvement, she and her husband decided that a kidney transplant was the only viable option.
The Bulawayo community rallied behind her. Members of Selborne Park Christian Church and residents across the city raised funds to support her trip to India for the transplant, ultimately saving her life.
Determined to make the most of this second chance, Mavengano turned to music to tell her story and give thanks to God. On Saturday, she will host a worship evening at the church to express gratitude to everyone who supported her journey. During the event, she will debut a song she wrote during her ordeal titled Kumakomo, meaning “ezintabeni” in Ndebele.
“The song came about when I went to India for my kidney transplant. When I got there, the doctors told me I actually had a heart problem that I didn’t know about back in Zimbabwe. I felt as if I was in a hole that didn’t have a landing,” Mavengano narrated.
“Kumakomo comes from Psalm 121, verses 1 and 2, which says, ‘I will lift my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.’ That scripture reminded me to lift my eyes to the Lord because He is the only source of my help. That’s why I wrote this song.”
The worship evening will be open to the public, with no gate charges or tickets.
“Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate the power and mercy of the Lord, free of charge,” she said.
