Testimony of

Uaundja Karamata

Church Planter in Namibia

Uaundja graduated from Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary and completed a pastoral internship under Pastor Conrad Mbewe and Kabwata Baptist Church in Lusaka, Zambia. Uaundja is the first missionary pastor to be supported by HeartCry in Namibia, as Eastside Baptist Church sends him to start a church in Otjiwarongo, a city 300 km north of Windhoek.

Testimony of Conversion

I came to know the Lord personally in the later stage of my high school. I don’t really remember the date, but I know it was somewhere between 2009-2010. I actually realised what had happened later. Growing up I was raised in a Christian home, with good morals, by good Christian parents. So I always thought that I was a good Christian, but I actually never gave my life to Jesus, and for a long time I was a legalist. I always thought that saying the ‘sinner’s prayer’ or raising may hand in Sunday school when the teacher asked who is Christian, or obeying my parents, meant that I am a Christian. It went on like that until those years that I mentioned earlier, when I started to realise the work of God the Holy Spirit in my life. I remember that, for the first time in my life, I started being sorrowful about my sin, and I repented from it and put my faith the Lord Jesus Christ.

I did not really understand what happened to me at that point, but the Lord was busy transforming me. Despite the transformation I really struggled with assurance of salvation, and I remember talking to a lot of people about it. This really bothered me, and I remember once being in my room frustrated and crying out to God asking if He has really saved me. This went on for a long time. Sometimes I would be very sure about my salvation (because I know that I have trusted the Lord Jesus and repented of my sins), but sometimes the doubt would come really heavy, especially when I had sinned. 

We started a discipleship training group for youth leaders and we had to go through the discipleship manual by Pastor Conrad Mbewe. While preparing to lead the first topic about ‘Assurance of Salvation’ God used that and it became very clear that He had saved me. I began to understand clearly how God had transformed my life, and things started to fall into place.

I saw that I actually loved the Lord and His people genuinely. My life was transformed from going to church because of my mom to going to church because I wanted to hear God’s word and be with other believers. I remember the radical change in my desire to read the Bible, to pray, and to serve the Lord. It was just amazing as God the Holy Spirit was busy transforming my life inwardly. The passage that really makes me appreciated how God has saved me is Ephesians 2:8-10. For me personally, that helps me understand how God saved me.

Call to Ministry

It began when I went for my studies at the University of Namibia in 2012. During that same year, I was serving as youth leader at church and God used that to give me a desire for people. I had so much love and concern for the youth members, I would send them a text message every Sunday evening on how I could pray for them. At the same time, God was also using campus ministry to give me a passion for ministry. As we were doing evangelism and discipleship, and being mentored by campus coaches, I started having a conviction that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. 

In 2013, the Lord placed a burden upon my heart to preach the gospel on a full-time basis. He also gave me the burden for theological studies so I would be equipped for Gospel ministry. Here I was, feeling that I had to first finish my diploma, then my degree. I remember negotiating with God and trying to convince Him that I am also serving Him where I am, but God had greater plans. I began to speak to a mature brother in the Lord who also studied theology, and he encouraged to me to go ahead and study for a bachelor’s degree in theology. I decided to accept the call and the next challenge was now to let my family know. I first spoke to my mother and she graciously said if God had called that she cannot stop me. My dad, on the other hand, did not buy into the idea. I told him that I wanted to be a missionary and I wanted to study theology, but he said no, I should finish my studies at the University of Namibia. I went on with my dad’s idea in 2014, but I knew clearly this is not where God wanted me to be. 

So I had to decide whether to obey God and study theology, or my dad and continue my studies at the University. I remember we had Saturday outreach trip with the youth ministry at church to a small village close to Windhoek. That weekend it became very clear to me that this is what God wants me to do, and so Sunday evening I told my dad that I will obey God over him. Monday morning, I went to our faculty officer and resigned from university. That day, I remember telling my friends from campus ministry that even though I was confused I had peace that surpasses all understanding. I knew that I had done exactly what the Lord wanted me to do. That was in April, and in July I started my studies in theology at the Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS), a conservative evangelical seminary. By God’s grace, I finished my studies in June 2017.  God has used my studies to help me understand Him better, to know the gospel, to build my character, and to equip me for ministry. 

I have been involved in training youth leaders in one-on-one discipleship, and I have also had the privilege of being on the preaching roster at church at least once a month. The plan is that after the internship I will be involved with church planting in Otjiwarongo, a city 300 km north of Windhoek. I will be involved in making disciples, preaching, evangelism, pastoral care, and training others for ministry.