Bishop Dr. Ezra Assumani

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Today, I share my life story not to gain sympathy, but to testify to the faithfulness of God. My life is evidence that when God has a purpose for someone, no amount of hardship, rejection, or suffering can stop His plan.

I was born and raised in a Christian family, but my journey began with many challenges. Before I was born, my father abandoned my mother while she was pregnant with me. As a result, I never experienced the care and protection of a father. My mother faced many struggles, and from my earliest days, life was filled with uncertainty and hardship.

By the grace of God, I was raised by my maternal grandmother, Mrs. Roda Aziza Bawili. She became more than a grandmother to me; she was my guardian, my protector, and the person who gave me hope during difficult times. She taught me the importance of faith in God and introduced me to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

However, while I was still young, my beloved grandmother passed away. Her death became one of the most painful moments of my life. When Mrs. Roda Aziza Bawili died, it felt as though my world had collapsed. I lost the person who cared for me, protected me, and believed in me. My future seemed uncertain, and I began to lose hope in life itself.

After her death, I faced severe hardship. I lived a life of struggle, rejection, loneliness, and survival. There were times when I felt completely forgotten by society. No parent was there to care for me. No siblings came to support me. Many people abandoned me and never bothered to know whether I was alive or dead.

I often describe my life during those years as living like a bird—moving from place to place, struggling to survive, searching for food, shelter, and an opportunity to continue my education. I performed every kind of honest work I could find just to stay alive and continue my studies. The road was difficult, and many times I wondered whether my dreams would ever come true.

Yet, despite being abandoned by people, God never abandoned me.

When others rejected me, God accepted me. When doors were closed, God opened new ones. When I had no one to encourage me, God strengthened me through His Word. When I felt alone, His presence comforted me. Through every trial, every tear, every disappointment, and every struggle, God remained faithful.

The greatest inheritance my grandmother left me was not money, land, or possessions. The greatest treasure she left me was Christ Jesus. Though she departed from this world, she left me with the knowledge of the Savior who would guide me throughout my life.

As I grew in faith, I discovered that God had a purpose for my suffering. The pain that was meant to destroy me became the testimony that strengthened me. The rejection that was meant to discourage me became the motivation that pushed me closer to God. The loneliness that once wounded my heart became the place where I learned to depend entirely on Jesus Christ.

Through God’s grace, I answered His call to ministry and became a servant of the Gospel. Today, as the Founder and Presiding Bishop of Rehoboth Pentecostal Church Tanzania (RPCT), I stand as a witness that God can raise a person from the lowest point of life and use them for His glory.

My message to every person facing hardship is simple: Never give up. Never lose hope. People may abandon you, but God never will. Human beings may forget you, but God remembers you. Your present struggles do not determine your future. With God, every painful chapter can become a testimony of victory.

I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for sustaining me through every season of my life. I honor the memory of my grandmother, Mrs. Roda Aziza Bawili, whose faith planted the seed of Christ in my heart. And I give all glory to God, who transformed my pain into purpose and my trials into triumph.

To God be all the glory.

Bishop Dr. Ezra Assumani
Founder & Presiding Bishop
Rehoboth Pentecostal Church Tanzania (RPCT)