A tribute to zambesi mission’s Field Director Simon Chikwana
(1965 – 2024)
Our dear brother in Christ Simon Chikwana died on Monday 2nd September. Although he had been undergoing treatment since being diagnosed with a brain tumour early in 2023, his loss was sudden and unexpected and has shocked and brought intense grief to all who knew and loved him.
Simon became zm’s Field Director in April 2011. He was a very intelligent and hardworking man, who proved his ability and determination through school, college and university. He gave his life to Christ whilst he was at college in 1991. Soon afterwards he became involved in the Zambezi Evangelical Church’s Fellowship of Youth (FoY). It wasn’t long before he took on leadership roles in FoY and the ZEC churches as National Chair for the Youth. He and his wife Edna were committed to spiritual growth – both for themselves and others, leading groups in their homes or elsewhere and encouraging those they met.
Myles MacBean, zm’s Chair of Trustees and Executive Committee served with his wife Ruth as zm’s mission workers in Malawi. They shared their memories of Simon:
“Ruth and I will always remember the consideration and care shown by Simon during our time in Malawi from 2014 – 2017. We got to know him as friend, mentor and director, benefitting immensely from his wisdom and cross-cultural insight.
As we walked beside him, it was so evident that Simon had been specially prepared by God for his role as Field Director. He had such a generous love for people, absolute integrity, acute business skills that had bootstrapped him out of challenging childhood circumstances, profound theological and pastoral gifts, and a rare mix of unshakeable optimism and hard-nosed realism that encouraged all around him.
But the greatest impression we were left with was of a brother who truly knew what it was to have completely submitted to his Saviour and committed to follow Him to the end”.
Trevor Matthews, the mission’s former Chair of Trustees and Executive Committee also paid tribute to Simon:
When I first visited Malawi in 2015, a name on a page became a living man of God. Simon poured his time and energy into enabling me to enjoy rich fellowship with Malawian believers and our mission partners throughout southern Malawi. So much so, that when a few months later I was asked become Chair of Trustees and the Executive, I knew I had to agree. Simon’s visit to our church in London in 2016 inspired a multi-ethnic group to visit Malawi the following year as guests of zm and have their own life changing experiences, guided by Simon.
Time spent with Simon was always wonderful fellowship – whether it was hearing his wisdom about the challenges facing believers, discussing what to feed pigs to maximise the meat or explaining jokes across cultures whilst driving a long diversion due to flood damage. Nothing was too much trouble for Simon because he knew that as he served others, he was also serving his Lord.
Our former Mission Director Mike Beresford reflected on Simon’s life and witness:
Simon was Field Director when I started in 2012. My warm affection and strong appreciation for his character and friendship grew over the years that we worked together. Simon was a godly and righteous man. His love of the Lord was very apparent and he had a very impressive knowledge of the scriptures. He was devoted to God. One time when we were travelling in a remote part of Mozambique, circumstances meant that we had to share a room. I recall waking up very early in the morning to see him praying quietly in the dark by the side of his bed. When in Blantyre we would start every day with devotions: studying the word of God and praying together before embarking on the day’s work. In these times, Simon’s words of quiet wisdom brought us all riches and great joy and encouragement.
Simon faced many challenges and pressures. But he was a man of integrity who was steadfast and always stood up for what was right. Simon was also a generous man in many ways. He and his wife Edna would always treat me and other visitors with warm and lavish hospitality at their home in Blantyre. Simon would also share his gifts and his knowledge generously. He remembered those in remote places or difficult circumstances and helped them however he could. He was particularly keen to help people to come to faith in Christ and then grow as disciples. He also wanted them to learn to become increasingly self-reliant.
Simon was also a tireless man. We travelled far and wide together, often visiting three or four church each day. Simon was almost always my translator. He had the hardest job as he had twice as much work to do as I did. I was also conscious that he did a huge amount of work behind the scenes to ensure that my visits went smoothly. During the recent fuel shortages in Malawi, he would go out hunting and queuing for fuel to avoid disruption to our travel plans. Simon often said to me: “we will rest in heaven”. Our work in God’s harvest field continues, but how true these words are for him now.
In closing, we can only echo the words that former zm’s mission workers Abraham and Ruth Folayan wrote about Simon that were shared at his funeral service:
Dear Edna, Sinos, Patience and Hannah with your wider family, Jesus is with you. He knows and understands your pains, your sorrow and your loss. He knows what it means to wear a crown of thorns. He will help you and comfort you.
We praise God for the life that Simon lived. We thank God for his ministry as the first Malawian Field Director of Zambezi Mission. He was faithful and diligent and served the LORD and His people with total devotion. He has laid down this temporary body of weakness, sickness and decay and has now been given the eternal and glorious body of Christ. Now he has no more pains, no sorrow, no suffering, no tears and no death. Thanks be to God that not only Simon but everyone who believes in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God, will share in this new body and be with Christ for ever.
Tio Nana Abusa. We are on our way and until we meet at the feet of Jesus – to part no more.
