In a quiet village in Thyolo lived Pastor Mike Mafinyani, a man once known for his strong Christian faith and for often saying that Muslims were bad people. His words carried weight in the community, and many villagers believed him.
One afternoon, while walking through the villages surrounding his home, Mike met an ustadh—a teacher of Islam—who was speaking to a small group about the faith. Curious despite himself, Mike stopped to listen. Something about the calm, thoughtful way the teacher explained Islam caught his attention.
At first, Mike visited just to hear more. Little by little, he began attending the lessons regularly, eager to understand what he had once condemned. As the days passed, the information he received became clearer and more meaningful to him.
Eventually, Mike embraced Islam. News of his decision spread quickly, and many people in his village grew angry. Some whispered that he had chosen a bad path, shocked that their pastor had left Christianity.
Mike was also a newcomer to the village, and when he accepted Islam the villagers confronted him, saying, “In our village there is no Islam—why are you bringing it here?”
But the village chief defended him, assuring everyone that Mike had done nothing wrong.
As Mike continued learning, he shared what he discovered with his family—explaining the teachings of Islam, showing them how to make wudhu (ablution), and how to perform swalah (prayer). Over time, his family also accepted Islam.
Not long after, Mike noticed another challenge: the nearest mosque was far from their village, making it difficult for local Muslims to gather for daily prayers. Rather than allow distance to discourage worship, he decided to build a small mosque right behind his own house so that he, his family, and other Muslims in the area could pray conveniently.
His first attempt, however, did not last long. Because he lacked money for cement or bricks, he used what was readily available—dried maize stalks—as building material. Unfortunately, the structure was too weak and collapsed after a short time.
Undeterred by this setback, Mike gathered courage and rebuilt the mosque again using maize stalks. Though simple and humble, this second mosque has remained standing and now provides an important place of prayer for the growing Muslim community in the village.
Mike Mafinyani’s journey—from pastor to Muslim teacher, from skeptic to builder of a mosque—shows remarkable dedication: a personal story of faith and service, proving that true devotion does not depend on wealth or grand buildings, but on commitment and perseverance.
