18 Jun GRAND GOODBYE TO AN INTERNATIONAL PREACHER, LIBERATOR!
Story by Ranganai Tinashe Dzotizei
Pictures by Munya Matura
Reverend Lucky Bobbie Gasa planned and placed a crusade on notice without a date, a date that was only given to us in the morning of Thursday 12 June 2025 when his demise was confirmed.
A crusade indeed that lasted a good five days, very much so the magic number when it comes to our usual August conventional meetings.
A crusade that had SEVEN preachers. From Rev Phillip Musharu, Mai Chigwamba, Rev Junior Chareka, Rev Lovemore Sithole, Rev Taurai Emmanuel Maforo, Rev Jairous Mafondokoto and was capped in Uzumba by Bishop Gift Machinga .
Mai Caroline Gasa, saw something more than the purported crusade. This, in her own words, had turned into a full blown out convention.
Rightfully so backed by the staggering ministry of presence at the parsonage in Kuwadzana, Kuwadzana Phase 3 United Methodist Church on his final dance with the flock he led for under three years, UMC Mabelreign Circuit Revelation where virtually the nation came out to give him a grand sendoff and right upto Katiyo Village, Uzumba where he was interred amongst his kin and kith.
Rightfully so, backed up by a monumental social media presence of followers dotted around the world following proceedings on the Facebook live feeds from Thursday to Sunday on UMC TV Ebenezer and other platforms running into thousands.
Thank the Heavens, the app did not crash in Uzumba as at one point, viewership skyrocketed to 800 – numbers rarely seen on active live feeds. Absolutely frightening stats but testament of the kind of man the church and the nation had lost.
The nation. Yes, the nation of Zimbabwe, which at the final celebration of the man fondly known by his troops in Kuwadzana as “Commander” paid tribute to his contributions during and after the protracted liberation struggle so much that the State accorded liberation war hero status on his unflinching memory.
A hero in Christ. A hero for Zimbabwe.
The war veterans on the sidelines intimated how most of them kept changing national identification in line with the times in the trenches. Bobbie too was no stranger being a combatant. His actual birth year later being revealed as 1962. Yet to us , he used 1967. Small little files of a liberator who ignored his teenage innocence to place his life on the line for a free Zimbabwe 🇿🇼
Very much so as he did in his ministry in the United Methodist Church where plenty bore witness to his work as the eulogies told.
Prof Rudo Mutasa summed it up perfectly – the church had indeed lost a man of valour , a real giant of faith.
To the family, a towering figure had indeed fallen yet the promise of a prolonged legacy was made by both Nyasha and Luckson Gasa , two of his three children.
At 3pm, up a small cliff, Rev Gasa was laid to rest, leaving so much glittering moments, memories within the hearts of those that came across him.
Virtually, the nation gave him his gun salute. The heavens too delivered.
Cde Chipwanya Madhimoni , Commander. Reverend Lucky Gasa’s fairytale will indeed outlive generations.
He may be gone but the whims of revival will continue as his cadres vowed.
May his soul rest in power.
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