Many missionaries over the past centuries have gone to Africa, but sometimes it works the other way around. Raphael Mnkandhla was born in 1983 in Zimbabwe, a former British colony that became one of the most troubled countries in Africa. AIDS was rampant at that time, taking the life of Raphael’s mother and sister, and constant warfare due to a civil war took his father away as a soldier. As a result, Raphael was continually passed off to different relatives while growing up, attending many different schools, and struggling to find hope in the midst of all this misery.

In 1999, at 17, he got so depressed he stood on the roof of an office building and considered jumping off. Through the grace of God, he came to his senses and shortly afterward became a Christian and became very actively involved at a local church.

For the next four years, Raphael worked with his church as well as organizations such as Scripture Union and YWAM (Youth with a Mission). Through these venues, he met a number of Americans and decided to study in the USA. He was accepted by a Christian college in Dallas, Texas, and through several amazing miracles to acquire the necessary finances and visa, Raphael was able to go to America and start his studies in 2004.

Studying in Dallas, he met and fell in love with a lovely female student from Montoursville named Heidi Neff, and in 2011, they were united in holy matrimony. Having to support a family delayed his studies, but he eventually received his bachelors’ degree in 2012 and then obtained a master’s degree a year later. During this time, Raphael and Heidi worked full-time as youth pastors doing programs for the homeless, youth, and children’s ministry in the Dallas area.

In 2013, they were visiting Heidi’s parents, and I had the opportunity to meet Raphael for the first time. I was tremendously impressed and invited him to consider pastoring at Citychurch in Williamsport. This four-story building on 136 W. 4th Street had been the home of many different churches in the past sixty years, but I realized as the current pastor that it needed to be given a ‘replant’ to get a fresh start.

Raphael had no interest whatsoever as he had some attractive offers from other churches in the Southwest USA, which were more to his liking in the way of weather and opportunities. But over the next few months, he and Heidi discussed it, and the more they prayed, the more they sensed God was directing them to the last place they ever expected to be — Williamsport, PA.

So it was; the reins of leadership were passed over in January of 2015 with the birth of a new and improved Citychurch. It was a “preemie birth,” as there was a grand total of nine members in the church at that time. Yet what happened next was almost beyond belief. Raphael’s natural charisma and dedication to traditional Christian doctrines resonated with many people. Over the next few years, more and more folks were not just attending church but also getting actively involved in ministry activities.

The first wave was young families, as the children’s ministry was both Raphael and Heidi’s specialty, and they did it well. Then others came, much different — young, old, black, Hispanic, college students, business owners, medical personnel, homeless people, parolees, every walk of life — literally a cornucopia of people that had nothing in common other than their heartfelt desire to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ.

One of the features that has attracted so many is the example that Pastor Raphael presents. The focus on children is exemplified by Raphael and Heidi’s example of adopting two boys and fostering another young boy. Raphael also emphasizes community involvement, which he shows by serving on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Lycoming County.

The church works to be an outreach to the city and community, which is demonstrated in a number of ways. At the annual Grand Slam Parade, which ends right in front of the church itself, members offer free water to the participants after their long parade walk. The church has done this for the past six years, averaging 3000 bottles of water given away each year.

But what brings Pastor Raphael Mnkandhla to the front of the stage today is his graduation with a Doctor of Philosophy and Biblical Theology degree from the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Mnkandhla’s thesis was so original and impactful it has already been sought by two publishing companies. And it comes at the perfect time, as Raphael has just turned 40 on September 8th. Happy Birthday to a great role model for us all.