FOR Chisembe Matafwali, a respected elder at Mufulira Central Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) church, September 26, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day a long-awaited promise was finally fulfilled.
After 16-years of marriage, three painful miscarriages and countless nights of prayer, elder Matafwali and his wife Gloria welcomed their first child, a healthy baby boy.
But behind the joy of that moment lies a story of deep faith, heartbreak, community support and unwavering perseverance.
Elder Chembe and his wife began their marriage filled with love, hope and the shared joy of family and church in 2009, and like many couples especially within a traditional African setting, they expected children to follow soon, but their path took a different turn.
The year passed, then two, then five and still, no child came their way.
Elder Chembe recalled that while their love remained strong, the absence of a child began to weigh heavily not just emotionally but socially, as in many communities, prolonged childlessness is often met with whispers, unsolicited advice and judgment.
According to the testimony shared by the church, they couple felt the pressure, but refused to let it erode their faith.
“There are trials that test your faith, but this one, this one was different. Still, we kept praying. We never gave up on God,” he shared.
Their prayers seemed answered in 2018 when his wife became pregnant, but heartbreak followed with a miscarriage and another pregnancy in 2019, ended the same way.
In late 2023, another pregnancy brought renewed hope, only to end in heartbreak again, this time further along than ever before.
“That one was the hardest, yet our faith remained unshaken,” the elder said.
“Throughout this journey, my wife’s quiet faith inspired me. She often bought baby clothes and shoes, a silent but bold act of hope. Our church family supported us fervently, including putting us in prayer groups and fasting, while our relatives prayed without judgment or pressure. We were never alone,” Chisembe noted.
January 2025 marked a breakthrough for the couple, after a season of prayer and fasting with family and church, his wife Gloria became pregnant again and this time, they truly believed it was meant to be.
In the early morning of September 26, 2025, Gloria went into labour and hospital staff, some off-duty but prepared, welcomed her and thirty minutes later, after 16 years of waiting, their healthy baby boy was born.
“This is how God answers prayers,’” Chisembe reflected.
Now holding their son, the couple offered a message of hope to anyone enduring struggles, whether infertility, illness or hardship.
“Don’t give up, keep praying and trusting. If God did it for us, He can do it for you,” Chisembe said.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba October 7, 2025
