Charles Guzo Soma ushuhuda huu kwa Kiswahili Praise the Lord! I give praise and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ who lives for ever and ever and who has enabled me to have the right to live for ever and ever. He is my saviour and he has forgiven all my sins from when I was a child upto now, and he has errased my name from the book of judgement and written it in the book of eternal life. He has set me free and made me free indeed. While at Watangatanga Band, after I had left the Sparrows Band, I played jazz music at The New Hotel Tanga in Tanzania. I played drums together with Paul Box who was from the USA. My friend Paul has since returned to the States and is currently a professor at the University of Utah. I communicated with him using this web site (amefufuka.com), after I signed the guest book. He wrote to me wondering if it was me indeed. On other occassions I played my guitar while singing songs in English and Swahili, and some times I played the bass guiter. This Band was big and famous in Tanzania because it had more musicians of European origin than the native Swahili and also because the instruments we used were of a higher quality and value. Even after going to Buganda, Mwanza, also within Tanzania to study Medical Laboratory Technology, I still managed to play part-time at the tourist hotel called New Mwanza Hotel. I used to sing jazz songs while playing the acostic guitar. I sung in English and in Swahili, and in other languages such as Spanish, French, Arabic, Hindu and Latin by way of recitation. After going back to books, I managed to consolidate my musical instruments because some of the instruments were given to me from Watangatanga Band. The leader of this band was known by the name of Erling Petersern. I remember him very well because he is the one who taught me guitar chords while Paul Box taught me how to roll drums. Nevertheless, the late Henry Mdimu, leader of the Sparrows Band and saxaphonist taught me old songs but my singing techniques were acquired while at Watangatanga Band. How I got saved! My musical instruments were hired to be used in a Christian conference. I was the sound technician and, therefore, had to listen to the gospel that I had all along been running away from. The preacher was from Kenya and his name is Paul Mbugwa. He hosts Christian radio programmes in Kenya. His host was Pastor George Barnali of E.A.G.T. Makorora Tanga. On the first day, the Good News entered my heart and tears of joy and the hope for eternal life filled my heart. But I prevailed upon myself. On the second day, I could not stop myself. It was in September 1994. When the preacher, Paul Mbugwa, asked those who wanted to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in their life to raise their hands, I lifted both hands and walked in front. However, the preachers thought that perhaps I had not understood. Therefore, they repeated the invitation a second time so as to confirm. When it became obvious that I, a secular musician had, indeed, decided to get saved, it was all glory Jesus. Now I am married with five children. After getting saved, the change in my life attracted my dear wife Elizabeth Kitiku. She also surrendered her life to Jesus after only one week. She is a medical officer at the Bombo Provincial Hospital. We became friends while studying at the Bugando Medical Centre. At one time, we had no money at all in the house then came some secular musicians and asked if they could lease my musical instruments. They offered to pay Shillings 40,000/- for just one day but I refused because I felt that it was not right. Later on, however, the vehicle that we would have travelled in was involved in a fatal road accident that left some dead and others seriously injured. Another thing; I was sent a new acoustic guitar without expecting it, my wife was astonished. May the Almighty God richly bless Dan Wolf Meyrowitsch. One other thing; A very nice microscope was sold to me at a writenoff price of 1,000/= only (boarded items). This was a great miracle! My neighbours then started requiring services so, I had to look for reagents for carrying out experiments. On the very first day, that 1,000/- came back ten times! This was the Lord's miracle. I stopped drinking alcohol and my wife's love towards me increased. She realized that life in salvation is good, so, she asked me to go with her to Pastor Geoge Barnali. After that, things became even better. My children wore protective charms; these were burnt by fire and now we are so free that we no longer fear sorcerer and wizards. I live here in Tanga and I attend the Calvary Assemblies of God church. My pastors are Apostle Dustan Maboya and Kundael Mmari. -- Charles Guzo To contact Charles, please write to us for his contact. There is too much email abuse by spammers to give it here. Charles Guzo is a servant of God and he sings gospel songs. Some of the songs he has written are: Baba Yetu Haleluya Utaokoka

Reflections