Mary-Jane Thulisile Shabangu is a 23 year old female. She was born and bred in eMalahleni, in Mpumalanga. She studied a Bachelor of Psychology, Honoyrs Equivalent, at the Pearson Institute of Higher Education (Formerly known as MGI). She is currently doing a ministry internship at the Every Nation Midrand Church, as a campus missionary. She loves young people and believes that by equipping young people will Godly morals and values, we can have great leaders for tomorrow, leaders that fear God and love God above everything and anything. She believes that the values and morals of the young people eventually become the values and morals of the community, this is why she decided to work with young people, specifically in those that are University.
This is her full time ministry journey
I am currently working as a full time campus missionary at MGI, the very same university I studied in. Not exactly what is expected from a graduate, but I have come to accept that my life is really not my own and that my plans and those of God are not the same. As Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in the heart of man but it is the plans of the Lord that prevail”. With all that having been said, I love what I do and I do not see myself doing any other thing but this.
Growing up, I wanted to be a Doctor, like every second child wants to be, I got to high school and my dreams changed. I remember the one time telling my teacher that I want to be a Pastor when I grow up. Who thinks of that in high school? People are out here thinking of being Astronomers, Engineers, Actuaries, and I was thinking of going into full ministry. This was probably in grade 7/8. I got to grade 10 and my mind changed, again. At this point and time I wanted to become an Astronomer, I even went to the extent of taking Geography as an extra subject. I went on to grade 11 and it was now time to be applying for University. Deep down in my heart, I knew that I would end up in ministry, whether I did Engineering or Astronomy, ministry was where I would end up. I knew that I would go to University, obtain my qualification and then come back and do ministry, regardless of how hard I fought this, I knew it was where I belonged. So then I applied for University and it was not Astronomy that I applied for, even after all that effort of doing an extra subject. I applied for Psychology as my first option and Law as my second option.
When I applied for Psychology, it was not because I thought that it links well with ministry to a certain extent, it was purely because it was what I wanted to study at that point and time, or so I told myself. Again, the plans of God and our plans are on two different scales, His thoughts higher than ours.
I grew up in church, I was always that child that would be doing everything in the church. If you needed something done, I was your girl and I think that is where my love for God and the church grew, which ultimately led me to going into full time ministry. I was raised by my grandmother, she was the one that introduced me to church. I say church instead of God because it was when I made a conscious decision to accept God has Lord and Saviour over my life that I got to have an encounter with Him, it was then that I knew God and had a relationship with Him.
I really do not see myself doing anything but this. Engaging with students of different tribes and race. Preaching the gospel to them, so that they can preach the gospel to others. I see no other life than this one of making Christ known among young people and making them disciples of Jesus. It is an honour and it is a privilege that I am forever grateful for. I am so grateful to God for the opportunity He has given me, the opportunity to pour into these young people who will one day become the leaders of this world. I believe that by changing the campus, we are able to change the world, as the values of the campus become the values of the community.
My superpower is being a Campus Missionary, what is yours?
freedom Is Expression 