• EVANGELIST Joseph Chisenga playing his accordion at the entrance to Pick n’ Pay in Chingola. Picture by RACKSON SHAMUTUKU

By RACKSON SHAMUTUKU –

A ROVING evangelist has taken Chingola by storm, with his accordion serving as a key attraction.
Joseph Chisenga of Safari Pentecostal Church is a gifted preacher who is drawing sizeable crowds as he sings gospel songs and demonstrates his unmatched skills on his accordion.
An accordion is a musical instrument played by stretching and squeezing with the hands to work a central bellows that blows air over metal reeds, the melody and chords being sounded by buttons or keys.
The 50-year-old evangelist, who resides in Kapisha Township, preaches in public places such as bus stations and markets, where he encourages listeners to the gospel to seek salvation.
His five-year-old son, Douglas, is following in Evangelist Chisenga’s footsteps and is also proving to be a genius in playing the accordion.
Douglas is in grade one at Hope for Africa Community School in Kapisha Township and has joined his father in singing both in public places and at church.
Evangelist Chisenga, who is an employee at Nono’s Supermarket where he is a guard, left the Jehovah’s Witness Church to preach on the streets in 2011, and he has never looked back.
He exhibits remarkable energy as he embarks on his mission immediately he leaves his duty post.
The passionate evangelist usually starts preaching at Chingola main bus station before he shifts to either Shoprite or Pick n’ Pay where he stands at the doorstep belting out gospel songs using his prized accordion 4×8 musical instrument.
Around mid-day, Evangelist Chisenga usually breaks off for lunch and uses the time to meet with his family before he reports for work as a guard.
“Many people on the Copperbelt do invite me for functions, church programmes and other musical festivals,” the self-taught accordionist told the Copperbelt Times.
Margaret Chisha, a Chingola resident and a widow, said she is always touched by Evangelist Chisenga’s messages.
Evangelist Chisenga, who married in 1991, is blessed with eight children. One has completed grade 12 while others are still in school at different levels of secondary and primary education.
Some people are moved by his preaching and donate money and clothes as a way to support his mission in Jesus Christ.
Evangelist Chisenga said he sometimes receives as much as K150 which helps his family, in addition to his monthly salary.
“I thank the people on the Copperbelt for helping me to meet the challenges I do encounter most of the time.
“I am also appealing to well-wishers to buy me a new accordion because the one I use is almost worn out,” he said.
He called on the well-wishers to also help his son, Douglas, receive training in music so that he could continue his evangelism work when he grows up.
Evangelist Chisenga can be contacted on 0966335629 or 0963400600.