By Fatima Bulla
Dr Ezekiel Guti Junior has bared his soul about his victory over physical disability through a foundation of prayer and support primarily set by his parents.
He is the son of revered clergy and founders of Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa, Archbishops Ezekiel and Eunor Guti.
In his book titled ‘The Man Who Defied Condition’, Dr Guti Jnr reveals personal experiences of how he defied his physical disability and speech impairment to claim a normal life.
The book, in addition to six more written by his father, were a collection launched last week at a Deeper Life Conference held at Africa Multi-Nation for Christ Colleges, the church’s Bible School.
“I am a living testimony that giving birth to a child who is physically disabled is not a curse from God and some parents even divorce and some reject the child saying of what importance that child will be. Some as I speak are in prison because they killed a physically disabled child.
“Giving birth to a child who is physically challenged does not mean that the child is useless and can never do anything in life.
It’s just the body that has challenges but the mind is as clear as everyone’s and the understanding is so sharp that where there is no love and support you emotionally drown the physically challenged child,” Dr Guti Jnr says.
True to his testimony, Dr Guti Jnr has gone all the way to defy every odd set against his physical condition. He revealed that his parents treated him like the rest of his siblings.
“There was no special treatment or differentiation among us as children. We would go together for holidays and travel together as a family sharing the love as a family and playing games together,” the Mutare born evangelist said.
Despite his speech impairment, he is now an evangelist, having decided to minister the gospel after completing his studies in the UK.
The book reveals his ministry work which has spread across Africa and Europe for over a decade.
He testifies that people have received miracles and have been healed despite his own desire for a personal miracle.
“I used to pray to God that even if I cannot walk, at least l should be able to talk. I have seen my parents praying for people who could not talk and they began to talk.
“I had faith that one day I would be eloquent in speaking but that was not in God’s plan… I have seen God performing great miracles through me, yet I myself cannot walk and it is just a condition of the body,” he said.
While many wondered if he would marry, let alone have children, Dr Guti is a proud husband to Caroline Katsande and a father of three – Eutricia Eunor, named after his mother; Ezekiel III, his father’s namesake and Dorcas III who was given her great grandmother’s name.
After walking down the aisle on April 5, 2003, Dr Guti Jnr speaks of the genuine love his wife has for him and expectations that weighed on him to bear children.
“Finding a wife was not going to be easy considering my physical condition, I wanted to marry someone who would love me unconditionally, so the only option was to ask God for his guidance.
“Carol is the greatest gift that God gave to me, she always amazes me with her love towards me, she understands me so perfectly well and loves me just as I am.
“I see the grace of God with the love that God has bestowed in my family and children.
They love me, they are proud to be called my children, they are not ashamed of me, they love to go out with me. Whenever I am not away with work I make time to go out and have dinner with them,” Dr Guti Jnr said.
Born in a family of seven, he discloses how his life since conception has been a miracle as his parents yearned to have a baby boy.
However, as revealed in the book, Dr Guti Jnr’s birth on December 13, 1982 was not smooth sailing as doctors discovered the baby was in a breech during labour.
The doctors also realised that the unborn child had an extended head and arms, with the heart stopping a few moments after.
He was declared dead but his parents remained defiant.
“… but my mother and my father and the saints of Christ refused the doctor’s report through prayer and kept on praying until after 1 hour 45 minutes when I started breathing and God heard their prayer and also had raised me for a purpose, that is to preach His Good News as a living testimony,” Dr Guti Jnr discloses.
Dr Guti Jnr uses these experiences to minister to people facing similar challenges as revealed in his book. We serialise his book for the next few weeks to come. He reveals detail on his childhood life, how he met his wife and his ministry work as an evangelist. The Sunday Mail
