Tómaz Phiri and Nadies Kampione

Tómaz Phiri and his wife, Nadies Kampione, were Nazarene evangelists serving in rural Mozambique during a season of mounting conflict and social unraveling. Known for steady preaching and practical discipleship, they sought to strengthen households in the faith, urging believers to cling to Christ when fear and propaganda pressed in. Their ministry was marked by family unity: their children were not merely carried along but gathered, prayed over, and taught to see hardship through the promises of God.

Flight from Mozambique (April 3, 1971)

On April 3, 1971, as war and unrest tightened around their villages, Phiri and Kampione made a decisive nighttime escape. With little beyond what they could carry, they slipped into the darkness and crossed into neighboring Malawi as refugees. This was not a romantic journey but a costly act of courage—leaving home, land, and familiarity—undertaken with a conscious dependence on divine protection. Their story echoes the confidence of Scripture: “The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:8).

Gospel Work in Malawi

In Malawi, refugee life brought uncertainty—new language pressures, scarce resources, and the weight of being outsiders. Yet their displacement became a platform for witness. They preached the gospel among fellow refugees and local communities, discipled new believers in prayer and holiness, and organized small gatherings that grew into congregations. Four churches were planted through their labor, rooted in simple worship, clear teaching, and shared burdens. Their confidence was not in circumstances but in Christ’s promise: “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

Legacy and Christian Virtues

Years later, those four congregations were still thriving, a testimony that God often turns apparent loss into lasting fruit. Phiri and Kampione exemplify steadfast faith, marital partnership in ministry, and shepherd-like perseverance. Their heroism was quiet and practical: protecting children, serving strangers, and refusing bitterness. Their exile reminds believers that the Lord advances His kingdom through obedience, and that “God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).