My name is Alexandre M. Sacama. I left my home town, Cabinda – Angola, at the age of 11, and during all these years growing up I heard people speaking about the apartheid, the massacre of Kassinga in Namibia and many other wars and humiliations suffered in Africa.

I remember people singing hymns, songs of sadness and pain, cries echoing through the cities, towns and tribes because of the war, famine and natural disasters. The city streets reeked with the stench of death, while bombs exploded killing and injuring thousands.

Parents lost their children and women lost their husbands, all in their innocence. I know that many died without knowing why they were even dying, and I remember that in the 80s the leniency policy was created in Angola to “help” those who were displaced due to the war, among other problems. And you could have clearly seen the grief, sadness and pain in each person’s eyes.

Today, as I watched the inauguration of the Temple of Solomon and saw those people from Africa sitting among white, rich and happy people singing hymns, I just couldn’t keep back the tears. I noticed that the hymns weren’t being sung by sad people, with a melancholy look or a mouth that professed suffering without receiving an ounce of justice.

I noticed freedom, peace, something unusual, something without lexicon. So the question up in the air is: What can’t God do for us, if He gave His only Son to die for my sins and protect me though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death?

Today I wonder: what would have become of these people and so many others if Bishop Macedo gave up halfway? If he were to have given up during his first battle? Surely these people, much like myself of course, would still be enslaved by a broken system.

You might say I’m exaggerating, but at that time, where were the churches, spiritual centers and Catholicism? Weren’t they in their peak? So why is it only now that people are coming to the Kingdom of Heaven?! Surely, it’s because someone cared more for us than for himself. Someone gave his all for me and for us, and today this person has nothing to lose, because he gave everything.

Thank you God for giving me this understanding! Thank you Universal Church for not giving up! Thank you Bishop Macedo for diving head first into this faith, which many – lack understanding because they were blinded by the prince of this century – throw stones at this Work, yet it only continues to grow stronger.

Unkulunkulu mkhulu (God is great).

Alexandre M. SACAMA

Assistant in Boston, Massachusetts – USA