Ndabwera Chonse’-I Have Come All the Way

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MW Editor’s Note:  Mentoring Warriors welcomes Kondwani Biliati to the MW tribe. Kondwani is a recording artist and producer in Malawi, Africa. We first met at a Mentoring Warriors Boot Camp weekend held on the Malawian Zomba Plateau in Fall 2024. Kondwani wrote the song, Ndabwera Chonse’ (translated into English) as I Have Come All the Way.  Check out Kondwani’s life as a young married man in his 20s living in Africa.  Welcome Kondwani!

Questions

MW: Kondwani, we first met in Malawi while on a Mentoring Warriors Boot Camp weekend. Ten of us gathered to learn God’s heart for mentoring, and how as young professionals in Malawi, you can reach your country for Christ.  You have much musical talent in both writing and performing music.  Tell us how you first came to discover God gave you a talent in music.

Kondwani: Wow, thanks for this opportunity. That was early 2000 when I discovered that I was so addicted to music, and that I could sing!  What do I need? Do I have a voice for singing?

By answering those questions was when I realized that God gave me a talent.

And I also discovered that my composition was straight Gospel because every song lyric ended up praising or appreciating God’s Love.

MW: Were you raised in a Christian home, and if so, when did you make a personal faith commitment to Jesus?

Kondwani: I was raised in a Christian family background and I remember my parents used to say if I’m not going to church, I’m not supposed to eat.

On June 5, 2010 was when I made a personal faith commitment to Jesus, after understanding more about Jesus. He is the savior of my life.

MW: Which do you like the most, writing music or producing it?

Kondwani: Mostly, I like writing music and, I have a lot of songs not yet produced due to financial problems for promotion and music launches. As of now, I have almost 30 songs already produced but not promoted. Producing music has become the work which I meet my basic needs.

MW: Tell us about your family.  You are married. Do you have children?

Kondwani: Yes, I’m married to Eneless and I have a son. His name is Blessings and, God has also blessed us with a daughter, Peaceful.

MW: How did you know God wanted you to marry your wife?

Kondwani: Well, my wife and I, we had a long time relationship, 7 years. By the way, there were a lot of conflicts between her parents and me. They didn’t want me to marry their daughter.

I was praying for it and, I heard a voice from above saying once all these conflicts end, it’s when you will marry her.  Luckily, in December 2019 her parents agreed that I could marry their daughter, and, in 2020 that was when we had a wedding ceremony. That’s how I knew that God wanted me to marry my wife, and I’m happy she is staying with me.

MW: What is one of the biggest challenges living in Malawi?

Kondwani: The biggest challenge is the economic crisis. We depend much on agriculture, but the farm inputs (resources) are so expensive. A very good example is I have four acres of garden, which needs almost 6 bags of fertilizer. It’s a challenge to afford to buy 3 bags, even to buy 2 bags.

Because they are so expensive as of now a bag of fertilizer is in the range of k180,000 to k210,000 (Approximately 1750 Malawian Kwachas = $1.00 USD.)

We have no tractors or heavy equipment to help us farm. It is all done by hand. We hand-plowed this entire 4 acres to plant maize (corn). Maize is our primary food source.

So this problem has put many in poverty and this can be my prayer for an open door; that God may provide a way to afford farming and feed our families.

MW: How does faith in Christ help you manage such challenges?

Kondwani:  We always hope that God is going to do something, and by the end of the farming season we praise God in Christ because He didn’t leave us alone in very difficult situations.

MW: Tell us more about this featured song: Ndabwera Chonse.

Kondwani: Ndabwera Chonse’ is a song composed in 2020, produced in 2022. 

I wrote this song after a spiritual review of my life, and found that I had a problem of returning back to my old ways, then running back to God, over and over again. So I came up with this song as a reminder of my life so that I can focus on Christ at the same time asking for forgiveness from Him, and indeed it has been a reminder of my life.

MW: Tell us how God is using your music ministry in Malawi.

Kondwani: God is using my music ministry in many ways: my songs are on the radio and TVs, without me promoting them, and I have been booked to perform in churches. 

And many people call me to appreciate God’s work in and through me.

MW: Those who follow Mentoring Warriors live all over the world, but mostly in North America (USA and Canada). What would be some things you would want to tell your brothers in Christ, who live in North America?

Kondwani: I just want to give  a word of encouragement to you my brothers from Canada and North America,

Galatians:5:1

 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Let’s remember that we are the Warriors. 

Let’s stand firm, then and do not let ourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

If we have talents, let’s use them to praise God.

As you pray, don’t forget that I and my team of 16 young boys that I am mentoring; that God should change them and make them important people to their families, community and even to the world.

If you have potential to help me financially so that I can promote my music and have an album launch, the door is open. 

I love you all, my friends, working for God is where my joy and strength come from.

MW:  Thank you for translating your song lyrics into English on the attached link.

Music Video with English Lyrics

Warrior On!

MW Editor’s Note:  If you want to connect with Kondwani and the work he is doing through music ministry in Malawi, reach out to us at info@mentoring-warriors.com  

Bonus Video. Here is Kondwani (on guitar) leading us at the Mentoring Warriors Zomba Plateau Boot Camp Weekend in Malawi. (Note: we white guys in the video (from the USA and Canada) have much to learn from our African brothers on moving to the beat! HA!)

MW Zomba Plateau Worship Singing Led by Kondwani