5 Questions With...Deacon Madalitso ("Mada") Khwepeya

1. How did you first get involved with Friendship Presbyterian? Well, I came to Taiwan from Malawi in August, 2014, to study for my Master’s degree at Taipei Medical University. And I happened to have a roommate who was also from Malawi and was attending FPC church. I had attended and was a member of a Presbyterian church back in Malawi (Church of Central Africa Presbyterian), so I felt at home in FPC. But in terms of my serving experiences at the church, at first, I was not active at all. However, after a lot of encouragement from friends and Pastor Dennis, and also the thought that I needed to do something for the Kingdom of God, my first experience of service began in 2016. I started to usher and then, later, I got involved in being a deacon, as well as performing with the international worship team, and working in our student ministry, G2C (Gospel 2 the Campus). I also began my Ph.D. in 2016.

2. What do you do Monday through Saturday? It depends, really. I am a student and so, basically, I am busy with my studies. If any other commitments from the church come up, I do them as well. So, it just depends what I have for that week. I love as well to watch movies and dramas, especially Korean Dramas for my leisure time.

3. What is something people might be surprised to know about you? One thing people might find hard to believe is that I only listen to gospel music. I do not listen to other songs. It is a long story, really, but I once was asked what kind of songs do you listen to? It was overwhelming to answer that question for me! However, looking back and making that decision, my walk in Christ has grown a lot because every time I listen to worship songs, it makes me focus on worshiping God and meditating on His word. Maybe the point is to always be careful what you listen to and watch, because in one way or the other, it affects your spiritual life.

4. What do you find most challenging about being a Christian today? We live in a world of sin which makes it hard for us to act based on our faith. Most of the time, we seek the acceptance of other people, rather than putting God first. There are also things like technology that draw our attention away from God. For example, I love to watch Korean Dramas. It is very easy for me to be focused on that and forget to pray. It is a challenge to find the right balance.

5. What is your favorite book of the Bible? I love the Psalms. I can read them over and over again. To me, the book of Psalms portrays the complete range of our emotions (happiness, sadness, etc.). It reminds me who I am as a person. It also reminds me how to worship, how to be thankful, and who God really is through worship.