Papa Simon Kimbangu's Life
Papa Simon Kimbangu, the Holy Spirit.
Papa Simon Kimbangu was born on Wednesday, September 12, 1887 in the village of Nkamba, Bas Congo, Republic Democratic of Congo from Kuyela his father and Luezi his mother and after the death of his mother; he was adopted by his aunt Kinzembo. In Kikongo, his native mother tongue the word kimbangu means “the one who reveals the hidden truth”. During his childhood the young Papa Simon Kimbangu did accomplish lot of miracles but asked witnesses to be silent and not to shout about it. Papa Simon Kimbangu went to school at the Baptist Mission in Ngombe-Matadi where he learnt moral and ethical values. He became a Christian and was baptised on July 4th, 1915, alongside with his wife, Marie-Mwilu, in the Baptist mission in Ngombe- Lutete. Later on he was trained as a catechist and religious instructor by the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS).
In 1918 when praying on the hills of Nkamba, Papa Simon Kimbangu heard a call from Jesus Christ his Lord, the voice said: I am Christ. My people are unfaithful. I have chosen you to bear witness and lead them to the path of the truth and salvation. Your mission will be difficult, but dont be frightened because I will always remain at your side.
He was frightened to death but did manage to give an answer, he said: Lord, I am not fit and even have not sufficient knowledge to accomplish such difficult mission. This mission will be worth it for pastors of Gombe-Lutete for example, they are better educated than me. Since then Papa Simon Kimbangu did have many calls from the Lord and frightened, he moved later on to the capital, Kinshasa (then Leopoldville), where he worked briefly as a migrant labourer at an oil refinery to postpone the moment until he will be ready, he left in Nkamba his wife Maman Mwilu kiawanga and his three children Papa Dialungana Kiangani, Papa Kisolokele Lukelo and Papa Diangienda Kuntima. He continued to receive calls while living in Kinshasa.
When working at Huilerie du Congo Belge (Belgium Congo Oil Refinery), he did never get paid because his salary was taken by someone else pretending to be him Papa Simon Kimbangu with the same appearance and was told that he has already signed therefore given his salary. He made lot of complaints without any good ending or results. He got some help from his workmates who walked him to the payer during these unfortunate events without any success.The same event was happening at the end of each month so he decided to return to Nkamba to fulfill his mission.
On April 6, 1921, Papa Simon Kimbangu performed his first public act of faith healing. He has laid his hands on a critically ill woman , Nkiantondo and healed her by prayers. This act marked the beginning of Papa Simon Kimbangu's healing revival and six months of intensive religious activity. NKamba, the seat of Papa Simon Kimbangu's healing ministry, became known as the 'New Jerusalem', and thousands of (locals and people from neighbouring countries) converts flocked to him.
Jealousy was among the Baptist mission about these miracles. Missionaries were sceptical of Papa Simon Kimbangu's new teachings and miraculous healings and on April, 17 1921 the Baptist missionary in Gombe- Lutete by Jennings wrote to Papa Simon Kimbangu and asked him to come to Gombe- Lutete. On the eve of his departure to Gombe- Lutete Papa Simon Kimbangu healed and resurrected the body of a young boy pronounced dead and asked his parents to stay with him for the night and they'll return tomorrow with him to Gombe- Lutete.
So on April 19, 1921, Papa Simon Kimbangu arrived in Gombe- Lutete with his wife Mwilu, his disciples and followers and a meeting took place with Reverend Jennings and Hillard, and other Baptist figures were present as Nlemvo, Manuel and Ntetela. Papa Simon Kimbangu was asked many questions about his healing, and Jennings in front of Hillard asked him if he can demonstrate his divine power as an answer he shown them the young boy standing in front of them pronounced dead yesterday that he brought back to life, but unfortunately for them the cortege of Papa Simon Kimbangu followers passed in front of their missionary with the body of a young boy pronounced dead so denial was impossible they did not respond.
On May 18, 1921 Reverend Jennings and Hillard and their delegates went to Nkamba and witnessed many miracles during blessing events, blinds recovered their sights, paralytics were walking, and dead resurrected, Jennings' delegates were very happy but the Reverend Jennings was not pleased, so not before long, few days after Reverend Jennings started slanderous speeches on Papa Simon Kimbangu.
As the healing movement spread in popularity, colonial officials and merchants began to perceive it as a revolutionary threat. Merchants complained that he incited followers to abandon their work and neglect the payment of taxes. With a small number of disciples to assist him, Papa Simon Kimbangu continued to preach and perform inspired acts of healing.
On September, 10 1921, in Mbaza-Nsanda at 9am, Papa Simon Kimbangu made a speech and prayer where he announced that he will be arrested and his followers will be persecuted:
“My Brothers (Zimpangi Zami), the spirit has revealed to me that the time to give myself up to the authorities has arrived. Remember, with my arrest will start a terrible period of unspeakable persecutions to myself and many people.
But you will stand firm because the spirit of our Almighty God (Mpeve ya Batata Nzambia Mpungu Tulendo) will never abandon us. He never abandons anyone who has entrusted him.
The governmental authorities will impose to my 'physical' a very long silence, but they'll never manage to destroy the work I've done, because it comes from God.
Of course, my physical will be subjected to the humiliation and the displeasure, but my spiritual person will go into battle against the injustices sown by the people of the world of darkness that came to dominate us using the colonisation.
I have been sent to liberate the people of the Kongo, Black men around the world....”
On June 6, 1921, Leon Morel, a Belgian colonial official, attempted to arrest Papa Simon Kimbangu and four of his most loyal assistants. Papa Simon Kimbangu eluded colonial officials until, prompted by a divine vision, he voluntarily surrendered on September 12. On October 3, 1921, Papa Simon Kimbangu was sentenced to death by 120 strokes of the lash for sedition and hostility toward the colonial authorities. His court-martial which started on September 29, 1921 in Mbanza-Ngungu, Bas Congo, then Belgian Congo and was characterized by arbitrary proceedings and legal irregularities with Commandant De Rossi unique judge and M. Dupuis as representing the public Minister. On November 19, 1921the death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by King Albert after an appeal from M. Dupuis (as representing the public Minister) to the King Albert for major irregularities.
So, Papa Simon Kimbangu was transferred to the prison called KASOMBO in Lubumbashi (ex Elisabethville where they used to lock dangerous prisoners) as if he was a dangerous prisoner. He spent thirty (30) years in prison with 120 strokes of the lash every single day, put in a bath of a solution called caustic soda. He was tortured, humiliated in every way they could. But even in prison he was still doing miracles and God's hand was upon him. But he died 30 years later in that prison (KASOMBO). Please note that everything he was enduring, Papa Simon Kimbangu was not represented by a lawyer or any legal representative.
Before he died he did announce the day and the time of his death.
On October 4th 1951, he visited all his fellow inmates telling them “From now on I’m a free man! My jail time is finished”. Informed by the news the prison director went to visit him. Papa Simon Kimbangu shook his hand and told him: ”My prison time has terminated today, I am definitely free and no one will ever deprive me of this freedom”
But you are here for life imprisonment and no grace period or clemency measure have been taken in your favour? “I repeat I will never go back to prison again, whether they like it or not. I have accomplished 30 years in prison that was the agreement”
On the Thursday October 11, 1951 at 5am when asked again to be baptised by a team of priests he replied: “I refused and get out” then added “You want to baptise me? Is that what you want?, I will accept your baptism only if you respond correctly to my question, that will prove you are true servants of the Lord, if you can not give the correct answer, then you are imposters”
Papa Simon Kimbangu told the people in the room “But the Lord revealed to me that I will die tomorrow Friday October 12, 1951 at exactely three PM, I encourage you to praise God , serve him and pray constantly along the span of your entire life.” On Friday October 12, 1951, at 2:45PM Papa Simon kimbangu called everyone again in the room and repeated the same thing he told them before.
“I only have 15 minutes to live, because I will die at three PM as I promised you yesterday morning, be good christians all of you, served God well and pray constantly may God bless you, Good bye” at 3PM Papa Simon Kimbangu said good bye again “I now leave you in peace”
Using his left hand he kicked himself 3 times on the left side of his chest and with the right hand ; he kicked himself 3 times on the right side of the chest and slept forever. Papa Simon Kimbangu passed away at three PM as he predicted.
So when the time came he hit three times both sides of his ribs and laid down dead and later was effectively pronounced dead by the prison medical team. He even declaredon the day and time a of my death I will reborn to one of my son's wife, Papa Simon kimbangu kiangani actual Spiritual Leader and legal representative of the Kimbanguist Church was born the same day at the same time when Papa Simon Kimbangu passed out.
Bilocation of Papa Simon kimbangu the Holy Spirit seen by human eyes. This appearance of Papa Simon Kimbangu in two places simultaneously is called Bilocation and was common during his 30 years in prison from 1921 to 1951. On November 2nd 1948 a new prisoner was brought at Ndolo prison in Leopoldville (actual Kinshasa) escorted by 15 strong armed gendarmes.The new prisoner was an European male who was arrested at Maya-Maya airport in French Congo (Brazzaville) on board of a flight from Brussels. The European male was arrested for having no identification of any sort and no valid traveling documents. When asked about his identity he proclaimed to be Papa Simon Kimbangu of Belgium Congo but there is only one Simon Kimbangu a black male who is in prison in Elisabethville (actual Lubumbashi). Does the colour matter? What matter is the soul replied Papa Simon Kimbangu. Mr Pilot and Markus , the prison administrator and Director made a radio communication call to Lubumbashi prison to verify the story whether Papa Simon Kimbangu has escaped from prison. The prison Director replied that Papa Simon Kimbangu has never left the prison and if they can check the chain's marks on the neck left during his 1921 forced trip from Nkamba to Lubumbashi and there were the exact match. Furious Mr Pilot and Markus ordered 15 lashes on Papa Simon kimbangu.
The youngest son of Simon Kimbangu, Kuntima Diangienda has assumed the leadership of Jesus Christ's Church on Earth by his special envoy Papa Simon Kimbangu in accordance with Kimbangu's wishes and it is now led by Simon Kimbangu kiangani his grand-son whom resides in Nkamba the foundation of the church. In 1969, the Kimbanguist church was admitted to the World Council of Churches, and in 1971, it was proclaimed as one of the four officially recognized ecclesiastical bodies in the newly formed nation of Zaire, actual D.R.Congo.
There are now more than 10 million kimbanguists around the world and Papa Simon Kimbangu has directly and indirectly influenced African prophetic, politic and freedom movements. His charismatic leadership has brought freedom, peace and a new level of spirituality into many hearts and his venue on earth has been beneficial for countless disoriented and unsettled souls which have been saved just for believing profoundly in God. The remembrance of Papa Simon Kimbangu's spirit is for us the fact that God can act and be present anywhere when people need him most, the sacrifice of Papa Simon Kimbangu cannot be disputed, his bravery and spiritual awareness has made proud lots of black people so his memory has been kept unchanged, optimistic and positive throughout many generations as a result Papa Simon Kimbangu has been promoted Hero in several African countries. Many people have witnessed his faith healing when he was detained in prison, it is the case of the village of Gamboma, Plateaux in Republic of Congo were he healed lepers. The Church of Christ on Earth by His Special Envoy Simon Kimbangu is one of the most extensively documented African religious entities. jccesk, Jesus Christ's Church on earth by his special Envoy Simon Kimbangu (J.C.C.E.S.K.) which delivers messages from Papa Simon Kimbangu is there to give evidence about Papa Simon Kimbangu' s life.