His life has been highly publicised and unlike many pastors who are secretive about their lives away from the church. Televangelist Pastor Enoch Phiri of Restoration House Ministries in Soweto has opened up about both the good and bad in his life. He has admitted his sins; from his highly publicised divorce from his wife of 19 years, Busisiwe Phiri, to being arrested for allegedly vandalising his ex-wife’s home in Protea Glen, Soweto to alcohol abuse and overcoming depression. Pastor Phiri believes that speaking up as a man of the cloth can help others and also heal him. He now opens up to ZiMoja about the new woman in his life, Prophetess Nkosazana.

DIVORCE

Pastor Phiri says he is on a "journey to healing," adding that, "I thank God every day for giving me a second and a third chance. I don’t know how I managed to get out of that divorce situation. Divorce was one of the most embarrassing moments in my life. It broke me. As a pastor, I am expected to help couples, but I ended up being the one that needed help and divine intervention." Pastor Phiri’s divorce left him bruised and he didn’t think he would fall in love again and took out his frustration on alcohol.

DROWNING HIS SORROWS

Due to not being able to cope with the shame of being a divorcee, he fell into the trap of using alcohol to numb his pain. "I was drinking to stop the pain. I am not an alcoholic. I have never had issues with alcohol but because of pain, I fell into it," he says. But that did not last long. "I was drowning my sorrows. But I quickly realised that as a man of God, I needed to seek the lord for guidance. I have not been drinking alcohol for a while and I am grateful."

FINDING LOVE AGAIN

While trying to start afresh, clean up his life and rebuild his relationship with the Lord, he has also found love again. "I am happy. I am in a good place," he says. "I have met someone, and we are good." Although he is in a new relationship, he is still afraid to give his all so soon after his divorce. "It’s hard for me to love again. Every woman is a suspect now because I have been burnt. But she is there for me, she allows me to be the person I am and have become. I will never speak ill of any woman in this world. I have taken accountability of what happened in the past and in the divorce, so I can move forward." 

HOW THEY MET

Pastor Phiri says he met Prophetess Nkosazana when he was down and out. "I met her at a time when things were down in my life. I didn’t want to take advantage of any woman because I was low," he says, adding that when you are in the media, you tend to attract the wrong people. "You meet the wrong people when you’re in the spotlight. I put her to the test and she is still in a test," he laughs. "What I love is that she is a professional lady, she loves God. She is a public speaker and all-rounder." He met her while going to present Ingoma Awards. "I saw this beauty. She was also having an event at the same venue. I was traveling with my daughters, she highjacked me to be a speaker at her event. I agreed and the rest is history." Pastor Phiri says their relationship has been nothing but peaceful. "God has been good to me, I am happy. I am in a good space; God is doing great things in my life." He cannot as yet reveal what is coming up in the next few months but says big things are coming.