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 How I Found Christ 
 
 — in the : 
 
 Jungles of Africa 
 
 The Storv of Mv Conversion 
 
 lira 
 mum 
 
 SIMBINI MAM BA NKOMO 
 Vound iii Darkest Heathenism 
 Educated in (J. S. A. 
 
 This Book is Dedicated to the Christians 
 of America 
 
 "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 
 Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? 
 Then said I, here am I, send me. — Isaiah 6:8. 
 
 ii«iiiiamiB(ni»t i»«n»n.i«H 
 
 •Juiaiiiiati.iaiiiiaiiiiannaiiiiaiMait'iB 
 
 FIRST EDITiON lOOO 
 
How I Found Ghrist 
 
 in the 
 
 Jungles of Africa 
 
 i 
 
 Dear American Friends: 
 
 It has been my desire to tell every 
 American about how I found Christ in 
 the jungles of Africa, but I find this 
 impossible to do, so I have decided to 
 print that part of the story, which I 
 think will reveal to you the power of 
 God to save even a heathen African 
 boy through the ministry of the American 
 missionary. 
 
 I belong to one of the Bantu races of 
 South Africa. From my childhood I 
 was taught that there was one God or 
 UNKulunkulu, who created the African 
 only and that he was the God of the 
 Black man and not of the white people. 
 I also learned how to sacrifice and to 
 worship my ancestors. I watched the 
 old men and women giving their alms to 
 the gods of wood and stone. In addition 
 to this, my father gave me instructions 
 in matters of war or military tactics. 
 
 At the age of ten, I could not read in 
 my own language or in the English 
 language. I never had seen a church, 
 school-house or Sunday School class and 
 above all, I did not know about Jesus. 
 
 2 
 
How I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 AN IGNORANT AFRICAN BOY 
 II 
 
 y I was born and reared in a hut. The 
 hut had no window, but only a small, 
 narrow door. When I entered the hut 
 I had to crawl on my hands and knees. 
 In the center of the hut was a fireplace. 
 There was no outlet for the smoke 
 except the door. The sheep, goats 
 and chickens all slept in the hut, in a 
 separate section of the room, which was 
 allotted to them by the family. I slept 
 on a mat made from reeds and used my 
 elbow for a pillow or sometimes a log 
 would serve the purpose. There were no 
 chairs in the hut. I took part in all 
 forms of heathen ceremony engaged in 
 by the community. I sang in all the 
 great gatherings of the demons and 
 believed in all their false prophecies con- 
 cerning the future. I drank the native 
 beer and when drunk, I would quarrel 
 and fight with other boys. Had I been 
 old enough at that time, I would have 
 been compelled to marry several wives, 
 so they could cook and work for me. 
 When I was sick, a witch doctor was 
 called in to see who caused my disease, 
 and he told us that our neighbor sent 
 an evil spirit to bring sickness on me. 
 
 I used to set traps in the woods to 
 catch animals, and my brother also set 
 up a trap. Many times I would go into 
 
 3 
 
Mow I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 the woods alone and find an animal in 
 my brother's trap and steal it from him 
 and put it in my own trap. After a 
 while, my brother would come to me and. 
 say, "Come, let us go into the woods and 
 see if there are any animals in our traps." 
 I would say, "Good, let us go!" My 
 brother and I would set out for the 
 woods. He would look for his trap and. 
 of course, found no animal in it. Then 
 I would ask him to come and help me 
 with my trap, and see if there was an 
 animal in it. He was always willing to 
 help me, and he never knew that I stole 
 the animals from his trap. Also I would 
 steal food from my mother when I was 
 very hungry, and would tell her that some 
 neighbor took it. I used to get other 
 boys into quarreling with each other and 
 the result was very serious injuries to 
 them and to myself. *I did everything 
 that any African boy did, and never 
 stopped to think whether it was right or 
 wrong. /• 
 
 III 
 
 ^The Arrival of the Missionary 
 
 One afternoon, when I came home with 
 my cattle, my mother informed me about 
 the strange people who had white faces 
 and wore long bags around their bodies 
 and who said they were going to tell us 
 about a great King. 1 did. my work 
 twice as fast that day as I usually did 
 
 4 
 
How I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 and in a short time I told mother that I 
 was ready to go with her. We started 
 for the place and in a few minutes we 
 found ourselves under a big tree. There 
 for the first time, I heard something 
 about Jesus, the Saviour of the world. 
 
 The missionary opened his big, black 
 book which I had mistaken for a large, 
 black stone. He read from Mark 10:47, 
 "Jesu Ndodona ka Davida ngi haukele 
 mina" — "Jesus, thou son of David, have 
 mercy upon me." He asked us to close 
 our eyes as he prayed. I was afraid that 
 the man was either going to rob or kill 
 us while our eyes were closed and so I 
 refused to comply with his request until 
 my mother placed her hands upon my 
 face. After he said "Amen," he began 
 to tell us that he came from America and 
 that he came over to tell us about Jesus 
 Christ. He said, "God created every- 
 body on the earth, white, black and 
 yellow people and that he wants all His 
 children to come to Him and tell Him 
 that they are sinners and wish Jesus, 
 His Son, to take away their sins. 
 
 The missionary, after preaching, left 
 for his station, perhaps never again to 
 return and tell us more about Jesus. I 
 went back to the pastures to take care 
 of the cattle and there I told the boys I 
 knew about Jesus, the King of the 
 White men. 1 told them about women 
 with long hair. Though I was not a 
 
 5 
 
How I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 Christian, yet I had a desire to tell them 
 about the Great King, for he seemed more 
 wonderful than our king. 
 
 IV 
 
 At the Mission Station 
 
 Several months after that, the Spirit 
 of God kept telling me to follow the man 
 who told me about Jesus. I tried to 
 suppress His voice for many weeks but 
 I failed, so I went to the mission station, 
 after promising my people that I would 
 not have anything to do with the 
 European religion, which taught people 
 to be good and to be submissive to every 
 insult. In company with my uncle I set 
 out for the mission house, the lady 
 missionary was very kind to us and 
 invited us to h<>r home and showed us 
 the pictures of Jesus, Moses and other 
 Bible characters. She told us that we 
 should come to school in the morning 
 then come to her house for prayer in the 
 evening, which we did. Before prayer 
 she taught us John 3:16, and then told 
 us more about Jesus. She plainly asked 
 us to accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour. 
 
 It was one of the hardest things for 
 me to do, yet in the end I did it and 
 gave my heart and all to Jesus Christ, 
 the Lamb of God, that taketh away the 
 sins of the world. Then Christ forgave 
 me all my past sins and stubbornness 
 and I was made a new creature in Christ 
 
 6 
 
How I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 Jesus. The old burden was taken away 
 and the world seemed to be clothed in 
 brightness and I began to praise God for 
 it.* Praise His Holy Name! Glory to 
 God, it pays to follow Jesus. I saw that 
 my own tribe, which numbered at least 
 one million people, needed God. 
 
 My First Prayer 
 
 One day as I was looking after my 
 sheep, one of them got lost. I did not 
 know just where the baby sheep was. 
 Around me was a very large forest. 
 Since the sheep was my father's, it meant 
 that I would be punished for losing it. 
 I knelt down under a small bushy tree 
 and lifted up my voice and said, "God 
 of the missionaries, they said, if we pray 
 to you, you will answer our prayer." 
 "God, help me to find my sheep." I 
 found the sheep not very far from that 
 spot and how my faith was strengthened, 
 I could not explain. I carried my sheep 
 back home rejoicing in the Lord. Then 
 I began to pray for my own people at 
 home. God answered my prayers, for 
 all my brothers and sisters are Christians 
 today and know how to pray and serve 
 Jesus. Shortly after that my cousin 
 became a Christian. How powerful is 
 the God of the missionaries. 
 
 7 
 
How I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 VI 
 
 Seeking Higher Education 
 
 I attended Mission School for several 
 years. I helped to teach during the week 
 and went out to the kraal to preach or 
 tell my people about Jesus. God blessed 
 me and caused them to leave their 
 heathen form of worship and serve Him. 
 At the same time, I told the Lord that I 
 needed more education in order to teach 
 my people better in the educational, 
 industrial and religious work now taught 
 in the mission field. My father did not 
 want me to go so far away from home 
 to get an education for he thought that 
 I had received sufficient training in the 
 Mission School. I tried to borrow some 
 money from my friends in order to buy 
 a ticket which was to take me to the 
 Adams Seminary, Natal, South Africa, 
 where I intended to begin my studies. 
 However, my friends refused to lend me 
 the money. But I had great desire and 
 determination to go to school, and 
 therefore, I went to a small town to seek 
 employment. I obtained a position for 
 two months at Two Dollars and Fifty 
 Cents a month. From there, I went to 
 Salisbury, Rhodesia, and it was while I 
 was in Rhodesia that I heard of an 
 opportunity to get a position in a gold 
 mine, where I could earn big wages. 
 The trip to this mine cost $2.50, but I 
 only had $1.00 in my pocket. In order 
 
 8 
 
How I Founil Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 to get there, I sold my two shirts and a 
 pair of trousers, which were given to me 
 by my brother, at a very small price. 
 Then I bought my ticket and took the 
 train to the mine, and there I worked 
 hard for six months, and received enough 
 money to enter Adams Seminary, which 
 I did in the fall of 1905. For a period of 
 two years, after the completion of my 
 course in Adams Seminary, I taught 
 school and made enough money to buy 
 my ticket to America. But the way 
 was closed, and I prayed to the Lord to 
 open it, and in 1910, the Lord opened the 
 way for me to come. I landed in America 
 with little or no money to help me to go 
 through school, but I managed to work 
 my way through high school and college. 
 The president and the students were very 
 kind to me in college. Sometimes my 
 pocket-book ran very low and so I 
 cooked my own meals, in order to reduce 
 expenses. For more than three years I 
 cooked for myself. It was a very hard 
 thing to do but I had a great desire to get 
 an education and return home and help 
 the other boys and girls in telling them 
 about Jesus. 
 
 VII 
 
 My Prayer for Africa 
 
 I shall soon complete my studies and 
 have in my possession the secular and 
 religious education necessary for my 
 work as a missionary. I am planning, 
 
 9 
 
How I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 if God wills, to return to my native land 
 and teach the African boys and girls the 
 things of God and His power to save 
 them through the blood of Jesus Christ, 
 his only begotten Son. 
 
 Besides teaching them about Christ, I 
 am going to teach them something about 
 scientific farming, because there is so 
 much land that is not tilled properly. 
 The first thing I want to do is to build 
 a school house right in that part of 
 Africa where a native school house 
 cannot be found. I need money to buy 
 Bibles, books, ploughs and other equip- 
 ment for the school and so I am sending 
 you this information that you may aid 
 me in the effort, by your prayers and 
 your gifts, that I may, through the aid of 
 the Christians of America, return to my 
 home in Africa with the means necessary 
 to teach the boys and girls who are still 
 living in heathen darkness and super- 
 stition, about Christ. 
 
 Will YOU help answer this prayer? 
 Many of my prayers have been answered 
 except this one, "God, provide me 
 with money so that I may return 
 home and build a school house for 
 African boys and girls, and tell them 
 about Jesus." 
 
 Yours for darkest Africa, 
 
 Simbini M. Nkomo 
 
 10 
 
How I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 TESTIMONIALS 
 
 November 1917. 
 Further information can be secured by 
 writing to Mr. Nkomo, 153 Institute Place, 
 Chicago, III. 
 
 The Story of My Conversion 
 
 Committee on Friendly Relations Among 
 Foreign Students 
 
 124 East 28th Street, New York, 
 
 May 15, 1917. 
 
 To Whom It May Concern: 
 
 It has been my pleasure to know Mr. Simbini 
 Nkomo for two years, and I have been much 
 impressed with his earnest purpose to extend 
 Christian education among his own people in 
 Africa. He has taken an active part in our 
 Student Conference at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 
 and has impressed our American students with 
 his devotion and loyalty to the cause of Christ. 
 
 Any courtesy which may be extended to him 
 will be deeply appreciated. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 Chas. D. Hurrey, General Sec'y- 
 
 Illinois C. E. Union 
 To Whom It May Concern: 
 
 Having reasons for having unusual confidence 
 in the integrity and motives of Mr. Simbini 
 Nkomo, the writer is glad to recommend him 
 to friends of the missionary enterprise. I am 
 sure that any assistance rendered to him and 
 any confidence placed in him will not be amiss. 
 Furthermore, his manifest desire to be of service 
 to his race should entitle him to a careful hearing 
 wherever he goes. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 C. E. McBurney, Missionary Supt. 
 Chicago, 111.- June 9, 1917. 
 
 11 
 
How I Found Christ in (lie .lun^les of Africa 
 
 To Whom It May Concern: 
 
 It is a pleasure to speak in hearty commenda- 
 tion of the character and consecration of my 
 friend, Mr. Simbini Nkomo, who has been 
 used of God to witness to the power of Christ to 
 save men. He is dependable and unusually 
 bright. 
 
 \\ e speak unhesitatingly to any Christian 
 friends wishing an inspirational message, urging 
 them to hear this brother. 
 
 Very truly, 
 
 The Illinois Christian Endeavor Union 
 E. L. Reiner, President. 
 
 Chicago, 111.- June 28, 1917. 
 
 Office ok Superintendent 
 Bond County Schools 
 
 To Whom It May Concekn: 
 
 Mr. Simbini Nkomo, a native of Rhodesia, 
 South Africa, has been a student of Greenville 
 College for several years. During this time he 
 has conducted himself in a Christian and 
 gentlemanly manner. 
 
 He entered the college while I was an 
 instructor. I had the privilege of testing his 
 qualilications for entering the Preparatory 
 Department. I found he not only had a good 
 knowledge of the fundamentals, but possessed 
 a mind capable of great development. He now 
 graduates from the College of Liberal Arts, 
 baving overcome great obstacles. Any favors 
 shown him will be worthily bestowed. 
 
 I predict for him a career of usefulness and 
 honor, and shall be disappointed if he does not 
 win a place of honor and distinction among his 
 people to whose interests he has consecrated his 
 talents. 
 
 Very sincerely, 
 
 Wm. E. White, Supt. 
 Greenville, 111. April 28. 1917. 
 
 12 
 
How I Founil Christ in (he Jungles of Africa 
 
 First Presbyterian Church 
 William It. Kendall, Pastor 
 
 To Whom It May Concern: 
 
 This will introduce to you Mr. Simbini Nkomo, 
 a native Zulu, who came to this country in 
 pursuit of a Christian education. He had been 
 attending Greenville College for a number of 
 years and graduates with the class of 1917. 
 
 Mr. Nkomo has won the good will and esteem, 
 not only of the Faculty and the students of 
 Greenville College, but also of the people of 
 Greenville. Many have heard him speak con- 
 cerning his native land and were very much 
 pleased. He is personally known to me as a 
 strong moral character with splendid intel- 
 lectual qualifications for so young a man. I 
 take pleasure in recommending him to your 
 confidence and any kindness shown him will not 
 be ill spent. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 W. H. Kendall. 
 Greenville, 111. - May 25, 1917. 
 
 To Whom It May Concern: 
 
 This is to certify that Simbini Nkomo has 
 been a successful student in Greenville College 
 for the past seven years. He was a member of 
 the senior class of '17. He is straight-forward 
 and devoted, having in mind to labor among 
 his own people in Africa when his education is 
 completed. He has frequently addressed 
 missionary meetings for our Woman's Foreign 
 Missionary Society and we cordially commend 
 him to anyone wishing such services. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 Mrs. Lily E. Hood, 
 Conference President W. F. M. S. — Central 
 Illinois Conference of the Free Methodist 
 Church. 
 
 Mrs. Carrie T. Burritt. 
 Instructor in Missions, Greenville College. 
 
 13 
 
How I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 Greenville College 
 
 Greenville, 111., May 2, 1917 
 
 To Whom It May Concern: 
 
 Mr. Simbini Nkomo entered Greenville 
 College in 1910. Having completed the Prep- 
 aratory Course in the spring of 1914, he imme- 
 diately began work in the College Department. 
 He now graduates from the College of Liberal 
 Arts, having completed the course in three 
 years. 
 
 During his stay in Greenville, Mr. Nkomo 
 has conducted himself in a manner which has 
 met the approval of all who knew him. His 
 desire to return to his native land as a miss- 
 ionary has always predominated and the interest 
 which he has shown in religious work has proved 
 that he is sincere in that desire. 
 
 Usually, Mr. Nkomo spends a good part of 
 the vacation months in Christian work. The 
 past summer he was one of the speakers in the 
 Christian Endeavor Convention in Southern 
 Illinois. While at Greenville, he has given 
 several lectures which have been of unusual 
 interest. 
 
 We feel safe in recommending Mr. Nkomo to 
 any who might have it in their power to favor 
 him in any way. 
 
 Very sincerely yours, 
 
 Herschel Litherland, 
 President of Student Organization. 
 
 My knowledge of Mr. Simbini Nkomo of 
 South Africa enables me to say that he is an 
 intellectual worthy Christian gentleman. He 
 has and is still exerting all his powers in prep- 
 aration for his life work — to benefit man and to 
 glorify God. 
 
 John H. Martin, 
 Greenville, 111. Pastor First Baptist Church. 
 
 14 
 
How I P'ound Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 Mayfair Congregational Church 
 
 The Mayfair Congregational sunday school 
 has agreed to give ($50.00) fifty dollars yearly 
 to the support of Simbini Nkomo, a native of 
 Africa, to extend the Christian work among his 
 own native people. 
 
 We take great delight in doing this, as our 
 brother has won our affections and deepest 
 interest in himself personally, and in his future 
 work. 
 
 Geo. J. Haberar, Supt. 
 Alfred J. Lewis, Pastor. 
 
 Chicago, 111.- March 19, 1918. 
 
 Contributors will be kept informed concerning 
 the work by a circular letter. 
 
 O. C. Bolman, 
 Minister-Evangelist, Christian Church. 
 
 To the Christian Brethren Everywhere: 
 Greeting, 
 
 I take pleasure in commending to your 
 confidence and fellowship, Simbini Nkomo, a 
 native of Bhodesia, South Africa. His manner of 
 life and daily conduct, together with his high 
 moral ideals, has won for him the highest esteem 
 of the people of Greenville and highest com- 
 mendation from the faculty of Greenville College. 
 
 Any favors you may show him will be 
 appreciated. 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 O. C. Bolivian. 
 
 Greenville, 111.- June 6, 1917. 
 
 15 
 
How I Found Christ in the Jungles of Africa 
 
 First M. E. Church 
 Rev. C. H. Spragg, Pastor, 
 Southern Illinois Conference. 
 
 This is to say that I am acquainted with the 
 bearer, Simbini Nkomo, of Rhodesia, South 
 Africa. I know of his long and earnest endeavor 
 to secure an education and of his great desire to 
 be able to return to his own people that he might 
 bring to them the good news of the Gospel of the 
 Son of God. I believe he is worthy of your 
 confidence and any and all assistance rendered 
 him will not be misplaced. 
 
 Greenville, 111. C. H. Spiiagg 
 
 AFRICA FOR CHRIST 
 
 I, or we gladly subscribe the undermentioned 
 sum to help Christianize, train and direct the un- 
 evangelized tribes of Africa through the effort of 
 Simbini Nkomo and others whom God may call 
 to assist him. 
 
 $ for the term of One Year 
 
 $ for the term of Two Years 
 
 $ for the term of Five Years 
 
 Payments May Be Made To 
 
 CHARLES E. McBURNEY 
 
 SUPT. OF MISSIONS, ILLINOIS C. E. UNION 
 108 N. CLINTON ST., CHICAGO, ILL. 
 
 Name 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Name of Church 
 
 Address 
 
 16