More than 2000 worshippers from all around South Africa attended the memorial service of world-renowned man of God Dr Bishop Avhurengwi Ramulifho, who was laid to rest at Khubvi Cemetery last Saturday morning (15^th). Among the mourners were prominent lawyers, traditional leaders, bishops and doctors from all over the country.

During the memorial service, which was held at the Living Waters Christian International Church the day before (Friday), Ramulifho’s youngest son, Gundo Ramulifho, described his father as a very dedicated and committed man of God. “Blessed by God, my parents were married for 44 years. Now my father has left us [to be] with God, but with Him on our side, we will continue being a family that lives under the guidance of the mighty Lord,” he said.

The late bishop’s wife, Ms Norah Tshilidzi Ramulifho, told the mourners how she had met her late husband back in 1972, when they had been introduced to each other by the late Ms Ragimana while visiting her friend at the Apostolic Faith Mission Church. “Mrs Ragimana arranged everything and the rest, as they say, is history. I was already a Christian by then, but my husband taught me how to read and understand the Bible better. He showed me love from day one, until he left us,” she said.

Ramulifho was born in Muhuyu village in 1945. When he became a born-again Christian, he attended the Central Bible College in Mabopane between 1973 and 1974. After graduating, he taught the Gospel at many places - even on the trains at Johannesburg Station.

He eventually married his wife in 1979 and started his own church, called The Apostolic Unity Church, at Khubvi village in 1983. He was ordained as Bishop in 1992 and was later nominated as the Director of the Bible League in Africa, through which he visited most of the African countries and Europe, encouraging people to accept God as their Saviour.

He was also a well-known farmer, and worked as a freelance preacher for Radio Venda, where he hosted a programme called Fhasi ha Murunzi wa Vhutali for many years.

Ramulifho is survived by five children, Christian, Tshilidzi, Dembe, Vhukhudo and Gundo, his wife Norah, and his brothers, Pastor HB Ramulifho and Pastor RR Ramulifho.