Since 2019, Silvino Calei Albino, a district pastor in the province of Huambo in Angola, has been making sure that God’s people have decent places of worship.

In many places, the lack of churches, or the presence of unfinished churches, had almost become an eyesore in the community. Such a state of affairs is now a thing of the past in the municipal village of Londuimbali, in the province of Huambo.

As a result of its evangelistic emphasis, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Angola has registered a strong growth in membership. This growth has brought with it the need to build more churches to house the new members.

Seeing the need to house God’s children in decent facilities, Calei pulled up his sleeves to build churches in this vast area. Since 2019, he and his team have built four beautiful permanent church buildings, three temporary clay churches, and a ministerial house for the district pastor.

“It was the need and desire to welcome new people who had been converted that led me to think of structures to house them,” Calei said. He explained that it took him and his team less than a year to build one church. 

In terms of costs, Calei explained how they managed. “Church members purchased the materials, and my team took care of erecting the walls, placing the roof, and finishing the structures.” He is also working in partnership with skilled personnel of the National Electricity Company to make sure that all electrical wiring and plumbing are within the government of Angola’s standards.

Calei emphasized that they don’t charge for the construction projects. “What I do is mission work to further God’s kingdom,” he said. “I believe my reward will be in heaven.”

He has encouraged other brothers and sisters to emulate his spiritual gift with similar gifts.

As a result of these initiatives, it came as no surprise that the district where he serves has been on the list of the top ten that return tithes and offerings faithfully to the Adventist Church’s Central Association Mission in Huambo. As a result of his dedication to the mission of the church, Calei is esteemed by his community, even as he gives God all the glory for the spiritual gifts that God has bestowed on him.

“We pray that many people will be inspired as they emulate pastor Calei’s dedication to the mission of the church,” church leaders said. 

The original version of this story was posted on the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division’s Adventist Echonews site.