Weekend Away In Skelmersdale, Entering A New Chapter In My Life

Last weekend my family and I took a much needed vacation to our old hometown Skelmersdale, the place I lived for 10 years of my 15 years in the UK. It was the town where I bought my first property. The town where I lived as a young married wife and mother. The place where I built my home and laid the foundation of my life as a young adult. Until, of course a self styled Prophet called Walter Masocha came into my life and turned everything upside down. His cruelty and life threatening abuse he subjected me to led me to lose my marriage and house. 

Its been over a year since I was evicted from my 3 bedroom detached house and made homeless. Well, last weekend marked a new chapter in my life. I was able to go back to Skelmesdale and face my past. I built an alter as a memorial and remembrance of how far the Lord has taken me. I was able to go back into the park where I spent a lot of my time praying and meditating. We went on my favourite hill where we met a musician called Robert who was singing a song called "Do not forget" . Nino and Robert suddenly connected, and before we knew it, there was a sweet symphony in Skelmersdale. A sound of music. Almost like a mini concert on a hill on the beautiful grass. The sun was setting and Robert started singing love songs for us. It was surreal, the joy I felt. As soon as Robert finished singing, suddenly there were soft showers of rain, mnnn the latter rain, only lasting a few minutes, and I never seen such a beautiful sunset. We started running down the hill, and  behold as we got downhill, right in front of us, the most beautiful rainbow appeared. You see, I had prayed and said "God I know you really are with me, show me a sign, a rainbow, I need a sign that you are going to restore everything I lost in Agape For All Nations Cult". It was one of the most magical moments of my life, and I felt as though the Lord was saying to me, you lost your house and your marriage, but its time to let go of the past, and everything you lost I will restore a million fold. 

From there we were able to walk past the house we lost, it looked dark and deserted. No longer the beautiful family home we lived in for 10 years. I told my family we are crossing over to a new life. The peace and joy we had was just out of this world. After the weekend when I got home, an Agape youth member (yes an Agape youth member) sent me the song by Damita called No Looking Back. 

I am leaving this place now,

letting go of all my fears,

saying good-bye to the memory I hold dear

I can finally breath again,

its a new day fair well past,

as I close this chapter I set free at last

(oh! am saying)

I made up my mind-theres no turning back

the past is behind me-theres no looking back

I'm looking forward not behind

I've made a desicion-to give you my life

and no looking back and its and no looking back and there no looking back

Every step I take is new,

I found courage to go on,

though its rough sometime I still have to be strong

I may have to walk alone,

but the One who live inside,

me is always there to comfort and to guide and i want to say

I made up my mind-theres no turning back-the past is behind me-theres no looking back-I'm looking forward not behind- I've made a desicion- I give you my life

We stayed in the beautiful village of Parbold in a private family hotel were we were treated like royalty 

And there was a wedding 

And the beautiful walk in the village

  

The rainbow...

With Robert after he sang beautiful love songs for us

This park always meant a lot to my family 

Going Back Memory Lane 

The House I lost through Agape 

It is no longer the family home it was to us...time to say good-buy to my old life. I look forward to purchasing my new house in this new chapter of my life

In Other News

I am getting comments from an Ex Agape Member who is asking me why I am not longer blogging about Agape and Walter Masocha saying I am letting down Key Board Warriors because they want to talk about Walter Masocha. I am sorry that you strongly feel this way. But I also have a life outside this blog and outside of the Walter Masocha case. I have to look after myself and my family. I have bills to pay and a life to live. I am launching my career and moving on with my life I can not remain stuck in the Walter Masocha case for the rest of my life. Walter Masocha has streets to clean, bins to empty, public toilets to mop and other sex court cases to attend, I have a TV show to launch and visions to fulfil.  I spent the last two years of my life on the battlefield that almost cost me my life. Everything in life has a season, and for me I am now in a new chapter and season. I continue to support Victims of Walter Masocha and work closely with women needing support and help through JAW, women who have been abused will always be my greatest priority. 

In Other Other News 

I am very excited as all my designs are finally in the house. I worked hard on this project and keep tuned in for an explosive launch of my clothing line. Excited! Yes gore rino muchadzidza zvakawanda indeed!  

MY OPEN LETTER TO MICHAEL'S MOTHER

On Sunday 7 June 2015 a video of a 12 year Zimbabwean child based in the UK cursing his mother went viral on social media. The video can be watched here. On Wednesday American grammy-nominated R&B singer and movie actor Tyrese Gibson then posted the video of the boy on his Facebook page followed by 26 million fans. The comments on Tyrese's page were rather disheartening to me.  When this video went viral at the beginning of the week, a number of people asked me for my opinion on the story and I promised I would write an article.  But today the  Lord put upon my heart to write the mother an open letter instead as both her and her son have been castigated enough on social media. When I watch the video, I do not see a "bad" mother and "bad" child, but rather I see two people who love each other dearly crying out for help as the world watches, judges and condemn. Anyway without rambling too much, my letter to the child's mother goes something like this...

Dear Michael's mother

Firstly I would like to offer my sympathy on what I believe must be a traumatic time for your family. I can only imagine the anguish this situation must have brought into your household.  Woman to woman, mother to mother I do not write this letter in condemnation but offering you words of encouragement and support, something that at times as humans we find difficult to give especially when it is needed the most. In the video I gathered you referred to your son as Micheal, hence I will use that name not "spoiled rotten child" .   Your boy has a name so great it is mentioned a few times in the bible. Each time the archangel Micheal is mentioned in the bible, he is always in action, either battling wicked angels, disputing with Satan or waging war with the devil and his demons. As I write this open letter to you I chose to associate your son with a name so great in the spirit realm it shakes the satanic kingdom. I don't know if you know this but our names have power to shape and influence who we are. When I watched the video, I saw a broken little boy crying out for help. I saw an angry child who doesn't know how to deal with so many emotions and changes going on inside him (and probably within the home too). I saw a boy who is in desperate need of love and attention. I saw a child resenting his mother for a situation he probably believes she could have avoided, maybe, I don't know, but I saw anger, pain and heart ache all fused together in one atomic bomb that is exploding in all sorts of directions and spiralling out of control. 

As I watched this video, I couldn't help notice some things that really concerned me, more than Micheal's cursing and swearing if I can be honest.  I observed a few aspects in the video footage that made me to think that Micheal was deliberately wound up by someone with a malicious intent to video him secretly and leak the footage on-line.  I have every reason to believe the "auntie" in the video is the one who filmed Micheal, I stand corrected if I am wrong. I do not believe this woman you referred to as your sons auntie has any genuine care or concern over your precious son. In fact I see the woman as a danger to the welfare of your son. I understand in our Zimbabwe culture we teach our children to refer to family friends as auntie or uncle. Somehow I do not believe this "auntie" is actually a family relation but rather a family friend. I also sensed a spirit of dislike on her towards your son, especially the way she spoke to him, hence she conspired to expose you and your son to the world in such a twisted way.  I say this because I too am a mother, if anyone dares film my precious children secretly and post the footage on-line for all and sundry, I wont give a damn who they are, auntie or not I will unleash the lioness in me and deal with them in a way they will never ever forget me as long as they live! If the "auntie" is the one who leaked the video, I say shame on her!  I ask you to consider cutting this woman out of your life for your son's sake, and seek legal action against her whilst you are at it for the serious criminal offence she committed.  Do this for your son, because this video and the comments that go with it will stay online for the rest of Michael's life, I dread to think how all this will affect him tomorrow. I urge you to take action to show your son that you did not approve of this, you owe to him to fight for his dignity and what's left of his reputation at such a tender age. 

The second thing I observed in the video apart from "auntie's" negative attitude towards your precious son and the way she deliberately wound him up to film him, I also observed that Michael is a very emotional child. He got angry because you asked him to come in the house as it was late, 10 pm I think you said. Actually this is not such a big deal as the world is making out. I believe this incident happened on a weekend. In England in summer the sun sets at around 10 pm. I used to live in a closed well affluent neighbourhood where occasionally in summer on school holidays children played in their front gardens till about 10 pm before the sun sets. This was not an everyday thing of course but it happened in my neighbourhood, nothing to panic about it doesn't mean the children are not in a routine or anything.  I also remember children getting very upset when asked to come indoors, lol.  I believe Micheal getting angry is very normal behaviour of a child. He didn't want to come in but wanted to play outside till the cows come home. The positive I got from this is that Michael actually did listen to you and came inside the house, despite not being a happy bunny about it. Something told me this boy is not as bad as the world is making him out to be, he seems very manageable considering how angry and wound up he was, thanks to the "aunty". She was deliberately poking the child trying to get a reaction from him. But he sat calmly on the settee and did not throw things or wreck the house. He simply answered back and gave you his piece of mind. The only problem I observed in Micheal that is of concern was his language and the manner he spoke to you. If I can be honest, I do not believe its Micheal's fault he speaks in that manner. It seems this is learned behaviour he has copied from someone very close.  I hope that Micheal has not copied the language from someone who calls you those names. I was also concerned that you seem relaxed when he used the language, he does need to be corrected and educated in love that using that sort of language is not acceptable for a child of 12, and I also suggest you take measures to ensure Micheal is not exposed to people who speak in such a disrespectful way to women.

The third observation I noted was the way you spoke to your son. Firstly may I commend you for maintaining such a calm demeanour in such a heated situation. Considering you were not aware that the conversation was being secretly filmed, I do commend and admire  your calmness and composure, I have seen parents cussing back at children and even hitting them in such situations, especially in our African community. However I was slightly concerned over the language you used towards your son. At one point you called him "pathetic boy". I understand emotions were running high and you said this in the heat of the moment, but I urge you to avoid speaking such negative hurtful words into your precious son's soul. Words have power to make or destroy. No  matter how angry you are, train yourself to never call your child negative names, because psychologically the words you speak will have an impact on your child. I also noted you answered your son back about his comments on Africa and Ebola and told him that "I will have my Ebola, you will never be white" whilst the aunty was yelling at Micheal not to "flaunt his ignorance". In all honesty I found this to be extremely concerning. Very. It seemed both of you forgot that Micheal was a child, only 12. The boy needs to be educated in love about Africa and the issues facing the continent. The way you both speak to him on the matter will only worsen his already negative preconceived ideas about Africa. He needs education and love, not mockery and condemnation. May I kindly suggest if possible, take Micheal on holiday to Zimbabwe. Help your son fall in love with his mother land. I remember taking my children to Africa, they had such an adventure it was a brand new world to them full of amazement and wonder, climbing trees, seeing animals, slaughtering cows and goats,  the brown grass, sitting around the fire. It was without a doubt one of their most memorable events of their lives. I know if you take Michael to Africa he will love it and wont be saying Africa Ebola no more, trust me...

However in all this mess,  I ask you to take heart and be of good courage, God allowed this situation to come to light,  because all things works together for good to those who love God. I do not know what your situation in your home is, a few comments I saw online where suggesting you were a single mother to Micheal. I do not have evidence that you are, but if you are a single mother, allow me to tell you that two years ago I became a single mother, not of own choosing but it happened and I accepted it. When I became a single mother I refused the stereotypes that are given to single mothers of boy children that boys who grow up without fathers will not achieve success in life.  I do not deny the importance of a father figure in a boy child's life,  but I strongly believe children raised by single mothers are even more likely to succeed in life because life teaches them survival and determination at a young age. I look around the world and see that the most successful men in the world were indeed raised by single  mothers. Barack Obama was raised by a single mum, so was Brad Pitt, Eddie Murphy, Kanye West, Jay Z, Shaqiulle O'Neal, Samuel L Jackson  the list goes on and on. Singles mothers are more capable of raising fine men who have the power and will to impact the world in a positive way. If you are a single mother, raise your head up high and wear the badge with honour. Start speaking positive words into your son's life and refuse every negative word of condemnation that has been spoken over your son by the world. 

I noticed a lot of people from the Zimbabwean community are suggesting sending Michael to a rural area in Zimbabwe as punishment. I strongly disagree with this extreme measure as it will only worsen the situation. I  would not advise sending your own child to Africa for someone else to discipline him on your behalf.  I do appreciate that Africa has a different model when it comes to raising children, but I believe culture evolves and we now live in a completely different era raising a new generation. We have to deal with what's there. I believe the model used here also works perfectly because I have come across a lot of well behaved well groomed balanced children who are being raised in modern England.  

Spend more time with your son. Take him outdoors, play football with him. Find activities he like, sports will teach him discipline. Do with him the things he likes to do, if he likes riding his bike get yourself a bike too and now and again ride bikes with him. Its never too late.  Be a role model to him. Tell him you love him all the time. Hug him. Give him affection. Praise him.Take him to his favourite food outlet or restaurant maybe once a fortnight or once a month. Talk to him, ask him what makes him sad, and happy. Ask him what he expects from you, and you also tell him what you expect of him. Sometimes unwillingly we also hurt our children, it doesn't hurt to say sorry. Our children need to know we are human and not super women, we make mistakes too and mess up but we always try our best as mothers to do right by our children.

May I end this letter to you by saying I personally see greatness in your son. I see success against the odds. I see a young man who will prove the world wrong, and rise up to do great things that we can not even comprehend. I see a boy so full of potential, who will speak his mind at all costs, a gift in him that if channelled correctly he will use it positively to change the world. When I look at Micheal, I do not see a spoilt rotten child, but rather a child destined for greatness and success. Believe it for your son, and help him achieve it. Do not be dismayed, but rather turn a negative into a positive, and show the world  that they were wrong about your son, there is never a situation that can not be turned around.

Yours truly

Jean  (single mother to four amazing super talented children)

PS: For the past two years I have worn the badge of being a single mum with pride and honour. I now consider it one of the greatest achievements in my life, and I know God has given me an award for it. I would never change it for the world, I learnt my strength as a mother during such a time as this, and here are a few pictures to show for it. Be encouraged. 

JAW LAUNCH EXCLUSIVE SCRIPT FROM ESE WALTER ARK AND MOTIVATIONAL VIDEO

On 1 Augast 2013, a few days after I had reported registered sex offender Walter Masocha to the police, I sat on the bathroom floor, in tears, confused and going through a roller-coaster of emotions. I wasnt sure if I had done the right thing. Part of me was thinking of going back to the police and withdrawing the charges. I was scared of the backlash that would come from Agape Church members. Something in me was saying "Jean what are you doing, Walter Masocha is a powerful man of God, and you are after all JUST A WOMAN". But then as I sat on the floor, I was browsing through my phone, and lo and behold I saw a link to a blog that had gone viral. It was Ese Walter's blog. I couldnt believe what I was reading, I couldnt believe Ese Walter's boldness. Her courage. Her transparency. Her resilience. As I kept reading her story, I felt a sense of empowerment. I felt reassured that I had done the right thing. Ese Walter didnt know, but by sharing her story, she had encouraged a broken woman who was contemplating withdrawing an important case  from the police. 

A woman called Maya Angelou once said, "Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women"

For me that is exactly what Ese Walter did. After reading her story, I was determined to fight offender Walter Masocha till the very end. Today I am honoured to call Ese my dear friend. As iron sharpens iron, she encourages me. I have watched her life being transformed from the time she shared her story to the power woman she is today, a wife, a mother, a writer and entrepreneur. Here is the script she wrote for the launch of JAW Charity, be encouraged. 

FROM ESE WALTER 

I’d like to say congratulations to Jean on the launch of JAW. I’d also like to apologize for not being able to show up in person. I look forward to being physically present in future events.

When Jean asked me to be part of the speakers for her launch, I was really excited. There is nothing that pleases more than seeing men and women living empowered lives.

Today we are saying VICTIM NO MORE

Yesterday remains in the past and today, going forward, we are survivors and are here on earth to show others how to stop being victims.

In line with the #VICTIM NO MORE theme, I will talk about two lessons I learnt on my journey from victim to overcomer..

The first story is about FEAR.

Until very recently, I had lived most of my life in fear. It was mainly fear of the unknown. From being afraid to raise my hands in class to ask questions to fear of saying no to my best friend.

As I developed, this fear showed up in my business. I was afraid of failure: what if nothing worked out and I got broke. I was also afraid of success: what if things worked out and I couldn't handle it.

About two years ago, I felt a different kind of fear. It was the fear of speaking up. I had been silent about an experience I had which left me bound and the only option I had to set myself free, was to speak up. Fear paralysed me and kept me silent. Until one day the silence became too loud, it kept me up at night.

We are willfully blind to spiritual abuse because we cannot or do not want to handle the conflict it provokes. Spiritual abuse ranges from financial extortion to sexual misconduct and it is on an all time high in our culture today because we continue to sweep it under the rug.

Hopefully people can begin to speak up about spiritual abuse in spite the fear of being ostracised or bullied by church members.

My second story is about SHAME.

A dictionary defines shame as ‘a state of dishonour.’

At some point I damned the fear and spoke up about my experience with spiritual abuse. In a culture where such things are not spoken about, the first reaction I got was SHAME.

Everyone has experienced shame on some level and what we try to do is avoid it. In my case there was no avoiding it. About 90% of people with fingers and smart phones were in on the shaming game.

My intention for speaking up was completely lost and my voice was almost silenced again.

Instead of hiding from the fear and shame I embraced them. I knew speaking up had freed me on some level and I was never going to allow myself go back to fear and silence.

When experiencing shame, the best antidote is empathy. I had to practice self-compassion when everything in me wanted to fall into self-pity. In a short time,  I was able to move from the victim mindset to that of an overcomer and today I can boldly declare, VICTIM NO MORE.

On Facebook we can find countless examples of spiritual abuse. From pastors telling members to eat grass to pastors physically abusing members. These things continue to happen because there aren’t enough voices speaking up against it.

Speaking up against spiritual abuse is not easy but it has become necessary especially in this time when more and more people are falling victim. It is not just our jobs to be victims no more, it is also our jobs to help those who are still victims to rise and be able to say VICTIM NO MORE.

If you are a victim of spiritual or any other form of abuse, you ought to seek help and you can start by speaking up against it.

Speaking up can be scary but it is becoming necessary.

Speaking up is the only way you can move from victim to overcomer. It is the only way you can move from victim to survivor.

And when you speak up, know that there will be those who will attempt to shame you back into silence. Or even bully you by playing the “touch not my anointed” card. When that happens, tell them that ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE YOU.

J.F. Kennedy once said, ‘few of us will have the greatness to bend history itself but each of us can work to change a small portion of events and its in the total of all those acts that the history of our generation will be written.”

This is what that says to me…

“Few of us will have the ability to challenge spiritual abuse but each of us can build the courage to speak up against it, and one day, maybe not in our lifetime, but one day, we can pave the path for the next generation to re-write the history of the church.

Speaking up is not the end it’s the beginning.

Thank you.

ESE WALTER ARK.

In Other News...

Please be encouraged by International Business Entrepreneur Nicholas Reynold's motivational talk at JAW Launch titled breakthrough into your promised land. 

In Other Other News...

" Jean this is so sweet of you, you are a talented artist, the likeness is incredible. Thank you I am so flattered. " Peter Lamas, June 2015

I always had a fascination with famous faces since I was a child and I started drawing celebrities who impacted me when I was 16. I told myself that I would meet every star I drew, and I am humbled today that Peter Lamas absolutely love this gift I drew of him for appreciating the support he has given me on my Vision of JAW Charity! A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men!

BREAKING NEWS: WALTER MASOCHA ARRESTED FOR THREE FURTHER CHARGES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.

• As Walter Masocha awaits sentencing on 16 June 2015. I can confirm that he was arrested on Monday and appeared before Stirling Sherrif Court on 3 June 2015 charged with three sex assault charges. 
• Walter Masocha was yesterday released on bail by Sheriff Kevin Veal and the case continued for further examination. 
• Walter Masocha was represented by solicitor Euan Scott, who made neither a plea or declaration at the brief hearing, in private. 
• Prosecution was represented by depute fiscal Ann Orr. 
• In the meantime, I am now part of an advertising campaign for beauty products by celebrity stylist Peter Lamas who is now my business Partner as I move on with my life as a Victim No More

After the launch of JAW on Saturday 31 May 2015, I can confirm that Walter Masocha was arrested on Monday from his Cosyneuk mansion and appeared before Stirling Sherrif Court on 3 June 2015 facing 3 charges of sexual assault. These charges are separate to the ones he's been found guilty of and awaiting sentencing on 16 June. He was kept in police custody then given bail yesterday by Sheriff Kevin Veal and the case continued for further examination. 

In the meantime I am now part of an advertising champaign for personal care products by icon of beauty and glamour Peter Lamas who is now my business partner. I am so honoured to introduce a new era in personal care products that combine natural exotic ingredients for incredible efficacy, ALUMINE uses the most cutting edge technology in the industry. 

I am honoured to represent products by a man whose clientèle has been important celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sharon Stone and Cindy Crawford just to mention a few. His work has graced the covers of magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour and Mademoiselle. Today, Jean a woman from the humble town of Karoi in Zimbabwe is now advertising beauty products by a man who was the personal stylist of America's first lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Isn't my God an awesome God? Isn't He just? 

I am a Victim No More...

My new business partner, Icon of beauty and glamour Peter Lamas

Next blog: Full Jaw launch report and videos of speakers

JUST A WOMAN (JAW) OFFICIAL LAUNCH IN PICTURES

A FATHER'S BLESSING 

My Father Mr Never Gasho blessing JAW Official Launch 

30 MAY 2015, MILTON KEYNES JAW OFFICIAL LAUNCH PICTURES

With Newly Appointed Mayor of Milton Keynes Keith McLean and his wife Mayoress Victoria McLean. . 

With my beautiful sisters Ropa, Sifiso and Jazz Sensation Cynthia Gentle

With Beffta Founder and TV Host Pauline Long

With Artist and Blogger Bekaa Maphosa and Pauline Long

With model and singer Monalisa

With Author of Being A Woman In Africa, Ruth Pink 

With International Business Entrepreneur Nick J Reynolds 

With my beautiful children, everything I do is for them. I survived for them 

My big sis, Memory 

My dear  friend Vanessa 

DJ Sab and Mr Isaac Dziya

Evangelist Kalonga Speaking

Nick Reynolds delivering a Key Note powerful speech.  

JAW THE AFTER PARTY...

 With my Keyboard Warriors! Team Jean Ahoy....

Fadzai my little JAW bone...child of promise

With the amazing Gaynor Maichi 

With my Uncle Patrick

31 MAY 2015

THE BUSINESS MEETING IN LONDON: TAKING JAW TO ANOTHER LEVEL!

Meeting Peter Lamas ( Hollywood Celebrity Stylist) to discuss JAW. 

And then Jean met Peter Lamas....

At the exclusive London Edition Hotel discussing the Vision I have for JAW with Peter Lamas

With my new business partner Elenor at the London Edition Hotel

At Wembly Arena London with my business partners and friend Nick Reynolds 

Oh and my hair was a hit at JAW launch and in London so much I kept being stopped in the streets! To prove the hair was definitely on point, Hollywood Stylist Peter Lamas who has worked with some of the biggest stars on the planet absolutely approved! And I have to give credit to my beautiful dear friend Cynthia Gentle for styling my hair and doing my make up! 

NEXT BLOG

Full Report of JAW Launch and London JAW  meeting with Peter Lamas.