Suli Akoteu is a missionary from Tonga, an island in the South Pacific. He serves God along with his wife and seven children in the nation of Uganda. He is a member of Team Xtreme, a ministry led by Evangelist Kevin Stark. Suli uses feats of strength to preach the Gospel to the lost. On today’s podcast, you will hear the testimony of how Suli got saved and decided to dedicate his life to following Jesus.
Connect with Suli Akoteu on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suli.akoteu
Support Team Xtreme: https://www.teamxtremeintl.com/
Transcript:
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:00):
Suli Akoteu is a missionary from Toga in island in the south Pacific. He serves God along with his wife and seven children in the nation of Uganda. He’s a member of team extreme, a ministry led by evangelist, Kevin Stark. Suli uses feats of strength to preach the gospel to the lost on today. Podcast. You’ll hear the testimony of how Suli got saved and decided to dedicate his life to following Jesus.
Evangelism Podcast Host (00:40):
Welcome to the evangelism podcast with Dr. Daniel King, where Daniel interviews, full-time evangelists, pastors, missionaries, and normal everyday Christians to discover how they share their faith, their powerful testimonies and amazing stories that will inspire you to reach people with the good news. And now here’s your host mission evangelist Daniel King.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (01:04):
Welcome to the Evangelism Podcast. I’m Daniel King and I’m excited about telling people about Jesus today. I have a very special guest with me evangelist. Suli Akoteu from Tongo in the south Pacific. Thank you for joining me today.
Suli Akoteu (01:21):
Thank you. Thank I give you Daniel. It’s a privilege and order.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (01:24):
So we are in Ethiopia. Yes. We have just completed a big crusade. Yes. In Ambo, Ethiopia. Yes. And you came yes. All the way from Uganda where you’re a missionary to participate in this crusade. What did you think about what God did this week?
Suli Akoteu (01:42):
It was so powerful. It’s like, it’s, it’s unexplainable seeing the move of God, not only more salvation, but we have seen the miracle and sign and healing, all those accompany, the, the, the starvations of the people I’m. So still not yet really kind of seeing how the Lord was doing in humble.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (02:08):
Now this is actually the, the second time that you’ve come to Ethiopia to have a crusade with us. And the first time actually, there was a big problem. The crusade was scheduled, right. When COVID was for, are starting exactly in 24 hours before I was scheduled to get on the plane to come to Ethiopia. Yes. We had to cancel the crusade because the nation of Ethiopia said that no large gatherings were allowed. We, we, we literally could not even get into the country because there was a 14 day quarantine. Yes. But you were all already here in the country. You had come to the crusade. Yes. Two weeks early. Yes. In order to go into preach in the marketplaces and invite people to come to the crusade and, and, and you ended up getting stuck here in Ethiopia. And what was that like? Getting stuck in Ethiopia?
Suli Akoteu (03:01):
My goodness. Do explain that one is also unexplainable because come all the way from the small island con in the south Pacific to being with my family in Uganda. And that is the first time for me to experience crossing the port. And everything’s just closed down. We will rush from, from, to come to the airport, but everything is too late. I remember just in the hotel, like talking to my wife, my wife said, SU the power is off. Our vehicle is not even running. And then the water stop. I, I just went, I don’t know how to explain, but all I know that the one that he called me here to just to preach in albumin, he’s the one who’s going to look after my family. I just feel somehow very difficult to to, to, to cope with. But I know the one that he’s calling me, he’s promise that I will be with you even to the end.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (04:01):
So you are from Toga, but you are serving God as a missionary in Uganda. And so when you came to Ethiopia, Uganda actually closed the doors for people to go back into the nation, cuz they were so worried about COVID. So you got stuck here, not just for a week or, or two, but for several months, the crusade was in March. And then April, may you were still stuck here in Ethiopia at the time your wife was pregnant. Exactly. With twins. Yes. You didn’t know it. You already had five kids, but, but you, she was pregnant with twins and you were worried whether you would get back in time for your wife giving birth. And so you really made a great sacrifice to come to that crusade. And I want to say, thank you so much for your dedication in, in your faith that you would come back a second time after a, a horrible experience like that. So it it’s so great having you here this week and this week you’ve been so amazing. You you’ve taken steel bars and bent them in half as an illustration. Tell me, what does that mean when you break the steel bar in, into U shape?
Suli Akoteu (05:19):
Every, every power feed that we are using that has a message behind. So when, anytime that we are making pending the eye on bar, we just demonstrating that we are in a prison, but we always used to tell people the prisons of sin, only one person can set you free from the prisons of sin is Jesus Christ. So that’s why we used to pan in our head sometimes in our ti sometimes is our nose, but we just, that how the things that we are doing, we just spend it just to demonstrate court’s power.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (05:49):
And so you are a member of team extreme? Yes. A ministry that’s led by Kevin Stark. Yes. And both of you are YWAM missionaries. Yes. But how did that happen? That you from the nation of Tonga became a YWAM missionary in Uganda? How did that happen?
Suli Akoteu (06:12):
Let me go back a little bit to the, the beginning I was, I was joining YWAM in 98, 19 98. In 2000, I was doing the school of front mission. We do church planning in the west Africa the nation called Kana. So I worked there for four years and after four years, the Lord spoke to me. I have to go and top the program of team X him, because one day I was walking into the market and I saw one man doing his witchcraft and I see the way how he draw a crowd to himself. And then I just felt wrongly. The Lord said, go back, go back and join the team extreme. And then you adopt that strategies come with it to Africa. So I did 2007, the, the beginning of 2007, I have to went back Toma to the worm, Toma little did I know one person there with the wife, they already established the pioneer, the team extreme.
Suli Akoteu (07:06):
That is how, and then in two they do 2010. So I took a team to Uganda, purposely to stay in Uganda for a life. Me and my wife. We have no kitchen that time, but we have a problem with our visa. Only seven months. They just, they tell us to just leave the country. So we went back to Toma. I was thinking maybe I will not come back to Africa, but inside me, I still feel that the law just put a patent on me. You have to go back to Africa. So in 2018, that’s where we pray. And we feel the Lord just called us to work in Uganda. Since then we were here serving with my family there in Uganda, in Wawa.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (07:49):
And tell me about the ministry that you do in Uganda. What type of ministry are you engaged in and, and what type of miracles are you seeing God do in the nation of Uganda?
Suli Akoteu (08:00):
Actually I Uganda the ministry that I’m leading there, I’m leading the Evangel, combined with the team extreme in Wawa, Uganda Cland. So we are working there. I’m leading the evangelism. We used to go to prison. I have seen creating miracle and God using this strategies to show to the prison, how value are them and all the things that just take place. When we are in there, we used to go to prisons. We go to hospital, we go to street and we also move from village to village, just running seminar, teaching the people on the evangelism, the church member, those who have potential for the evangelism we teach, we take them out. We do evangelism. And then we also running crusade in that community. Yeah, that is what we, we have seen. We, we see a lot of young people. They have the passion to move on and continue telling Jesus about others. And we also seeing miracle, also healing in the church. This is a great need in the church, in new Uganda. And also we are responsible in our wild base. Hosting teams come from different places. Some from us, Hawaii, some from Germany, some from Egypt, some all over the world. We are, the people also are facilitate them as moving together with us doing the same thing of winning soldier, the kingdom. That is what, the things that we are doing in new Uganda.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (09:21):
The other day, I heard you share your testimony. It was so powerful. How you came to Jesus. Te tell me a little bit about what God did in your life to, to help bring you to the cross.
Suli Akoteu (09:34):
Very, very awful. I share my T my testimony. I was growing up in a Christian family. My parents, they always go to church, their, their preacher. My, my mother was a prayer warrior. I was thinking that I also, I I’m safe. So I always attending church activities. But little did I know when I was growing up, they took me to our school, our Methodist school in our country. One day, I I’m very good in rugby. So I’m, I’m be part of the team rugby. And then in 1998,
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:04):
I’ll bet that if someone’s facing you under rugby field, they run in the opposite direction. Yes,
Suli Akoteu (10:10):
I amazing. So I, because of that, I like rugby and I know this is a talented God lesbian with, so we represent donga in 19 90, 80, there was a world school championship that was held in, in Al Zimbabwe. This is my first time in Africa. And that is the kind of encounter. Even on that time, I haven’t experienced having the relationship with God, but I was having an encounter one day. They took us in a bus to assume. And then when I looked down, I saw a old lady putting a firewood on the head. When I looked down, I just, I don’t know. I now, I, I, when I, now I can, maybe this is the holy spirit. It just afford, or maybe a voice saying Sui, I am going to bring you back to Africa. So just things dismiss. I went back to Donna and one day I remember in 97, I heard a missionary told me that God still speak my father, my mother, and all the pastor in the school where I was attend.
Suli Akoteu (11:09):
They never said this, that God still speak this days. So, because of that, I met a missionary, told I know a school, they were teaching how to hear the voice of court. And then I joined because I wanted to hear the voice of court. I wanted to affirm this one that I hear in Zimbabwe. Is it true or not? So I have to attend in a school called discipleship training school in YWAM. That is where I joined YWAM. And I said, I want to hear God. And the staff told me, so the only way for you to hear the voice of God is for you to have a personal relationship with Jesus. So I remember 25th of September 1998. I was knee down in that house and I raised my hand and I said, Jesus, come into me, my heart and be my Lord. And my master from today, I will follow you since that, that time I work, I follow Jesus until now.
Suli Akoteu (12:04):
And then when 2000 there is a school called school for, from mission. They train missionary. So they, I was attending the train. And when they trained, the teacher came to us and said, you choose this free nation, pun, India, or CIP in Micronesia or Canada in his Africa. I told them I will not, I, I’m not going to pray again, because I remember when God spoke to me in Saint a boys in Zimbabwe, I will bring you back to Africa. And I just, I, they agree. And then I went to Uganda, to Canada, work in Ghana, and then from Ghana compared to, to, I took a team there. So now I’m in Uganda. That is how the Lord just changed my life. And then I have seen how God using me to Uganda in Uganda.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (12:53):
Yeah. I’m so amazed that God has brought you from Tonga to be a missionary in Uganda, because a Tonga is not a wealthy nation as wealthy as, as maybe like America would be. And, and so sometimes people from nations like Tonga might think, well, never become a missionary. I, I don’t know how God would provide for me to go to another country and, and live in another country. But, you know, God can use anyone from any nation and he can make a way, and God is the, the provider. But can you tell me what has that experience been like coming from a nation like Uganda, having a big for family seven children now. Yes. And your wife it takes a big step of faith to, to launch out and to become a missionary. How have you seen God provide for you over the years?
Suli Akoteu (13:46):
It was so powerful. I always talk with Kevin stuck my, my boss in the team extreme. And he said, this kind of, of a weakness of you guys from the island, you feel ashamed to share what the Lord, what, what, what is your need and what you do because you, you know I just, I’m, I’m, I’m very confident to say that God, in his own way, he speak to people and send money to us in Uganda. I am saying in the presence of God, we are so amazed. And before we came to Uganda, you know I have a courage to tell the people of Uganda to challenge them. Don is a fat world. Uganda is a fat world. That world label, as we are poor, look at me and my, my family, you guys call us a white people. We are not white people.
Suli Akoteu (14:34):
We are the same. Like you, we are coming here to do the work of what you can do the same thing to move from out from Canada, from Uganda. So I just to cut it, that explanation short, the Lord will provide in his own way. Even now my wife call me there’s are people just calling them? They just show what I’m doing here in Ethiopia. And they just send money. We never ask. We never even share with them that we need money. They just the Lord in his own ways. And he keep his promise. Sometimes the people said, you, you, you are lying. How can you survive with your seven children here in yo, Uganda? And you come from con both of you are both the local con. So just God himself provide.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (15:22):
So what advice would you give to someone who maybe is, is living in a, a poor country where, where they don’t have very many resources, but they feel a call from God that they want to be used by God. They, they maybe even want to go to another nation to become an evangelist or a, a missionary. What advice would you give to someone who feels called by God, but maybe comes from a nation with not many resources?
Suli Akoteu (15:50):
I think for me, is that important. You need to hear from the, the Lord, because in, we, we wire him, the first things we teach, we need to hear the voice of God. Because if you want to go anywhere, you have to hear from him. If God himself speak to you to go to another country and he himself will responsible for what you want. Ali, for example, before I came here, I have 12 local yo Uganda, that I work with them, all of them know support. They don’t have any money. I remember very well. We were fasting and praying and they said, Suly, we don’t even some of them, they’re not even paid their six month. Some of them, they in five. So they’re all old. They don’t, they don’t know where the money come from. I told them let’s come let’s you guys come, we are going to pray.
Suli Akoteu (16:40):
And we are going to seek the vision of God. When we pray the Lord, give us the word from the book of second colonial chapter 20, the, the story of, of see ho when the, the army of army night and more by they come to attack them, they will never even ask help. They just call the country to come together. They pray and fast and ask the Lord for help. The Lord says, yes, the fight as house of heart, because you do the right things. I, this battle is not yours. It’s mine. So they position themself, praise in God. When they reach to the, the pedal field, they only see that they demand. So I told them my guys let’s come six to seven every morning, four times a week in a week, we are going to praise only praise God, Daniel.
Suli Akoteu (17:33):
We do it. Start Tuesday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, the Lord clear up. And now I come here, they went to the, in the lake, Victoria in Uganda, there is 250 islands. They went there with a visions of why I’m called to end by poverty. They went there, distribute pipes. And the same time they do eventually, and also go to school. So this is what my advice, my advice here, the word of the Lord. And if God tell you to do, he will direct you to do what he wants you to do. Maybe he wants you to do raising. Maybe he wants you to write the letter and say, are your need with some people that you are going to collect. But if the Lord says praise and worship and wait, the, the fight is for me, don’t waste your time. Just do what God tell you do to pass what the fire is in you. No one will stop you.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (18:27):
That’s awesome. Yes. Well Suly thank you so much for being on the evangelism podcast. I am so happy to know an evangelist from the island of PGA, and it’s so exciting to see what God is is doing through your ministry. And I’m so grateful that you’ve come to be with us here in Ethiopia this week, the Lord bless you and your ministry.
Suli Akoteu (18:48):
Hallelujah. Thank you very much. I am really honor, just to be part of the Daniel King ministry. I have learned from you. I have learned from Kevin, I’ve learned from each other, the team, and I feel that I’m growing what, the things that I already experience with my small ministry in yo Uganda, my takeaway from this door, it will power. And I want to say, thank you very much for allowing God or you, or also for you inviting me to be part of this tour. I have seen that great move of God and just motivate me and elevating my spirit to continue winning soul in yo Uganda, to the kingdom of God. God bless you.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (19:28):
Thanks so much for listening to the evangelism podcast. I am excited about telling people about Jesus and we could not preach the gospel without your help. Over our years of ministry, we found that we’re able to reach one person for Jesus, for every dollar that people give us. And so that means that if you would give us $1, we could start a party in heaven. In fact, I’m asking people to join our partnership program and give at least $1 every single month to help us to lead more people to Jesus. This is the greatest investment of your dollar that you can make. It’s the only investment that is gonna matter 10,000 years from now. So if you would like to help us lead people to Jesus, please visit king ministries.com K I N G king ministries.com and help us lead people to Jesus today. God bless you
Evangelism Podcast Host (20:27):
For more information about how to share your faith or to financially support our world wide evangelistic outreaches. Visit king ministries.com. Again, that’s king ministries.com.
