WATCH | Sonos still smitten with each other after 36 years

Bishop recalls how challenging it was to balance family life with ministry

Nombuso Kumalo Content Producer
Bishop Mosa Sono with his wife Gege at Grace Bible Church Pimville, Soweto
Bishop Mosa Sono with his wife Gege at Grace Bible Church Pimville, Soweto
Image: Veli Nhlapo

The Grace Bible Church signage on the sidewalk instructs us to take our next left at the intersection of Chris Hani Road and Mtangai Street.

Overhead, the sighting of the monument-like building towering above the single-story homes in Pimville, Soweto, confirms our navigational instincts.

Driving up the narrow Dlebelendlovu Street to the main entrance, the enormity of its campus grounds becomes apparent and is illustrative of the weightiness of the ministry in the black Christian community over the years.

The impressive 4,500-seater main auditorium sits at the centre surrounded by well-maintained landscaping and endless paving. Behind is the production room where church services are streamed and recorded for Meta, YouTube, Xihlovo podcast and Soweto TV viewers.

We are here to meet bishop Mosa Sono, 63, and his wife Gege. Sono has been the presiding bishop of Grace Bible Church for more than 40 years.

“I’m more of a back-office person,” says Gege, 61, as she sits on the dark chocolate brown two-seater leather sofa of the pastor’s undisturbed chambers.

“The discomfort is not so much about not talking about it as it is an unfamiliar territory,” advocates Sono, who joins the interview and sits beside her.

After a moment of prayer, the cautious atmosphere in the room softens as the Sonos open up about their love story. The couple celebrated their 36th anniversary on May 7.

“We met as teenagers at the Rea Leka Youth Club in Rockville township in 1974. It [Rea Leka Youth Club] would host events for young people, and it was there where I learnt ballroom dancing. They assigned her to be my partner and we became good friends,” says Sono.

“We haven’t done ballroom dancing in a while, but I think we still have it in us,” he jokes.

“When the 1976 riots happened, our schooling and other programmes were disrupted including the youth club and we lost contact. Throughout all the disruptions, our paths never crossed,” says Sono.

It was not until a divine encounter at a Rhema church service in 1981 held at Issacson Hall that they reunited and rekindled their friendship. Sono was the church’s associate pastor at the time.

“I went to boarding school in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, to complete my high schooling and someone told me about this church in Soweto,” says Gege. “When I went to the church, what do you know? He was there as a pastor,” she says.

Sono recalls the time Gege saw him. “She was like, 'Mosa?,” he exclaims.

We remained friends and, in the process, I fell in love. We were accountable as young people and I would visit her in the presence of her parents
Bishop Mosa Sono 

“We remained friends and, in the process, I fell in love. We were accountable as young people and I would visit her in the presence of her parents,” he says.

"They [Sono and another youth pastor] would come to visit as spiritual brothers and I would enjoy their company, but little did I know...” Gege interrupts, to which Sono responds: “I was doing a church follow-up, hawu! I was doing God’s work here,” as they both erupt in laughter.

“In 1984, I popped the question because I loved her... and still do,” he says as they gaze into each other's eyes. 

“We got married in 1988, I resigned from my job as an internal auditor at Mahikeng, North West province, to join him in ministry,” she says.

“One thing that attracted me to bishop was that he was a God-fearing man. Yes, he was good looking with an Afro but his love for God stabilised me,” Gege admits.

Sono’s family life was a private struggle of sacrifice and normality, especially for their sons Nhlamulo and Nkateko.

Mosa recalls a challenging era when the family had to balance family life with ministry.

“When the boys played professional tennis, we would drive down to Durban together for their tennis tournaments during the November/December school holidays. For about four weeks, we travelled through Durban, East London, Gqeberha and Cape Town, competing,” says Mosa.

“I would leave them, come back to Johannesburg on Friday to preach on Sunday. Mama would stay with the boys. I would preach with my bags packed ready to go back and join them. We lived that life for our children,” he says.

“Now that they are parents themselves, their level of appreciation is different,” he adds.

The two are grandparents to Rulani and Vhukosi Sono.

“The lesson I keep at heart is to make Jesus the centre of your life. Not only did we teach our sons, but we modelled it and continue to do so. Even the grandkids,” says Sono.

The clergyman also admits that in the past the church had not dealt well with youth-related and social issues. That, however, is changing, he says.

“Homosexuality is always a difficult one. My stance is, how do we engage people in this conversation, create a forum for discussion and take people through its theological understanding?

“Everyone who is speaking about it on both ends is angry and judgmental. Ours is also to find a way to communicate why our position is what it is and let people understand, but it shouldn't be in a harsh way,” he says.

Grace Bible Church, under Sono's leadership, now boasts a vibrant youth membership that makes up 65% of its congregants.

“Our church is no longer the same and the areas of our responsibilities are different now. We are investing in younger leaders and we are putting our energy into the things that work and produce good results,” says Sono.

Fun facts about the Sonos

  • Gege is the family accountant and Mosa does the cooking
  • Mosa is the doctor in the house
  •  Gege loves “rough” holidays, includes outdoors is hikes and adventure. Mosa prefers quiet holidays
  • The couple once left their car at the Mozambican border after realising they didn’t have the car's permits. They took a taxi instead
  • When they travel, the Sonos prefer using public transport, and would often get lost.

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