South African acclaimed songwriter, DJ, and record producer Nkosinathi Maphumulo, known as DJ Black Coffee, has shared his harrowing brush with death in South America, a pivotal moment that led him to embrace Christianity. Speaking with Kaya FM presenter Thabo Mokwele, Black Coffee recounted how a plane accident during his journey to Argentina forced him to reevaluate his life choices.
Black Coffee sustained severe injuries when his plane crash-landed in Uruguay en route to Mar del Plata Airport, Argentina, in mid-January. Departing from Brazil where he had performed at various clubs, his chartered flight was compelled to make an emergency landing in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay.
“I was jolted awake by what felt like a surreal experience. The turbulence was intense…I found myself on the floor, still wearing my headphones. A gospel song was playing, repeating ‘hallelujah, hallelujah’ incessantly, as if a choir of angels were rallying to my rescue,” Black Coffee described.
Following a five-hour surgery to mend his upper spinal cord, Black Coffee spent a week in the hospital recuperating. The incident profoundly altered his outlook on life and his purpose, he revealed.
“I saw my life flash before my eyes. I wasn’t pleading for survival; I was begging for passage to heaven. I didn’t want to be left behind. It felt like a second chance had been bestowed upon me,” Black Coffee disclosed to Kaya FM.
Despite the gravity of the event, his spiritual awakening wasn’t immediate. Weeks after his discharge and return to South Africa, existential queries lingered, prompting him to seek solace and answers from Pastor Kabelo Mabalane.
Black Coffee confided in Pastor Mabalane, recognizing him as someone who could empathize with his inner turmoil. The esteemed former musician, having undergone his own transformative experience two decades prior, empathized with the feeling of “having it all but feeling empty.”
“I felt the need for prayer. So, I reached out to Kabelo and shared my thoughts with him. He came over, offering insights into life and faith that were previously unknown to me,” Black Coffee recalled, noting that he invited his friend over to hear the pastor’s perspective.
“After sharing a scripture, he posed the question, ‘are you gentlemen ready to accept Christ as your savior?'” Black Coffee recounted.
Initially hesitant due to preconceived notions about believers, Black Coffee voiced his concerns to Mabalane, expressing his reluctance to be associated with judgmental individuals. However, Mabalane reassured him, explaining the essence of salvation through faith and grace.
“He emphasized that salvation isn’t reserved for the faultless but is a journey toward perfection with divine assistance,” Black Coffee stated.
Moved by the realization that despite his achievements—his Grammy Award, numerous DJ awards, and prolific musical career spanning nine studio albums—there was a void, Black Coffee embraced the call to follow Christ.
“I thrive on challenges. Excelling in this journey is my next pursuit. It will be a journey marked by ups and downs, but I’m committed to pressing forward,” he affirmed.
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