The Incredible Journey of a Motor Mechanic Turned Reverend and Author

When the Engine Stalled, God Called

By Evans Jona

In the modest town of Murewa, Zimbabwe, a young boy emerged from humble beginnings, unaware that destiny was quietly scripting a different future for him. Today, Reverend Preston Majoni stands at the pulpit of St. Mary’s United Methodist Church in Dangamvura, Mutare — a shepherd of souls, an author of faith, and a living testament to the mysterious grace of God.

His story is not one of clear-cut ambitions or long-held dreams. It is a tale of unexpected detours, spiritual awakenings, and resilience forged in the quiet spaces between oil-streaked overalls and well-worn Bibles.

“I never dreamed of becoming a motor mechanic,” Reverend Majoni confesses, his voice both candid and contemplative. After completing his secondary education in Murewa, he followed the practical path suggested by his elder brother, enrolling at the Harare Institute of Technology to study motor mechanics.

“It wasn’t my plan. I was pushed into it. But once I was in, I began to like the trade,” he recalls.

His mechanical career took root at a company then known as Puzey and Payne, later rebranded as FAMEG. A natural aptitude soon set him apart. Within two weeks of joining, he cleared a backlog of vehicles dubbed the workshop’s “graveyard” — cars that had defied other mechanics for months. His knack for diagnosing faults by ear, a kind of mechanical telepathy, quickly made him a prized technician.

Yet, amid the clang of spanners and the hum of engines, a quieter call persisted.

A Reluctant Calling

The signs came early. As a young Sunday school teacher, Preston’s sermons carried a wisdom and authority that church elders found unmistakable. One pastor after another nudged him toward ministry, but he remained unmoved.

“I was a motor mechanic, earning a living. I wasn’t interested in being a pastor,” he says.

It wasn’t until 2004, under the persistent counsel of Reverend Dr. Machinga — now Bishop Machinga — that he finally paused. A season of prayer and fasting followed, and the confirmation came. Still, the decision to abandon a thriving career for the uncertain path of ministry wasn’t without its tests.

In December 2011, just as he was being considered for promotion to Technical Advisor, Preston chose the altar over the workshop.
“It was my acid test,” he recalls. “I had to choose between a better-paying position and answering God’s call.”

He walked away, exchanging his overalls for a clerical collar, not knowing what lay ahead, but certain of the One who had called him.
Reverend Majoni’s pastoral journey has not been without its storms. Spiritual attacks, near-death experiences, and life-threatening moments marked his early years in ministry. He vividly recalls being struck by lightning in a rural circuit and surviving a poisoning attempt — all without harm.

“You just wonder — who am I that God is mindful of me?” he reflects.

But along with adversity came moments of unexplainable grace. He speaks of praying over the phone for a woman carrying a pregnancy past its due date, only for labor to begin shortly after. Of blisters vanishing from a child’s body minutes after prayer. Of hopeless cases finding new hope in the wake of his sermons.

In these instances, he sees neither coincidence nor personal power, but the visible hand of God working through an unlikely vessel.
Though the spanners have long since been laid down, traces of the motor mechanic remain in Reverend Majoni’s ministry. His sermons are peppered with mechanical metaphors and lessons from the workshop.

“I tell my congregants that when a car malfunctions, a good mechanic refers to a wiring diagram to trace the fault. In the same way, God knows every hair on our heads, every wire in our lives. When something’s off, He knows exactly where to fix it,” he shares with a smile.
That mechanical mindset has also shaped his pastoral care, seeing each congregant as a soul requiring regular ‘servicing’ — through prayer, counsel, and spiritual nurturing.

The Unexpected Author

If transitioning from mechanic to pastor was improbable, becoming an author seemed even more unlikely. Yet in 2020, Reverend Preston Majoni added ‘writer’ to his growing list of identities.

His first book, Overcoming Hindrances to Faithful Tithing, addresses a topic many believers grapple with — the discipline and blessing of giving. His second, Rediscovering Deep Hope Against All Hope, is a reflective work urging readers to anchor themselves in God’s promises even when hope seems lost.

“I write because one day, I’ll leave this earth. But my books, my ideas, will continue interacting with the living,” he says.

The reception has been overwhelmingly positive. At his book launch, one individual purchased a single copy for US$500 as a gesture of support. Readers from all walks of life have since reached out, testifying how his words rekindled hope and redefined their faith journeys.

A Journey in Phases

Reverend Majoni views his life as a three-part narrative: motor mechanic, pastor, and author. Each phase, he believes, was a stepping stone ordained by grace.

“I never dreamed I’d be any of these things,” he says. “But God knows the end from the beginning.”

Today, as he works on his third book, Rediscovering Your Purpose of Existence, and prepares to further his education in psychology, he reflects on how each chapter of his life has prepared him for the next.

“There might be other good things God has bestowed for me,” he muses. “Grace has brought me this far.”

Asked what wisdom he’d offer to his younger self — or to anyone wrestling with uncertainty — Reverend Majoni’s answer is simple yet profound.

“God’s will always prevails. Surrender everything to Him. What you think for yourself is not always what God thinks for you.”
He urges others not to carry untapped potential to the grave. “Anything is possible. It’s the courage to venture into new things that separates the ordinary from the extraordinary.”

Reverend Majoni’s story is more than a tale of professional pivots. It is a testimony of grace, resilience, and obedience. From dusty garages to dimly lit pulpits, from diagnosis of engines to diagnosis of hearts, his life reveals a God who calls the unlikely and equips the unqualified.

“I’ve seen God’s hand in my marriage, my children, my ministry,” he says. “And I’ve learned to depend on that hand for everything.”
He is married to his wife, Patricia, and together they have been blessed with four beautiful children.

In a world eager for overnight success and pre-packaged destinies, Reverend Preston Majoni’s life reminds us that sometimes, the path to purpose is hidden beneath grease-stained overalls — and it takes grace to find it.