By A Correspondent-
Spirit Embassy leader Prophet Uebert Angel has paid an emotional tribute to businessman Wicknell Chivayo who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday night alongside his wife Lulu Muteke and three others.
In a heartfelt statement, Angel said he was struggling to come to terms with the loss of a man he considered family.
"I struggle to find the right words to express the pain of losing a man who was far more than a generous giver. He became my family, someone whose presence, kindness, friendship & love left a lasting mark on my life, my family & the lives of so many people around the world," he said.
"He left this world alongside his beloved wife, Lulu, the two pilots & his wife's aide. 4 precious lives were suddenly taken, leaving behind families and loved ones who are now trying to make sense of a loss that is almost impossible to comprehend. My heart goes out to every family affected by this tragedy," he said.
Angel said he was holding onto his faith despite the pain.
"But even in the middle of this pain, I choose to hold on to Jesus. I choose to believe His promises when my heart is broken. I choose to believe we did not lose these souls, Heaven gained them. That truth does not mean we don't grieve. We grieve because we loved them & also because they mattered. We feel this emptiness because their presence meant so much to us. But our faith reminds us that death does not have the final word," he said.
He said Chivayo will be remembered more for his generosity than his wealth.
"When I think about him, what I will remember most is not simply what he had, but what he chose to do with what he had. He understood that true wealth is measured by the lives we touch, people we lift & the difference we make while we are here," he said.
"He gave millions in support of the work of the Lord, helping to advance its mission, strengthen its ministry & enable us to reach people who needed hope, encouragement, and practical support. He didn't stop at the church, he gave to individuals, families, communities & causes that mattered to him. Many people benefited from his kindness, often in ways that may never become known publicly," he said.
"For me personally, his loss carries a different kind of pain because he was not simply someone I knew through his generosity. He was family. We shared moments, conversations, dreams, laughter, & memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. My kids called him UNCLE, & he truly became their uncle. He was involved in their lives, cared about what they were doing, celebrated their achievements. He was part of their world. That is something I will forever be grateful for," he said.
"There are people whose names are remembered because of what they achieved. Others are remembered because of what they accumulated. But Wicknell will be remembered because of what he did. His life reminds us that whatever God places in our hands can become a blessing to others when we are willing to give. His generosity helped build, support, encourage, and transform lives. And his impact will continue through the people and institutions he supported, especially the Church that he believed in & generously stood behind," he said.
Angel said his family is mourning all five victims.
"Today, my family and I mourn not only the loss of a brother and his dear wife, Lulu, but the loss of someone who became deeply woven into our family story. We mourn the two pilots and his wife's aide as well, and we remember the families who are now carrying their own unbearable grief. Five lives. Five stories. So many people left behind to mourn. We may never fully understand why their journey had to end when it did. I don't have the answers. But I know Jesus. And I know that even when we cannot understand His ways, we can still trust His heart," he said.
"So I choose to be grateful for the years we had. Grateful for the memories. Grateful for the conversations. Grateful for the laughter. Grateful for the lives he touched. Grateful for the millions he gave to the work of God. And most of all, grateful that God allowed him to become part of my life and part of my family. There are moments now when I will think, I need to tell Uncle something, and then I will remember that he is no longer here. That is the kind of pain that words cannot explain. But then I remind myself that he is not lost. He has gone ahead. And because of Jesus, I believe there will be a day when we meet again. So although my heart is broken, my faith remains. Although I am grieving, I still have hope. Although I cannot understand why this happened, I still trust Jesus," he said.
"For me, he will always be remembered as more than a man who gave millions to the Church. He was a man who gave from his heart. He was my brother. He was my children's Uncle. He was family. He will never be forgotten," Angel said.
He extended his condolences to the bereaved families.
"To his family & to the families of the two pilots & his wife's aide, I extend my deepest condolences. May Jesus Himself comfort you in the places where words cannot reach. May He hold you through the tears, the silence, the questions, & the memories. Find comfort in knowing that the lives they lived mattered, the love they gave mattered, & us they touched will carry their memory forward. Today, we mourn because we loved. But we also rejoice because we know where our hope lies. We did not lose them. Heaven gained them. And one day, by the grace of God, we will see them again. Until then, rest well, my brother. Rest well, Uncle. Rest well, Lulu. And may the two pilots and Lulu's aide rest well," he said.
