HE USED to stop shots at goal when he was a soccer goalkeeper.
But Pastor Idah Peterside dumped soccer and chose to follow God’s mission to help and heal people.
The leader of Christ Ambassadors Church based in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni said although he loved soccer and played for big clubs both in South Africa and overseas, God wanted him to bring lost sheep to his house.
The Nigerian ex-international, who is a soccer analyst on SuperSport, said people at soccer clubs used to call him Mfundisi because before he did anything, he prayed.
“I refused to use muthi in many of the clubs I played for.
“Sometimes we were woken in the middle of the night and told to jump through flames, or given wet jerseys soaked in muthi.
“I refused because I believe in God.”
Idah said he was sometimes blamed if his team lost.
“I know muthi works for people who believe in it but I chose to put my faith in prayer.”
Idah played for the Nigerian national team for 12 years. He came to South Africa in 1999 and signed with Tembisa Classic.
He went to Moroka Swallows in 2001.
In 2002, Idah hung up his boots and started a church.
“When I started, I had four people in my sitting-room,” he said.
But the church has grown and many people from different parts of the world flock to his church.
His parents are both pastors and he grew up in a house where they believed that God came first in everything.
