Dacosta Emmanuel, son of Simão Teca and Isabel Mafuta, was born on the 13th of June 1953 in a Kinvuenga village, Uige, northern Angola. He married Isabel Mendes in 1975 and they have two daughters and one son, Daliança, Simão and Glória. He is known by everyone as Pastor Dacosta, a highly respected and loved Archdeacon in Angola.
Pastor Dacosta initially worked as teacher in secondary school and attended a Nursing course that enabled him to work as nurse in a hospital. He has also been highly involved in business in a variety of areas of commerce and small industry. Around this time, he heard the voice of God and decided to abandon all his jobs and other activities to dedicate and commit his life full time to the ministry of God.
There have been many Patriarchs in the Anglican Church in Angola; Pastor Dacosta is surely one of them. Alongside others, he has been key to planting and growing the Anglican church in Luanda. He was appointed the first evangelist of the in Luanda in 1980 and from that date on, he felt the heavy responsibility of doing the work of God.
As an evangelist, the list of churches that he has helped to plant goes on and on…..
- Congregation of Golfe (later became St. Estêvâo),
- Congregation of Rocha Pinto (later became S. José),
- Congregation of Cazenga (later became S. Pedro),
- Congregation of Induve (later became Sta. Maria),
- Congregation of Sambizanga (later became S. João Baptista),
- Congregation of Viana (later became St. Agostinho).
Later Pastor Dacosta, in his later position of National Evangelist, actively participated and helped in the planting of the church in Huambo and Cabinda. After that another 9 churches were planted, from the mother church of Luanda St. Estêvão, the last ‘Casa Pastoral’, the newest congregation is still hosted in his house in Luanda.
In order to do this work and contribute to the growth of the church, Pastor Dacosta has trained several leaders, evangelists and church leaders in all these church plants. Many of them have later been ordained and serve as Pastors within St. Estêvão and other parishes. Over the years his areas of responsibility have included being;
- the 1st pastor of the church in Luanda
- 1st National Mother’s Union chaplain
- Anglican church representative at CICA (Angolan Christian Churches Council)
- The Archdeacon of Luanda until the split of Luanda into two independent areas
- Member of CICA scholarship board
- Director of the construction project for St. Pedro Health Centre in Cazenga
He is currently the Vicar of St. Estêvão in Golfe, the Central and mother church in Luanda (with its 7 congregations – church plants) and is also the President of ‘’Bernard Mizeki’’ Society in Angola (the Men’s Society in the church).
Pastor Dacosta has a great sense of humour; he is also known as a man of firm ideas, a natural leader, a man of discipline and full of compassion. He is admired for his enormous qualities of a dedicated pastor, always ready to help and support his church members at whatever time of the day and wherever it is necessary. He is also admired and respected for inspiring spirit of sacrifice, boldness a very courageous way of living, teaching and promoting the gospel of Jesus Christ and his untiring fight for a church based in the holiness and in the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Lord Jesus
We pray for the work of the church in Angola and the many churches that have been planted. We pray for depth and commitment for its congregations and for Pastor Dacosta as he seeks to lead these churches.
Amen.
With many thanks to Massala Domingos for this wonderful story.
