Bassem Sawieres grew up in Cairo, Egypt and will be ordained in June, to be Curate at the Watton benefice. This is Bassem’s story of his journey to faith and ordination.
What was your journey to faith?
My first encounter with God was in Egypt, a Muslim country. God blessed me with amazingly Godly parents, my father was a Methodist pastor. We went to a Catholic school and I had religion as a subject.
Can you explain your calling to ministry?
The enemy put this view in my head that bible teaching was so high, and I was so low that I couldn’t be good enough to fit. But in 1992, I attended a conference in the UK and had such an encounter with God that it shaped my life, and that was the beginning. God was so good to me. I was successful in business and the last job I had was as a marketing sales director in Kuwait. I was receiving an amazing package, an apartment and a car, but I was never satisfied, I had that hunger inside me.
Every day I was thinking about the decision to serve God, and then again, about the money and the house, how will I provide for myself? And in my limited mind, I thought they would fire me and that’s how I would leave. Until one day, the Holy Spirit said to me, ‘ this will never happen, my children are successful, you are the one who has to make this decision, to willingly give up your job’. I was afraid to do it.
In 2012, my friend invited me back to the UK for the Olympic games, we were doing street evangelism. At 1am I woke up and could feel God’s presence filling the room, I could hear God telling me, it is time. I went back, everyone was calling me crazy, except my mum. She said, if it’s from God, it will happen.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role?
Lord Jesus has said, the field is plentiful, but the workers are few. I’m here to tell everyone, we can never have enough workers. If Jesus said this 2000 years ago, we still need more. I may not be the best preacher, but I have tears and I know how to listen. Lots of people are hurt, they need someone to wash their feet, to listen to them.
What advice would you give to people who are thinking about a vocation in ministry?
I served my discernment in 2021 we’re now in 2026. God used those years to shape me. If it’s from God, don’t give up, keep pressing on.