Zimbabwe Christian Alliance

Churches seek donations for Mpilo doctors

Churches from different denominations have joined hands to source funds for doctors at Mpilo who lost their belongings due to an inferno that broke out at the hospital in May this year.

The churches that are working towards the initiative of donating beds and other goods to the Mpilo doctors include the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA), Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), Ecumenical Church Leaders Forum (ECLF), Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA), Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) and Union For Development of Apostolic and Zionist Churches in Zimbabwe Africa (UDACIZA).

In an interview with the Christian Voice, ZCA board member Reverend Milson Ndlovu who is part of the organising team said the motivation behind this initiative was that these doctors are the people who are in the forefront of COVID-19 and the church saw it relevant to contribute towards the people who are helping the community.

“We want to believe that it is the spirit of the Lord that has motivated the church to intervene and seek ways of supporting doctors who almost died. The Bulawayo community is also motivated by compassion, we are people oriented and we do not want to see people suffering. Scripture tells us to help when there is a need such as this one. “You saw me naked…” (Matthew 25: 360, those are the words of Jesus and we cannot ignore the needs of others,” he said.

Rev Ndlovu said they have been collecting clothes, food and other goods from different people to assist the doctors. He said they are currently sourcing for beds from people both in the country and outside. The doctors need 41 one beds.

“We are requesting for beds, so far we have secured a promise of 3 beds. A donor in South Africa, and Harare have promised to buy a bed each and in our group we have someone who has also made a promise,” he said.

He said they are currently in a conversation with some shops to supply beds to those who are offering to buy beds for the doctors. Those who are willing to donate in cash are being advised to send the money to the #Iam4Byo against COVID-19 account.

“We have an on-going conversation with TV Sales and Hire that we secure deals from their shops at a discounted price. We are currently trying to establish the number of beds so that they put them aside. Those who want to buy beds can hold on to their cash and we buy at once or they can send it to the #IAM4BYO account,” he said.

Rev Ndlovu also mentioned that some of the doctors have already gone back to work because there is so much need for their services at the hospital. However, he mentioned that these doctors needed counselling as they were still dealing with the trauma of losing their belongings.

“These doctors are not yet well; the situation was very traumatic for them. When you listen to them speak about this ordeal, they relate how this traumatic experience keeps running in their minds whenever they close their eyes to sleep,” he said.

The church has organised itself to provide psychosocial support to these doctors so that they can deal with the trauma they are going through. Rev Ndlovu said the doctors have accepted the intervention by the church to help them deal with the inferno that broke out at the hospital.

“For them to move out of this traumatic situation which took all their belongings, it definitely means they need trauma healing and counselling. Some of the peers shared that these doctors to date are still in a state of shock. Trauma is like someone who has a broken bone or arm and it takes time for one to heal.

The doctors welcomed our intervention in terms of providing trauma healing and support. They are back at work because of demand, not that they have a choice. It is therefore important that we show them the support they need so that they can perform their duties,” he said.

So far the church has managed to source donations such as clothes, sleeping beds, kitchen utensils, blankets, shoes and bed sheets. Those who wish to donate can drop off the donation at Brethren In Christ Church (BICC) along Masotsha Avenue and Fort Street or at The Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) offices along third avenue and Joshua Mqabuko Street.

Zimbabwe Christian Alliance intensifies COVID-19 Campaigns

Zimbabwe has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases and the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) has intensified campaign efforts in the fight against the scourge.

The ZCA Local Advocacy Champions (LACs) in its five operational districts have joined hands with local authorizes and with the Ministry of Health and Child Care in a campaign dubbed, “The COVID-19 Drive,” The Drive seeks to inform people on the existence of COVID-19 and educate them on the precautionary measures that should be taken.

In an interview with the Christian Voice, the Advocacy programmes officer for the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance Nqobizitha Donga said they are conducting the campaigns in five districts as a means of informing and educating communities.

“Local Advocacy Champions structure is conducting an awareness drive to conscientise communities on the COVID-19. The awareness drive is being conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Health and COVID-19 Taskforce Department.”, said Donga

The drive is in response to the increase in COVID-9 cases in Zimbabwe and the predicted third wave. The campaign targets high-risk places such as market areas whether both formal and informal business take place.

“This is in anticipation of the 3rd wave that the country is likely to experience. The blitz is targeting business centres where generally lack of COVID-19 adherence has been noted,” said Donga.

Maga phones are used to promulgate the message on COVID-19 preventive measures. The five districts targeted are Nkayi, Gweru, Masvingo, Beitbridge and Chegutu.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care on twitter, as of “02 July 2021, Zimbabwe had 52 663 confirmed cases, including 39 568 recoveries and 1 841 deaths. To date, a total of 788 004 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19..”

Clergy requests Government to open churches

The Zimbabwe Heads of Church Denominations (ZHOCD) has written an urgent letter to the government requesting that churches be opened after stricter COVID-19 conditions were imposed.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Coordinator of the National Response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the President's Office and Cabinet, Dr Agnes Mahomva, the ZHOCD member churches requested for a review of lockdown measures to allow churches to open, but with limited members.

“We are requesting that this restriction be reviewed to allow limited numbers of people to gather following the Covid-19 protocols such as record keeping to ensure contact tracing, keeping physical distance, putting on masks and sanitizing of premises and hands”, read the letter.

The letter pointed out that the church has an important role in these COVID times, which includes psycho-social support and resource mobilization for people that are affected by COVID-19.

“The continued role of Churches to provide pastoral care, mobilize resources for humanitarian response and give hope to the nation needs to be supported in this time of the pandemic. Therefore we further request that the Church be engaged and consulted as much as possible to better assist the Government in fighting this pandemic.”

The letter was written by Pastor B. Makwara (EFZ General Secretary), Rev E. Tsvakai (UDACIZA General Secretary), Father F. Chiromba (ZCBC General Secretary) and Rev Dr K. Mtata (ZCC General Secretary).

The move by ZHOCD has been supported by church groups and leaders who felt that the church can work closely with the Ministry of Health to ensure that WHO regulations are adhered to.

The ZCA board chair Rev Obert Shatai welcomed the move by the heads of denominations as welcome and strongly supported by clergy.

"Our churches have always been responsible and adhered to all the WHO regulations which involved wearing of masks, sanisatization and keeping safe distance when people are in worship," said Rev Shatai.

Rev Shatai also pointed out that churches always offered spacious venues which are able to ensure spacing and safe distance between congregates.

" Our facilities are less crowded than the public transport and shopping facilities," he said.

Rev Shatai also said that ZCA will continue to work with Covid-19 TaskForce teams to ensure that awareness raising exercises are conducted.

Pastor Kilton Moyo, who is a counselor and author, emphasized that churches should be open especially considering how the lockdown is being controlled.

“Churches should be opened considering how the current lockdown is being managed. Many other crowd pullers, places, or entities that congest people like public transport and shops are being congested. As long as they are open, I don’t see the reason why the church should close ,“said Pastor Moyo

Pastor Moyo also pointed out that the church does not necessarily congest people, and besides, it "observes social distancing and all other COVID-19 specifications. For me, I feel the government is being spiteful in closing the church.” added Pastor Moyo

“It's not just COVID-19, and that churches have crowds; we were allowed to open and function with only 50 people and we managed that so well and no one has come to show us statistics of people infected through church", said Pastor Moyo.

He also encouraged the church to systematically organize itself so as to be relevant and effective.

“The church needs to organize itself in a better way so that it can offer relevant services to the current situation. I don’t want to think that these people are rubbing the church as it were, but they are not seeing outside our Sunday and Saturday gatherings. They are not seeing anything impactful and important to them that we are doing for the community. ” said Pastor Moyo.