- Dear Family and Friends,
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- It was cause for great sadness this week
to watch a delegation of church leaders being filmed by state television
at the start of a much publicised meeting with President Mugabe. They sat
in a gleaming white tent, at tables covered with spotless white cloths
and laughed almost uncontrollably at the words of the President. For a
few moments the address actually had to stop because the clerics were giggling
and chortling so much.
-
- The cause for their hilarity was President
Mugabe's reference to Archbishop Pius Ncube's public statement that he
was praying for the President's death. I sat in shock, overwhelmed with
despair. This public display of hilarity represented the moral leadership
of our country. These are the men who are supposed to be taking the pain
and suffering of ordinary people to the President and appealing for an
end to the horrific deprivations. Their laughter went beyond the bounds
of diplomacy and even if it was just for show or for the camera, it sent
a chill through the air.
-
- I cannot express my feelings nearly as
well as Bornwell Chakaodza did in this week's Financial Gazette but I am
still haunted by an image given to me by a church man in 2002. Perhaps
repeating that image now may help our giggling clerics.
-
- It was just before the March 2002 elections
and a small Evangelical Church in Marondera town was taken over by militant
youths. The Pastor was barricaded into the Church building and subjected
to taunts, threats, harassment and intimidation. He was accused of being
a supporter of the opposition MDC. Some hours later the Pastor was freed
but the youths stayed behind and used the Church as a re-education centre.
-
- In the following weeks there were reports
of numerous people being taken to the Church and beaten, accused of supporting
the opposition. The Pastor was refused entry to his Church and so he held
Sunday services in the garden of his home. It was some weeks later when
the youths who had seized the Church building finally moved out and the
Pastor returned to find horror.
-
- Loud speaker equipment had been stolen.
Electrical wiring had been ripped off the walls. Carpets, chairs, a tape
recorder, tea urn, cups and saucers had been looted. Even a box of children's
toys had gone. Worst of all was what had been left behind. Witnessed only
by God, the walls and floors of the Church were stained with blood. The
blood of the ordinary men and women who live in Marondera town
-
- Many people from all over the world,
desperate to help Zimbabwe, offer their prayers for us in church every
week. May they pray now for courage, dignity and strength for our church
leaders. This is not the time for giggling and chortling it is the time
for determination, sacrifice and strong moral leadership.
-
- Until next week,
-
- love cathy
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- Copyright cathy buckle 3 June 2006 http://africantears.netfirms.com
My books "African Tears" and "Beyond Tears" are available
from: orders@africabookcentre.com
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