The Sunday News
Limpret Moyo, Sunday News Reporter
HOSPITAL and Prisons Care Ministries International, a ministry that helps the sick and inmates in prisons on Friday helped in the burial of a former Khami Maximum prisoner whose body had been lying in a mortuary since April.
The deceased, Themba Sibanda from Nkayi District was buried by the ministry and a few members of the family at Luveve Cemetery in Bulawayo on Friday. Exodus Funeral Services provided the coffin and related services for free as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.
Speaking at the funeral, a relative to Sibanda who spoke on behalf of the family expressed gratitude to the ministry for showing a humane face by facilitating the burial of their relative.
HPCMI president Dr Reverend Isaac Silumbu said the ministry was asked to help after the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services had since April failed to locate Sibanda’s relatives.
Although his relatives were later located, they also indicated that they had no money to organise the burial.
“He is our child. We love him and he deserves a decent burial. We would also like to thank the city council for giving us space to bury our loved one. We have some circumstances whereby people come from the rural areas and are referred to hospitals.
These people won’t be having anyone to visit them. Our ministry assists them to make sure they are visited, seen where possible, and we buy fruits and pray for them.”
“We have seen so many results and successes and also healing that has happened in so many hospitals and at the same time with our partners we are now able to donate as well,” he said.
Dr Rev Silumbu said the ministry, apart from prisons, was now working with many hospitals across the country.
He said society must not look down upon people coming out of prisons as they need care and love to be re-integrated into communities.
The ministry also distributes relief aid such as food and clothing to patients, prisoners, natural disaster victims, secures overnight accommodation for discharged patients and released convicts in transit to their homes.
