The Sunday News
Vincent Gono in Masvingo
TENS of thousands of pilgrims braved the rains and thronged the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) Mbungo shrine in Bikita District, Masvingo for the annual Easter commemorations.
The main event that will be marked with a spectacular procession to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ will be held today.
A number of buses and cars that had transported congregants were parked at the shrine while some people could be seen flocking to the site that was declared an international tourism pilgrimage on foot from all corners of the district.
Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to grace the Easter commemorations at Mbungo today.
Due to the rainy weather the congregants that could not be accommodated in the
60 000-seater church could be seen in small tents perched on high ground as the incessant rains pounded the area. To the congregants, Dr Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi preached the message of hope and vision centering his sermon on the resurrection of Jesus Christ which he said was all important in defining the believers’ life.
He urged people not to lose hope saying there was hope in every situation that people might be facing be it in marriages, business and even in as far as national problems both economic and social were concerned. Bishop Mutendi said the resurrection of Jesus Christ was enough testimony that God was the provider of hope in every situation that people might see as dead. He said certain problems that people faced in life were not permanent but were there to block people’s vision to the good works of God.
“Whatever situation that people may face be it business, in marriages and even as a country, people should remain with a clear vision and have hope that if Jesus resurrected on the third day the negativities that people may be facing will end. There are certain situations that are not permanent, situations and problems that are fake and that act as scarecrows, those situations are there to blind people from their vision but believers should invest their hope in Jesus,” he said.
He gave verses such as Luke 2:25 that talks of a man called Simon and an old lady called Anna who did not die with the hope of Christ and they saw him and rejoiced. He added that all the problems that the people were facing were not there to stay but they would end, saying that gives credence to the message of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus.
The procession to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ that resembles that of the opening of Parliament with men on horseback, and bikers with some following on foot is expected to begin in the morning. The gathering also presented a business opportunity to a lot of people in and outside Masvingo who came to the shrine strictly for business. Other churches in the country are also scattered all over, celebrating Easter.
