The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sunday News Correspondent
A CHRIST Glory Family Church initiative has seen them harness resources to assist other pastors that have been hard hit by the closure of churches due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The initiative saw 37 pastors and congregants from across Matabeleland receiving food hampers worth more than US$1400 recently. CGFC’s Prophet Tapiwa Nyamurova said the church was hard hit by the pandemic and this had left some pastors struggling to feed their families.
Speaking during a handover ceremony held in Bulawayo, Prophet Nyamurova as a church they felt motivated to assist some of their own and will keep the initiative in motion until the situation normalizes.
Prophet Tapiwa Nyamurova of Christ Glory Family Church with the assistance of Pastor Stanford Mahuna presents groceries to visually impared Mr Nico Ndlovu at ceremony which benefited pastors from various churches in Bulawayo yesterday.
“As a church we felt compelled to assist others who have not had it easy during this period. Churches are closed and some of the pastors have not been working while some have been doing part time jobs.
“We do not want to see some of our own becoming destitute during this time hence we came together and sought well-wishers who donated some of the funds while we also chipped in with our own funds,” he said.
Prophet Nyamurova said he had learnt that some pastors had sent their families to the rural areas and also followed them as they struggled to raise income to buy food.
Some of the pastors who received the goods came from areas as far as Gokwe, Nkayi, Tsholotsho, Filabusi and various areas in Bulawayo.
The food hampers included 2kg flour, 2 litres cooking oil, 10kg mealie meal, 2kg sugar, 2 litres orange juice,10kg chunks, salt, cabbage, 2kg rice, 500g sugar beans, a tin of baked beans, 1litre milk, a bar of soap and bread.
Pastor Stanford Mahuna of Touch of Glory International Ministries said they came up with the list of the needy through their networking and previous pastors’ conferences.
Anglican pastor, Cecilia Sibanda of Filabusi expressed delight that other churches had made effort in assisting their own adding coming together was important.
“It has been a difficult time for some and I’m glad those who are well off have not forgotten us who are struggling and this is a sign of working together and shows we all pray to one God despite the fact we come from different denominations,” she said.
Pastor Nkosilathi Masuku of Bethel Pentecostal in Emganwini said most pastors do not work as they are full time pastors and were reliant on their churches for a livelihood and the banning of gatherings and lockdown had affected their income.
“It affected me greatly most of us leave work and focus on church work but most congregants were affected negatively with most not working and they do not have anything to offer the church at the moment,” he said.
Nkayi-based Light of God Ministries pastor, Thulani Malandela said there were struggling with no income and the donation came at the right time.
CGF church was founded by Prophet Nyamurova after his return from the United Kingdom where he had gone for university studies.
