The Sunday News
Charles Dube
We shift back to the above mentioned play and pick it up from the point where we stopped last year.
Clopas persuades his wife Shamiso to take the bitter concoction he got from Sekuru.
The couple, that is Clopas and his wife Shamiso, are desperate to have a child hence they are trying both traditional and modern methods.
Clopas is for traditional methods as he coaxes his wife to try the bitter concoction as Sekuru said that it is so because it cleans up her womb and tubes.
Eventually, Shamiso succumbs to Clopas’s persuasion and tries the herbs. She downs the full contents and starts moaning to the shock of her husband who asks if she is alright. She appears weak and he asks her to hold on to him. He is uneasy and offers to do what Shamiso has not asked of him. “I’ll do the dishes.
Do you want a cup of tea?” Shamiso continues moaning and warns Clopas that if anything happens to her he will know what to tell her people.
In the middle of that commotion the couple gets unexpected visitors — the Church Woman and Church Man. These two greet Shamiso and Clopas and in the Biblical fashion state their mission to that house. The Church Man declares to the couple that God has sent them to their house to talk to them and the Church Woman adds that it is very urgent. When Shamiso asks them from which church they come from, the Church Man responds with a flourish declaring that their church has no label.
He makes it clear that they are not like any of the known orthodox churches like the Roman Catholic, the Anglican Church or the Assembly of God, the Lutheran Church or the Methodist Church. The list goes on to almost mention all the orthodox churches. The Church Woman is more specific saying they are the Church of the Holy Spirit. They speak highly of God as we hear the Church Man saying they worship God directly and he speaks directly to them.
It is always the case with worshippers of different denominations. They claim to be the best of all and holier than others. The coincidence is that such people always tackle the desperate. Clopas and his wife Shamiso were very desperate to have a child and it was common knowledge to everybody in their community. Then comes these so called church people who claim to have been sent by God.
Obviously, in despair Clopas and his wife Shamiso will give ear to what these people are saying as they claim to bear good tidings to solve their problem.
Were really these church people sent by God to talk to this couple? They campaign strongly for their cause as they claim to worship God directly and he speaks to them directly.
The Church Woman tells the couple that God has revealed to them their problem which they know, and has sent them to guide them away from imminent evil. The Church Man adds a punch saying God has told them about the one thing the couple so badly desires in their lives at this moment. God sent them to pray for them to find it without falling prey to evil.
They then ask to pray for Clopas and Shamiso. Clopas and Shamiso are very desperate for a child and are therefore vulnerable to any method which can be offered to help them have a child. Shamiso was hesitant to take Sekuru’s concoction because of unbelief on traditional methods of helping her out, but, reluctantly takes through encouragement from Clopas. In the end it is confusing as to which power is going to result in Shamiso’s pregnancy.
The church people pray thanking God for guiding them to that house and bringing them face to face with what they call God’s two servants and for driving the devil from their door. All what these church people are saying is to woo them over to their religion and make them believe what is being said, whether true or false. It is easy to win people to your side. This is by telling them what they want to hear. Those who want a child, tell them that indeed they will get a child.
We have here the Church Man and the Church Woman praying to God for giving Clopas and Shamiso the strength and courage to let them inside their house and for giving them the wisdom to listen to his revelations. They ask the Lord to enter their hearts and drive out all unclean thoughts and intentions.
They challenge the Lord Jesus to show his power at that very moment and grant the young couple their wish and make them see His great shining kindness and glory. This is a killer blow from the religious side. However, remember shortly before that Shamiso has already taken Sekuru’s bitter concoction? When the pregnancy manifests itself after this, which powers won the day? Only time will tell.
The drama continues after this. Review of the book; Harvest of Thorns Classic: A play by Shimmer Chinodya. For views link with [email protected] or sms 0772113207.
