Mashaire Village Water Story
[half] Mashaire village in Murehwa recorded a high incidence of diarrhoea cases in 2017. People were constantly visiting the clinic which is about 12 km away from the village. The situation was exacerbated by accessing water from an unprotected open well. Others would cover a distance of more than 8 km to get to the nearest borehole which was in the next village. After the intervention by the EFZ/LWI to rehabilitate the only borehole in Mashaire, 109 households had access to clean and safe water and thus approximately a thousand people benefited from this initiative. Perkins Mashaire had this to say when he was interviewed; “The intervention came at a time we needed help most and as a community we are thankful to the church, we never imagined that our prayers after suffering for 6 years could be answered. Water for drinking, food preparation and cooking, bathing and laundry is now readily available. The rehabilitation process has brought relief in our community. We are now even motivated to push for fencing the water source as well as establishing a nutritional garden that will boost our nutrition since our borehole has a high yielding capacity” Diarrhoea cases that were prevalent in the village dropped drastically following an improved access to clean safe water. People are no longer walking long distances in search of clean water and this has eased the burden on women and children providing enough time to attend to other household chores. [/half] [half]Old Water Source New Water Source[/half]
Important Dates for 2018
Please take note of the important dates for 2018.
#PrayRegisterVote Campaign
Informed by the basis of its integral mission, the church takes a conscious and deliberate effort to promote the effective participation of Christians in every day and public life. The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe as part of the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations in particular and of the body of Christ in general has been working to promote the participation of Christians in all aspects of life in general, and in particular in the electoral process. Through these efforts, the EFZ has been running a Campaign called #PrayRegisterVote, which essentially seeks to encourage Christians to be part of the election process by engaging at the very least in 3 specific actions which are; praying registering and voting Through this campaign, EFZ recognizes that the journey towards the Zimbabwe We Want compels every Zimbabwean to action. In this electoral season, every Zimbabwean has a duty and responsibility to their country to actively participate and #PrayRegisterVote!!! Photos from the Launch Event {gallery}PrayRegisterVote{/gallery}
ZHOCD Press Statement 15 November 2017
ZIMBABWE BETWEEN A CRISIS AND A KAIROS (OPPORTUNITY): THE PASTORAL MESSAGE OF THE CHURCHES ON THE CURRENT SITUATION DATE: 15 NOVEMBER 2017 Luke 19:41-44 41 As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your opportunity (KAIROS) from God.” 1. The Moment of Truth Many Zimbabweans are confused and anxious about what has transpired and continues to unfold in our nation. While the changes have been rapid in the last few days, the real deterioration has been visible for everyone to see for a long time, especially during the public political rallies of the ruling party, coupled with the deteriorating socio-economic situation. On the 30th of October 2017, during the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Association between Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, it was again highlighted that the abrasive and exclusionary politics, the increased use of ethnic identities dominating the public discourse, especially at the public political rallies and in the media, would further fragment and threaten the already weak cohesion of our society. Now we have reached a new chapter in the history of our nation. As we look at this situation as the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD), we are reminded of the warning of Jesus in Luke 19:41-44. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem when he saw the catastrophe of its destruction and the massacre of the people that was imminent, “because they had not recognized their opportunity (KAIROS) when God offered it” (Lk 19: 44). We see the current situation not just as a crisis in which we are helpless. We see the current arrangement as an opportunity for the birth of a new nation. Our God created everything out of chaos. In order for something new to be born we need to clearly define our problem. Proper naming of the problem will give us a clear sense of where we must go as a nation. 2. What is the nature of our problem It may be easy to describe our problem in terms of the economy and the accompanying myriad of social challenges. But all these are manifestations or symptoms of a deeper disease that has affected the nation for a long time. This was the challenge of the loss of TRUST in the legitimacy of our national processes and institutions. There is a strong sense that our hard-earned Constitution is not being taken seriously. There is not enough confidence whether the separation of the three arms of the State, the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary are functioning in proper relationships of checks and balances. There is a deep concern that there seem to be no clear distinction between the ruling party and the Government. There is concern that the priorities of the poor have become relegated to charity of those who have access to national resources without proper commitment to addressing the root-causes of these problems. There is a general feeling that the wheels of democracy have become stuck in the mud of personalized politics where the generality of the citizenry plays an insignificant role. It is this lack of democratic renewal and the resulting stagnation, sterility and fatigue that has culminated in the current situation. 3. Everyone implicated To be fair, this situation is not only the doing of the ruling party and Government. It is also the result of the connivance of the different arms of the state and complicity of the Church and Civil Society. All of us at some point failed to play our roles adequately. The Church has lost its prophetic urge driven by personality cults and superstitious approaches to socio-economic and political challenges. Civil Society over time has become focused on survival and competition and lost the bigger picture of the total emancipation of the population. But the current situation is also a result of the many people in the ruling party who feel outdone, who enjoyed unbridled access to the trough of patronage. Journalists fanned the politics of hatred by giving it prime space in the name of sales and profits. All Zimbabweans must take some blame for our current situation. 4. What should be done? The Church makes the following calls: 4.1 Call to Prayer for the Nation We call the nation to a moment of prayer for repentance, deep reflection and discernment. We all need to go before God and ask God to forgive us for ways in which we contributed to the situation through neglect or wrong action. We need individual and collective deep reflection on what this means for all of us as individuals, families, churches and the nation. We need to find meaning in this situation. We also need to collectively and individually discern the next direction for us as a nation. 4.2 Call to Calm and Peace Right now, there is not enough information and many people are peddling opinions as facts. Some misinformation is causing despondency and fear. We are calling for peace and calm. Let us not sensationalize the situation but encourage calm and be modest in our engagement. 4.3 Call for the Respect of Human Dignity We are aware that the Zimbabwe Defense Forces is currently managing the situation. But we want to make it clear to them that it is their responsibility to ensure that human dignity and rights are respected. This is not a time to allow for lawlessness and vindictive and selective application of the law. 4.4 Call for a Transitional Government of National Unity The Zimbabwe Defense Forces
Tamuka Village / Esnath Story Piece: By Ernest Nhamo
Tamuka village is located about 40km from Mutoko Centre and the people there do peasant farming for their livelihood using rainy water. This is where the people of Tamuka village would fetch water before the intervention. Their borehole broke down 3 years ago. The borehole would produce 2-4 buckets of mudy water hence people would resort to the open space in a valley close by. We spoke to Esnath’s mother, the lady with a baby on her back on the photo. Esnath is an eight year girl and they stay about 1km from the borehole. The way from their homestead to the borehole is bushy. We learned with surprise Esnath is sometimes sent alone to the open space to fetch water after school from the open space. This is where she would spend more than 30minutes alone trying to get 10litres of water. The mother confirmed that this has exposing her girl child to many dangers. With the new well even though it is still about 500m from their homestead she was confident it was going to make Esnath’s life more comfortable as t is easier and quicker to draw water from the well. [half first]Previous Water Source[/half] [half last]This is where Esnath and the Community of Tamuka Village ares getting safe and clean drinking water after the intervention[/half]
Orality Success Story
[half first] Story by Pastor Douglas Makoto from Pilgrims Region Mission-Murewa [/half] [half last] Pastor Douglas Makoto-Murewa [/half] Before I was exposed to orality, I was like any other pastor preaching according to seminary knowledge. In 2014 September, I was one of the first 10 Zimbabwean pastors to be trained as a trainer by Professor Jerry Wiles. I came back to Murehwa district and mobilized 16 local pastors whom for 2 days I trained the 5 story set. I released them expecting a quick feedback which they brought back 3 months later. Surprisingly it seems in all their home cell groups, orality had boosted midweek attendance by over 150% which to me was overwhelming. Sunday school teachers were enjoying the orality methodology and most children could retell the stories anywhere and anytime. In their reports, they indicated that orality was more engaging and it promotes open platform for conversations and in-depth bible study. Unlike preaching, they said bible story backgrounds could be understood and a lot of relevance could be unraveled. I enjoy telling the true stories from the word of God. I personally was invited to preach at about 7 funeral platforms using orality and surprisingly the responses from people who accepted Christ was a notable testimony. Later on this 2016, we organised a 2 days’ workshop on Orality without support from the EFZ secretariat. This time we mobilized leaders including those 16 pastors I trained and other 55 people were trained on the 5 story set. These leaders were from the whole district and some from other non-bible reading churches like the apostolic white garment churches. Orality has transformed me personally. I am now more of a teacher of the word than an evangelist, more grounded in the word. I use it everywhere and anywhere freely. Of the 17 rehabilitated water points in Murewa, I preached on 11 of them using orality. I saw many giving their lives to Christ. That has enhanced the way I do ministry work. I noted also that the young generation that is the youth and Sunday school are very receptive to orality concepts of art, drama and poetry. I love Orality, I love the true stories from the word of God, and I will tell the true stories from the word of God, the undiluted gospel and the untainted truth!
Working with the Community: Story by Kudakwashe Kurashwa
[half first] Interview with the Chikupo Modeling Church Pastor in Murewa on what he feels as the Modeling Church Pastor and his experiences working with the Community: Story by Kudakwashe Kurashwa [/half] [half last] Lieutenant Enerst Chikangangeni from Salvation Army-Modeling Church for Chikupo in Musami Murewa Traditional ward [/half] “Being a modeling church involves transforming people’s mindsets…It is a leadership role that requires one to think beyond the normative rules of the game and to be exemplary so as to convince people to adopt positive behaviors for development” echoed Lieutenant Enerst Chikangeni from Salvation Army which is the modeling church for Musami traditional ward in Murewa District. He narrated his story with regard to what it took him to get the community into action during the construction of the Chikupo well site. “It was a tall order initially for me to settle and get the community to do the work. Although, I have always been convinced in myself that it was possible to mobilise the community, I strongly doubt if others held a similar line of thinking. As has been the norm for the people in Chikupo area that when donors come with development initiatives, they do everything for the community and that has been the thinking framework that the still had; what a disempowered mindset! When we started work, only a few people showed up; I and my team of pastors and church members had to get our hands dirty so that people would see and learn what they needed to do. Together with other pastors in our section, we organised several meetings with the community and their leadership trying to drive home and to educate them on the need for them to own processes of development and being good stewards. It was a long and taxing journey especially with the understanding that people were in a water crisis and someone has come in to bail them out. Normally, people should easily commit to the work. But in this community, it was far from that What was a bit inspiring was the fact that numbers that were coming to the borehole to do the work were added each time we had a meeting with them. People came to appreciate that we are the church and very different from non-governmental organizations. I saw people pledging to bring the river sand, the stones, and the food as the need was unraveled. These were great signs of change. We did not stop, we continued singing the song of community participation and ownership and more resources were mobilised from the community to the extent that funds towards thebuying of the fencing material were mobilised. At the end of the process of construction, people emerged as the rightful owners of the project. The work was well done and we were all proud of it. Through the process of organising and leading the community to a successful project, I earned a lot of respect from community people, which was never before. The following time, there was another borehole that has been down for close to three years and the community was in a difficult situation. They approached me as the modeling church pastor, to see if anything could be done to resuscitate it. The most intriguing and interesting thing was that they had already mobilised resources on their own and were willing to assist in any for possible within their means. This is how were are managing to transform communities through the WaSH program and we love our work”, Lieutenant Chikangeni spoke with smile
“Water for Life in Jesus Name’’ Project in Murehwa District
The inception of the “Water for Life in Jesus Name’’ project in Murehwa district of Mashonaland East Province in Zimbabwe by the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) and Living Water International (LWI) brought about holistic transformation of local churches and their immediate communities. Unlike before, churches embraced developmental programs as they actively engaged and participated in WASH and the WORD project. After a clarion call by the Salvation Army church to have their local borehole rehabilitated, EFZ/LWI together with the District Development Fund team responded with immediate effect and rehabilitated the borehole. Prior to the rehabilitation of the well, it was a pathetic situation to note that N’andu village borehole (the only in three distant villages) served N’andu, Mutsahuni and part of Chikupo villages. Both humans and livestock were in dire need of water. The integration of water and the word saw the provision of the much needed water, formation of hygiene clubs in the program area and preaching of the gospel message of Jesus Christ. As a result of these efforts, the relationship between EFZ/LWI and government’s District Development Fund department was fostered, villagers were exposed to the gospel with several others turning their hearts to God and health issues were promoted as people had access to clean and safe drinking water.
EFZ WASH Report
The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) is mobilizing, empowering and networking the local churches to become active agents of holistic community transformation through improving sustainable and equitable access to and use of safe water, sanitation and hygiene services. In partnership with Living Water International, EFZ is implementing WASH program in Epworth and Mashonaland East province since 2013. The WASH program dubbed, ‘Water for life in Jesus name’ is currently being implemented in Mutoko and Murehwa districts and Epworth peri-urban area. The project have 3 main components namely water access, hygiene promotion and Christian witnessing is being implemented using Salt and Light Church engagement model. Since 2013-2017 EFZ has improved access to safe water by drilling 54 boreholes and rehabilitating 196 boreholes in Epworth, Mutoko and Murehwa. In the 2016/2017 financial year, EFZ drilled 27 boreholes and rehabilitated 98 boreholes in the aforementioned WPAs. Key highlights for 2016/ 2017 In Murehwa EFZ managed to improve access to safe water coverage by 27 % through rehabilitation of 47 boreholes and drilling 14 boreholes; 61 boreholes gives access to safe water to 18 300 people. In Mutoko EFZ rehabilitated 41 boreholes and drilled 11 boreholes giving access to safe water to 15 600 people. Overall EFZ increased access to safe water in Mutoko by 20 %. In Epworth EFZ rehabilitated 10 boreholes and drilled 2 boreholes giving access to safe water to a total of 6000 people and increasing access to safe water coverage by 8.9 % Water Access in pictures {gallery}WaterAccess{/gallery} Bwanya Rehab Site {gallery}BwanyaRehabSite{/gallery} Hygiene and sanitation promotion- The EFZ has also created demand for sanitation and hygiene services at community level and this has seen a marked transformation in communities as evidenced by: Improved hygiene and sanitation Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviors and Practices (KABP) by communities Reduced burden of water collection especially on women and girls Reduced productive time lost scavenging for water {gallery}HSPromo{/gallery} [half first] One toilet completed with support from Zvakanaka health club in Mutsahuni village [/half] [half last] One of the 20 sinks completed by Zvakanaka health club in Mutsahuni Village [/half] Christian Witnessing– Most importantly, the gospel of Jesus Christ is made known to communities through gospel proclamation at well sites and there is exponential proportional growth in churches both numerically and in relation to their capacity to respond to the socio-economic, spiritual needs of communities. [grid12][/grid12] Fig 1 shows Goto community praying at well site during hygiene promotion, Murehwa District. Fig .2 Shows Bishop Moses Chinyama sharing the word of God at borehole commissioning in Epworth. Fig 3 Pastor Bernard Chiripanyanga and Pastor Pedzisai Katsande praying with community members in Village 65 after sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ at well site, Mutoko District. Key story of the year Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe WASH Interventions in Epworth Improves Hand Hygiene in Schools Good hand hygiene is an important infection control measure as person-to-person contact, including via hands, is common mode of transmission for gastro-intestinal and respiratory infections. In a school set up, hands can be contaminated with human excreta, body fluids, chairs, desks, floors, dust and doorknobs. The aforementioned can be vehicles of bacteria, parasite and viruses. Infectious agents can enter the body when unwashed hands touch the mouth, nose and eyes. This underscores the fact that hand washing cannot only prevent diarrhea but also other infectious diseases such as acute respiratory infections. Before the WASH intervention at Chinamano Primary School, the rate of hand washing at critical times was very low (12%). The low rate of observed hand hygiene comes along with high rate (88 cases per 1000 population) of diarrhea among Chinamano school children. Expressing gratitude two months after WASH interventions at the school, Chinamano primary school health master said: I would like to thank the local churches, government departments and EFZ for remembering our schools. Getting safe water was a mammoth task for both school children and their teachers. Children used to carry containers of water from their homes for use at school; the water was always inadequate and more often than not unsafe for human consumption. As a school we thank God, we got a new well and it is functioning well-we now have access to safe water 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Our children were taught the importance of hand hygiene and they are always reminded by their peers through Edutainment during school health club sessions. The hygiene promotion session conducted by EFZ encouraged school children to replace their unhygienic practices with safe alternatives. I am very proud to say, diarrhoea incidence have dropped by 61%; I used to receive 15 to 30 cases of diarrhoea per week before the intervention but now a week can pass without receiving any case of diarrhoea at the school. Allow me to ask for a favour from the churches, government and EFZ; please extend your kind gesture to other schools within the district and beyond because a School without Safe Water is an Unsafe Environment for school children. School children at Chinamano primary school are now practicing good hand hygiene, which could be attributed to improved knowledge regarding importance of hand wash at critical times and availability of safe water within the school yard. Thanks to the churches and other stakeholders and Glory be to God. Story by Rameck Makokove WASH coordinator, EFZ
Thinking Theology
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