Moffat Mungazi
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
THE caretaker at Methodist Church in Zimbabwe near Dangamvura Rank in the Central Business District woke up last Sunday morning to find a clay pot wrapped in a red cloth placed just outside his door, an eerie discovery that has stirred fears of possible spiritual attacks among the clergy and congregants.
The pot which contained maize-meal was discovered just outside the caretaker’s room at around 4am, a few hours before the commencement of the early morning service.
The church’s caretaker, Lloyd Chinyuku, said he found the object under deeply unsettling circumstances that still haunt him.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, he admitted that although the clay pot was destroyed, he is still being haunted by its sight.
“I saw the calabash around 4am, and to be honest, I am still shaken. This was not a prank, this is pure witchcraft. I have never come across anything like that in my life. Up to now, I still feel like there is something or someone lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike,” he said, his voice trembling slightly.
Chinyuku recalled that he woke up unusually early that day. Around 1am, he said, he was overcome by an uneasy feeling that disturbed his sleep.
“I could not sleep. I kept tossing and turning. In my spirit, I just felt something was wrong. I have always been told that when you wake up at such an ungodly hour, there will be forces at work in the spiritual realm. So I got out of bed and prayed. After praying, I stepped outside briefly for some fresh air, but at that time, everything seemed normal. However, I had a feeling of uneasiness even though I saw nothing. There was no sign of anything strange, which means whoever placed the clay pot must have done so afterwards,” he said.
Unable to sleep, Chinyuku returned inside, and sat watching television until around 3am.
An hour later, he got up again to begin his morning routine, preparing the church for the incoming congregants. But that is when he came face-to-face with the ‘unusual offering’.
“I tried to unlock my door, but it would not budge. At first I thought the key had jammed or broken, but even my friend, who was also inside, could not open it. I had to use the second door that leads into the hallway. I walked around to open the front door from outside. That is when I saw the strange clay pot just outside my door,” he explained.
He immediately called the resident clergyman, Reverend Prince Ndoro, who arrived swiftly as some early congregants had also begun trickling in.
Chinyuku also noted something strange about the security of the premises that morning.
“The gate was locked when I found the clay pot. I do not understand how the person got in the premises. And strangely after we removed the clay pot, my front door opened with ease,” he said.
For Chinyuku, the experience was harrowing.
“I have not let my guard down since then. People keep telling me I will be fine, but that fear is still there. It is the fear of the unknown, the fear of what might still be lurking,” he admitted.
Reverend Ndoro confirmed the incident in a separate interview.
“It is true that a clay pot with a red cloth tied around it and maize-meal inside, was found just outside the caretaker’s door. We suspect it was an act of witchcraft or someone trying to intimidate the caretaker or the congregants. Either way, we are not moved, we are not intimidated. As believers, we stand in faith,” said Reverend Ndoro.
Reverend Ndoro said he conducted a short prayer upon arrival, sprinkled salt over the clay pot, before breaking and discarding it.
“We burnt the red cloth. We did not want to take chances. These are symbolic objects often used in dark practices, so it was important to deal with it spiritually,” he said calmly.
Reverend Ndoro said according to reports, this was not the first time that such acts have happened at the church.
“I was told that prior to my posting here, there was an incident where a knobkerrie was discovered inside the church. This shows that this may not be the first time our church has been targeted by such disturbing acts,” said Reverend Ndoro.
Despite the unnerving discovery, the Sunday service went ahead as scheduled.
Two church members who requested anonymity said they were deeply disturbed by the incident and feared it may not be an isolated case.
“This is terrifying. I have been attending this church for over a decade, and we have witnessed things like this many times. We know that this is not a prank. Someone might be trying to curse this place or scare us,” said one churchgoer.
Another long-time member echoed similar sentiments.
“We need to take this spiritual warfare seriously. This was not an accident. Whoever did this know what they were doing. That red cloth was not tied there for decoration, it had a meaning. The fact that maize-meal was inside is symbolic in many traditional rituals,” she said.
Online Reporter