Hopes for 2017

Fatima Bulla —
PEOPLE from different faiths have expressed hope for 2017, with many looking forward to the turnaround of the economy and continued peace in the country.

The year 2016 presented challenges that included the liquidity crunch and protests by various groups, which had repercussions on the operations of Christians, Muslims and Traditionalists.

Churches had to adjust to receiving offerings and tithes through plastic money while some recorded decreased attendance numbers due to the personal challenges their members were facing.

However, the coming of the New Year has brought with it new hope with different faith groups highlighting the need to work together to encourage religious tolerance.

Founder of Fatima Zahra College said 2016 was a year of laying a foundation of religious tolerance and results will be reaped this year.

“We look forward to the strengthening of relationships between Christians and Muslims. In 2016 we prepared the foundation so we are looking forward to the fruits of that effect.

“We formed interfaith groups for Muslims and Christians through which we resolved to be working together in our respective activities,” Sheikh Makwinja said.

With conflicts spurring across the world amongst faith groups, mainly Christians and Muslims, Sheikh Makwinja said they have the desire to guard the peace among religions in the country and the interfaith platform was a strong foundation for that.

“Our desire is to remove the ignorance within communities about what they think is or is not within the Muslim faith. So we have agreed as Muslims and Christians to invite each other to weddings and funeral wakes so that we can support each other.

“We will also invite each other to important dates like our EID and Ramadan where upon breaking the fast, we celebrate together, even though our fellow Christians will not be fasting,” said Sheikh Makwinja.

Sheikh Makwinja said Christians and Muslims will support each other in business as well.

“Through our network we have made it known that those who are engaged in businesses should let us know so that we can support each other’s businesses. Our cooperation is not only in religious activities but it will extend to other activities like the businesses.

“But other than that, we foresee a bumper harvest, our economy improving and things are getting better,” Sheikh Makwinja said.

Grace Unlimited and Zoe Life Changing Ministries co-founder, Apostle Florence Kanyati said they are entering 2017 with great expectation. She said it will be a glorious year.

“We are hopeful that we will scoop honey with bare hands, that the hope of the righteous will not be cut off. We are believing God for harvest of many souls as the word says, ‘The Kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our God and King.’

“While people may look downwards we look upwards, we don’t judge things with circumstances, there is hope for this nation and God continues to stand on His promises,” Apostle Kanyati said.

She added that the rains are evidence for bumper harvests this year.

“The economy of this country is rising by the grace of God. His word says, ‘When we are weak, He is strong. During the time of the Israelites, there were no supermarkets but they never lacked anything. We are believing God for the same.

“Isaiah 43 says God will go before you, He is going before us and He will give us riches in secret places,” Apostle Kanyati said.

Highlighting that attendance numbers had dwindled due to members’ personal struggles, Harvest House International pastor, Watson Chitate said they hoped for the strengthening of the saints.

“People tended to experience challenges. Church numbership dwindled as some could not afford to come to church because of financial challenges and some, their faith was affected because of their personal challenges.

“We are trusting God in 2017. We will have perfection because seven is the number of perfection. Things are going to be perfected. We believe the economy will be perfected only if we look to God. We are trusting God will help us and our faith will be perfected so that we can stand firm in faith,” Pastor Chitate said.

In light of an improved rain season, Traditional Medical Council of Zimbabwe chairperson, Sekuru Friday Chisanyu said they are looking forward to partner the Ministry of Health and Child Care to ensure more healthy living for Zimbabweans.

“As traditionalists this year we want to make more contributions on the health sector by conducting awareness campaigns. For instance, you note that there are rains pounding across the country so you find that diseases also tend to be prevalent.

“We want to partner the Ministry of Health (and Child Care) to reach mostly remote areas where there is no access to health and promote more referrals. For us, prevention is better than cure so we aim for more healthy Zimbabweans.

“We would like to pursue campaigns to promote early detections of diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis and malaria, among others,” Sekuru Chisanyu said.

He said traditional healers continue to play an important part in boosting tourism as foreigners visit the country to consult them.

Traditionalist Sekuru Elisha Mutanga said he is hoping for the promotion of traditional medicine usage to avoid loss of foreign currency used to import drugs.

“With the rains we are receiving now, it means we don’t have to deal with hunger in addition to other problems.

“This gives us an opportunity to deal with other challenges that we might be facing as a country.

“Also the challenges we have faced have given us experience and knowledge to face 2017. But moreso, we would like to see the promotion of the use of traditional medicine so that we don’t have to lose foreign currency by importing drugs.

“We believe if traditional means of healing are promoted, we might build great health institutions,” said Sekuru Mutanga.

He encouraged Zimbabweans to safeguard their values and identity.