National rain prayer week underway

Robin Muchetu, Leonard Ncube Sunday News Reporters
ACTING President Cde Phelekezela Mphoko has described the prevailing drought situation in the country caused by erratic rains as a national disaster and urged Zimbabweans to actively take part in praying for rains to fall throughout the coming week despite their divergent religions.

Cde Mphoko said this yesterday on the sidelines of a church service that was held at Bellevue Seventh Day Adventist Church in Bulawayo where leaders prayed for the rains.

“This is a national disaster and the people should know. Today marks the beginning of the national prayer week for the rains to fall, we want all people in this nation to pray to God that we receive adequate rainfall in time because the situation is not good,” he said.

Cde Mphoko said the prayers were being held from today (yesterday) up to Sunday 17 January and all churches are urged to take part. Traditional and church leaders were also being included in the spearheading of the national prayers. Cde Mphoko said the country should be optimistic about the prayers.

“What Zimbabweans must know is that all prayers can be answered as long as you ask, so these prayers that we have started are not in vain, we will get the response from above because we are doing it from our hearts,” he said.

He said once the rains started falling the nation will be in a position to guarantee food for the people. Church elders from the SDA also took time to pray for the rains and also for the country’s leadership as a whole that they be guided accordingly in their duty to lead the nation.

Earlier on, Rural Development Preservation and Promotion of National Culture and Heritage Minister Abednico Ncube met religious leaders and told them to come up with divine solutions to the problem of drought. He said the country should find solace in God who assured through his Word that through prayer “satanic” weather patterns could be overcome.

Last week the Acting President met religious leaders in Harare where he encouraged them to take prayers on asking for sufficient rainfall. Cde Mphoko attended the church service with his wife Laurinda and daughter Siduduzo.

Meanwhile, nine church denominations and traditional leaders from Matabeleland North Province on Thursday gathered for a prayer session for rain taking heed to calls by Acting President Mphoko.

The denominations that gathered in Gwayi include New Life Christian Fellowship, 12 Apostles, Seventh Day Adventist, Zuva Guru RaJehova, Assemblies of God, Zion, Faith In God, Zaoga and Bethel Assembly.

Also in attendance were traditional leaders from Lupane District and Zanu-PF provincial leaders represented by Cde Bekezela Sibanda from the Youth Wing.

The theme verse for the prayer session was derived from 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven.”

Speaking from the prayer session at a place known as Ezigodweni which is used for community meetings at Gwayi, head pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship which hosted the event, Pastor Tamuka Nyoni said sessions will continue until Sunday.

“We want to thank Acting President Mphoko who saw it fit that churches should meet and pray for rain and the country because only God’s will can set us free from this dry spell. We met today because we had already planned this when the Acting President made the call and we are going to continue with the sessions until Sunday and the whole period specified by the leaders,” said Pastor Nyoni.

After a brief address at Ezigodweni, the huge crowd, which also comprised villagers from around Gwayi, moved to a nearby rocky area where the prayers were held. Pastor Nyoni said tomorrow and Sunday next week each denomination would pray from its respective places using the same theme.

Bishop Robson Ncube of Zuva Guru RaJehova challenged Zimbabweans to go on fasting as they pray for rains.

“Next time we should all go on fasting for a common cause. Now that we are here gathered, praying, we trust in God that one day it will rain and once it does, we must not go into the fields at once but spend some time thanking God for answering our prayers,” he said.

Headman Christopher Ncube who was representing Chief Mabhikwa said traditional leaders were also in support of prayer for rain.

“On behalf of the chief, I want to encourage churches to continue organising such gatherings where they pray for rain. You must not be afraid because we as traditional leaders also praise God,” said Headman Ncube.