Chronicle EditorPatrick Chitumba [email protected]
THE African Seventh Day Adventist (ASDA) church last week hosted a landmark 7-day annual fellowship camp meeting in Gweru, attracting over 20 000 members from across the country.
Founded in the 1950s as a branch of the global Seventh Day Adventist church, the ASDA emphasizes the gospel of mercy, rooted in the biblical book of Matthew, which emphasizes Jesus’ teachings on compassion, forgiveness, and empathy.
This year’s theme for the camp meeting was “practical religion, rising and shining”
The camp meeting was held at the Gweru industrial sands site- three kilometres from the Gweru tollgate along the Bulawayo highway.
In an interview, Pastor Nobert Chimunhu, the ASDA vice president said the camp meeting was a huge success.
He said speakers from the church included businessman Elder Douglas Kwande, Pastor Munyaradzi Savanhu and Pastor Kudakwashe Macherere.
Guest speakers included Engineer Daniel MacKenzie Ncube, businessman Cde Scott Sakupanywa and the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Owen Ncube.
“This is a pro-black people church which seeks to see the people enjoy this life on earth before the ultimate rest with Jesus Christ. We teach empowerment programmes and we have life-changing projects which we carry across the country. We are tired of a gospel of theory alone. We want theory and practicality just like Jesus said you saw me hungry and you provided food, you saw me naked and you dressed me. That’s what we advocate for,” he said.
Pastor Chimunhu said at the moment, the church is engaged in a borehole drilling project complimenting the Government’s borehole drilling programme, especially in rural areas.
“Right now borehole drilling is taking place across the country. To date, we have sunk 70 boreholes for our members and some schools as well. We have the drilling equipment as a church.
Now we are doing dam construction and for that project, we have equipment such as excavators. We have been to Mashonaland West and we are going to Chivi for that project,” he said.
Pastor Chimunhu said the empowerment programmes are in line with the Second Republic’s thrust of leaving no one and no place behind in terms of development.
He said to cushion the members from the effects of the El Nino induced drought they had 160 000 tonnes earmarked for distribution to the church members.
“We also have 900 000 10kg bags of mealie meal that are going to be distributed to the church members complimenting the Governments food relief efforts.
“We are a church that exists to serve or complement Government efforts,” said Pastor Chimunhu.
He said to show that the church is walking the talk in implementing tangible projects, all the 20 000 church members were fed at the campsite.
“We sat down as a church and working together with our benefactors it was agreed that the members be provided with transport and food. People started coming here on August 9. Officially the camp ended on Saturday but as it stands, the last people will leave tomorrow,” said Pastor Chimunhu.
He commended the Government for empowering the people through the allocation of land and availing mining claims and land for agriculture for socio-economic development of the country.
“We say as Christians our natural resources must benefit us in this life. We applaud the Government for the empowerment programmes they are doing. We had experts and businesses and others who came to teach our members about opportunities that are there for self-empowerment. We also had doctors coming to treat our members of different ailments,” he said.
The ASDA church’s programmes focus on practical initiatives, encouraging members to explore entrepreneurial ventures beyond their spiritual practices.
Attendees of the camp meeting expressed gratitude and felt blessed by the experience, which aimed to empower them spiritually and economically
Online Reporter