Online Reporter
Farai Dauramanzi
Echo/Radar Editor
The Reformed Church in Zimbabwe’s (RCZ) Mombeyarara congregation in Murambinda, Buhera, has benefited from more than US$50 000 for infrastructural development under the rural congregations upliftment programme.
The programme is being undertaken by a group of volunteers drawn from the church’s Harare congregations, with Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Martin Rushwaya and his wife serving as advisors.
The funds raised during a fundraising event held at Mombeyarara on Sunday will go towards renovating the pastor’s house, roofing four satellite churches — Chengoma, Mahoko, Ndawana and Mukondomi — installing a ceiling in the main church building, and drilling a borehole.
Dr Rushwaya and his wife pledged US$36 000 towards developing the branch at Chengoma, which was on the verge of being repossessed by the Buhera Rural District Council due to lack of development.
Speaking at the event, the guest of honour, Chief Director of Water Resources, Irrigation Development, and National WASH Coordination, Engineer Tinayeshe Mutazu said the rural congregations transformation programme is meant to uplift congregations in line with the country’s vision of an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
“We are raising funds with the aim of ensuring that our church’s rural congregations get the same services as their urban counterparts.
“This is in line with the Government’s commitment that no one and no place should be left behind,” he said.
A member of the rural congregations upliftment programme, Mr Moses Chidindi, who grew up attending the church at Mombeyarara, pledged to drill a borehole at the church and encouraged other members to play a part in transforming their rural congregations.
“I grew up attending this church at Mombeyarara, which was built by our parents, and I want to encourage all church members — those local and in the Diaspora — to play a part in the upliftment of their churches in rural areas.
“Our parents who built these churches are now old and can no longer maintain the infrastructure,” said Mr Chidindi.
Another congregant, Mr Tatenda Mbara, who also grew up attending the Mombeyarara church, praised the rural congregations’ upliftment drive, saying it would leave a legacy for future generations.
“Our parents were instrumental in the construction of this church, and as part of the intergenerational vision, we will also leave a legacy for our children.
“Development is done by us children from the area, and it is my biggest wish to my relatives and friends that we come together and build our churches and areas,” he said.
Coordinator of the programme, Mr Tsungirirai Jeche, expressed gratitude to all the congregants who are taking part in uplifting their rural congregations.
“Our main aim, as alluded to by our Church Moderator, Rev Dr Baloyi, is encouraging our church members to go back and develop their churches in rural areas, as our parents can no longer do it due to old age.
“The time has passed when we used to rely on donors to develop our churches for us. If we join hands, we can develop our churches alone.
“My special thanks goes to Dr Rushwaya and his wife, who have been with us since we started the programme last year, and they are chipping in at every congregation,” said Mr Jeche.
The resident pastor at Mombeyarara, Reverend Mugunzva, expressed gratitude and said he hopes more congregants will embrace the rural congregations upliftment programme so that it spreads across the country.
