Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu [email protected]
THE Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church’s Gwanda North Dorcas Ministry has donated food items, toiletries, electrical appliances and other essential supplies to the maternity ward at Gwanda Provincial Hospital as part of its community outreach programme.
The donation, handed over on Saturday, included blankets, electric heaters for the kangaroo mother care room, toiletry hampers and fruit hampers.
Gwanda North District Pastor Emmanuel Msimanga said the initiative was undertaken by the Jacaranda branch of the church’s Dorcas Ministry.
The SDA Church’s Dorcas Ministry focuses on providing physical and spiritual assistance through activities such as feeding the hungry, clothing the needy and offering emergency relief to vulnerable communities.
“God has given us a message of preaching the gospel and this includes reaching out to the less privileged and those in need. The Seventh Day Adventist Church Dorcas women from Jacaranda under Gwanda North saw it fit to assist in this manner as part of efforts to fulfil the gospel commission. This is part of their community outreach and welfare initiatives.
“Isaiah 61v1 says: ‘The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.’ It’s our duty as a church to reach out and offer assistance where necessary,” he said.
Pastor Msimanga said interventions aimed at assisting vulnerable members of society should begin within local communities before relying on external support.
He said the church remained committed to complementing Government efforts in improving the welfare of communities through practical acts of compassion and service.
The donation is expected to enhance the welfare of mothers and newborn babies receiving care at the provincial referral hospital.
