The Sunday Mail
Africa needs you and l to pray for the challenges it is facing, especially the on-going attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa.
The Bible, in the book of Psalms 133:1-3 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! … for there, the Lord commanded the blessing and life evermore.”
It is in this spirit that churches in Zimbabwe have come together to denounce the xenophobic attacks which have resulted in some deaths, displacement of people and immense suffering.
Church leaders are also calling on the body of Christ to pray against the evil situation, and beseech the Lord to give a lasting solution to the problem.
The Heads of Christian Denominations in Zimbabwe on April 22 held an anti-xenophobia prayer session at the Trinity Methodist Church in Harare.
In attendance were leaders from the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Council of Churches, Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference and the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe Africa (UDACIZA).
Below is the full statement from the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe against xenophobia:
The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), an umbrella body of over 500 member bodies consisting of Evangelical/Pentecostal denominations, Churches, ministries and para-Church organisations, notes with deep concern the resurgence of xenophobic violence taking place in some parts of South Africa.
The EFZ condemns this inhuman, criminal, horrendous and diabolically motivated behaviour which can neither be socially, legally nor politically justified under whatever pretext or context. The sacredness of human life cannot be compromised or exchanged for any personal or corporate gain.
It is in this context that the EFZ as proponents of peace, love, tolerance and justice joins all people of goodwill in strongly condemning the xenophobic attacks towards foreign migrants in South Africa.
The EFZ wishes to remind the perpetrators of xenophobic violence in South Africa of a time in history when many South Africans took habitation in Zimbabwe without having to face this same fate. Such an example by the Zimbabweans in this respect is adorable and should be maintained and cultivated in all Sadc states.
Xenophobia is not only harmful to the targeted, but is also detrimental to the reputation of the Republic of South Africa. Notwithstanding that the Zimbabwean and other affected governments are engaging the government of South Africa for a sustainable solution to this matter, the EFZ:
a) Appeals to the conscience of the perpetrators of xenophobia in the light of the biblical instruction to “love your neighbour as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)
b) Urges all concerned to uphold the sanctity of life at all costs.
c Applauds the South African Government for the public denunciation of xenophobia, but urges them to employ more effective and sustainable ways of enforcing and sustaining the stoppage of xenophobia with immediate effect.
d) Exhorts the Zimbabwean Government to further deepen its engagement strategy by proffering practical, appropriate, relevant, immediate and long term remedies to the diverse categories of Zimbabwean immigrants living in South Africa. We further implore the Government of Zimbabwe to take urgent political and economic steps to reduce the need for our people to become economic refugees in neighbouring countries where they are exposed to all kinds of humiliation and xenophobic attacks.
e) Applauds the regional bodies like Sadc and the African Union for expressing their condemnation of the on-going xenophobic attacks in South Africa, but urges them to adopt a more effective process resulting in the immediate halting of these attacks which threaten peace in the region and continent.
f) Implores the international community to be unequivocal in the condemnation of this evil, and to exert due pressure to ensure that xenophobia in South Africa and other parts of the world is halted now and in the future through appropriate dialogue and other processes.
g) Commends the work of the Church and civil society organisations in South Africa against this scourge, and encourages them to deepen and further broaden their effort towards curbing xenophobia. A plea is made to the ecumenical bodies in South Africa to influence the country’s leadership towards its mandate of ensuring maximum and non-selective provision of good governance principles and security to all the inhabitants in South Africa irrespective of their nationality.
h) Applauds the people of Zimbabwe for being peaceful, and demonstrating tolerance and magnanimity across different divides. May the happenings of South Africa remind us, even as we celebrate the 35 years of our independence, that diversity and different opinions does not mean enemity. Development can only thrive where there is peace, good governance, unity and hard work.
EFZ encourages all its members and the church at large, to continue to entreat the Lord through prayer for grace to enable all concerned stakeholders to work towards a lasting solution to the xenophobia phenomenon in South Africa.
Violence against humanity is evil, and God abhors it! All humanity should therefore hate all forms of violence including the current xenophobic attacks taking place in South Africa! Africa cannot develop through destruction.
We say no to xenophobia!
God bless Africa!
God bless Zimbabwe!
During the prayer session, UDACIZA general secretary, Reverend Edson Tsvakai called on Christians to seek divine intervention since prayer was the only answer.
“It is a time to call on God to stop the attacks. If we do not pray, the situation will not change,” said Rev Tsvakai.
Students Christian Movement of Zimbabwe leader Mr Douglas Tigere expressed concern about the welfare of foreign students in South Africa.
Bishop Trevor Manhanga of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe on April 18 told The Herald that it was unfortunate that South Africans were attacking foreign nationals who contributed immensely to the well-being of their country.
“South Africa was born out of efforts and sacrifices of the majority of nations in Sub-Saharan Africa and now it treats the nationals of those nations as vermin. The church stands against such behaviour and must speak out and act against this tragedy of indescribable proportions that is unveiling before our very eyes. The Bible is clear in Exodus 22 verse 21 when God speaks to Israelites: ‘Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner for you were foreigners in Egypt.’
“And again in Psalm 146:9: ‘The Lord watches over the foreigner . . . and He frustrates the ways of the wicked.’ This gives the church and Christians clear instructions on how they are to relate to foreigners in their midst — and that is to treat them with concern and compassion. Sadly, this is not happening in South Africa,” Bishop Manhanga said.
Last Sunday, the Methodist Church of Southern Africa strongly condemned the violence against foreigners and held protest marches in Johannesburg.
In a statement, the church said, “The Methodist Church has once again opened its doors to help those bearing the brunt of the on-going violence. Unity, healing and transformation are values that the Methodist Church of Southern Africa holds dear, hence our unequivocal condemnation of the ongoing attacks on foreign nationals.”
Bishop Paul Verryn warned those engaging in xenophobic attacks: “I would like to warn you South Africans! If you kill someone, an innocent person for that matter, and think you will be in peace, truly, peace and harmony will never be at your doorstep. We need to recognise that xenophobic violence is a contradiction of what the South African constitution stands for… We, as a nation, have spat in the face of God this week,” he said.
And, Mother Theresa’s words of wisdom are a source of encouragement: “We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
