The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
VARIOUS religious groups joined the rest of the nation in mobilising resources to assist victims of a cyclone which ravaged the eastern and south-western parts of the country last week, leaving at least 100 people dead and thousands homeless.
Chimanimani and Mutare have been the worst hit cities by Cyclone Idai whose trail of destruction is being traced from Malawi through to Mozambique.
As news of the dire situation spread, communities including faith based organisations joined in the mobilisation efforts to provide relief to the ravaged communities which had been rendered inaccessible at the prime of the cyclone.
The donations include clothes, medical supplies, food, water and blankets.
It was a hive of activity at Highlands Presbyterian Church were a collection point for donations had been established. The Muslim community together with a Christian based organisation-Miracle Missions last Tuesday were all set to deliver the first consignment of goods extended to at least 200 families.
Miracle Missions volunteer, Ashley Rowlands said their organisation’s vision is to bring hope to various sectors of the society and they were still receiving pledges in the form of clothes, food items and medical supplies among other basic needs from various churches, companies, organisations and individuals.
“We have always been in the programme of helping but here we have heed the call for help for people out there that were affected by the cyclone.
“Despite it coming as an emergency, we are happy that our members, partners and other individuals responded quickly and as it is, more goods are still coming in,” she said.
The organisation which is run by volunteers is made of members from the Presbyterian Church, Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, Lutheran, Seventh Day Adventist among others.
Speaking on behalf of the Muslim, community, Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad said the country needs to unite and offer helpt to distressed communities.
“In the past, as Muslims we have been known to remain on the sidelines on such issues but times have changed. As Zimbabweans we saw the need for us to join hands with the Christian community and bring forth what we can.
“We are happy because even various schools came on board to help showing that the young generation has that patriotism and oneness at heart,” he said.
Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe Secretary General, Blessing Makwara said they have set up a team to conduct assessment of areas that might not be in the limelight but suffering similar devastations.
United Family International Church under its Agape Family Care wing headed by Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa put together blankets, clothes and food items as well.
Bethsaida Apostolic Church treasury general, Mr Innocent Mukwidigwi had a similar initiative with plans to extend pyscho-social support services.
“After material donations, we need to go and support them psychologically and set up spiritual clinics to help them deal with the trauma they went through,” he said.
Mukwidigwi added that the education fraternity should play an active role and offer psycho-social services to traumatised children paving way for proper healing.
He said such events usually affect children more with the effects remaining unnoticed until into their adult years.
ACCZ founder, Bishop Johannes Ndanga said while the nation is rallying behind the affected, there are some deviants who will take advantage and pounce on the contributions.
Archbishop Ndanga said ACCZ will gather funds from its member churches and purchase building material for the tropical cyclone victims.
“We have given each other tasks as ACCZ Bishops so that we explore all avenues to help the affected,” Archbishop Ndanga .
Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs Chair, Sheikh Ishmail Duwa called for collective efforts as they continued to mobilise resources while Buddhists also delivered their first consignment in Chimanimani through its Harare based Tzu Chi Foundation last week.
Foundation director Chin Chai Chu said the Buddhist foundation is mobilising goods from its mother country, Taiwan to help the affected areas.
Also weighing in the mobilisation of resources was New Life Covenant Church under its Covenant Care Ministry. Members of the Ministry were seen sorting out donations at the church office while ordinary citizens also took advantage of the initiative to drop off their donations.
