The Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM)’s Rusitu West
Parish in Chimanimani says it lost 72 members, representing about a quarter of
its congregation, in the floods induced by Cyclone Idai, while several others
are still missing.
A church service held on Sunday was turned into mourning as
the pastor, Shepherd Chazoita, and other surviving members were still to come
to terms with the reality that only half of the church members were accounted
for.
AFM president Amon Madawo on Tuesday visited the church to
console members and hand over donations sourced from church members in Harare,
Chitungwiza and Mashonaland provinces.
“When all this happened, I was not around. I was attending
a funeral in Harare, but when I received a message on Saturday after Cyclone
Idai had wreaked havoc (the previous day), I did not believe what I was told,”
Chazoita said.
“I stay at the church premises, and luckily, the church
(building) was not destroyed. I received a call from my family and they told me
what had happened. At that time, there was still hope that some of the members
had survived, but I realised that the number was too big.”
Chazoita said he was currently counselling the remaining
church members, because most of the survivors were still traumatised.
“I am also still traumatised, but I need to be strong as a
leader. I am using the Bible to remain strong. As a leader, my pain should be
different from others,” he said.
The grieving pastor hailed Madawo and the church’s senior
members for supporting them in time of need.
“I feel sorry that we have our 72 congregants that are not
accounted for. We are sharing this pain with all those who lost their loved
ones during Cyclone Idai,” Madawo said.
“I want to thank those who donated towards Cyclone Idai
victims. We have two truckloads with blankets, clothes and groceries. More
trucks are coming and this is not going to benefit our church members only, but
all those who were affected by the cyclone.” Newsday
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