Tinaani Nyabereka
Gweru- Church leaders under the ‘Gweru Ministers Fraternity’ group on July 18, 2022 reached out to Jairos Jiri, Naran Centre in Gweru with an assortment of foodstuffs as part of the church’s effort to remember the under privileged groups in society.
The donations which were handed over to the school authorities included cases of sugar, washing soaps, salt, cooking oil, packs of soya chunks, sugar beans and packs of ladies sanitary wear, among other stuffs.
Highlighting the essence of donation, the fraternity gave a reflection of expressing brotherly love as revealed in the bible in the book of 1 John 4:20 which says ‘If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?’
Receiving the donation on behalf of the school, Jairos Jiri Association for the rehabilitation of the disabled and blind Naran Centre Head Ishmael Murowa thanked the religious leaders for the gesture and commended the important role which the church was playing in the upkeep of the vulnerable members of the community.
“I would like to thank you, the Gweru Minister’s Fraternity for the gesture you have shown us here at Naran school.
“As you know the economic hardships are affecting everyone and it only takes a willing heart to remember the less privileged. Indeed we have seen the hand of God through this donation and it is our humble prayer tomorrow you will call again.
“As you can see our school is for the deaf but as of now we are also accommodating the able-bodied who hear so that we help integrate our learners. We want them to be part of the society and to live with the society. So integrating them with others helps them to grow together and tolerate one another despite physical challenges any one of them might have.
“Just to appreciate the work being done at the centre, we house children from all over the ten provinces and our greatest challenge is that some come from very poor backgrounds. Sometimes it’s all about getting to understand the reality because we even have children who came as far as Gokwe. Sometimes the parents cannot even afford to bring the child to school or with proper warm clothing, books and blankets due to poverty. That is where you friends like the Gweru Minister’s Fraternity, donors, the community, individuals and any other well-wishers then come in to help bridge other gaps,” he said.
Currently Naran Centre is housing up to 219 children, with 119 children living with disability while 100 are able bodied, and all combined at primary and secondary education levels.
Gweru Minister’s Fraternity Vice Chairperson Pastor Alfred Hove of The Alliance Church in Zimbabwe said as leaders they were humbled by the decision to donate to children.
He added that the donations came out through a collective effort where by leaders saw the need to help children.
“We feel humbled by giving to our children. We thought of visiting Jairos Jiri Naran centre so that we could give that which we have as men and women of God. This was done as a way of giving and expressing love through actions rather than words only. We cannot love God whom we cannot see, if we can’t love our brother whom we see.
“So all the ministers of God’s word who are here and some who couldn’t make it, we saw it fit to come up with contributions from our own pockets. None of these goods were taken from any church rather we made our own contributions and we believe by doing so, we are leading by example so that the community follow the footsteps.
“We have come here and probably this won’t be our last visit, we will continue to check on our children and their welfare,” Hove said.
Meanwhile some of the Fraternity leaders who were part of the donations include Pastor Dr Artwell Chiangwa (Tabernacle Prayer Churches) who is the Secretary, Pastor Memory Longoni (Church of Christ) the Vice Secretary, Reverend Revai Chinodakufa (African Baptist Church) the Treasurer and three fraternal members namely Overseer Muzanenhamo Mapuranga (AFM of Zimbabwe), Apostle Addmore Ncube (Life Spring Church) and Reverend Dzikamai Tinarwo (Heartfelt ministries).
