Pastor Madembo (in khaki jacket) and Pastor Majoni (in gray suit) with other church members in front of the tanks at Hozvi Secondary School
Siyabonga Sayi
BIKITA – The Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA) under the youth department of the Central Zimbabwe Conference recently donated and installed a water pump and equipment valued at around US$5 000 at Hozvi Secondary and Primary schools in Bikita.
The installation of the equipment was done during a two-week super mission community service and evangelistic programme conducted in the Hozvi area by the SDA youth.
During the programme, which ran between September 17 and 30, the young people constructed two tank stands and an electricity switch room to regulate the pump before digging plumbing trenches.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, President of the SDA church in the Central Zimbabwe Conference, Pastor J Manyakara applauded the young people for working together with the church to make a success of the project.
“We are happy to see this project succeed, but what is much more exciting is seeing all these young people coming together and donating their skills to people in this community,” said Pastor Makanya.
The local councillor Sign Mkanganwi expressed gratitude for the project, saying the church had worked to provide one of the most essential needs of his community.
“I am grateful to whoever prayed for us as a community because that prayer has been answered. I am pleased to witness this development which came through the efforts of the Seventh Day Adventist Church,” said Mkanganwi.
The leader of the youths in the conference Pastor Charles Madembo revealed that the project was implemented at a cost of around US$5 000.
“The water project cost covered the procurement of two 5000 litre tanks and a single phase 3 horse power submersible pump as well as all the plumbing, electrical and construction materials,” said Pastor Madembo.
He said the church had learnt of the lack of clean water in the area through a community stakeholders committee that was initiated by Pastor Philemon Majoni who is the responsible pastor for Bikita district.
“The idea of a water project came from a Hozvi stakeholders committee which was formulated by Pastor Majoni after we asked him to identify community needs. This committee is made up of school heads, traditional leaders, the councillor, parents and other community leaders,” Pastor Madembo said.
An evangelistic programme which ran concurrently with the water project saw 155 people enrolling into a Bible study course with 113 of them graduating. Some 31 people from the local area were baptised into SDA.local
