Key Points:
- Former residents of a United Methodist district in Zimbabwe purchased a new public-address system, keyboard and generator for church conferences, revivals and other events in their hometown.
- Members of the Murewa UMP Plough Back Home Group say the gifts will help with evangelism efforts and also to keep youth in the church.
- The chair of the group says the objective was “to fulfill the mission of the church: to bring people to Christ for the transformation of the world.”
Striving to bring more people to Christ, a local United Methodist group amassed resources to buy a public address system, keyboard and generator valued at more than $15,000.
Members of the Murewa UMP Plough Back Home Group are former residents of the district who are now successful church and business leaders. The gift is a way for them to give back to the community that helped nurture them and prepared them for adulthood. Murewa is in The United Methodist Church’s Murewa Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe District.
The fundraising effort began when the Chitungwiza Marondera District choir was invited to sing at a Murewa revival.
“The available PA system performed badly, which cemented our commitment to improve the situation,” said Tapiwa Mupari, Plough Back Home Group chair.
“We mobilized resources from children of Murewa in-country and across the globe,” Mupari said. “The objective was to fulfill the mission of the church: to bring people to Christ for the transformation of the world.”
He said the group purchased a 5.5 KVA generator to help with the country’s electricity blackouts, and noted that the PA system and keyboard will improve voice projection and music production.
“The church was losing a lot of youth to other churches where contemporary music is the order of the day. Now, with the availability of a keyboard, youth within the church no longer have the drive to leave. Traditional music, using shakers and drums, will continue.”
Michael Dengwani, Chitungwiza Marondera District lay leader, hails from Murewa.
“After our parents pulled all their resources together for our success, it was our turn to give back to this community that we call home,” he said. “We did that out of a sense of duty and responsibility because charity begins at home. After we helped them, we felt an overwhelming sense of achievement and want to do more.”
The Rev. Henry Chareka, former Murewa Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe District superintendent, said the speaker system used to malfunction in the middle of sermons.
“Leaders would run around trying to fix it, but lost time would never be recovered, and the momentum (was) lost. It was a time of many sleepless nights while we thought of our next best move to avert the situation,” he said.
“Today, as I receive this consignment, I will walk with my head held high as the district has been taken to another level through the initiative of Plough Back Home Group.”
Pastor Christopher Ngoni Muponda, Murewa UMP district evangelism chair, said the initiative is part of a broader collaboration with the Plough Back Home Group.
“When countless people gathered at Murewa Mission,” he recalled, “the borrowed PA system could not reach out effectively to the furthest person. Congregants would get frustrated and would justifiably leave before the end of the program. With this generous donation of a powerful new PA system, generator and keyboard, we will go a long way to bring more to Christ.
“Preachers no longer need to deliver their message away from the pulpit, but it is now a choice. The message can be effectively received by anyone. Youth are happy because they can use the keyboard to quench their thirst for contemporary music.”
Evangelist and guest preacher Kudakwashe Maguma applauded the new resources. He chose to preach in the middle of the congregation and was pleased that the system was accessible to all.
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“I had a good time in spreading the word of God because of the resources available. The PA system was new, and my voice projection was good. I was sure that everyone was hearing me loud and clear after I used minimum effort.
“As a preacher, you have a limit to which you can use your natural voice, but with an enabling PA system, life is made easier.”
Obert Chipfunde, a guest choir member at the revival, complimented Plough Back Home Group for their unwavering support. “As a musician,” he said, “it is impossible to sing unaided with my natural voice, to reach out to 500 people like today.
“With the moving world, technology needs to be embraced. This speaker system was brand new and very powerful, and we enjoyed preaching through music. Even as we go back home, our voices are still good.”
District lay leader Catherine Tapiwa Dzungu said the Murewa UMP District has 27 circuits and 9,981 members. Most of the district events take place at United Methodist Murewa Mission.
“Before this donation, we used to borrow from our sister units. Sometimes, conflicting programs would pose challenges. With this new system, the voice projection is very clear. It can reach out to many people. As a district, we are on cloud nine. We are very thankful to our children. It was a spiritually led gift,” she said.
Ruth Siyawamwaya, Murewa Center Circuit lay leader, said Murewa Mission was established by Methodist Episcopal Church missionary and medical doctor Samuel Gurney in 1909.
“The mission is the hub of many church activities in the district,” she said. “For any event to take place successfully, it needs good equipment. Today we are very proud because the hustle has gone, and everything is available at the doorsteps.”
Custodian Simba Muchenga said the Plough Back Home Group has made the community proud with its donation. “Generosity grows out of a compassionate heart. You reap what you sow because life is an echo.”
He said 99% of Murewa UMP District circuits are in rural areas and buying such a system was beyond the comprehension of many.
“It was all smiles when Murewa UMP Plough Back Home Group handed over this donation … There were wild celebrations as we received it. To God be the glory!”
Chingwe is a United Methodist communicator in Zimbabwe.
News media contact: Julie Dwyer, news editor, [email protected] or 615-742-5469. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free daily or weekly Digests
