Sister Linda Sim, 58, a Catholic nun who earned a black belt in taekwondo. — ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM

For most Zimbabweans, Singapore may evoke the only association — Mr Mugabe’s frequent visits there for — what some say are ever increasing — health check-ups. But there is a religious link between the Asian city-state and Zimbabwe – Sister Linda Sim, 58, a Catholic nun who earned a black belt in taekwondo.

When Sister Linda Sim was growing up, all she wanted to do was serve her nation. 

In the 1970s, she applied to the Singapore Armed Forces to be a front-line soldier, but was told women could take up only clerical positions. The Singapore Police Force also turned her down as she was too petite.

Undeterred, the gutsy woman took up taekwondo and eventually earned a black belt. Then she heard her religious calling.

She ran a Catholic hospital in Zimbabwe for three years, and spent 17 years in England as a religious trainee and trainer before coming home in 2004.

She now works as a mission awareness coordinator at the Mount Alvernia Hospital and Assisi Hospice in Singapore. On weekends, however, she swops her religious robes for a taekwondo dobok.

“If I couldn’t serve in the army, then I will serve in God’s army,” quips the 58-year-old Franciscan religious sister.

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 24: A group of men take notes of who is and is not returning back to Zimbabwe to vote in the last week’s election on the 31st of July at the Wednesday night service at the Central Methodist Church of South Africa, which 80% of people in attendances are Zimbabwean. Photo: Charlie Shoemaker

About 1 million Zimbabweans now reside in South Africa, accounting for about 7% of the population.

The Central Methodist Mission in downtown Johannesburg has offered shelter and job advice to thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing political violence.

All photographs by Charlie Shoemaker for The Wall Street Journal.

Bishop Verryn said guests must attend service daily to stay at the church.

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Gospel musician Pastor Charles Charamba. (photo: T Marwizi)

Celebrated gospel duo Pastor Charles and Olivia Charamba backed by The Fishers of Men are billed to perform in the United Kingdom this summer next weekend.

The Charambas will be travelling to the United Kingdom with The Fishers of Men group which includes Beverly Chenera (backing vocals), Michael Anatori (lead guitarist), Silas Anyway (keyboards), Paulos Victor (rhythm guitarist), Lyton Saizi (bass guitarist), Ronald Mundhuli (drums) and Fungai Hondo (manager).

Pastor Charamba is travelling to UK a month after graduating with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Ethnomusicology.

The show kicks off on Friday 16 August with a performance in Luton Dunstable followed by a family show on Saturday in Coventry at the Welcome Centre.

According to Amai Charamba the group will perform hit songs from all their albums including Pashoko Pangoma which features hit songs, Nyika YeZimbabwe and Regera Kundisiya.

“What makes the show interesting is that, this is the group’s first show since their last performance in UK in 2007 and we would like to acknowledge and thank Destiny Africa for making this UK Tour possible,” said Amai Charamba.

Amai Charamba and Fungai Hondo (band manager) collected visas for the group on Monday and the group is set to leave Zimbabwe for UK on 14 August 2013.

The Fishers of Men have promised to put up a very memorable perfomance and their UK fans can expect a surprise collaboration between Baba Charamba and Amai Charamba.

Supporting them will be established and seasoned UK gospel groups Obert Mazivisa & The Trumpet Echoes as well as Aaron Manatsa & The New Green Arrows.

Promoters said The Charambas would also grace the Sizzlers Coventry Gochi Gochi on Sunday 18 August for a “meet and greet” with their fans.

Destiny Africa Promotions show organisers Anthony and Mainford have encouraged fans to come in numbers with their families as this show provides them with an opportunity to hang out with their children and loved ones this summer.

“Advance tickets for this UK Summer Gospel Music Gala are already running out and people are being advised to purchase tickets early to avoid being charged more on the gate. Advance tickets are going for £20 with teenagers paying £10 and kids under 10 years attending free,” said the promoters.

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Another gospel outfit One Voice has emerged from the city of kings and is set to take the gospel music industry by storm.

One Voice is a 10 member group which was formed in 2012 and has recorded one album to date.

Led by Regis Moyo, One Voice’s music resembles its deep Christian roots and passion for God blended with jazz, rhumba and pop.

The new style of praise and worship is expected to lure youths to love gospel music.

Its debut album carries songs such as Bonga - a song of thanks to the Lord, Push-a motivational song and Its gonna be Alright which gives assurance of a better tomorrow.

Bulawayo has seen a massive exodus of musicians who have relocated to Harare and One Voice is set to breathe life into the seemingly dying music industry.

Speaking to RelZim Moyo said the group is introducing a new style of music to the industry and hopes to make a major break.

“Our style is different which has the potential to attract youths into the kingdom of God. We also endeavor to resurrect the industry in Bulawayo by producing music here,” Moyo said.

One Voice’s new album has received fair airplay on local radio and Moyo attributes his success to God.

Moyo, a drummer by profession, has a solo album. He has played with Worship Addicts and lectures drums at Harvest House International Church.

Recently he hosted a drummers’ concert, where drummers from various churches performed.

One Voice is set to perform alongside South African gospel icon Solly Mahlangu, Zimpraise, Worship Addicts and many more to be held on September 1.

Some members of the unidentified apostolic sect put their life in danger as they risk getting communicable diseases like cholera, as they got into the clearly dirty water flowing in the Mukuvisi River to be baptised. (photo: S Mlambo).

Members of community in Waterfalls along Mukuvisi River were left stunned on Tuesday after they witnessed members of the apostolic sect baptized people with unsafe water, sterilized milk and raw eggs.

Some members of the unidentified apostolic sect put their life in danger as they risk getting communicable diseases like cholera, diarrhea, or dysentery as they got into the clearly dirty water flowing in the Mukuvisi River where industrial waste and even sewage are a common occurrence.

Chances are high that if they are to contract bilharzias, the church would forbid them from going to see a doctor as it is against most apostolic sects’ beliefs to visit clinics.

RelZim caught women and young girls being ordered to take a bath after receiving prayers from the sect’s elders.

When the RelZim crew sought comment from members of the unidentified apostolic sect, they threatened to curse ad cast demons to the writer.

“Why do you invade other people’s private live? Dot you have similar problems that require some cleansing?” fumed one of the church elders along the river banks.

“These women and girls come here for cleansing especially after their husbands leave for work.”

Madzibaba using milk to baptise followers (photo: S. Mlambo).

Another member of the sect added: “They come here to be saved yet you are busy exposing them without seeking permission from them.”

One of the students, who preferred anonymity, told RelZim that the self-styled prophets are duping desperate girls and women, demanding goodies from them.

“Imagine what that girls is doing with that sweeping broom in the river as she shouts for the evil spirit to go,” said the student.

As students we fail to understand the logic in breaking and crushing raw eggs in the head of someone when it is meant for baking.

 “Everyday different people are asked to sit as they get this baptism under these prophets mercy,” added the student.

RelZim witnessed the ‘patients’ calling out their relatives names as they got baptized with milk poured o their heads before it was washed away by the water, which flowed from a shallow artificial waterfall.

MDC-T presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai casting his ballot in Mt Plesant in Harare on 31 July while his wife Elizabeth Macheka partially obscured looks on (photo: M Chibaya).

The church has urged the MDC to pursue peaceful legal channels in challenging President Robert Mugabe’s victory.

Morgan Tsvangirai has already approached the constitutional court seeking an audit of the voter’s roll, voter registration slips and all other material which the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission used in the just ended election.

This was after the MDC leader had disputed the election result which pronounced President Robert Mugabe the winner of the polls.

The Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) comprising of Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC), Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) and the Union for the Development of Apostolic and Zionist Churches in Zimbabwe Africa (UDACIZA) on Thursday said Tsvangirai should patiently and peacefully challenge Mugabe.

“We urge all Political Parties and Stakeholders who feel aggrieved by any challenge or issue to act in a restrained manner that will allow for dialogue, due process and the preservation of peace and stability in Zimbabwe,” the church said.

“We call on Political Parties and their leaders to act in a manner consistent with the peace we have experienced so far and not withstanding any election challenges, to do everything in their power to honor their pre-election pledges to abide by election outcomes.

“Where there are legitimate and substantiated irregularities and anomalies, we urge concerned parties to resolve these through peaceful dialogue, law abiding and in an orderly manner,” said the church.

The Church said it will continue to make itself available to assist in peaceful resolution of issues.

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Members of Vapostori worshiping at a shrine in Kambuzuma recently. (photo: M.Chibaya).

Having borne the burdens of communities for years through their prayers the apostolic sect has been left in the cold as people rush to new generation prophets for answers.

Vapostori, who were somewhat preferred to the traditional healers in the late 90s, have had to deal with the stiff competition posed by flamboyant prophets who are more accurate in their delivery of the word from above.

The dwindling number of clients tells the story of how slowly the sect has lost its cutting edge.

The buzz word these days is prophets in shiny suits and fancy cars as members of the public pride themselves in belonging to the most famous denomination.

All in search for answers, the deserting of the apostolic sect members has further been shown by a massive visitation of Nigeria among other nations with ‘powerful’ prophets.

But have the Vapostori lost their touch or it is the style in which the prophecy is delivered.

Prophets Emmanuel Makandiwa and Uebert Angel are among the prophets who command large crowds in Zimbabwe.

Disgruntled Madzibaba Masimba Dziraya damned the new generation of prophets saying they are after money and not saving lives.

“They are all liars and blatant cheats who are doing daylight robbery whilst people are quiet about it,” Dziraya said adding that they attract people by material possessions.

An angry Dziraya who lost his congregates to an Emganwini Pastor said people should not be fooled by the prophets because they do not know where their power lies.

Vapostori used to cash in on clients by delivering prophecy, but the coming of new generation prophets who ‘promise’ better livelihood have scuttled their plan.

Prophet Munyaradzi Mapetera of God is Love Ministries in Bulawayo said apostolic sect’s message is irrelevant to this generation hence people are flocking to him.

“I deliver accurate prophecy which affects people’s daily lives. Vapostori should keep on doing what they do and leave us alone,” Mapetera said.

However the apostolic sect still commands a huge following, whilst many politicians still believe in their prophecy as seen by their keen interest before this year’s harmonised polls.

Mapetera urged Christians to demonstrate love regardless of divergent opinions and doctrine.

And the white garment churches continue to be an integral part of the Zimbabwean religion and community.

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In a move that is likely to cause a stir among the Christian community, a pageant dubbed Top Christian Model (TCM) is on the cards.

Organisers of the pageant set for the end of this month say the new beauty showcase seeks to create a platform for models to address stereotypes attributed to their industry.

“TCM is a platform created after the stereotypes the beauty and modelling industry has attracted over the years,” said Marcia Bangure one of the organisers of the pageant.

“Many people have condemned modelling because of the way most pageants are run. Resultantly, most church leaders have said it is anti-Christianity.

“As such, many Christians and other organisations have distanced themselves from pageants, but we want to change that perception.”

The pageant held its first round of auditions late last month where nearly 30 aspirants attended, most of them being first- time models.

Most cited lack of confidence in popular pageants from their parents and guardians as the reason why they were only participating in a pageant for the first time.

TCM founder Brian Mavindidze said this was a different from other pageants as the conduct their contest within Christian values with decent categories and outfits.

“We operate with the highest level of integrity and respect for the Christian society. Being the first pageant that closely works with churches, gospel artists and fashion designers, we believe we can educate and generate revenue to help the needy in our society,” said Mavindidze.

The pageant is set to be held on August 31 at a venue yet to be confirmed with 20 contestants, 12 females and eight males participating.

“The winners will automatically become TCM brand ambassadors. They will work with some of our sponsors on different projects.

“Their basic roles are to serve the community by being involved in charity work, church programmes and awareness campaigns,” he said.

The next round of auditions will be on August 10 at First Floor Gallery in Harare

She lived on the streets for nearly 14 years and experienced all the harsh realities of life.

But when you meet her, she is all smiles, well-dressed with lovely hairstyles and manicured nails.

“I live like a bird. I have no field to harvest, nor do I have a bank account. I live for the day and God does the rest.”

This is the story of Patricia Rodrigues, 55, a single parent with two children, who now works with over 100 women in Epworth, Domboshawa, Kuwadzana and Dzivarasekwa where she ministers the word of God.

It took the death of her grandchild and turned herself to a pastor’s home in Cranborne, for her to leave street life and focus on community work and also spreading the gospel.

“It is a miracle that I did not contract HIV because street life can be rough and tough. You get beaten and arrested by police and all the money you would have worked for gets taken by the police.

“This is what the women on the streets experience daily.”

Apart from preaching, Rodrigues is a multi-talented woman who does a lot of craft work, a skill that she has imparted in these women so that they may become self-reliant.

“I have seen it all. I had a wonderful marriage and lived in luxury, and also lived on the extreme side of poverty when my marriage failed.

“I became a street woman and went to nightclubs where I sang jazz music. But it took the death of my grandchild and that marked my turnaround. I have since then, not looked back,” she said.

Rodrigues spends most of her time visiting these women and also going to a mountain in Domboshawa where she spends days fasting and praying with them.

She has assisted so many women particularly in Domboshawa and Epworth get employment as domestic workers after imparting some skills.

After they have worked and saved enough money, these women start income-generating projects like poultry, crocheting, patchwork and basketry. They sell their products at various shopping centres or private fairs.

“I teach women in all these areas how to make handbags, hats, patchwork and also catering. I love women and children that have been rejected by society because I have lived that kind of life,” she said.

Rodrigues said women ply the streets at night as sex workers because they are desperate, adding that no normal woman would want to sell her body to all sorts of men.

“Poverty is a demon that needs to be rooted out. That demon drives women onto the streets. It is so disheartening to find young girls as young as 11 engaged in commercial sex work.”

Rodrigues always has a busy schedule, but has time to listen to women’s concerns.

“I face a lot of challenges in Domboshawa where I live. There are so many young girls who are not going to school. Some have been abused and contracted HIV and hence there is a lot of child labour.

“Widows there too are faced with insurmountable challenges like lack of food to feed families, and wood to light up fires to cook.

“I source food, clothes for these women from well-wishers and engage them in prayer as well. For nothing is impossible with God.

“The major problem I have is that I do not have any money to extend goodwill to women in those areas, but I am not worried because I know that God will make a way,” she said.

Rodrigues has been working very closely with some Zanu PF officials like Oppah Muchinguri and Herbert Murerwa. Plans are afoot to establish a skills training centre at a farm yet to be identified, where women and other vulnerable people will be trained in various skills.

When this writer visited her lodgings in Domboshawa recently, there was a family of five people living with her.

“I have since managed to find a job for the husband and wife as gardener and domestic worker respectively. They are now living happily with their children. But there is never a time that I am alone. My three-roomed lodgings are home to many strangers.”

Some of the skills that she imparts include making door mats using used plastic shopping bags or material offcuts.

She had started building a skills centre in Domboshawa, but she ran out of cement and roofing material.

“I will need hand sewing machines, equipment for basketry, and also to teach women how to make simple buns and bread.

“There is a lot of market gardening in Domboshawa and I source little grants from well-wishers which I give these women to buy these vegetables and sell in Harare.

“When I gave my life to Christ, the first thing that was put before me was a 20-litre tin filled with sugar beans and a big 90kg sack full of material offcuts.”

Rodrigues said she started selling the beans and made mats from the material offcuts. That marked the beginning of a new and clean lifestyle.

“Many women are downtrodden, but I encourage them by providing them skills and teaching them to pray. Prayer changes situations for the better. Many people say I look like a rich man’s wife, but I have lots of people who take care of my personal life like Solo Murindazvo and his wife Pellargia of Solos Hair Planet that do my hair and nails for free.

“I have lawyers who work at the courts like Tinashe, who buys me clothes regularly. There is also a Tendai, a journalist that sends me airtime every week, and two other girls overseas who support me with transport money to ferry women to the prayer mountain. I just want to thank all these people, and top of them all is Pastor Florence Shangwa who took me off the streets.”

The televangelist and philanthropist Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo has prophesied on Zimbabwe.

The man of God prophesied to the thousands of people at the ongoing Jabula International Conference being held at the City Sports Centre.

The world will hear from Zimbabwean a supernatural way. The range for Zimbabwe to produce cars has come. Glory will come out of Africa. Investors will come to Zimbabwe. Great business will come out of Zimbabwe,” the renowned pastor said, much to a thunderous applause from attendees.

Pastor Ashimolowo who was introduced by the hosts of the International Conference, Bishop Tudor and Pastor Chichi Bismark soon after Pastor G and Richard Dube led a powerful choir in a worship song.

“The horn of lack is destroyed from your life. The devil will tell you that you cannot do this but God will lift you up. Lack will disappear from your life. It is the spirit of the devourer when you expect a foreigner to come and employ you. God is setting girm foundations in your life,” Pastor Ashimolowo prophesied.

He added that Zimbabwe will be uplifted and people around the world, will appreciate all that be coming from Zimbabwe.

Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo (born 17 March 1952 in Nigeria) is the Senior Pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) in London. Pastor Ashimolowo converted to Christianity from Islam at the age of 22 after the death of his father before enrolling with a Bible school.

Forbes estimated Ashimolowo’s net worth is at between $6-10 million. KICC annual accounts confirmed that he earns an annual salary of £100,000 but the majority of his wealth comes from the sale of Christian literature and documentaries from his media company, Matthew Ashimolowo media. This is consistent with the fact that Ashimolowo subscribes to and teaches success in the vein of Prosperity theology, which in most respects is considered controversial.

When biblical Prophet Hosea was commanded by God to take a harlot Gomer as his wife, Almighty showed that he forgives and restores no matter how far you have swayed.

This happened in the Avenues area where a prostitute was fished to God by a Nigerian man – if the testimony she gave before a church congregation on Saturday is anything to go by.

Leah Gushu (37), who is now an usher at the church (name withheld to avoid tarnishing the image of the pentecostal church), testified before the congregation that she received Christ after she was hooked by a Nigerian for sexual favours.

“I received Jesus Christ in the Avenues where before a certain Nigerian man hooked me and shared with me words of life. After he called me into his car, I felt so happy to get money for a quickie but he paid me to share the word of life not for sex as I anticipated. That brought salvation in my life. I did not know that Jesus died for sinners and he paid for our sins when I was still in my iniquities and today my life has changed completely that I am ashamed to be called God’s daughter.

“I was naked but today God has clothed me and I want to call upon my sisters roaming in the streets for prostitution to come in the house of God for he is merciful and changes people’s lives,” said Leah as she testified before the congregation.

She was among other people who testified including Polite Madzingira, who was healed after reportedly being on a wheelchair for staggering 28 years.

Gospel musician Pastor Charles Charamba

Pastor Charles Charamba spent the whole night before his final examination a few months ago in the study room.

For the past four years, he had sailed through the levels of his Bachelor of Arts in Music (Jazz) at the Zimbabwe College of Music but, the last night of his studies was turbulent.

He had to submit his dissertation the following morning and also sit for the last examination of his modules. Torn between the pressure of doing the final touches of the dissertation and the need to revise for the last examination of his modules, the man of God felt the heat.

He soldiered on — perusing, memorising and scribbling as the night wore away. His efforts paid off in a big way, as he became the best student in his class. He graduated last month.

“I had never felt so much pressure,” recounted Pastor Charamba.

“I went into the study room after supper and pressure blew sleep out of my head. I was anxious. I had to finish the dissertation and I also had to revise for the last examination.

“I had not realised that a whole night could be that short. I was surprised to realise it was already 6am when I checked my clock. I had to go straight to the bathroom and prepare for the day ahead.

“I thank God that I managed to finish everything that I was supposed to do that night. It was a big challenge but I am happy I made it.”

Pastor Charamba said his first days at college were also a challenge because he had to swallow his pride and begin doing music theory from the very first level.

“I could have gone to a foreign university, where I would not be recognised as a popular musician but I did not want to part with my family and fans.”

The musician said he was inspired to study music after he was approached by a fan in the United States who wanted his music in a transcribed form.

“We had finished our performance when a certain guy came up to me and asked for my music. I sent someone to take a CD and we gave him. He stood there for a long time and we chatted. It was apparent that he was waiting for something, but we had no idea what more he wanted when we had given him the music that he had requested for.

“On our parting note, the gentleman said ‘I hope next time we meet I will be able to get the music’. We did not understand him until I met another man at our next show in the US. He told me that when people request for music in that part of the world, they mean transcribed songs.”

That experience made Pastor Charamba very sad. He realised that besides the fame and popularity at home, he still lacked a lot to communicate with serious musicians at an international level.

Despite the challenges that he faced during the studies, Pastor Charamba is now a happy man. He lost a lot of income as he turned down all international shows and many local gigs. But he does not regret it.

“It is fulfilling to know that you can fit in any culture and your music can be read in a universal language. I am now ready to resume international tours and work on new material with an enlightened mind.”

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A 20 year old student at the Midlands State University Liberty Makuyana  has written a Christian motivational book that addresses some of the challenges that face society today.

The book titled: ‘Going Against the World’ is about humanities emancipation from the worldly system as he takes the reader through the 127-page book.

It opens with a quote from an unknown writer which says “very little microsecond in life culminates in one big event. Do not count the seconds until something big happens. Live the seconds.”

The author said the book talks about tradition, culture, and unwritten laws which bind people from living the life that God intended for them.

In the book, Makuyana looks at how people pursue academic degrees, better jobs and even fall into marriages and lifestyles which the world suggests are right.

The book motivates people of various age groups on how to deal with different situations and challenges in life with chapters such as living for the truth and culture or Christ.

Gospel musician, Thembalami Tagwirei, has extended a hand to the disadvantaged by donating US$1 500 to Sunningdale’s Tose Respite Care Children’s home.

The money was part of the musician’s income realised from Econet’s Buddie Beatz platform.

Tose Respite Care Children’s home caters for the needs of a total of 40 disabled children.

Driven by the passion to help the needy, the gospel artiste started the campaign two months ago to raise donations for the home and he mobilised other artistes such as Sabastian Magacha, Mudiwa “Hood”Mtandwa and Life Changing among others to rally behind the cause.

“Corporates Econet and GTel were not to be outdone as they joined the noble initiative to donate goods to the disabled children,” said Tagwirei.

The presentation was dubbed the Brighter Day Event and the artistes got an opportunity to present short performances of their popular hits.

“Zimbabweans are the most generous people, despite the current challenges that the ordinary man is facing daily, we proved today that we can look beyond ourselves and help others,” he said.

Tagwirei said many other individuals had also donated clothing and moral support to the cause and he hoped the Lord would bless them accordingly.

Officials at the institution hailed the donors for their support.

“It was a fantastic and well-organised presentation. I was impressed that such young people walked in and offered their help and managed to keep their word,” said the home’s executive director, Stella Faranisi.

She said such moves would remind other artistes that there is more to music than making their own money and keeping it to themselves.

Ivy Kombo-Kasi posing for a photo with his husband Admire Kasi (photo: T. Marwizi).

Gospel diva Ivy Kombo who recently graduated with a law degree from University of Bedfordshire said her new qualification would not affect her passion for music.

Speaking from her base in the United Kingdom, the Nguva Yakwana hitmaker said music was her number one passion and she would soon be releasing a new album.

“Music is my number one hobby and I will not quit. I know I have been quiet for a long time, but that is how it is in life,” said Kombo.

“I passed [the degree] with a 2.1 class and I will certainly practise law but my music comes first. I am so happy as this is the fulfillment of the scripture which says ‘seek ye the Kingdom of God first and all things will be added unto you’.

“After serving the Lord from a teen age, preaching in the rural areas and going without food for the gospel, praying in the mountains, sacrificing school time and giving to the needy, I have seen all the achievements being a fulfillment of scripture. This is my own story and no one can take it from me,” said Kombo.

Kombo is one of Zimbabwe’s most successful female singers. The gospel star, propelled to national stardom by hits such as Nguva Yakwana and Handidzokere Shure, has had a fairly tumultuous private life.

She is now based in Luton, England with her husband, Bishop Admire Kasi and is now referred to as Prophetess Kombo-Kasi.

The better part of her music career was marred by controversy when she was rumoured to be having an extra-marital affair with Kasi.

The rumour proved true when she married Kasi just after parting ways with her husband Admire Moyo. Kasi’s marriage also broke down due to the relationship and the lovebirds relocated to the United Kingdom where they head Upperview Ministries International church.

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Prophet Makandiwa with his wife prophetess Ruth Makandiwa. (photo from UFIM web site)

United Family International Church  women’s division on Sunday, officially handed over to the ministry five luxury coaches valued at R6 million (about US$600 000), which they bought through their internal fundraising ventures.

The buses include two double-deckers and three state-of-the-art luxury coaches.

Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa, wife of UFIC founder and senior pastor, Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa did the official handover.

She told thousands of congregants at the City Sports Centre in Harare who included visitors from South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, India and the United States of America that the five buses were a result of hard work and targets that UFIC women set at the beginning of this year.

“We agreed that we would do an amazing thing and we also agreed to work on a project that would put the devil to shame. So, from January till June, the women in the church fund-raised”, said Prophetess Ruth.

She also thanked the men in the church for creating an enabling environment.

“God enabled us to buy these buses, but we are very proud of the men in the church, because they stand by what the women are doing.

“When we started in January, we told ourselves that as victorious women, we would prevail and that victory belongs to us. We knew that with God, everything is possible,” she said to cheers and applause.

In an interview with The Herald, UFIC official spokesperson, Pastor Prime Kufakunesu thanked the women for going the extra mile in ensuring that the gospel is preached.

He said the church’s executive would soon decide how the buses will be used adding, “It was the women’s vision to buy the buses.

“They have officially handed them over to the ministry.  It’s the ministry that will make the final decision on how they will be utilised . . . But the women’s gesture goes to show how much power the girl child has. It’s now unfolding before our eyes.

“In the past, all eyes were on the boy child, and the girl child was neglected. In the event of having school fees for one child, it’d always be the boy child. But, this goes to show that God does not discriminate on gender basis”.

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Pastor Emmanuel Makandiwa (photo:M. Chibaya).

Zimbabwe’s 2013 elections and political situation seems to have gone spiritual as several regional and local prophets have ‘prophesied’ Zimbabwe’s way forward.

First to prophecy about Zimbabwe’s 2013 situation was Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa who on 31 December 2012 spoke in riddles, supposedly to avoid courting unnecessary political turmoil, that in 2013 a great wall shall fall in Zimbabwe and thousands of people will die thereafter.

Makandiwa however added that civil servants would restore their economic viability as their salaries shall be substantial once more.

Second to prophesy about Zimbabwe’s political situation was a Kenyan prophet, Maxillar Mumo, founder of Christ Legacy Ministries (Kenya), who, on 30 July said:

“Morgan Tsvangirai is anointed of God to lead the nation of Zimbabwe. Tell the nations the Lord says no matter how long they work against this Word, it shall come to pass because the Lord God is going to watch over His Word to perform it.”

The prophet, a few days later added:

“God continued to speak concerning the shakeup of Zimbabwe and change of power today! Power must change Hands He says! As I was in the Spirit; I went into a vision and I saw that when Robert Mugabe is no longer in power, there will be great torture, humiliation and very hard times for his family and those that were close to him!”.

On Sunday 4 August, another Malawian Prophet reportedly  prophesied that Tsvangirai would become Zimbabwe’s president 2 months after the controversial elections.

“I’m seeing a very old garment in this great Southern African Nation. People are wondering how and why people should continue to wear it. I also see some controversy surrounding the just ended elections in that country. Because of the controversy, I don’t see the president of that country last 2 months in office” he said to the amusement of many,” said the Malawian prophet Chilomoni, of the Shepherd Ministry.

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Election results raises eyebrews

A Harare couple was short of words when their church leader Prophet Uebert Angel shocked them with a life time present of a car.

The man narrated how Prophet Angel, who, after last week’s Thursday service had spoken on the message “God rewards commitment” stunned them with this staggering gift. In a statement, Spirit Embassy said the flamboyant youthful prophet surprised the young couple with a mint AUDI TT QUATRO.

“A car presented to the couple as a gift not for anything that they had done but because it is the nature of prophets to give. The prophetic ministry is a giving ministry and like Prophet Angel always says, ‘The moment I give you a word from God, I am demonstrating how the prophetic office is a giving office,” said Spirit Embassy.

In June this year, the 35-year-old man of God reportedly donated yet another vehicle to one of his followers.

While praying, the prophet is said to have approached a lady and asked her, “What do you want God to do for you?”

The woman reportedly responded: “I want my own house and car, Papa.”

Prophet Angel, who changed his surname from Mudzanire to Angel when he left UK in 2011, reportedly immediately handed over car keys to the woman for one of his many cars. Reports say the vehicle was a VW Jetta. The woman is said to have dropped to the floor before running around, screaming in sheer joy.

In May this year, Prophet Angel, a father of four, also surprised one of his followers when he handed him keys for a brand new Range Rover Sport.

In January this year, the self-proclaimed Zimbabwe’s most educated pastor, grabbed headlines when he bought a Mercedes Benz C200 Kompressor for his spiritual son, Mudiwa Mutandwa, a musician who fellowships in his Spirit Embassy church. The GIFT was in recognition of his impressive musical year that saw him bagging three awards and ministering the Word of God through music.

See related reading:

Prophet Uebert Angel donates Range Rover to a follower

Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa (photo:M. Chibaya).

Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa is going to lead police in arresting robbers and thieves if given the permission to do so as a way of eradicating crime in Harare.

Makandiwa told his congregation during prophetic time at City Sports Centre on Sunday. He said this after praying for a family that lost an acre of potatoes to thieves at their plot recently before they were challenged by their neighbours about their faith in Makandiwa.

“Let this be known by the public that this time I am going to seek permission from the police in leading them to arrest criminals causing sleepless nights to the community. I am going to refund you the cost value as per police report and that would mean that the thief has stolen the potatoes from me. I ask you to forgive that thief for I have taken over the loss and he has a case to answer with me now,” said Makandiwa as the family shouted thanking their Papa.

The family was also encouraged to give to God what belongs to God so as to avoid such mishaps and Makandiwa – who once grabbed headlines after helping a Chitungwiza woman to give a miracle baby within 3 days of getting pregnant, further warned the family in spirit that the devil was aiming to steal their marriage and love so they must remain in the word to live well.

Prophet Makandiwa, in spirit, reminded a woman who brought her sick child that the problem came about after she resisted to leave a married woman she was dating. The child was healed instantly after two months of vomiting and complaints of excess dehydration.

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UFIC women’s ministry buys coaches

First we were stunned. Then some said, “We told you so!” Now people try to find out what caused the collapse. We are like doctors, who are basically without a clue why the patient died, but try to give a reason why it was inevitable and they were not to blame.

But all this talking remains on the level of the mechanics of democratic elections, how and why certain mischievous people were able to fiddle the whole process. What is democracy anyway?
Positively we can say it is government by popular participation. Negatively that the ballot replaces the bullet, voting replaces the struggle for power by force of arms. In this armed struggle the opponent had to be destroyed. As democrats we respect his integrity.

For democracy and democratic elections to succeed we have to make a dramatic U-turn. We have to respect the rival and opponent as a fellow human being and preserve his or her integrity as a person. Democrats honour the human dignity of every individual person. They do not treat the individual as just a fragment of the despised “masses” (to quote a favourite expression of revolutionary leaders).

This respect for human dignity and for the personal integrity of the opponent is the moral, even spiritual basis of democracy. It is also the basis of all human rights. The moral key concept for all this is tolerance.

We have to dig deeper still and go for the spiritual roots. The Judaeo-Christian belief in every man and woman having been “created in the image of God” is the root of our respect for the human dignity of every fellow citizen, regardless of his or her political outlook. Tolerance is the secularized version of  Jesus’ command “Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5 : 44).

What we have learned in these last few days is that setting up the mechanics of how to cast votes is just not enough. The sheer mechanics can be endlessly manipulated. We must be guided by the original Spirit. We must believe in our dignity given to me and my opponent equally by the Creator. Our ultimate aim in the political process must be the love of all our people and the desire to contribute to their welfare nationwide.

A huge task awaits the Church. The roots of good governance are in our faith. We must honour one another as children of God created in his image. We must respect even the stranger, the rival and opponent as our brothers and sisters, looking at them with the eyes of our Lord.  As believers in the love and goodness, justice and mercy of our God we must eradicate all fear in our hearts and speak up with courage. And even within the Church there is plenty of room for more “popular participation”.