Churches: A conduit of assistance to the less privileged

Corporate and individual donors have always banked on the church's selfless mission of charity to disburse resources to the less privileged members of the community.

Recently, Word of Life International Ministries conducted a medical outreach and clean-up campaign in Warren Park.

With seven doctors, two psychiatric doctors and five dentists among others, 176 males and 269 females received free medical treatment. An additional 40 people were referred for further medical attention.

Those critical partnerships were evident as Belvedere Medical Centre and the Dentist Association of Zimbabwe came in to assist with their services.

In addition, the Harare City Council chipped in with refuse trucks while the Environmental Management Agency brought cleaning equipment.

All these are gestures of how partners trust the church in channeling resources to the less privileged.

A fortnight ago, Tose Respite Centre celebrated its Silver Jubilee with New Life Covenant Church (NLCC) which also assisted in organising the event.

In the past few years, NLCC has become a critical stakeholder donating basic commodities to alleviate the challenges faced by the institution.

Resources channelled to such institutions are sustained by believers and partners who donate for the worthy course. During the programme, long service awards sponsored by a well-wisher were held for the staff at the institution who have dedicated themselves to take care of children with severe mental and physical disabilities.

Eight of the recipients had a total of 120 years in serving the institution.

The longest and current executive director, Mrs Stella Faranisi, who has been at Tose Respite Centre for a decade, highlighted the work before them.

"The challenge will always be enough finances because this is a lot of work. Lifting, feeding, toileting a 10- or 15-year-old is not a joke. So we never have enough resources to do that.

"The helper must have the heart for it, the qualification is number two. We have people who come as volunteers. We give them one week and see if they can work with us. And you will see after one or two days they just disappear," Mrs Faranisi said.

Among personnel needed are speech, physio and occupational therapists.

Similar gestures of assistance have been shown to Melfort Old People's Homes and Jairos Jiri.

The church in its earnestness should also remember the less privileged in remote areas.

The Hand of Love Foundation for instance is an initiative founded by Prophet Tawanda Bondera in Rusape. It supports less privileged children, widows, widowers, orphans and the elderly.

Through this initiative, 100 children aged from six to 18 years are assisted with school fees while more than 10 elderly people as well as congregants receive financial aid for their income generating projects.

"This initiative is not only confined to the church but we also extend our help outside the church. Our congregants and the society at large help us identify those in need then we access the situation and help appropriately," said Pastor Edison Malikwa, a member of Grace Harvest Ministries International which oversees this initiative.

The church's integrity is critical in this modern age if it is to remain the "salt of the earth and the light of the world" as it channels resources to the less privileged.

With self-gain and corruption creeping into the sanctuary, loss of trust is seeing some donors withdrawing their resources, to the detriment of beneficiaries.