By CHUSA SICHONE –
NATIONAL Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister Godfridah Sumaili is shocked by worries by some churches that the ban on gatherings in view of the cholera epidemic will negatively affected tithe or offering.
Reverend Sumaili said cholera was a deadly disease and so the church’s main focus should be how best they could help in preventing further loss of life, not them being worried about the reduction in tithe or offering following the ban on gatherings of more than five people in cholera epicentres.
Speaking during a special interview on ZNBC television in Lusaka at the weekend, Rev Sumaili said it would be appalling if the clergy concentrated on tithe or offering at the expense of participating in the fight against cholera.
“I would be very disappointed if a servant of God is focusing on the tithe and the offering, that is not the focus, I think it should not be. I think the focus should be on the lives of people. Jesus is life, He’s the way, He’s the truth and life is sacred, so we should respect life, what is at stake here is life and we have to do whatever we can to prevent loss of life,” she said.
Rev Sumaili said churches should not complain about the Government’s move to ban gatherings as a measure to prevent the escalation of cholera, but that they should respect and explain the Government’s motive to their congregants for them to understand.
Some clerics were quoted in sections of the media complaining about the negative impact the ban on gatherings would have on the collection of tithe and offering.