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| Columns |
| A Twist to the Tale |
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by
Edward Chisambo, 04 December 2004
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10:02:00
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There was some chaos at KSG as the patrons tried to settle an argument on religious turmoil. People usually take prayers seriously and judge Chimwamasana knew that he had to be crafty when handling the issue of holding common prayers to thank the Lord for the good rains.
Apparently, some of the drunks had missed the aim of the prayers. It was really to ask God for good rains and not to thank Him as such. Care was important on this subject.
Even some politicians, notably the President of the main opposition MCP, not known for attending public prayers, cast some doubt that he would be present at Kamuzu Institute for Sports Saturday. The MCP leader believed the prayers should rather ask for fertiliser for the poor farmers than look for rains since the latter had already started well this season. Fancy indeed.
He was entitled to his opinion, but Chimwamasana thought it was easier to call on the Lord for issues that He directly controls like rain. As for fertiliser, God would surely relegate such a plea to issues which man can and ought to do for himself.
“Wouldn’t that be the same as asking the Lord to bring some food on the table during times of hunger?” Chimwamasana asked no one in particular, but the audience seemed to be following his argument with undivided attention.
The judge also reminded the KSG audience that the MCP president, despite having the largest number of members of Parliament in the country, claimed that he had not been invited by the clergy to prayers more than once before.
The clergy, who organised the prayers, on the other hand, differed with the MCP claims, leaving people to doubt whether or not MCP mail was always intercepted by the hand of the Lord in the past.
The MCP, like most people, knew where the prayers would be held and what they should try to do is to gatecrash and see whether or not the clergy would send them back. Chimwamasana doubted that that would be the case. In fact, most people who gather to pray rarely receive personal invitations.
This last observation is what brought in the other dimension to the rain prayers.
The CCAP Blantyre Synod allegedly did not see why it should be part of the prayers because the country’s President Bingu wa Mutharika had not honoured invitations to participate in gatherings by the Synod.
The judge and so many others at KSG, including the Women’s Guild head Wangwiro, wondered how far divine battles would be fought on earth? And what message would the Synod be sending to its faithful about forgiving others as the Bible advises?
In any case, the Synod should be the last to blame Mutharika since it is the only one whose reverends benefited from the President’s campaign. What with the K5,000s which they secretly pocketed when they invited Bingu to hear him out?
At least that meeting should have made the general secretary realise that the President heeds the Synod’s calls sometimes. It, therefore, renders his (Gunya) reason suspect.
Chimwamasana saw that there could be real reasons why the CCAP decided to shun prayers. One of them was certainly the fall out from Njamba prayers organised to thank the Lord for good election results.
Here, a Catholic reverend, who likes to call a spade a spade, branded all political parties with vices. The outspoken reverend father did not spare the clergy either.
He talked about the clergy living with scones in their mouths and failing to talk against evils perpetrated by the government and its officers.
The judge did not know whether the open reverend father would be present at Kamuzu Institute for Sports or not. His presence was likely going to scare away the MCP and the Synod. The organisers of this prayer session would do well to send the list of preachers out to ease tensions among the faith community. This was the twist to the saga of prayers.
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