Church of beer giants winning many souls
IT STARTED off as an unholy and funny gathering of imbibers, but numbers don’t lie.
CHURCH OF IMBIBERS WINS MANY SOULS
IT STARTED off as an unholy and funny gathering of imbibers, but numbers don’t lie.
Ziva Mwari Church Congregation, originally a group of beer drinkers, has grown into a community that has attracted many new members in Trojan Mine, Bindura.
The church’s leader, Richard Twabi, stated that their vision is not only focused on beer drinking, but also on helping the needy in their community. In addition to donating food, clothes and books to various organisations, the church also conducts anti-drug and substance abuse, and gender-based violence campaigns in their community.
The church’s members go for social activities such as football and other games after their Sunday service.
The church plans to establish more branches across the country following Covid-19 setbacks.
Twabi, reckons a lot of people in the area now understand their vision as a church.
“The journey wasn’t easy from the onset. People had mixed feelings since some said it was a form of Satanism while others thought it was a calculated move to make quick money like other sprouting Pentecostal churches.
“The community is now embracing us and we have managed to demonstrate that it is not all about beer drinking, but about also moulding, shaping and building Ubuntu among us.
“We no longer want to be labelled church yezvidhakwa because we are God fearing people,” said Twabi.
He also said their vision is to help the needy in the community, and they have been doing a lot of charity work.
They donated clothes, food and books to Masembura Nekutenda Children’s Home.
“We donated food hampers to Bindura Prison inmates and clothes to Rushinga Help Age Centre,” said Twabi.
Apart from charity work, the church also conducts anti-drug and substance abuse, and gender-based violence campaigns in their community.
“In as much as we drink beer, we encourage the youths and everyone else to be responsible for their actions, especially when they drink beer.
“Our church members are a good example that you can drink beer and be responsible at the same time.
“We denounce people who engage in fights after consuming alcohol,” he said.
Twabi said Covid-19 was a major setback for the church as they failed to establish more branches due to lockdown restrictions.
“I am happy to say we will be travelling across the country soon to meet and establish our Ziva Mwari Congregation Church.
“It is our wish that at every bottle store and every bar there is a branch. Vanhu ngavatye musiki wedenga nenyika. Drink after saying a prayer,” he said
