One of the most remarkable community service programs that were done by UFIC in the past ten years under the leadership of Emmanuel and Ruth Makandiwa is the Harare Clean-Up Campaign which was held on the 1st of March 2015.
“…As I was driving through our city, I saw a situation theat does not require money, but that we can address…”.
This is how the Prophet broached the topic of the clean-up campaign.
“We have a problem that requires energy, effort and commitment, apart from praying for our nation, I felt there is something practical we can do for our country,” he said. He further on highlighted that the purpose of the clean-up campaign was to instill a culture of responsibility in the citizens of Zimbabwe so as to maintain a clean environment and in acting it rather than talking about it; Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa chose to lead by example, with the help of the UFIC congregants
The atmosphere was charged a little differently this Sunday, because there was an air of excitement brought about by this very immediate call to action. After members of both services had been assembled, we were divided into 30 groups consisting of hundreds and they were assigned to a specific place in the city.
Contrary to what one might expect, the work that was done that day - the impact and the shared sense of purpose and accomplishment that came with it - was overwhelming evidence of the unity that bonds the family – UFIC. Bus ranks, parking lots and major streets were left clean on that day. From roof tops of bus termini to drains, every sign of litter was picked and every place that was reachable to the UFIC members was cleaned.
Effectively one of the most massive clean-up campaigns the City of Harare has ever seen; to such an extent that the Council allowed us the use of 17 refuse trucks to collect all the litter that was cleared. The best part was the part that surprised many people- Prophet Emmanuel and Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa weren’t giving orders from the sidelines, but they were right in the thick of things, with brooms in hand sweeping up litter and dirt on Simon Muzenda Stras though it had not been enough to have mobilized thousands to do the same.
There are many things one can admire about Prophet Emmanuel and Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa, but their consistency in leading from the front is boggling to the mind. This entire exercise was a demonstration of the Prophet Emmanuel and Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa’s love and selflessness.
The naysayers say that church is all about collecting offerings (which, just by the way, is a sound biblical principle) but this Sunday proved that more than anything, it is actually the masses that collect what Prophet Emmanuel and Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa offer - and that’s service. It was a simply undeniable sermon.
In our regalia, and our plain clothes, our unity of purpose really transformed the face of Harare CBD and it was not just an ordinary clean-up campaign but a prophetic act.
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