Perspective — Zimbabwe
In the spirit of solidarity in the family of Christ: sharing burdens and sharing hope, I want to share briefly about a burden during my last term as bishop and how God intervened and raised people to share the burden and give hope again.
In the month of June 2024, the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe was befallen with a tragedy. Around 4 a.m., a mysterious fire broke out in the Peter Mlotshwa boys dormitory at Matopo High School, one of our church-run schools.
Fifty-one Form 1 students (aged 12-13) and their dorm father escaped fire in the new dorm. Everything they had was burnt including food, blankets and uniforms.
Sharing burdens
As in Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
The law of Christ is to love one another. To love your neighbour as yourself.
Many came to assist including the First Lady of Zimbabwe; former students of Matopo; Brethren in Christ Church sister schools, both primary and secondary; members of the Matopo community and Brethren in Christ Churches; and Sethule Trust.
Seeding hope
Despite the burden that had befallen us, God’s gracious hand was with us and he enabled the brothers and sisters and other partners to help us carry the burden of rebuilding the boys dormitory at a cost of US$73 000. A cost we could not carry on our own.
I was relieved that after the inferno, no life was lost and all the boys escaped unhurt including their dormitory father (boarding master). To God be the Glory!
Let us therefore continue sharing burdens and sharing hope with one another as the body of Christ in the global church.
We are encouraged to share the love and hope of Christ in our communities and never give up. As in Galatians 6:9: “So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.”
—Sindah Ngulube is Bishop Emeritus of Brethren In Christ Church – Zimbabwe Conference. He is one of the Africa representatives on MWC’s Executive Committee. He spoke this reflection at the Renewal 2026 event in the Philippines in March 2026 “Solidarity in the family of Christ: Sharing burdens, sharing hope.”
