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Bishop Shao’s call to society
2006-03-28 09:44:04
By Guardian Reporter, Moshi
The Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT), Northern Diocese, Martin Shao, has lashed out at selfishness in society and called upon Tanzanians to contribute generously to the national famine kitty.
Bishop Shao said that giving to the needy is tantamount to giving to God and appreciating His generosity.
’When you give it doesn’t mean that you have in abundance, but it is a way of showing compassion.
There are people who have died while others are sick, but you are alive and therefore must be grateful to God,’ he said.
Bishop Shao made the remarks on Sunday at a fundraising function for the construction of a children’s hall and finance the Moshi ELCT Choir which is scheduled to travel to Finland later in the year for an evangelical mission and a gospel music extravaganza.
A total of 71m/- was raised. The target was 250m/- for the construction of the children’s hall and 5m/- to be used to process travel documents and buy uniforms for the choir.
The bishop said people should understand and protect their environment through hard work to assist the government in fighting the threat of hunger.
He said that the country faces a severe drought and many people have no food hence it is wananchi’s responsibility to assist the government in environmental protection efforts as a way of fighting drought.
He added that the church had realised the importance of having a hall for Sunday school children so they can undergo better moral conditioning.
Bishop Shao said children who grow up with ideal moral teaching respect their parents and uphold social norms.
About the choir’s tour of Finland, he said it would provide exposure and a learning experience to them as well as spread God’s word.
Earlier, IPP Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi, who was the guest of honour at the function, announced that over 10m/- had been raised in cash and pledges worth 52.6m/- made.
An assortment of items auctioned at the function raised 6.2m/-.
Mengi told the congregation that spiritual starvation had adverse effects than drought because its effects last forever.
’Spiritual starvation is what brought us here,’ he said.
Spiritual starvation has made people mean and selfish to the extent that they do not assist one another.
He said there are some people who were born without limbs, while others were born with everything.
’You must ask yourself why me?’ People must help others because when you give something to another person you are giving it to the Lord,’ he said.
The guests were entertained by different choirs, including Kitimtim led by renowned religious gospel songbird, Rose Mhando.
Mhando touched the hearts of many with her widely acclaimed ’Nimekukimbilia ewe Bwana’ song, which she could not finish after a section of the crowd and herself began shedding tears.
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