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UPF-Zambia and Partners Sponsor Three-Day Clergy Forum
Written by Fabrice Djimadoum, UPF-Zambia
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Lusaka, Zambia—In partnership with Zambia’s Partners in Mission Works, UPF-Zambia held a three-day Clergy Forum on Good Governance and Development from July 14–17, 2019, at Ndozo Lodge. The theme of the forum was “Peace and Security.”
The attending clergy included more than 120 bishops, pastors and church leaders from different provinces of Zambia. Participating representatives from the Zambia government included Minister of Home Affairs Hon. Stephen Kampyongo; Minister of Works and Supply Hon. Mutotwe Kafwaya; Government Chief Whip Hon. Brian Mundubile; Bishop Dr. Edwards Chomba, who is permanent secretary of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection; and Dr. Jobbicks Kalumba, the permanent secretary of General Education. Rev. Robert Williamson represented the Heavenly Africa Group.
The forum was characterized by meditations, song and dance, interaction among guests, and well-articulated presentations. Several high-profile presenters, well known to the religious leaders, shared on different topics during the program.
In the first day, participants started with a powerful morning devotion and introductions. In the opening ceremony, Rev. Robert Williamson of the Heavenly Africa Group, thanked all the participants for attending the forum despite of their busy schedules and encouraged them to take advantage of the program to learn from each other. He conveyed greetings from the Heavenly Africa Group chair, Rev. Bakary Camara, who couldn’t attend to the opening due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict. The participants were also welcomed by the president of Partners In Mission Works, Rev. Cerge Changa.
Rev. Mwalagho Kililo, president of the Kenya chapter of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), shared with the participants on universal principles and “ The Ideal Family as the School of Love.” Rev. J. Akufuna gave a presentation on “Redefining Our Mandate,” encouraging the religious leaders to be agents of change.
Rev. David Isaac Phiri, president of FFWPU-Zambia, described the 10 projects of the Heavenly Africa Group, after which Rev. Jean-Augustin Ghomsi, director of education for the Heavenly Africa Group, gave a presentation on the breakdown of families.
Dr. Bwalya, lecturer at the Copperbelt University, (second largest university in Zambia), reflected on good governance and its practice. He emphasized the importance of transparaency and leaders meeting with their people.
How to change and transform mind-sets was the topic of which Dr. Jobbicks Kalumba, who as Zambia’s secretary of education would like to see all schools develop. Rev. Susan Mulambya, director of Zambian Farmers Support Network for Value Crops, spoke about clergy as agents of transformation and encouraged the religious leaders to take up farming as a way to contribute to the national economy,
Secretary of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Chomba gave a presentation titled “Raising a Democratic Responsive Society: The Ecclesiastical Perspective,” which was followed by the appeal of Minister of Home Affairs Hon. Stephen Kampyongo that the clergy pray for and guide politicians. Also, the minister of Works and Supply as well as the government chief whip shared about the important role played by religious leaders. At the end, participants had a privilege to interact with the government leaders on the current relationship between religious leaders and the Government of Zambia.
At the end, gifts from Partners in Mission were offered to presenters. The forum participants were pleased with the program and requested future such events.
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