Contributing Writers:
*Isabel Apawo Phiri *Ezra Chitando *Tinyiko S.
Maluleke
*Felicidade Chirenda* Canon Gideon Byamugisha
Gladies Jeco*Prince
Moiseraela Dibeela* Fulata L. Moyo*Musa W. Dube
*Augustine C. Musopole*
Cheryl Dibeela
Oração:
Obrigado Senhor por nos ter reunido para em
conjunto contemplarmos a tua glória. Obrigado pelo dom desta nova vida. Ela
vem ressuscitar as nossas esperanças, de que a vida ainda é possível, apesar
de muita morte que contemplamos cada dia. Senhor, ajude-nos a criar esta
criança no teu conhecimento, na justiça e no amor ao próximo. Dê-lhe a
sabedoria de se afastar de tudo quanto lhe possa ser prejudicial, e que
saiba se proteger contra o HIV/SIDA. Pedimos isso tudo em nome do nosso
Senhor Jesus Cristo.
Introdução
Com muita tristeza constatamos que nos dias de hoje, o
nascimento de uma criança deixou de ser motivo de alegria em muitas
famílias. As causas da falta de alegria são várias. Dentre elas podemos
citar as seguintes:
Fome, doença, imaturidade dos progenitores, guerras,
violação e outras.
Constatamos que apesar da existência de Direitos
Internacionais de proteção à criança, em muitos casos ,ou não são conhecidos
ou não são respeitados.
Em África, diariamente tomamos conhecimento de
assissinato de bebés recém nascidos pelas próprias mães que lhes atiram nas
latas de lixo, nas drenagens e outros lugares inimagináveis. Outras crianças
são abandonadas nas maternidades, algumas nascem infectadas pelo vírus do
HIV/SIDA, outras morrem de sarampo,outras ficam órfãs de pai e mãe, outras
são violadas por pessoas adultas imorais com o pretexto de curar SIDA e
muitas outras morrem de fome e vivem estigmatizadas.
As ameças à vida não
são um fenómeno novo. O texto mostra claramente o que aconteceu com Moisés.
O próprio Jesus não escapou à condenação logo após o seu nascimento ( Mt 2:
13).
Porém, em todas essas histórias, as crianças foram salvas porque
Deus agiu. Nos nossos dias, Deus continua a agir. O que precisamos é de
união e solidariedade entre as famílias, e entre os dirigentes dos nossos
países na proteção das nossas crianças contra todas as formas da morte e de
perigos.
· Que Deus nunca abandona as suas criaturas quer elas
estejam ou não conscientes disso
· Que muitas vezes Deus utiliza as
forças a Ele hostis para a realização dos seus desígnios
· Que tipo de
perigos as crianças enfrentam nos nossos dias?
QUE TEMOS DE
CONFESSAR?
· Que muitas vezes esquecemos de convidar Deus quando
fazemos planos da nossa vida
· Que muitas vezes somos culpados pela morte
de crianças.
EM QUE
DEVEMOS ESTAR GRATOS A DEUS?
· Pelo facto de Deus nos ensinar permanentemente a escolher, a
lutar e a amar a vida.
QUE PODEMOS PEDIR NAS NOSSAS ORAÇÔES?
·
Pelo amor, respeito, paz, justiça e solidariedade entre as pessoas
· Pela
valorização da vida e pelo conhecimento de Deus.
3. A Palavra de Deus para a sociedade
A vida é uma dádiva de Deus. Contudo, tem se
verificado que muita gente não dá o devido valor a ela. Isso é demonstrado
pelos hábitos nocivos que consciente ou incoscientemente as pessoas adquirem
e praticam. Dentre esses hábitos podemos citar o uso e consumo abusivos de
álccol, de drogas, a violação de menores,etc.
Além dessas práticas,
o mundo e em especial a Àfrica Sub Sahariana, debate-se hoje com a pandemia
do HIV/SIDA. Esta doença não é um castigo de Deus contra pecadores como
muitos propagam. Deus é amor e não se contenta com a morte de ninguém (Ez
18.31c). No passado existiram muitas doenças que mataram muitas pessoas. Ex:
a varíola, a febre tifóide, a lepra, a tubrculose, etc. Hoje em dia, essas
doenças já não matam porque existem medicamentos para a sua cura. Não há,
por isso, lugar para discriminar aqueles que vivem com o vírus. O que é
necessário é que todos vivam em harmonia e que se continue a trabalhar até
se encontrar medicamentos. Para travar o seu alastramento, é preciso seguir
as instruções que nos são transmitidas através de organismos competentes.
Cientistas, doentes e toda a sociedade devem estar unidos contra esta
doença. É preciso que a força e vontade de viver esteja no coração de cada
um de nós. Devemos ter fé de que Deus está connosco como esteve com a mãe e
a irmã de Moisés no Egipto. Deus está sempre do lado daqueles que lutam
contra os Faraós de todos os tempos.
Canção:
Escolher uma
canção que esteja de acordo com o tema
Oração:
Deus de amor e
de compaixão, aproximamo-nos a ti, cheios de pesar e de vergonha, porque não
somos capazes, de compreender que nos amas acima de tudo. O nosso sentimento
é de que vivemos debaixo da sombra da morte. È nos difícil compreender que
já nos tiraste de lá, e que esperas de nós uma atitude que demonstra fé e
confiança na vida eterna prometida por Jesus.
Não nos abandone, antes
nos guie nos caminhos de esperança de que um dia, África conhecerá e viverá
na paz, na saúde e na prosperidade, pela graça e pela misericórdia que nos
são dadas pelo Teu Filho Jesus Cristo e pelo Espírito Santo.
Amen
Suggested objects: Fotografia de um casal olhando com amor para o seu bebé, um
berço com um bebé deitado, uma criança dando um beijo a um bebé,
etc.
Por: Felicidade N. Cherinda
Confirmation/dedication is a very important time in the lives Christian parents and their children. It is a time when the parents make a public declaration to bring up their child in the fear and knowledge of the Lord. It is also a time when a person who was baptized as an infant makes a public declaration that she/he is making a personal commitment to God in the presence of a worshiping community. Today, this commitment is made in the context of many challenges, which include the existence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Children are a blessing from God and need to be cared for. As part and parcel of caring for our children, we need to do everything within our power to protect our children from contracting HIV/AIDS. If the parents are already infected, they need to think seriously before they decide to conceive a child. At birth, medication should be taken to reduce mother to child transmission of the virus. As the children grow, parents also have the responsibility of giving them accurate knowledge about the virus and how they can protect themselves from getting infected with HIV.
1. We listen to the Word of God
Read the sermon texts: 1 Samuel 1:1-28 (This can be done by the leader or a member of the
congregation).
Mark the important words
with a pencil.
Samuel was dedicated to God after his mother weaned
him. He served God for the rest of his life and he brought tremendous
reforms in Israel even in the days when Israel had no king and everyone was
doing what they saw fit.
DETAILS OF THE TEXT
Verses 1-8:
Ø Samuel was
born in a Hebrew polygamous family. His father was Elkanah and his mother
was Hannah. Samuel’s parents were worshipping people. Shiloh was the main
worshiping place for Israel at the time. Hannah was a very unhappy person
because she could not conceive. In the Hebrew times, just like in
traditional Africa, barrenness was considered as a
humiliation.
Verses
9-18:
Ø Hannah prayed to God to ask for
Samuel and promised God to dedicate him to God. God answered Hannah’s prayer
also as a special provision for the salvation of the Hebrews. Hannah wanted
her son to be dedicated to God. He was to be a Nazirite. The rules of a
Nazirite are found in Numbers 6. The major difference is that in the case of
Samuel, his status as a Nazirite was permanent.
Verse 19-28:
Ø Samuel was
dedicated to God by his mother and priest Eli. Despite the fact that
Samuel’s mother had no any other children at the time of Samuel’s
dedication, she fulfilled her promise to God by taking Samuel to live at the
Temple in Shiloh.
2. We apply the Word of God to ourselves.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN?
· God is able to provide a child to a
barren person
· God listens to the prayers of the oppressed
· When a
person makes a vow to God, it should be fulfilled even if it means taking
away what one wanted badly
· Polygamy contributes to disharmony in a
marriage relationship
· God values women even when they are
barren.
WHAT DO WE HAVE TO CONFESS?
· Do we value children
more than the women who are not able to give birth?
· Do we confess that
in today’s world polygamy can promote the spread of HIV/AIDS?
· Do we
fulfill the promises we have made to God?
· Have we fulfilled our
responsibility in teaching our children about HIV/AIDS?
· Do you confess
that our insistence on child bearing hinders HIV/AIDS prevention?
· Do
you confess that we have not helped orphaned children?
WHAT CAN WE BE
THANKFUL FOR?
· Life, whether we have children or not
· The
children that God has entrusted to us to bring them up in the fear and
knowledge of the Lord
· God has entrusted us as parents with the
responsibility to teach our children about HIV/AIDS
· To realize there
are many orphaned children need our parenting.
WHAT CAN WE PRAY
FOR?
· Parents to take up their responsibility to bring up children
in the knowledge and fear of the Lord
· Parents to love their children
enough to teach them about HIV/AIDS and how to prevent infections
·
Parents to love their children even when they are infected with HIV
·
Church members to become parents to orphaned children.
· Happy that children are a gift from God
· Sad
that some children have died of AIDS because we did not take up our
·
responsibility to teach them about HIV
· Guilty for not keeping our
promises to God
· Sorry for not loving women who are barren
·
Repentant that we are not bothered about the welfare of orphaned
children.
WHAT CAN WE BE?
· Members of the congregation who
accept the responsibility to teach all the
· children of our congregation
about HIV/AIDS
· Members of the congregation who promise to fulfil their
promises that they
· have made to God
· A congregation does not
discriminate against women who are barren
· A congregation that makes a
programmatic response to orphaned children.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
· Teach about HIV/AIDS in our
congregation, children’s church, youth meetings etc.
· Be inclusive of
mothers and barren women in all our church activities
· Start church
programs of fostering, adopting and helping orphans.
Conclusion: Word on the Society
Parents sometimes struggle to have children and whatever choices they make affect the children either positively or negatively. In the era of HIV/AIDS, to choose polygamy as a solution to bareness is to choose death.
Hannah expressed her devotion to the Lord by dedicating her son Samuel to full a promise that she had made to the Lord. Christian parents today may express their commitment to God by giving their sons and daughters to the HIV/AIDS ministry or the work of missions. Those parents who continue to encourage, support and pray for their children will find great favor with God. But we can also extend our parenthood to include children who have lost their parent due to HIV/AIDS.
Prayer of commitment (To be said by the whole congregation)
Lord we commit ourselves to be your hands and care in our societies. We commit ourselves to bear the good news of knowledge about HIV/AIDS to members of our families and the communities where we live. We commit our selves not to discriminate against barren women but to show them love and compassion. We commit ourselves to caring to orphaned children. We pray that you give us the courage to do what we know is right. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Song:
What the
Lord has done for me
I cannot tell it all (3X)
He saved me and washed
me in his blood
So I will sing Halleluyah
I will shout
Halleluyah
I will sing, shout, Praise the Lord (Repeat)
Popular
Song
Benediction: May the Lord keep and guide you.
Symbols/objects and commitments: Beads, gifts, water, candles, testimonies from barren women and
a youth about the goodness of remaining in the teachings of God, testimonies
from child-headed homes, orphans and elders caring for them and musical
instruments.
This is a beautiful passage that reflects strong
partnership in the relationship that ought to exist between two people in
marriage. This creation story does not specify any positions of power or
importance between the two. No domination of one partner over the other.
Instead it emphasizes common support and equal responsibility. Both partners
reflect the image of their Creator. The author of Genesis does not set any
specialized roles and responsibilities for each partner, only that there are
two varieties namely the man and the woman. This is often an ideal model of
partnership set for marriage. It is not easy to achieve such partnership
today yet an important one to strive for if one wants to have a long and
successful marriage. This is so because as I have indicated above, our
traditions and laws have set ranks of power. Our society and Church has set
gender roles and responsibilities and we often believe that those are
determinants of right and wrong within our marriage lives. These are strong
influences in marriage life particularly at home. We are influenced to
believe that if my culture or family expects that of the woman or that of
the man then so it should be. This is not to say that one totally disregards
those around you but that the ultimate value of the partnership rests with
the mutual support and equal partnership shared by the two. It is only when
two people appreciate each other that they can appreciate the creation of
God and their purpose for the world.
· That we are each uniquely created in the image of
God
· That we are each important as human beings and have a specific
purpose to fulfill
· That we ourselves are responsible and have the
ability to shape that partnership within marriage
· That both men and
women were blessed by God and given equal access to earthly
resources.
WHAT DO WE HAVE TO CONFESS?
· That we often want to follow our own mind instead of
considering our partners in the relationship and therefore disregard the
partnership
· That we are guilty of perpetuating the same discriminating
language and attitude as the rest of the society against women
· That
God, the Creator of partnership is often excluded in our marriages
· The
many incidences of abuse, unfaithfulness and the infection of women and men
because they are not honouring their partnership
· That we have denied
women access to property and leadership hence exposing them to high HIV/AIDS
infection.
WHAT CAN WE BE THANKFUL FOR?
· For the many lifelong partnership relationships and
others who strive for equal partnership in marriage
· For men who do not
treat women as inferior but as their partners
· For laws and NGO’s that
seek to empower women in the society.
WHAT CAN WE PRAY
FOR?
· That God give us the wisdom and guidance to be
sensitive to the needs of the other partner
· That we would continue our
partnership relationship in spite of poverty, unemployment and ill health,
especially in the face of HIV/AIDS
· That love in marriage might overcome
all abuse, hurt and inequality.
· We can become agents of change to those laws and
traditions that show favoritism to men
· We can provide education so that
men and women might understand what partnership involves
· We can provide
a helping hand to couples that are in desperate need for advice or need to
restore their marriages
· Actively engage in programs through which
marriage counseling, pre-marital courses and family conflict resolution.
A suggested wedding Ceremony: Based on the theme of partnership in Genesis 1:
26-31
Instead of the traditional
practice where the father brings the bride and hands over his daughter
(which seem to signify him handing over his ‘responsibility /authority’ to
the groom), both parties enter the Church from different sides followed by
the families.
Minister: We are here
today because A and B have decided out of their own free
will that they would like to become partners in
marriage.
African baskets could be used to
put bread and fruits, as well as a basin and water with a hand towel, which
will be used during the service.
Vows:
Minister: Do you A take B to be your
spouse in marriage and do you B take A to be
your spouse in
marriage?
A: (Breaks the bread and feeds
B)
Name…… all I have I will share with
you.
B:
(Breaks the bread and feeds A)
Name…… and all I have I will share with
you.
A washes B’s hands and dries it
with the hand towel
Name…… I will
always take care of you.
B does the
same
Name…… I will also take care of
you.
(Exchange the rings - A
says,)
Name…… My love will be your
love.
(B responds)
And my love will be your love
(The following words can be said whilst beads are
exchanged)
I will always respect your
body. I will do my best to protect you from the infection of HIV/AIDS but if
it happens despite our effort then you will still be mine and I will be
yours till death parts us.
As a sign of
the partnership between the families, A hands over a basket of fruit to B’s
parents and B hands over a basket of fruits to A’s parents. The parents do
the same to the bride and groom. The following, or similar words could be
said.
We exchange these baskets of
fruits as a sign that we will take care of each other and of God’s creation.
Prayer
Minister: Let us come before our Loving Parent in whose image we are all
created.
God our Creator we give you thanks and
praise.
Groom: Please forgive us when we mar your image because of our
shortcomings and lack of love. Restore and bless the image of you in our
lives for Christ’s sake.
Minister:
Thank you for creating and sustaining our
world. We thank you for living
creatures and for our daily bread and
water.
Bride: Please forgive us when we destroy and pollute your creation for
our own selfish ends. Restore and bless the world that you have given us so
that our partnership might extend to all of your creation.
Minister: Thank you
for seedtime and harvest and all the good in your
creation.
Bride and Bind us together O’ God so that we might become an
inspiration
Groom: to each other. Help us to understand each other, our strengths
and our weaknesses and in so doing become strong partners in the extension
of you kingdom here on earth. We especially pray that in the face of all
difficulties such as ill health, unemployment and especially with HIV/AIDS
in which many relationships crumble that our partnership would never wane.
Make us partners we pray in Jesus name.
All: God, Giver of Life,
forgive us when we do not care for each other and
we do not share food and water with those who are
hungry and thirsty.
Make us your instruments to restore our world in
justice and love so that
you may again look on our world and see that it
is good. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Blessing: Just as the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit live in unity, may them live together in peace
and love to the very end of their lives.
Song:
“Bind us together
Lord”
Appropriate hymns could be
incorporated that would further emphasis the theme of
partnership).
Suggested objects: Rings,
beads, pictures/sculptures of animals hugging.
Ø It is important to note that the word ‘man’ in this
passage denotes both male and female. This is shown in verse 26.
Ø “Let
us make man” – the correct word for man in this verse is humankind. It is
male and female together that makes up humanity.
Ø “Image” and
“likeness” here are interchangeable. Both women and men reflect the image of
God.
Ø “Image of God” refers to moral, intellectual and spiritual
capacities.
Ø “Have dominion” male and female are stewards of God’s
creation.
Genesis 3:
15-24:
Ø “I will put enmity between you and
the woman” refers to the continual enmity between Satan and humanity.
Ø
‘He will crush your head and you will strike his heel’ symbolizes the
continuance struggle between God and evil as it manifest itself in the
hearts of people.
Ø However, throughout generations there is a redemptive
element to the punishment, which will come through the woman’s seed.
Ø
‘Pains in childbearing’ a punishment that is unique to women. In Africa many
women in Africa die during child birth due to lack of good medical
facilities.
Ø Adam, in verse 17, refers to man and not to humanity as in
chapter 1 verse 26. Eve is the name given to the woman.
Ø ‘Painful toil’
was supposed to be a punishment unique to men but in Africa, the toiling of
the ground is a job mainly shared between men and women.
Ø ‘Returning to
the ground’ refers to death, which is also a shared punishment for all
humanity and not for men only.
Ø ‘Mother of all the living’ is a sign of
hope for the continuity of the human race in the midst of punishments.
Ø
‘God made garments of skin’ is a reflection on God’s power to provide
despite the punishment.
Ø ‘Banished from the garden’ refers to humanity
working very hard to fend for themselves. It is also banishment from the
presence of God. Redemption is only through the seed of the woman.
· God created men and women equal
· Women and men
have equal moral and spiritual capacities and responsibilities
· The life
lived in God’s presence is a life of peace and tranquility
· Both man and
woman sinned and were punished by God
· Diseases and death came to
humanity after the fall
· Salvation from sin and suffering is for both
woman and man, through Christ.
WHAT DO WE HAVE TO CONFESS?
· Have we been transparent to one another as
couples?
· Have we discussed about HIV before marriage?
· Is there
denial in us that leads to lack of openness?
· Has there been
companionship and partnership in marriage?
· Is marriage considered a
covenant?
· Many husbands have infected their wives through
unfaithfulness.
WHAT CAN WE BE THANKFUL FOR?
· God creating male and female to be partners and to
complement each other
· With a clear understanding of God’s will in
marriage, a woman and man can protect each other from HIV/AIDS infection.
WHAT CAN WE PRAY FOR?
· That couples should love each other enough to
protect each other from HIV/AIDS. The fact that a couple is married does not
rule out infection from HIV.
· In particular, male partners are
encouraged to be faithful even though African culture turns a blind eye to
infidelity of married men.
(The leader
can bring testimonies of other couples here)
· Ashamed for not being honest with our marriage
partners
· Sorry for not discussing about HIV before marriage
·
Remorse for not condemning male unfaithfulness
· Responsible for
sentencing many faithful wives to death.
WHAT CAN WE BE?
· congregation that promotes honesty among
couples
· A caring community for those who are infected with HIV
·
Supportive community to the couples that disclose their HIV status
· A
church that advocates for women empowerment in the HIV/AIDS
context.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
· Do members of the congregation pledge to help the
young couple to fulfill their vows to each other?
· Hold seminars for
married couples where they can openly discuss.
· We need to take time to celebrate life
· Marriage
is an example of an event in one’s life that can be celebrated every year.
The time of the anniversary is the time for a couple to revisit their vows
and celebrate the goodness of God in their lives
· The presence of
HIV/AIDS makes it even more important to celebrate each other’s lives, e.g.
birthdays and any anniversaries.
WHAT DO WE HAVE TO
CONFESS?
· Do we renew our marriage vows to God and to each other
during wedding anniversaries?
· The blood of the lamb was used as a
protection for the Israelites. Can the blood of Jesus be used to cleanse us
from sin?
· In the case of the couple contracting HIV while already
married, is it possible for that couple to use the anniversary as a
reconciliation time?
WHAT CAN WE BE THANKFUL FOR?
· Despite the problems that people face in life, God
has given us the opportunity to celebrate personal and community
anniversaries.
WHAT CAN WE PRAY FOR?
· That we use occasions like anniversaries to mend
broken relationships by remembering the original vows and promises
· That
God should help us to honor promises that we make.
· Happy because God has given us occasions when we can
remember the past events through communal celebrations
· Sorry that we
have not used these occasions to mend broken relationships
· Sorry that
we have forgotten the anniversaries of our loved ones and therefore given
the impression that we do not care.
WHAT CAN WE BE?
· People who take time to remember other people’s
anniversaries
· A community that uses anniversaries as an occasion to
mend broken relationships and move on in happiness
· A community that
celebrates life.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
· Keep a diary of important events in our families and
in our church community
· Participate in the celebration of other
people’s events in our community
· Special attention should be paid to
the celebration of events of the people who are HIV
positive.
Conclusion: Word on the
society
A marriage is a covenant before
God and couples should realize that when they are making vows during the
wedding they are also doing it to God. If there is any unfaithfulness in the
marriage the couple should use events such as wedding anniversary to renew
their relationship with openness and love. In our society, we should take
time to organize celebrations for anniversaries for the people who are not
able to organize for themselves, for example, anniversaries of people who
are sick, poor or too old.
Prayer
Leader: Thank you
God because you are the giver and protector of life.
All: Help us to do our part
in the protection of life
Leader:
You have shown us how to celebrate events in
life
All: Empower us to want to participate and enjoy celebrations of
ourselves, our loved ones and members of our community
Leader: You are the light of
the world.
All: Use us to bring your light to people who are not able to enjoy
celebrations because of sickness, old age and poverty.
Chichewa Chorus:
Nditzakutamandani Mulungu wanga (2x)//(I will praise
you my God)
Mwachita zazikulu pamoyo wanga//(You have done great things
in my life)
Ndidzakutamandani Mulungu wanga//(I will praise you my
God)
Benediction: May you always experience the presence of God in your life. May
you be strong in the face of adversaries. May you overcome the obstacles of
life.
Objects/symbols/ideas:
Food, Flowers, Candles, Stories of people who
celebrated anniversaries and what they mean to them, Pictures from the
original day, Musical instrument.