MALAWI: The Church needs to focus on Holistic Evangelization rather than playing complementary role to the Government
Rt. Rev. George Tambala, Bishop of Zomba
Rt. Rev. George Tambala, the Catholic Bishop of Zomba, has challenged the Church to focus more on holistic evangelization that would ensure rounded service to the people of God rather than playing complementary role to the government when it comes to social services.
“We have always talked about complementing government efforts, personally I think that we as the Church are not only there to complement what others are doing, we have a mission and we should look at the whole thing from the mission of the Church,” said Bishop Tambala in an interview with AMECEA Online News in Nairobi Kenya, where he had attended a Capacity Building Workshop for AMECEA Bishops on Management skills.
Bishop Tambala further clarified that he has no problem with the church complementing the government on development initiatives, however while doing so the mission of the Church should be in the forefront.
“It’s fine to complement, but it shouldn’t mean that we only remain at the level of complementing the government effort, by waiting and see what kind of space they can give us; this is not right, we have to be guided by the mission of the church which requires that we go flat out with the Gospel of Christ to evangelize through word and service and whatever comes in become part of the evangelization, whether we complement or not.”
Bishop Tambala who described his diocese as a potential bread basket of the country said that there is a lot of potential in the region that if well exploited could bring a lot of economic development not only to Zomba people but the whole country.
Tambala explained that Zomba has three areas of potentials, first is the highlands where there is potential for tourism at Zomba plateaus, a very unique and beautiful scenery. The second is Lake Chilwa, an inland land which has proved to be very good for a lot of things including rice farming. Already
“There are rice growing schemes which were introduced by the Taiwanese and the Chinese who came some years ago. The rice growing in Zomba can be a huge source of income if fully exploited,” he said adding that the third potential is the fertile lands along the banks of River Shire which needs to utilized.
So why is the economy not picking?
“The issue is very simple; the paralysis has to be set by our government but also at the same time there is need to increase education and make awareness of the available resources. If all the potentials are fully utilized, Zomba can be the bread basket of the country,” the Bishop said.
Zomba the former capital city of Malawi is situated in the Southern part of Malawi. According to Bishop Tambala, the diocese which has 15 parishes has a Catholic Population of 300,000 according to the latest statistics. The diocese like the majority of other areas in the country has numerous challenges which include poverty, discrimination against women, early marriages and cultural superstitions among others.
“We have an urgent need for new catechesis and new ways of catechising people because time have change and the scenario that was there forty years ago is not the same. We have young who because of the new technology need new approach to the pastoral care,” he explained.
The diocese is in the process of drafting a Strategic Pastoral Plan, which will be a pointer to the main priorities. It is expected to be launched in January 2017.
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
