APM turns to God for rains
President Peter Mutharika will on January 9 lead Malawians in an interdenominational service of worship for rains which have eluded many parts of the country in the past two weeks, raising fears of a food shortage.
Confirming the event, presidential adviser on religious affairs Apostle Timothy Khoviwa said in an interview yesterday that the prayers will also give thanks for the just ended year.
“The prayers will be held at Bicc [Bingu International Conference Centre] under the theme Dedicating Ourselves to God for Seeking Peace and National Development,” he said.
Further, Khoviwa said the prayers will also ask God for good harvest while seeking from Him guidance in 2016.
He said: “We have invited pastors, leaders from different churches and mosques. We want to pray to God for all that He has done and will do. This is also an opportunity for interaction among the different faith groups.”
The prayers have come after the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services described the dry spells as worrisome for farmers as they have now lasted two weeks.
The department’s head of public weather services and spokesperson Ellina Kululanga said El Nino seasons bring dryness in the southern block of Africa and wetness in the eastern part of Africa.
“Malawi lying on the peripheral of the east and southern Africa, the Southern Region would continue to experience dry spells while the Northern Region and some parts of Central would receive normal rainfall because of proximity to the eastern part,” she said.
On Monday, some agricultural development divisions (ADDs) The Nation talked to, revealed that some districts such as Chikwawa and Chiradzulu show that the country should brace for another sharp drop in agriculture output in 2016 after the 30 percent slump in the 2015 season largely due to floods and drought. n
‘Plant a Tree’ By Kristof Nordin
Imagine the type of world we could see
If instead of saying ‘pray,’ we said, ‘plant a tree’.
With this one little change so much more could be done
To protect all living things found under the sun.
We could ‘plant a tree’ for our troops sent away into war
So when they return they’d come home to find more.
We could ‘plant a tree’ at our churches with our husband or wife
To praise the Creator through a celebration of life.
We could ‘plant a tree’ for the needy and for those with no food
We could even plant in public without seeming rude.
The government would not have to introduce rules,
And most likely we could ‘plant a tree’ at our schools.
If we took it to task to ‘plant trees’ for the poorest,
We would all soon be reaping the wealth of a forest.
We could plant freely with those of all religions and creeds,
The improvement of earth would be based on these deeds.
We could plant with our neighbours, our family, and friends,
And ‘plant a tree’ with our enemies to help make amends.
If we ‘plant a tree’ for the sick to show them we care,
We would also be healing the soil, water, and air.
We could ‘plant a tree’ to observe when two people wed,
And plant one with our kids each night before bed.
Throughout the history of the whole human race
We find respect for the ‘tree’ has always had a place.
The great Ash of the Norse was their tree of the World,
And on a tree in the Garden is where the serpent once curled.
It was in groves of Oaks that the Druid priests wandered,
And under the Bodhi where the great Buddha pondered.
In the Bible it’s clear that we have all that we need:
‘All the trees with their fruits and plants yielding seed’.
Despite all these lessons that the past has taught
Now days, it seems, we cut our trees without thought.
This is confirmed by the Koran, for in it we read:
‘Many are the marvels of earth, yet we pay them no heed’.
We all have a duty, no matter what nation
To perform our part in protecting Creation.
Just think what we’d have if we had picked up a spade
Every time each one of us bowed our heads and prayed.