The white garments flutter as the summer breeze passes by or maybe it’s just a little teaser from Cyclone Dineo, whose arrival we have all been waiting for. I guess she felt pity for Harare, we would not survive her anyway. The drainage in the area I stay in, leaves a lot to be desired. There would be massive flooding with the occasional poo-laden diaper bobbing on the water surface. Yikes! Dineo better calm down and the Mapostori should pray for it to stop. After all, I have been sitting in hot sun for two hours now and I haven’t seen a show of their power.
I have been watching too much Nat Geo Wild recently and its fascinating how lions hunt. These cats aim for the weakest members of a herd of animals. However most grazers always have their little ones at the center of the herd of safety purposes. They can defend their kids when attacked at any moment. How that even links with the story im telling today is somewhat a mystery, but let me untangle this for you. Let me explain!
If you have ever been to a Mapostori shrine you will know what I’m talking about. If you have never been there, sacrifice a Sunday afternoon of sun-tanning at a nearby shrine. These guys are masters of manipulation, these are the real lions. Forget Simba and fighting Scar for his throne, these guys open their own church rather than fight the leadership. I was currently sitting amongst congregants of a breakaway church which seemed to be fairing well considering the numbers they were commanding.
The men sit facing the women and the middle ground is where the preaching and demon ‘exorcisms’ occur. The older man sit right in the front of all men, and the rows descend by age as we go to the back. However the women have a different system. The most beautiful girl of marriage age are forced to be ‘vaimbiri’ (singers) and these sit in the front. They face the older men throughout the whole service and mind you, this is the cream of the church. Let’s stop there.
Any guy can just stand up and say that he dreamt that a certain maiden was his wife and the church elders will right away give him her as a wife. You don’t need to take someone to Ster Kinekor or waste money on Valentine’s. all you have to do is dream and the girl is yours. The women have no choice but to comply, love is a sin. Only God joins people around here!
Go back to my hunting lions story and put two and two together. The predators who come in the name of Christ. Those who prey on women’s low self esteem and being told that they are nothing. Shame. Ndikoko! My mom has been coming to this church for a while now and it is in my best interests that she does not dream of me and a girl from that church. After all, I have one who calls me ‘Daddy’ already!
