Man of God, Reverend Trust Marumure during baptism ceremony
Stephen Chadenga
It is 6am on a Monday and David Mushangwe, a mine worker at Tebekwe Mine in Shurugwi dashes to the cage with other employees underground on their journey to convey gold ore more than 300 metres below the surface.
A regular alcoholic Mushangwe feels the pinch of beer hangover during hard work routines like these.
But the recent Easter holidays was a different hymn book song for Mushangwe and his colleagues. Thanks to the efforts and support of River Valley Group of Companies-the parent company of Tebekwe Mine- Mushangwe and 86 core-workers at the mine came from the hard ground rocks to breathe a new life of Christianity after they got baptized at the Brethren in Christ (BIC) Church, Mkoba South branch.
River Valley Group chief executive officer, Ambassador Smelly Dube said the baptism of 87 Tebekwe Mine workers was a testimony that the company not only valued the economic well-being of its employees but that of their spiritual upliftment and christian way of living.
“I and my husband and River Valley Group chairman, Engineer Mncedisi Dube often discussed the need to encourage our workers to turn to Christianity so that they and their families could have meaningful and fulfilled lives,”she said.
“So the baptism of these workers is special to us as it is a culmination of our efforts at Tebekwe Mine, where we hold regular Sunday services and invite pastors to preach.”
Ambassador Dube said since several of the employees had embraced Christ, the mine has witnessed a remarkable change in the work ethic among the workers.
“Some of the young men used to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana and this affected work performance,”Ambas Dube said.
“It is quite encouraging to see such a positive transformation and we are happy that we are in line with his Excellency President Mnangagwa’s call of leaving no-one and no place behind as we work towards the achievement of an empowered and prosperous, upper middle income society by 2030.”
The church’s Mkoba South leader, Reverend Trust Marumure weighed in and said the baptism ceremony sympolised God’s great works in the lives of people.
“This is a historic moment for us,”Reverend Marumure said.
“Together with the Shurugwi branch we have baptized more than 90 people in one service. Surely this is a sign of God’s great work.”
Mushangwe said he has since turned away from alcohol noting that it was not only destroying his health and mental well being but the way he approached life in general.
“You know you reach a point where you feel you are an alcoholic and it affects everything, from your health and attitude to work,”he said.
“After l got baptized at the Brethren in Christ Church l felt a new a lease of life and relief from a life of excessive drinking.”
Another worker, Innocent Rupondo commended River Valley Group for giving him not only a job opportunity but transforming his life and that of his family.
“This experience strengthened my faith in God,”Rupondo said.
Isaiah Kapedzi said the baptism was a “sign of true repentance in the way we lived our lives.”
More than 200 Brethren in Christ Church congregants who were treated to breakfast and lunch through River Valley’s charitable arm, S&M Hand of Compassion during the baptism of the Tebekwe employees unanimously told this publication that the event was the first of its kind in the history of the church and the country.