The Rev. Dr. Roderick Hewitt, Moderator of the Council for World Mission (CWM), yesterday delivered a powerful message of hope for Zimbabwe and of challenge to the church.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day ecumenical summit on Zimbabwe hosted by CWM - in cooperation with the South African Council of Churches, the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa and the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa - Dr. Hewitt said: "To our sisters and brothers in Zimbabwe, there is a word from the Lord. The drought is ending. Rain is coming again. We know that this is a regime that is against truth, but let those who have ears listen to what the Lord is saying."

Dr. Hewitt, a leader of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, began his sermon with Bob Marley's reggae classic, "Zimbabwe", which featured prominently at Zimbabwe's independence celebrations in 1980. He remarked that the injustices of contemporary Zimbabwe must be causing the late singer to "turn in his grave". "If Bob Marley were singing in Harare today, he would have to change the song's chorus to 'Brother you're wrong, you're wrong, you're SO wrong!'"

Hewitt said that former President Robert Mugabe had become "addicted to power". He likened the octogenarian's unyielding grasp on power to the dysfunctional administration of King Ahab, whose story is recounted in the Bible (1 Kings 18). "The failed leadership of Ahab and Jezebel had brought the country to its knees; the people were enslaved by one who claimed to be their leader," Dr. Hewitt observed.

Into this situation, God sent the prophet Elijah to expose Ahab's misrule and waywardness. "Just as Ahab did, the Zimbabwe regime has encountered its own worst nightmare," warned Dr. Hewitt. "A day of accountability is coming."

Hewitt's words of hope and encouragement to the people of Zimbabwe were coupled with a challenge to the church to speak the truth bravely in the face of power. "The churches spoke out against the abuses of the Ian Smith regime. We spoke out against the Lancaster House agreement and Britain's attempts to impose a settlement that put settlers' interests first. We must now, in the same voice, speak out against what we see happening in Zimbabwe today."

The summit brings together church and community leaders from around the region to share their experiences and to identify practical ways in which churches can demonstrate solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe. The meeting also involves extensive theological reflection as delegates explore ways in which faith can motivate and sustain courageous action, even in the midst of fear and intimidation.

For more information, contact: Douglas Tilton (082 079 0520)