May grace and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ be yours in abundance.
Our hope for worshiping God in peace is being crushed right before our very eyes and it seems the authorities don't care about our religious freedom.
At the end of last year I wrote a letter of complaint to the police about the unfair treatment I experienced from the police. Our joint retreat with clergy from the Diocese of Manicaland from the 2nd – 6th January 2012 at Peterhouse was stopped by the police who told us to disperse because we did not have police clearance to hold the retreat (The laws of the land do not require us to seek police clearance to gather for worship).
Fortunately we found an alternative venue in Harare to finish our retreat.
Today the 13th January 2012, clergy wives of our diocese were due to start their retreat at the Jamaica Inn not far from Harare along the Mutare Road. They have been informed this morning by the lady running the Centre that they can no longer have their retreat there.
She claims that she was visited by members of the CIO last night who instructed her to cancel our women's booking. She was distraught and in great fear she told our women what had happened and that they could no longer use the Centre. We are yet to establish whether the people claiming to be CIO were genuine or not.
The women are frantically looking for an alternative venue as I write this email. We continue to ask why the police and other security agents are being used for this evil purpose. This harassment must stop. I believe God's message to
those persecuting us is, "Let my people worship in peace!" Please continue to pray for us,
In the Lord's Service, +Chad.
The Rt. Rev'd Dr. Chad N. Gandiya
Anglican Diocese of Harare CPCA
Post published in: Letters to the Editor