Speech by Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) Secretary General Father Cleophas Lungu at the 3rd donation from C & S Ltd to ZCCB in response to the covid 19 pandemic

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SPEECH BY THE ZCCB SECRETARY GENERAL  AT THE HANDOVER CEREMONY OF THE 3RD DONATION FROM C&S INVESTMENTS LTD TO ZCCB IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

TUESDAY 6TH MAY 2020

To begin with, I wish to recognize the presence of the representatives of C&S Investments Ltd, the Rector of St. Dominic’s Major Seminary, the Catholic Secretariat Heads of Departments, the Clergy, Religious, our esteemed friends from the media, ladies and gentlemen.

This morning, we once more gather to receive another donation from our trusted and reliable friends, C&S Investments Ltd. We are glad to learn that some of the beneficiaries of the last donation from far off places like Nalwei in Mongu Diocese, Sichili in Livingstone Diocese and Kanyanga Hospital in Eastern Province were able to convey their gratitude directly to our local donor and cooperating partner, C&S Investments. I am a bearer of the message of gratitude coming from the Catholic Bishops and the Managing Agencies of several health facilities dotted around the country to the directors, management and staff of this good and generous company.

In the Book of Jeremiah, we read: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11). The words of Prophet Jeremiah are a clear testimony of what God desires for all his people. God wants nothing more than to see His people enjoy the fullness of life.

However, we all know that we are currently facing a global pandemic of the Coronavirus Disease and its devastating effects on the human race. Zambia, like any other nation, has equally found itself on the path of this storm. Indeed, the COVID-19 has landed on our land and is taking a hold while sending serious shivers into the already struggling economy that has little capacity to sustain the full impact of this highly contagious virus, should it get out of hand. Nonetheless, we believe in God who is a caring Father, the God who continues to save us from the many storms we meet in life.

However, God needs our cooperation as his people to ensure that his plan for a better future for us becomes a reality. Therefore, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) stands in solidarity with the government and the many other non-state actors in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, a fight that is aimed at protecting the lives and health of all people in our beloved nation. Once more, and on behalf of the Catholic Bishops in Zambia, I wish to exhort all Catholics and people of good will to religiously and judiciously follow the basic rules of hygiene, especially those of washing our hands with soap regularly and thoroughly; avoiding physical greeting and contact; observing social distancing; avoiding to touch our eyes, nose and mouth; avoiding to spit in public; covering our mouth and nose with a bent elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing; and wearing masks whenever we are in public.

At the same time, the Church continues to stand by its moral principle of preferential love and option for the poor, whose needs and rights are given special attention in God’s eyes. The poor, in the COVID-19 situation, are all those who are economically disadvantaged. In our work of integral evangelisation, we are called to reach out and minister to the families that have been affected through illness or death of their beloved ones. We are called to reach out and support financially and materially the families that have been affected through loss of income because of the reduced business and the inevitable slow-down in the economic activities during this pandemic. As Church, we cannot afford but hear the cry of the poor who often knock on the doors of our rectories and Churches. If and where possible, it is always the desire of the Church to support the vulnerable households with food as well as other basic necessities.Our concern in these challenging times is the plight of the sick, orphans, widows, street children and those who are hungry and are malnourished.

It is in that light, that we warmly welcome and gratefully receive the third batch of donated items from C&S Investments Ltd. This donation is extremely important because it reminds us that in our beloved nation, we still have individuals and companies that care about those who are less privileged. Through your donation, we see a visible and tangible expression of God’s love and mercy to our people who are suffering and need to be protected from being infected with the Coronavirus. Therefore, on behalf of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), I wish to once again, register and convey our most sincere and heartfelt thanks to C&S Investments Ltd for yet again making another donation, through the Catholic Church, to the needy in all parts of the country.

You may wish to know that the last consignment that you gave us benefited, among others, the following institutions, and communities:

1. Mother Theresa Hospice and Ng’ombe Home Based Care in Lusaka Archdiocese or Lusaka Province;
2. The OVC, Education and Livelihood Support Programme managed by the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) in Chawama – Lusaka;
3. Santa Maria Hospital in Chilubi of Kasama Archdiocese in Northern
Province;
4. Chinyingi HC in Solwezi Diocese or North-Western Province;
5. Sichili Mission Hospital, Sioma and Makunka RHCs in Livingstone Diocese;
6. Chilonga Mission Hospital of Mpika Diocese in Muchinga Province
7. St. Margaret’s Mission Hospital in Kasaba, Lubwe Mission Hospital in Samfya, and St. Paul’s Hospital in Kashikishi – all these being health facilities of Mansa Diocese or Luapula Province;
8. Mangango Hospital, Nalwei and Sitaka RHCs of Mongu Diocese in Western Province;
9. Mtendere and Chikuni Hospitals as well as Chivuna RHC of Monze Diocese in Southern Province;
10. Kaparu RHC of Kabwe Diocese in Central Province;
11. Kanyanga Hospital in Lundazi and Minga Hospital in Petauke of Chipata
Diocese in Eastern Province; as well as
12. St. Anthony and Ipafu HC in Ndola Diocese – Copperbelt Province.
The above is just a sample of the many health and social welfare institutions that benefited from your valuable donation. The list demonstrates a nationwide coverage without segregation based on gender, tribe, creed, or political affiliation.

In addition, you may wish to know that the items in the third donation will go to, among others, the following facilities and communities:
1) City of Hope Open School in Makeni where the Salesian Sisters are keeping a number of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children;
2) St. Lawrence Home of Hope in Misisi Compound in Lusaka where the Missionaries of Africa are taking care of many Street Children and helping to re-integrate them with their families and communities;
3) Providence Home run by the Little Servants of the Divine Providence who are taking care of children living with disabilities in Lusaka West;
4) A number of Feeding Programs under the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) which provide nutritional support to school-going children from vulnerable households; and
5) Support towards a number of Catholic Health Facilities that are taking care of our ailing brothers and sisters in rural and hard to reach places across the country.

The Church cares because God cares. As we read in the Scriptures, “God makes sure that orphans and widows are treated fairly” (Deuteronomy 10:18). With the continued support from C&S Investments and other like-minded institutions, the Church commits itself to put emphasis on supporting and empowering the poor and vulnerable families in the community with food, washing detergents and sanitisers.

Once more, we would like to express our deep compassion for the victims of
COVID-19 and all who, in one way or another, are affected by this vicious disease.
We assure them of our closeness, prayers and moral support. Further, the Bishops’ Conference wishes to applaud the faith, courage and resilience of the doctors, nurses and support staff in the frontline. Again, we assure them of our prayers and continued pastoral care. Once more, we call upon government to prioritize their safety.

In the face of the untold suffering and misery brought about by this pandemic we would like to proclaim a message of hope: the global pandemic of the Coronavirus Disease is a challenge to all of us; a challenge to join hands and reach out to our sisters and brothers who are sick and quarantined as well as those who have lost their beloved ones. The Church’s capacity to continue responding to this challenge will depend on the availability of human, material and financial resources. Through our health facilities, we can respond to the needs of the sick. For those who need humanitarian aid such as food, social cash transfer and so on, our Caritas structures are available to respond. That is why we continue making this appeal for contributions from you, especially our Catholic faithful. Any form of contribution will go to the ZCCB COVID-19 Fund. Financial contributions to this Fund can be made to ZEC Lenten Fund, Account Number: 0251000936, located at Citi Bank.

Lastly, in the Marian month of May, let us all pray that the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Sorrows and the Helper of all Christians, may intercede for us as we fight and conquer the Coronavirus Disease.

May God bless you all. I thank you!

Fr. Cleophas Lungu
Secretary General
ZAMBIA CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS (ZCCB)