By Kundai Marunya

JABULA New Life Covenant Church is on a drive to change the general perception of churches, long perceived as vehicles of spiritual persecution, subjugation and willing accomplices in colonial dispossession of indigenes.
The church is one of the Pentecostal denominations boasting over 20 assemblies nationwide. It is on a drive to empower rural communities by modernising goat farming, working with experts in the sector.
Recently, the church’s leadership travelled to Mhondoro’s Mukarati Village where they conducted a goat farming workshop with members of their congregation and the community at large.

Sabhuku Mukarati also partipated in this workshop.
The third in the last three years, the workshop was facilitated by Goat Orders.
Part of the church’s development agenda in the area involves rural industrialisation, with long-term plans to establish a goat abattoir, engage in meat processing as well as tanning goat skins.
With the involvement of Goat Goolash, the holding company for Goat Orders, the community would have easy access to lucrative markets.
Missionaries and churches in general have a chequered history in Africa. They were the forerunners to colonial pillaging where vast African resources and minerals were carted to European metropols.
Most major Christian denominations which were complicit in the colonisation of Africa and subjugation of black people owe their vast wealth to looted resources.
The wealth has bought them power and influence, which in many instances has been used to further interfere in political affairs of sovereign nations.
Recently, concerned Government officials flagged the Zimbabwe Council of Churches for over-stepping its clerical boundaries by venturing into the political domain.
In the Bible Jesus Christ was shown to be kind, loving, nurturing and compassionate.
He helped the poor and needy, and healed the sick for free, unlike the greed evidenced today by those who claim to be Christians.
Many money-hungry clergymen are selling miracles, healing and deliverance while charging for ‘one-on-one’ meetings.
The intersection of faith and agriculture has long been a topic of discussion, particularly in communities that have faced historical challenges related to colonialism.
In this context, Jabula New Life Covenant Church emerges as a beacon of hope by promoting best practices in goat farming.
This initiative not only aims to improve agricultural productivity but also seeks to reshape the colonial Christian perceptions that have historically marginalised indigenous farming practices.
Colonialism brought with it a set of beliefs and practices that often undermined local traditions and knowledge systems.
In many African contexts, including regions where the church operates, colonial missionaries introduced Western agricultural methods while dismissing indigenous practices as inferior or primitive.
This alienated locals from traditional farming techniques that had sustained communities for generations.
The perception that Western methods were superior created a dependency on external aid and expertise, often resulting in the erosion of local knowledge systems.
Consequently, many communities struggled with food security and economic stability, as they were encouraged to abandon their traditional practices in favour of imported methodologies.
Jabula New Life Covenant Church recognises the importance of integrating faith with practical solutions for community development.
By focusing on goat farming — a practice deeply rooted in many African cultures — the church aims to empower communities through education and sustainable agricultural practices.
Best approaches to goat farming date back to biblical times where most of God’s ‘chosen people’ were shepherds, among them Jacob, Moses, Joseph and David.
As alluded to by Goat Orders founder Masimba Biriwasha while training Mukarati villagers, Solomon who is regarded as a wise man in the Bible wrote in the book of Proverbs 27:23-27:
“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
“When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
“You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.”
The church conducts workshops and training sessions on best practices in goat farming, covering topics such as breeding techniques, animal husbandry, nutrition and disease management.
These educational initiatives are designed to equip farmers with the knowledge needed to enhance productivity while respecting traditional methods.
The church fosters a sense of community among farmers by encouraging collaboration and sharing experiences.
This communal approach helps dismantle the individualistic mindset often promoted by colonial ideologies, reinforcing the value of collective effort in achieving agricultural success.
In this case, the Mukarati community identified a common challenge of how to keep their goats from destroying crops during the rainy season.
All this while, goats would be tethered to trees, confining them to a small grazing area.
“Goats are choice feeders, thus they like to run around and eat from different places,” explained Biriwasha.
“They are browsers, thus they like to feed off bushes, which cannot happen when they are tethered to a particular spot.
“Tethering goats is downright abuse which has been banned by other countries like Rwanda.”
A possible solution is building paddocks, something the community has committed to doing.
Instead of the usual donor approach where outsiders are paid to do all the work, the community will come up with materials available locally while the church will buy a fence-making machine.
“We do not want to create a dependency syndrome. So, we are not buying a fence for the community but rather the equipment and first batch of wire to use,” said Pastor Elliot Mandaza, who is Bishop Tudor Bismark’s number two.
“They have proved to be resourceful in the past. The church here was given land and built a temporary structure on their own.
“After our first goat training, they went on to acquire goats from Guruve and we linked them to the markets.
“If we get them this equipment, I’m sure they can even run a fence-making business for young church members who are jobless. This way, we will have paddocks for the community as well as employment for our young people.”
By promoting goat farming as a viable economic activity, the New Life Covenant helps families generate income through the sale of goats and goat products such as milk and cheese.
This economic empowerment is crucial in breaking the cycle of poverty that has persisted due to colonial legacies. It also complements President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Presidential Goat Scheme.
The church’s emphasis on goat farming serves as a means of reclaiming Zimbabwe’s cultural identity.
It recognises that not all cultures are evil and goats have been at the very centre of our culture, used in marriage ceremonies, at funerals, and other traditional ceremonies.
By valuing indigenous agricultural practices alongside modern techniques, the church encourages communities to take pride in their heritage while adapting to contemporary innovations.
As farmers become more self-sufficient through improved goat farming techniques, they begin to break free from dependency on external aid — an important step towards autonomy that counters historical narratives imposed by the colonial powers.
The focus on sustainable practices climate-proofs communities against the vagaries of economic and environmental challenges — further debunking the notion that only Western methods can provide solutions.
Jabula New Life Covenant Church’s commitment to teaching best practices in goat farming represents a transformative approach that addresses both agricultural needs and historical injustices stemming from colonialism.
By empowering individuals through education, fostering community engagement, promoting economic independence, and validating indigenous knowledge systems, the church is not only enhancing food security but also reshaping perceptions about Christianity’s role in African agriculture.