Zambia, in south-central Africa, is the continent's biggest
copper producer and home to the Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural
Wonders of the World.
The area was colonised in the 1800s and ruled by Britain as
Northern Rhodesia until 1964, when it made a peaceful transition to
independence.
People:
Nationality: Zambian(s).
Population: 14 million.
Ethnic groups: More than 70 ethnic groups. Main tribes are the Lozi, the Bemba, the Ngoni, the Tonga, the Luda, the Luvale and the Kaonde.
Religions: Christianity; Christianity with traditional African beliefs; Hinduism; Islam; traditional African beliefs. Indigenous beliefs, Muslim, Hindu.
Languages: English (official), about 70 local languages and dialects,
Nationality: Zambian(s).
Population: 14 million.
Ethnic groups: More than 70 ethnic groups. Main tribes are the Lozi, the Bemba, the Ngoni, the Tonga, the Luda, the Luvale and the Kaonde.
Religions: Christianity; Christianity with traditional African beliefs; Hinduism; Islam; traditional African beliefs. Indigenous beliefs, Muslim, Hindu.
Languages: English (official), about 70 local languages and dialects,
A variety of
overlapping terms exist for these forms of Christianity: African initiated
churches, African independent churches, African indigenous churches and African
instituted churches. The abbreviation AIC covers them all.
The differences in
names correspond to the aspect that a researcher wishes to emphasise. Those who
wish to point out that AICs exhibit African cultural forms, describe them as
"indigenous," and so on. These terms have largely been imposed upon
such groups, and may not be the way they would describe themselves.
Some scholars
argue that independent churches or religious movements demonstrate partial
integration between aspects of Christian belief and African traditional religion. Often
these churches have resulted from a process of acculturation between traditional African beliefs and Protestant Christianity, and have split from their parent
churches.The charge of
syncretism suggests an 'impure' and superficial form of Christianity used to
maintain older cultural practices and beliefs.
The belief in Zambia is that body parts can be used to
perform sacrifice which can fortify people spiritually or bring good luck and
success. People harvest these body parts which are sold or sent to local
medicine men who use them to perform rituals. The sale of body parts for ritual
sacrifice accounts for the thriving market in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, etc.
Unfortunately many Zambians have not bothered to ask : Can
ritual sacrifice really make one rich? Under what conditions will human -
albino and non-albino body parts-lips, tongues, genitals and other organs
- transform into good fortune – in business and politics? It is not enough
to believe that something is so and so. It is necessary to seek evidence for
such claims particularly in a situation where such claims can lead people to
commit atrocious acts. This is what people across Zambia and Africa need to do.
Zambians should begin to question the whole idea of getting rich or winning
elections through ritual sacrifice . For instance if these sacrifices were
potent as often claimed, why are the local medicine men and women not rich? Why
are they not the ones who win during elections? Why are they not the owners of
big companies and businesses in Zambia?
Prayer Points:
Ezra 10:10-11
Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to
them, "You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to
the guilt of Israel. "Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of
your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the
land and from the foreign wives."
Psalms 104:30
- You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the ground.
- The true gospel needs to be preached in Zambia in every province. Mathew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-19. May the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ shine brighter and brighter over Zambia.
- Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.
- 'For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants; And they will spring up among the grass Like poplars by streams of water.'
- "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground I" Dear Lord may the of people turned to the word, and searched there and found the promise, and fed upon it, as one that findeth great spoil have we rejoiced in God's word.
- Whenever they come to the Lord Jesus Christ, may they drink and be refreshed. No thirst can abide where he is. "He that drinketh of the water that I shall give him," saith he, "shall never thirst." Glory be to his name, we know the truth of this—
