CHURCH MEMBERS TOLD TO DRINK MORE BOOZE

MATSAMO – Imagine a church with more cups of beer than Bibles.

This was the situation yesterday at Cabula Church, where at least 250 litres of alcohol was consumed during their  annual festival. The day was characterised by prayer, sermons, alcohol consumption and food as the members believe that one should not ‘drink on an empty stomach’. The church, though not yet registered, promotes the consumption of alcohol and during sermons, the beverage is served. Yesterday, the church commemorated ‘Donkey Day’, where they recognised the significance of a donkey in the biblical context. Though donkeys are often associated with stubbornness, at Cabula Church, they are considered very submissive animals.

Church services

Yesterday, at least about 100 members gathered under a tree where they usually meet for church services. The church’s head, Bishop Gamane Dlamini, said this is the fourth year since the church was established. He said every year, the number of members increase and he is confident that more people would join. However, unlike most churches, which have Sunday school for children, Dlamini’s church does not have. He said children are not allowed at the church because of government regulations. He said whenever he preaches a sermon, he encourages parents to take the message to their children instead of bringing them for worship.

Just like any other church, Cabula Church also has lead worshippers, elders and a section of youth, but the difference is that for every session, there are buckets of alcohol, mainly umqombotsi as well as  buganu. Any alcoholic beverage is allowed as some of the members enjoy some Black Label beer. Gamane  revealed that members were served with 150 litres of umqombotsi as well as 100 litres of buganu. Additionally, there were also 25 litres of emahewu, which though also contains alcohol, the volume is extremely low to be classified as a controlled alcoholic beverage.

Interestingly, members were treated to a special kind of buganu. Normally, the alcoholic beverage is made from the marula fruit by extracting the juices and then leaving it to ferment naturally. However, Cabula Church members do not ferment alcoholic beverages in the open instead, they use a form of dugout fermentation formula. This requires that the juices be fermented by digging a hole and then burying the containers for several months. The process creates a punchy and more alcoholic drink. Addressing members of the church Dlamini urged them to always promote peace throughout the country as this was what even His Majesty the King preached about. He said when there was peace in the country, it would be conducive for development.

He also reminded worshippers not to just promote peace when they were in public, but do so even in their homes. Since the event was held under a tree, the pastor was also asked when he would be building a church structure. Dlamini said they did not need a church structure because even Jesus did not have one. He said worshipping under a tree was enough for them.
Meanwhile, Dlamini also revealed that the reason he used alcohol was because his calling was to preach the gospel in bars. He said he normally find the church members at bars and then invite them to his church.

One of the elders, Mayeye Malambe also shared some verses and a brief sermon. Though he was visibly not sober, Malambe was able to recall some verses, he shared from the 1st book of Timothy, in which the church at the time was advised not to drink only water but also some wine. Malambe told worshippers that there was nothing wrong with imbibing alcohol as long as it did not cause one to do something wrong. Also, he told the members that they should not be so mindful of what others drink. “Don’t judge people who do not drink alcohol,” he said.

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