"Lord, help us find our family members – dead or alive, because it has been too long and we need closure." This was the desperate prayer of the families of people who had gone missing over the years, pleading for divine intervention in the search for their loved ones.
Concerned residents from the Vhulaudzi area approached their local Pastors Forum after four people (including children) went missing without a trace over the past few weeks. In response, the Vhulaudzi Pastors' Forum decided to hold a prayer session at the Radzilani Community Hall on Sunday, 28 August.
Johannes Denga of Tshitavha went missing on 2 January 2011; Suzan Mabala of Phadzima on 17 April 2017; Pfanelo Mathaga of Pfananani B has been missing since 16 June 2022 and David Mutuwafethu of Phadzima Dzumbathoho since 16 August 2022.
Cllr Edwin Mulefu said that the purpose of the prayer session was to support the families who were going through a hard time. "We as a community have done everything in our power to try to assist these families, but to no avail. Then we realised that there was one thing we had not done yet, and that was talking to our Almighty God," he said.
The local civic chairperson, Mr Joseph Mulaudzi, said they were fed-up with the continued spiralling of crime in their locality. "We need to stand up as a community and speak out against these heinous crimes, including the abduction of people. We have to make this area a no-go area for criminals and human trafficking in particular, so that they will not have anywhere to hide. We have held several protests and have written a number of letters to both the police and the Department of Justice, but so far it hasn't helped. We know that things will be fine if we consult our Saviour," said Mulaudzi.
A representative of the Pastors' Forum, Pastor Andries Thukhutha, said that the families' problems were everyone's problem. "We will continue to pray for the families and their lost loved ones, so that they can be found," he said.