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	Zambia: Repair the Damage to Clergy's Image The Times of Zambia August 4, 2008 http://allafrica.com/stories/200808040715.html CHURCES involved in child welfare should reflect on the advice given by Dayspring Worship Centre Pastor, Joseph Mwila over the Government's loss of confidence in them. There is no doubt that the bad deeds of some members of the clergy running orphanages have seriously dented the image of most of the people involved in the welfare of children. In certain instances, the people caring for kids have collected huge amounts of money in the name of supporting vulnerable children but used the financial support for selfish interests. Some members of the clergy running orphanages have been implicated in child trafficking scandals, where the kids seeking to have joy have ended up as sex slaves under sophisticated cartels. Others who volunteered to care for such kids have not only squandered the finances thereby denying the children a descent livelihood, but gone as afar as abusing them. This is unacceptable. These cannot be the deeds of the true church. The truth is that false prophets have invaded the Church and are using its name to champion their wicked desires, including the sexual abuse of children who are in need of help. One way that the churches can restore confidence is to work closely with the Government and ensure that all the wrong-doers are exposed, and committed people are left to genuinely care for the children. The genuine clergy obviously know themselves and it should not be a big problem to identify those pretending to be men of God when their agenda points to something else. By exposing such people, the Church will not only mend its image but protect the children. That way, society will be made to appreciate the real clergy who can be entrusted with the task of caring for children without taking advantage of the kids' desperate situation. It will neither help the Church nor the kids that they are supposed to help if people coming with ulterior motives are allowed to operate simply because they claim they are there to help. We therefore find the words of Pastor Mwila a good starting point to redeem the image of the local church in this regard. Churches have always been the last bastion of joy for the disadvantaged and that should continue to be so. Of course, it may take time to restore the lost confidence but by openly talking about the past mistakes and beginning programmes to repair the damage, people will slowly regain the hope they previously had in the Church.
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