Regular Sunday services at home have helped Nontuthuko Ngubane and her family cope with the ‘demon disease’
Our home has turned into a church.
The banning of events, and gatherings – cultural and spiritual – has meant a family tradition and a way of life we have known for years had to change.
We would no longer be going to church on Sundays.
Well, not according to my dad.
Our home has become a church during lockdown.
As a journalist who has been working all day on Sundays ever since I started the nightshift, I thought it would be easy for me.
But, it was not.
All of the sudden, it became very hard to get used to not being allowed to go to church.
Hard
For my dad, it’s been the hardest time.
For most of his life, Sunday’s routine has been the same: get the bread and newspapers in the morning; have breakfast; go to church; and then family time.
In that order.
Family time for us means we sit in the dining room after dinner and our parents talk to us about anything and everything.
From the time they first met each other, to their wedding, to us being born. It might be current affairs, or we talk about love relationships, education, sex and even money.
It is a blessing to have parents who you can talk to about almost anything.
Struggle
Let’s go back to how our home became a church.
My dad, a retired principal, really struggled with why church services were banned. He even called the Coronavirus a demonic disease.
My dad soon came up with a strategy that would allow us to enjoy our Sunday in church.
The first challenge was Easter weekend.
For my family, for as long as I can remember this has been a special time when we would join our United National Church (Lutheran) congregation.
It is the time when we praise God, pray and be in the company of those we now call our family, the members of the church.
Family
My dad, a born again Christian, asked us what was stopping us from having a church in our family.
Now, ever since that Easter weekend, we have been having church in our living room every Sunday.
We get up and get dressed up in our best, just like we are going to church.
At 10am, church starts.
My dad will do the reading of the word, my mother will pray. We all sing and praise God.
At the end we all give our thanksgiving (tithe). This has also allowed me to go to church on Sundays, something I haven’t been doing for the longest time.
This has been one good thing to have come out of the pandemic.
I really needed to strengthen my relationship with God; I needed to pray regularly; and my relationship with God needed to be revised. Prayers have motivated me.
During this testing time, everyone needs to do whatever will help them.
For our family, praying regularly has been a way for us to cope during lockdown.
Until I write again, wash your hands and stay home.
Now read… Lock down: Fringe issue causes plenty dis-tress
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