Editor,

RE: "Do you believe in miracles?” (The New Times, April 21). Ms Donah Mbabazi, can you explain what you mean by "with all the mushrooming fake pastors, fake churches and specialists in miracle making across the world”? Don’t you think this statement devalues the new pastors and new churches?

Fidele Nizeyimana*************************

Why should Ms. Mbabazi apologise? Aren’t those churches fake? When I grew up, I used to hear the following saying: The missionaries came to Africa and asked us to close our eyes and pray but when we opened our eyes again, our countries (land) had already been captured by their colonial partners.

Today, the leaders of those "sole proprietorship financial institutions” masquerading as churches to facilitate looting the followers are no different. They tell their followers to close their eyes, donate to the fake churches and when they open their eyes, the so-called apostle is already driving an SUV while the followers’ children are slowly sinking into malnutrition.

When I was a young boy in the sixties, we used to hear about Jesus’ apostles. But now some Rwandans and other African leaders of those churches are calling themselves apostles. Don’t you think that is fake and everything they represent is fake?

Semugeshi

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When it comes to faith, it is a personal matter. As a person, I believe very strongly in miracles. I believe that miracles come as a result of my faith in God, but not a pastor or priest. Miracles happen in our lives every day but we never notice them depending on our relationship with God.

A miracle can happen to anyone in any place and at anytime. Miracles do not only happen in church. It can occur at home, in a plane or even on the road. It is a matter of faith. I, on the other hand, do not trust pastors who advertise miracles because miracles are never predicted and can as such not be predetermined by a human being. Miracles are a result of faith and prayer and happen in different ways to different people.

Patrick Ochwo