But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.—Isaiah 40:31
If analysts bemoaned the year 2020 as bad due to Covid-19 pandemic, the year 2021 is the crescendo of all things gone bad, terribly bad.
After 200 years, in 2021, United States (US) democracy came under threat and appears to be unravelling as daily re-evaluations are made, unearthed, or revelations blurted out that a losing political side attempts to cement the certainty of never losing again. So, the party that lost is doing exactly the same crime it is accusing its opponent: stealing all future elections.
Across the Atlantic, the House of Windsor is hemorrhaging its royal members and appears to be going out of order: one prince allegedly had affairs in a sex scandal involving the accused US paedophile that committed suicide.
The Brits inadvertently loosened their guard on racist rhetoric. In South Africa, police detained Malawi’s presidential jet for hours, claiming to be searching for South Africa-based Prophet Shepherd Bushiri.
Comparing the two years of the 2020’s, they were definitely two sides of a bad global record, hewn from the same fabric. Apart from people dying from Covid-19, disease, accidents, and old age, there were road incidents that were bad and pretty ugly.
In the year, we also lost great men and women. On the international scene we lost David Yonggi Cho, TB Joshua, the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Congressman John Lewis, former vice-president Walter Mondale, former Tanzania president John Pombe Magufuli, Cecily Tyson, rapper DMX, news caster Larry King and most recently, Desmond Tutu, among others.
Locally, we lost former vice-president Justin Malewezi, former minister of Transport Sidik Mia, former minister of Local Government Lingson Belekanyama, former member of Parliament Cornelius Mwalwanda, journalists Felix Mponda, Maria Chidzanja Nkhoma and Reverend Patrick Semphere, photojournalist James Chimpweya, musician Wambali Mkandawire, human rights activist Rafik Hajat, late Aleke Banda’s wife Mbumba Banda Snr., former Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo, his wife and brother Mbuya, among others.
In terrible circumstances we lost former deputy speaker Clement Chiwaya who shot himself inside Parliament building in Lilongwe. While a terrorist killed 28-year-old Malawian soldier Chitenji Kamanga, who was part of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Kigali, Rwanda.
In summary, there are six downright ugly events that still reel me with bad-taste-in-mouth feeling all round.
• On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol Building that houses both the Senate and House of Representatives. The mob’s intention was to stop the work of Congress.
• US and western countries wore their true colours on their sleeves as they rushed to issue travel bans on southern African countries due to Omicron variant which was first reported by SA scientists. The ban has left an indelible blemish on north-south race relations.
• Another indelible mark is the stain on the British monarchy and its subjects. The Duke and Duchess of Essex, Meghan Markel and Prince Harry left the monarchy.
• The UK has a luxury the US does not have, although it is aspiring to by change State voting laws to favour one party. To the US, you are becoming like Animal Farm by the day. Stop this please!
• The treatment by South African authorities of Malawian-born Prophet Bushiri is a shame to the intolerance that is flouncing in Christian corridors.
• Covid-19 pandemic: Sickness will wither, prosperity will chase all nations, shame will depart, as nations overcome and rise above the challenges of 2021, especially Covid-19.
Let me end by saying that in the New Year, may we look beyond the troubles. May we know that Jesus wants to fill His joy to every person. Happy New Year!
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