Cleansing In African Americans

The interviews conducted indicated that a number of members of Mtendere Main Seventh-day Adventists still believe and practice African traditional beliefs. Many reasons for this problem include the fact that the people’s worldview was not impacted by biblical thought, failure by missionaries to address the traditional beliefs of the people, fear of taboos caused by the spirits of the dead, and failure to openly discuss traditional issues. Towards 1990s, many people joined the church, while certain fundamental assumptions, which are part of ATR, were not fully explained and addressed. This has resulted in a challenge to the mission of the church in the area. Mtendere Mission District comprises different ethnic groups. Traditional rituals

This brings an additional wife to the dead man’s brother and in recent times the practice is blamed for the spread of AIDS in the community. This is all in the bid to chase the spirits of the dead person in the family. Cleansing is setting free the widow/widower from the spirits of the late spouse. Cleansing has a connotation of cleaning up or setting free. Though there are many modes of cleansing, one idea is paramount in all. This is to drive away the spirit or ghost of the dead spouse from the widow/widower. There are many restrictions involving the widow/widower who is not cleansed. He or she cannot marry; greet people with a handshake, cook, or fight when provoked. The dressing also changes. This is common among women. The widow usually wears a headband or black dress. Black symbolizes misfortune according to Lenje speaking people. Sexual intercourse with the widow/widower who is not cleansed is forbidden. The widow/widower’s life is burdened with minute restrictions but these are more numerous for the widow than a widower. Of course, this helps the widow to have enough time to mourn the late spouse. For some time, the widow will not engage in domestic work or even going outside the house where the late spouse lived. She is not supposed to spend a night outside the house where they lived with the late husband. Sunset should always find her at the funeral

For a believer, death is like sleep. Those who die in Christ Jesus will resurrect to eternal life. Those who did not believe in Jesus will resurrect to eternal damnation because they are already judged (2 Cor. 5:10). Death is salvation language used by Jesus pointing to apocalyptic life eternal for the saints (Rev. 21:4-5). Physical death is not the end of a person who dies believing in Jesus (John 11:14). The person is asleep even though he is dead. Jesus used the imagery of death as sleep when He went to Lazarus’s home. He said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going to wake him up” (John 11:11). Death, which is referred as ‘sleep,’ can only be found in Christ Jesus for there is no other name under heaven among men by which we must be saved (Acts