Easter Rally

Each year all of the Baptists from all over Botswana gather together on Easter weekend in a big open field filled with tents and now a temporary shelter to worship together. I think this was one of my favorite Easters of all time. Just hanging out with our brothers and sisters in Christ and worshipping our risen Savior was so much fun.

Daren Davis, a fellow missionary, was the main speaker and did a great job!

During the worship services we all gathered together, but during breakout sessions during the day the children all got together and sang, learned bible verses, heard the Easter story and played games.

Breakout Sessions

Above: Choir singing “He Arose” or in Setswana “A Tsoga”

Below: Children singing “Hosanna” and doing their bible verses

Sometimes people ask us if we really like living in Botswana and doing what we do. I urge you to watch the video below. Worship here is truly worshipping our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and is so much FUN!

Worship is fun!!

Children’s Friday Ministry

We have been working with the children from Gaborone Baptist Church for almost 4 years now doing a Friday after school children’s ministry. The kids come in and we play games together, sing songs, learn bible verses, teach them a bible story, do a craft, and feed them a snack. We have seen many of these children come to know the Lord and are so thankful for them.

We ask that you pray for more nationals to join alongside of us as the children continue to grow in number. Pray for these sweet children that they would be open and receptive to the gospel and that many of their families would hear the gospel through them and come to church.

Kinsey is a volunteer here from the States for 3 months. She has been such an amazing help with the kids and they love her so much as you can see from the pictures!

We would love for you and your church to pray about coming and doing a week long VBS with these kids!

School Play

Taylor had her 1st school play this week. It was entitled “Thornhill on Broadway” and featured many Broadway songs. Taylor’s class were the orphans from “Annie”. They had a lot of fun singing “It’s a Hard Knock Life” and “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow”

Above: Taylor with her teacher-Ms. Bellars

Molepolole Baptist Care Center

Two weeks ago, the Molepolole Baptist Care Center had its official opening. The Care Center is the second of its kind to be opened here through the local Baptist churches here in Botswana to help poor and vulnerable children who have lost either one or both parents most likely due to AIDS. Botswana has one of the highest AIDS infection rates of any country in the world leaving about 20% of children as orphans. Most often though, these children are placed in the care of an extended family member like a grandparent or aunt/uncle, but they are often seen as a burden and not cared for properly. The Molepolole Care Center and it predecessor the Lobatse Orphan Care Center bring children in after school and help them with their schoolwork, read to them, feed them, invest in them spiritually through bible stories and songs. The children are chosen by a social worker so as there is not jealousy throughout the community as to why children are chosen…these children are “the least of these”.

One little girl has AIDS that was passed down from a parent and she has already had a heart attach due to the fact she was taking her ARVs (medicine for AIDS) but did not have any food to eat to go with it and her heart could not take it. Now she gets to come 5 days a week and receive a hot meal at least once a day and has a better quality of life with the ARVs but she will never get rid of this horrible infection her parents gave her…BUT her hope now is in Jesus Christ!

Both Lobatse Baptist Church and Molepolole Baptist Church did not have the capabilities through their tithe to sustain these 2 care centers, but they stepped out in faith knowing the Lord would provide for them. They have learned to make materials to sell such as head bands made by local scrap materials donated from shops and coffee cozies and scarfs hand knitted from donated yarn. It’s amazing to see the Lord provide and the ladies trust in the Lord for their every need.

 

Above: Rachel is one of the two girls who has helped start this second orphan care center. They now have two national ladies working full time with them who will take over when they leave later this year.

Above: Washing hands before the celebration mea

Above: The Molepolole Care Center staff and children. They will start with 9 children (2 not pictured) and will grow as time goes by.

We ask that you pray for the children and the workers at the Molepolole Care Center! If you want to purchase any of the materials made by the ladies working at the care centers you can go to http://reclaimedproject.org/.