04 Jun 2018

Former President, Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has applauded Gaborone Assembly of God for having managed to build a new ‘magnificent sanctuary’ amid financial difficulties.

Officiating at the opening of the 800-seat capacity building in Gaborone, Lt Gen. Dr Khama acknowledged that members of the church committed themselves to raising funds to construct the building, which had so far gobbled over P15 million.   

He noted that the church had a positive history in the country as it had undertaken community initiative projects as well as building its own Bible College to train its priests.

He said when the Gaborone branch started, it used to congregate under a Motlopi tree, which today is still standing, until they built a hall, which had been extended three times, before deciding to construct the present structure.  

He thanked the church leadership under the stewardship of Bishop Dr Raphael Habibo for having taken the bold initiative of constructing the structure though there were some finishing touches lagging behind.

He thus offered to contribute P25 000 for the remaining work as requested by project manager, Mr Oral Mosedame earlier on.

The former president said since Batswana were a united family, they should protect one another and place their faith in God.

Speaking at the same occasion, the Southern Africa Assemblies of God Alliance leader based in South Africa, Rev. Dr Ntilane Lebelo cautioned against some churches which have now entered into money laundering for the benefit of particular individuals at the expense of the gullible and the weak.

Rev Lebelo said this blasphemous tendency was ever growing in Africa, especially the southern region, urging churches to rise up and nip it in the bud before it derailed churches from their true mandate.  

He noted that a church was a prophetic voice of the nation and centre of God and therefore should not be associated with bad deeds.

He congratulated the Gaborone Assembly of God for their efforts in coming up with the massive church structure, which had also uplifted the face of the location.

Updating the guests on their journey to construct the church sanctuary, Mr Mosedame noted that the idea came during a board meeting of 2008 and the building started in earnest though member contribution as commercial banks were unwilling to give them a loan.

He praised Bank of Baroda, which came to their rescue and was optimistic that some of the ongoing construction works outside the main building would be completed with the help of God. Ends