03 Mar 2020

Christians led by the Pentecostal Holiness Church, the Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana and Seed of Gratitude Foundation, among others, last weekend descended Metlobo, a village 62km South of Kanye to testify of the goodness of God.

Speaking during the event, Member of Parliament for Mmathethe/Molapowabojang said he accepted the challenge as a political leader to see to it that something was done to document the rich history of the village, adding that there were many benefits they could derive from it.

Dr Edwin Dikoloti said the history of Metlobo could lure tourists to the village and urged organisors to make it an annual event.

He said the history positioned the village as a monument of faith in the country just like Lentswelemoriti in the northern part of Botswana.

Former Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration Mr Nonofo Molefhi, when giving an overview of the event, shared that it was intended to excite spirits, heal, rediscover faith and retrace steps back to their first love.

On behalf of the congregation, Mr Molefhi they, like the MP,  accepted the challenge to preserve the village’s rich Christian history for posterity.

He explained that the history presented an opportunity for the village to make money.

“Do you know that some people sell soil harvested from the late Winnie and Nelson Mandela’s yard?

Once we declare Metlobo a holy ground, we will also make money out of it,” he said.

He further shared that he once visited some place in Turkey, where Mary, the mother Christ is said to have died.

He said there lived a priest in a chapel who prayed for tap water and sold it.

Meanwhile, the congregation was informed that in 1958, a motley of Christians, about 50 in number, were banished by the establishment from Kanye for what was perceived as a strange sort of faith.

Pastor Mothusi Lebogang was about seven years old when his maternal grandfather, the late Andries Ramaphoi led the banished group out of Kanye, to face an uncertain future without families and friends they left behind, equipped with nothing but an unconquerable faith.

Although it happened 58 years ago, Mr Ramaphoi’s narration was still emotion-laden.

He remembered the pain and agony they had to put up with as if it only happened yesterday.

He thanked God for having been gracious to forebears while in Metlobo.

He said they had no school, clinic or any amenities and were not allowed to ever visit relatives in Kanye, even for a burial, but saw God raise them from strength to strength in practical demonstration.

When they arrived in Metlobo, he said they found a man who had been staying in the area all along.

One ill-starred day, the man poisoned the water point with a motive to decimate the believers, after a failed attempt to convince the authorities to drive the latter further into the wilderness.

Like sheep to a slaughterer, they drank the poisoned water, but survived, thanks to the goodness of the Lord, he said.

The man later confessed on his death bed, he said.

He said they used to see God heal ailments, even when one had been bitten by a snake, through the word because they believed God was the greatest physician who healed through the word.

Apostle Moffat Lubinda likened the Metlobo story with an incident in the Bible where God called the Israelites to leave Egypt for the Promised Land across River Jordan.

Along the way, he said God’ strong hand dried up the river for the Israelites to cross over.

He said they were asked to pick up boulders and build God a monument to testify of his goodness so that many that would follow could know and fear him forever.

Just as much, he said the unconquerable faith of the first people of Metlobo turned the barren land they inherited into the land of opulence as the name now suggested.

He challenged descendants of Metlobo to fan the ambers of faith they inherited, adding that they were standing on shoulders of great men and women who chose to stand on the side of the Lord.

He said the village was founded by God himself and urged descendants to arise, take charge and desire to have the same level of faith their elders had, as their heritage.

He said God had set a standard for generations of Metlobo through his people.

“Start enjoying the goodness of the Lord in your lives.

May your children be different and let them know they are off-shoots of great men and women of faith,” he said. ENDS