21 Jul 2020

Botswana Network of Christian Communities (BONECCO) chairperson, Bishop Tebogo Motlhagodi, has implored churches to come up with ways to help combat corona virus.

Addressing church representatives in Kasane recently , Bishop Motlhagodi appealed for continuous prayers for the President, nation, frontline workers and the vulnerable people.

He decried violation of COVID-19 regulations by some churches, whose members continued to behave as if the disease did not exist. 

He criticised such churches for conducting night vigils, not observing the social distancing regulations and laying hands on each other while praying.

Bishop Motlhagodi said it was imperative for all churches to keep their premises clean, sanitise their hands, check temperatures and maintain registers for each service.

He said the church should be seen as a partner in finding solutions to combat spread of the disease and not a perpetuator of the spread.

He said BONECCO purchased thermometres to the tune of P275 000, which were issued to churches affiliated to Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), Botswana Christian Council (BCC) and Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana (EFB). 

Bishop Motlhagodi, however, admitted that the thermometres were not enough.

He noted that there was confusion on who should attend church services, with some believing that children and those over 65 years should not attend.

Bishop Motlhagodi explained that everybody was allowed to attend church service regardless of age and the only prerequisite was to ensure that 75 people attended each service.

He urged believers to desist from operating unregistered churches.

Bishop Motlhagodi said the OAIC day, which was slated for Maun in May, could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Programme (BOCAIP) chief executive officer, Ms Lorato Mphusu, informed the meeting that the closing ceremony of the September month of prayer would be n Chobe on October 4.

She urged churches to pray for the nation and the world against HIV/AIDS and COVID-19.

She advised all church members to know their HIV status, take their ARVs without fail and protect a  girl child from any form of violence.

For his part, Chobe OAIC sub-chapter chairperson, Pastor Lekolang Botumile, appreciated unity between all church denominations in Chobe.

Pastor Botumile noted that most churches abode by the COVID-19 regulations and they were united in spreading the message about the disease.

He thanked BONECCO for availing 16 thermometres to churches in Chobe, adding that some churches were, however, still in need of thermometres.

He decried the shortage of plots for churches in Chobe saying most of them worshipped in temporary spaces and as a result could not build permanent structures.

He requested BONECCO to approach the relevant authorities to consider reviewing lease fees for plots since churches were non-profit making entities.

Pastor Botumile called on Bishop Motlhagodi to encourage affiliates to urge their circuits in Chobe to join the sub-chapter in order for all the African instituted churches to speak with one voice.

During questions and comments, an evangelist with Head Mountain Church, Mr Chapman Mohinde decried that his church was one of those that could not afford to purchase thermometres since their membership was small and were employed in the tourism industry, which had been negatively affected by COVID-19. Ends