20 Sep 2023

Batswana woke to a scene of devastation after a hail storm hit some parts of Gaborone Tuesday evening.

In Gaborone West Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) tent which was perched for the week crusade was uprooted by the ferocious winds. 

At the time of hail storm some churc members were gathered on Gaborone West football grounds, just by the Lady Masire Youth Centre, for a week-long spiritual campaign.

 Little did they know their faith would be put to the ultimate test, as the winds violently uprooted a massive tent worth over P1 million.

Congregants, who had gathered to seek solace and deliverance, found themselves in the midst of a life and death situation as the tent was lifted high into the air by the tempestuous gusts, only to land harmlessly on trees and palisade fencing surrounding the football pitch.

In an interview, Pastor Albert Tamado of AFM Gaborone church described the incident as nothing short of strange. “This was strange in every way. 

Our tent stood strong amidst unscathed neighboring buildings. 

The tent remained securely anchored, but the winds behaved strangely,” Pastor Tamado said.

He explained how their divine purpose as a church was tested by an extraordinary circumstances, drawing parallels to the biblical story of Job, where a great wind destroyed a house, sparing only one soul. 

“People could have faced grave injuries or even lost their lives, as the tent was supposed to collapse onto the stage. 

However, divine intervention guided it to the other side,” Tamado said.

Spectators were left in disbelief as they watched the seemingly invincible tent lifted effortlessly from the ground.

One onlooker was heard expressing disbelief at how the tent ropes snapped at once, from its earthly constraints of ropes and poles.

“Around 10 to 15 individuals sustained injuries, with most in stable condition, and only 2 still hospitalised,” Pastor Tamado said. 

He said the storm caused damage worth over P1 million, affecting everything from high-tech live streaming equipment to the tent’s supporting infrastructure and large viewing screens.

In  show of support, Gaborone Bonnington South Member of Parliament, Christian Greef,, came to the scene to assess the extent of the damage. 

As area Member of Parliament, he encouraged the church to persevere with their campaign, dedicated to eradicating the social ills plaguing the community.

Pastor Tamado reassured both believers and the community that the campaign would continue unabated until its scheduled conclusion on September 23. ENDs