Christian Women Unite To Help The Needy

Pini Bothoko | Monday January 27, 2014 17:00

 

Their mandate, which they adhere to with Christian zeal is to make a contribution towards the development of the village. Though formed in 2000, BBTA was registered in 2008. It is made up of women from Hermon Church, St Paul Apostolic Church, St Acts Apostolic Mission Church, African Born (AB) Full Gospel Church, United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA), St Charles Lwanga Church and the Makobo-based Jehofa Moipatedi Church. BTTA secretary, Nchadi Moses said that they are also working with Borolong Home Based Care.

“Every first week of the month, we meet on a rotational basis among our churches and contribute P130 from each church. That money will be given to a church that we have visited. We also do raffles, entertainment games to raise money for the hosting church,” she explained.

Moses said proceeds from the activities are handed over to the hosting church for development. “After eight months when we have all hosted the event, we contribute the same amount to the Letlolo Trust in which we raise money to assist in our community. We augment the money we have put into the Trust by hosting a concert and doing more fund raising activities in conjunction with the events,” she explained.

She said that usually, they sit down as members of the association and come up with ideas on how they can assist the community with what had accumulated in the trust. “In our first project, we built a two-roomed house for orphans in Sebina Ward in Borolong about six years back.

“Three years ago, we donated P600 to home based care patients and bought them utensils and in 2012, we organised a Christmas lunch for orphans at our main Kgotla,” she said.

Moses said that they once used their trust account to buy blankets and toiletry for 20 disabled people in the village.

BBTA members recently built a member of the association, Kebadiretse Mokalake 61, a one-roomed house after her house was swept away by heavy rains. Though she is still a member of BBTA, Mokalake is no longer active due to health problems.

“I did not think they will do this for me. This came  as a complete shock. The first time they told me that they wanted to construct a house for me I was shell-shocked. I thank God for this gift,” she said.

Mokalake had been staying in a mud hut for years and when it collapsed due to the torrential rains, her colleagues put up a brick structure for her. “I have six children and they have their own children who occupy the two houses in the yard. There was nowhere I could sleep. This is a big gift to me. I will cherish this gift to my last day on earth,” said Mokalake.

Moses said BBTA members personally assisted in the construction by collecting sand from the nearby Tlhalogang River in wheelbarrows as a way of covering the costs of paying the contractor they had hired.

“This is how we are playing our part in contributing to the Vision 2016 pillars with the little we have. Our wish is to see this village developing and believe that we can achieve those pillars if we contribute to our community,” she said.