�Church, the police are custodians of the law�
Ryder Gabathuse | Tuesday February 23, 2016 15:51
“As a church we are guided by the Bible which is our constitution whilst the police enforce all written laws, which laws are also enshrined in the country’s Constitution,” said Morupisi on a Sunday dubbed Police Sunday held at the church premises in Francistown. The church held the special day in an endeavour to show their members that, “the police are part of us and they are not from any special planet.” Morupisi said the church initiated its interaction with the police so that its members could appreciate that police officers were part of the society and they needed the support of the community.
”As Christians, we know that if we don’t live right as the Bible dictates, we will be condemned to hell,” he said.
He said as much as the church taught its members to obey the law, so do the police whose duties amongst others is the enforcement of all written laws.
“Police do not arrest people just because they hate them, rather the offences that people commit force them to take appropriate action. Even God does not hate a sinner but rather He hates sin.”
As a way of assisting the police in doing their duties, Morupisi paraded a recidivist the church has rehabilitated, Archie Baliki of Block-One, a known housebreaker and robber. He said when God has an encounter with man He changes him.
“When Baliki came here, burglary and theft and robbery were his hobbies but the church took upon itself to change his lifestyle and make him a better person,” he said.
Baliki said all the police officers that were part of the police Sunday service knew him as their previous customer but he has since rehabilitated. “Since I was born again about a year ago, I have never appeared before the police on any allegations relating to crime,” he said. “I am no longer into crime.”
“After Baliki was delivered and born again, he became an usher in the church and he is also a confectioner after the Francistown City Council (FCC) offered him some financial assistance to start a business,” explained Morupisi further indicating that, that was the contribution of the church against crime.
Morupisi encouraged the police to seek first wisdom in the execution of their duties so that whatever conclusions they reach should be informed by that wisdom.
“The police are always the first people to attend to the scenes of crime or accidents. Imagine upon arriving at the scene of an accident only to notice that the victims of an accident are your relatives,” said Morupisi indicating that the police need divine intervention in anything that they do.
Kutlwano police station commander, Superintendent Neo Serumola emphasised that as the police, they were part of the society they serve.
“Whatever affects you, we are equally affected. We found it fit to interact with you so that we can be closer to God so that we are properly guided and enjoy spiritual upliftment,” said Serumola who was accompanied by about 24 police officers drawn from Kutlwano, Gerald and Matsiloje police stations.
He said without the wisdom of God, they would not make sense of issues presented before them.
“When we get back to our offices, we will inform those who couldn’t make it about our interaction with your church,” he said. “Most importantly, continue rehabilitating criminals.”