BCC Dines To Golden Jubilee
Zolani Kraai | Monday May 23, 2016 16:11
It started after the establishment of a Relief Programme in Northern Bechuanaland and later Southern Bechuanaland, but only officially formalised two years later.
On May 21, 1966 churches that were already involved in development work in Bechuanaland and those that initiated health services, education, provision of water, drought relief programmes, amongst others, formed the BCC.
Delivering a congratulatory message on behalf of government, at a dinner hosted by BCC on Saturday, deputy permanent secretary (Information and Broadcasting), Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo commended BCC for its pivotal role in pioneering relief programmes in Botswana.
He said BCC’s contribution to developmental work in Botswana on education and health paved way for many of the programmes that government later supported.
Kaboeamodimo also recapped the establishment of institutions such as Moeding and St Joseph’s Colleges, as well as Kanye Seventh Day Adventist and Bamalete Lutheran Hospital amongst others, as some of the existing memorials that through church and BCC motivation, uplifted the education, Christian values and morals of Batswana. Kaboeamodimo also appreciated the role that BCC played in bringing different churches together in spite of their respective religious denominations.
He said in many countries, religious groups and churches are at loggerheads over various faith issues, but with the existence of BCC, peace and tolerance has prevailed in Botswana congregations and leadership.
Kaboeamodimo also paid tribute to past hosts in the Christian programmes like the late Bishop Robinson of the Lutheran church, Jeffrey Mogome of ‘O Nkamile’ radio programme, the late Godiramang Makhaya who was instrumental in linking the broadcasting department with BCC, Jonathan Larson who mentored on Christian radio programming, Hilda Mampane of ‘O Rudisa Moya Wame’ and ‘Sekolo sa Tshipi’, the Sunday school and other Christian programmes.
Kaboeamodimo said the Department of Information and Broadcasting Services through Radio Botswana, has since 1966 filed and broadcast Christian programmes and will continue do so to give listeners time to reflect on their social lives and glorify their faith in God.
Earlier on, when giving welcome remarks, Reverend and Bishop of Anglican, Metlhayotlhe Beleme highlighted that in the Southern part of Bechuanaland, the relief programme was pioneered by Reerend. J.D. Jones of London Missionary Society (LMS) and Reverend A.J. Butler of the Anglican Church.
Beleme further said according to Professor James Amanze, the people who were instrumental in the formation of the BCC and those who attended its first meeting were reverends Peter Bloomfield, B.B. Bailey, A.A.F. Lock, B/R/ Tshipa, H. Sekgoma, A.J. Butler, J.S. Gordon, B. Llewellyn, A.G. Kgasa, J.D. Jones, R.A.M. Thema, K. Solomon, Dean Dehnke, doctors A.M. Merriweather, I Kennedy, Ben Thema and Schmidt, as well as Messrs C.A.R. Motsepe, A.M. Tsoebebe and P.H. Mzungwana.