Monday, November 17, 2008
New BSB website
The Bible Society of Botswana has a new website. For questions or comments on the format or content of this site, please contact the webmaster.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
UBS Day of Prayer
UNITED BIBLE SOCIETIES’ DAY OF PRAYER — “We had a wonderful time of prayer and thanksgiving.” These words from Eddie Rantshilo, Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in Botswana, are typical of the experiences of those who participated in the United Bible Societies’ (UBS) Day of Prayer on May 9. From country to country around the Fellowship, Bible Societies joined with Church leaders and congregations of many different backgrounds for a special time of prayer for Bible work. The following reports give a flavour of how the Day of Prayer, an annual event for the last 25 years, was celebrated.
UGANDA
Bible Society staff and Board members joined more than 100 Church leaders, civil servants and politicians for a special Day of Prayer breakfast led by the Most Rev Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of the Province of the Church of Uganda. Prayers were said for the UBS fellowship and for the particular projects in which the Bible Society is involved. An appeal for funds made by UBS Africa Area Secretary David Hammond, with special emphasis on Children’s Bibles, raised more than US$ 2,000 in cash and pledges.
CAMEROON
‘Working together for the Word’. This is the slogan under which the Day of Prayer was celebrated in Yaoundé and six other places in Cameroon. In each location there was “an innovative approach to the preparations and the day went very successfully,” according to Thomas Ndindjock, head of the Bible Society’s Communications and Development Department. In Yaoundé itself, a special service included contributions by various choirs (including the Society’s own staff choir), sketches, an exhibition and the distribution of Scriptures. And during the week leading up to the Day of Prayer, three radio stations ran Bible-based quizzes, with the winners receiving Bibles from the Bible Society on May 9.
BOTSWANA
The Day of Prayer offered the Bible Society an opportunity to minister to people who have recently fled political unrest and economic hardship in Zimbabwe. Gathering under the leadership of a minister from the Dutch Reformed Church of Botswana, Bible Society staff and supporters prayed about sharing God’s gifts. In a practical application of their prayers, Scriptures were then distributed to refugees from Zimbabwe and a meal was shared.
“It was a happy day for these people,” says Mr Rantshilo. “We thank God that the Bible Society managed to provide them with God’s Word, food for their souls.”
SIERRA LEONE
Members of the country’s visually impaired community played a particularly significant role in Day of Prayer celebrations, which took place within the broader context of a workshop run by the Bible Society on the Where is the Good Samaritan Today? HIV/AIDS awareness program.
“It was a wonderful experience,” said one visually impaired participant, Jonathan Conteh. “I was touched when we prayed for the troubled countries of the world. Interceding for others shows compassion for humanity.”
CONGO (Republic)
Here, too, visually impaired people made a significant contribution to the Day of Prayer. Yonnelle Moukouamou, the Bible Society representative in Pointe-Noire, the country’s economic centre, reports that, despite fuel shortages, a large number of people came together to pray and to hear songs from a local choir of visually impaired people.
In Brazzaville, too, it was a choir of mainly visually impaired people that provided a special backdrop for the prayers of around 60 Church leaders and Bible Society supporters. Hearing a blind man read a Scripture passage in Braille was particularly moving for many of those present. “I didn’t even know that Bibles for blind people existed,” said one man. “God is great!” Prayers were said for Bible work locally and internationally and in particular for incoming General Secretary Enzonga Mangoyo Landry.
BENIN
Here, May 9 marked the beginning of a month-long campaign to encourage prayer and financial support for the work of the Bible Society. Special services were held at two churches in Cotonou to inform people about the history of the Bible Society movement and encourage them to support its work today. Elsewhere in the country, local Bible Society committees, Church leaders and congregations also celebrated the Day of Prayer and collected donations to Bible Society work.
“We have mobilised many people in all four corners of Benin to ensure that the campaign to promote our work will run for the whole of May,” said General Secretary the Rev Daniel Hounzandji.
TOGO
“We could see on many participants’ faces their joy at participating in a global event from their village where they have neither running water nor electricity and parents can only afford to send their sons to school.” This was the impact that celebrating the Day of Prayer had on those who gathered at the Methodist church in Aklakou, some 70kms from Lomé. General Secretary the Rev Wolanyo Amegah and other members of the Bible Society team travelled to this village after attending a midday prayer session at Bible House at which Area Service Center staff, Bible Society Board members and supporters and some other regular visitors to Bible House were also present. Marking the Day of Prayer was the culmination of a series of events organised over several days by the Bible Society in Aklakou, including the showing of the HIV/AIDS awareness film Who is Responsible?, in an attempt to raise its profile through specific initiatives.
Resources designed to assist Bible Societies in encouraging prayer for Bible work are available to download from Communications section of the UBS intranet.
UGANDA
Bible Society staff and Board members joined more than 100 Church leaders, civil servants and politicians for a special Day of Prayer breakfast led by the Most Rev Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of the Province of the Church of Uganda. Prayers were said for the UBS fellowship and for the particular projects in which the Bible Society is involved. An appeal for funds made by UBS Africa Area Secretary David Hammond, with special emphasis on Children’s Bibles, raised more than US$ 2,000 in cash and pledges.
CAMEROON
‘Working together for the Word’. This is the slogan under which the Day of Prayer was celebrated in Yaoundé and six other places in Cameroon. In each location there was “an innovative approach to the preparations and the day went very successfully,” according to Thomas Ndindjock, head of the Bible Society’s Communications and Development Department. In Yaoundé itself, a special service included contributions by various choirs (including the Society’s own staff choir), sketches, an exhibition and the distribution of Scriptures. And during the week leading up to the Day of Prayer, three radio stations ran Bible-based quizzes, with the winners receiving Bibles from the Bible Society on May 9.
BOTSWANA
The Day of Prayer offered the Bible Society an opportunity to minister to people who have recently fled political unrest and economic hardship in Zimbabwe. Gathering under the leadership of a minister from the Dutch Reformed Church of Botswana, Bible Society staff and supporters prayed about sharing God’s gifts. In a practical application of their prayers, Scriptures were then distributed to refugees from Zimbabwe and a meal was shared.
“It was a happy day for these people,” says Mr Rantshilo. “We thank God that the Bible Society managed to provide them with God’s Word, food for their souls.”
SIERRA LEONE
Members of the country’s visually impaired community played a particularly significant role in Day of Prayer celebrations, which took place within the broader context of a workshop run by the Bible Society on the Where is the Good Samaritan Today? HIV/AIDS awareness program.
“It was a wonderful experience,” said one visually impaired participant, Jonathan Conteh. “I was touched when we prayed for the troubled countries of the world. Interceding for others shows compassion for humanity.”
CONGO (Republic)
Here, too, visually impaired people made a significant contribution to the Day of Prayer. Yonnelle Moukouamou, the Bible Society representative in Pointe-Noire, the country’s economic centre, reports that, despite fuel shortages, a large number of people came together to pray and to hear songs from a local choir of visually impaired people.
In Brazzaville, too, it was a choir of mainly visually impaired people that provided a special backdrop for the prayers of around 60 Church leaders and Bible Society supporters. Hearing a blind man read a Scripture passage in Braille was particularly moving for many of those present. “I didn’t even know that Bibles for blind people existed,” said one man. “God is great!” Prayers were said for Bible work locally and internationally and in particular for incoming General Secretary Enzonga Mangoyo Landry.
BENIN
Here, May 9 marked the beginning of a month-long campaign to encourage prayer and financial support for the work of the Bible Society. Special services were held at two churches in Cotonou to inform people about the history of the Bible Society movement and encourage them to support its work today. Elsewhere in the country, local Bible Society committees, Church leaders and congregations also celebrated the Day of Prayer and collected donations to Bible Society work.
“We have mobilised many people in all four corners of Benin to ensure that the campaign to promote our work will run for the whole of May,” said General Secretary the Rev Daniel Hounzandji.
TOGO
“We could see on many participants’ faces their joy at participating in a global event from their village where they have neither running water nor electricity and parents can only afford to send their sons to school.” This was the impact that celebrating the Day of Prayer had on those who gathered at the Methodist church in Aklakou, some 70kms from Lomé. General Secretary the Rev Wolanyo Amegah and other members of the Bible Society team travelled to this village after attending a midday prayer session at Bible House at which Area Service Center staff, Bible Society Board members and supporters and some other regular visitors to Bible House were also present. Marking the Day of Prayer was the culmination of a series of events organised over several days by the Bible Society in Aklakou, including the showing of the HIV/AIDS awareness film Who is Responsible?, in an attempt to raise its profile through specific initiatives.
Resources designed to assist Bible Societies in encouraging prayer for Bible work are available to download from Communications section of the UBS intranet.
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