Our travel group to Botswana....minus member Martha Colville, who was en route airport when photo was taken.
Map of Botswana.
Upon arrival in Gaborone we were taken to dinner at a restaurant with our new friends.
Bishop Trevor enjoys his meal upon our arrival and after greeting us all at the airport!
Dean David Guma and Martha converse at our festive meal upon arrival in Gaborone.
Bishop Trevor Mwamba at his desk...Diocese of Botswana, Gaborone.
Martha Colville and Dennis Robinson confer with Bishop Mwamba in his office at the Diocesan Center.
Canon Professor James Amanze, Chair of the Companion Diocese Committee for Diocese of Botswana.
The breakfast table that greeted the Howes at their host's home in Gaborone.
Exterior of Holy Cross Cathedral in Gaborone....as viewed from Diocesan Center.
One of our main means of transportation as we traveled throughout the diocese.
Diocesan Center meeting room where many of our meetings took place.
The Mothers' Union members shared about their work with us and asked us about our women's organizations.
Mothers' Union members shared about their work with us.
Members of the Mothers' Union and the Anglican Women's Fellowship shared with us about their important and inspiring work and mission.
Leaders of the Mothers' Union
Group awaiting tour at Mokolodi Nature Reserve.
Boarding vehicle at Mokolodi Nature Reserve.
Seeing the sights at Mokolodi Nature Reserve.
Amazingly tall and beautiful giraffes at Mokolodi Wildlife Reserve.
We got to see elephants!
.....and more wild animals!
Lunch at Mokolodi Nature Reserve was fun and delicious!
The Venerable Andrew Mudereri and Dr. Martha Colville get acquainted.
Beginning our day through the Southern Archdeanery.
Andrew Mudereri and his wife Gladys share their St. Peter's Church in Mogoditshane with us.
Andrew and Gladys Mudereri with Martha in St. Peter's Church, Mogoditshane.
The Venerable Andrew Mudereri, Archdeacon of the Southern Deanery with Day School buildings at St. Peter's Church, Mogoditshane, in background.
Spotless, well-equipped Day School kitchen and workers at St. Peter's, Mogoditshane---preparing the day's wonderful luncheon for children, staff, and us guests.
Children and staff in classroom at St. Peter's.
Andrew Mudereri and Gary Leabo confer about community garden project.
Rear side of rectory at St. Peter's.
Children enjoying their play time at St. Peter's Day School.
Lots of hugs exhanged with children at St. Peter's Day School.
Friendly exchanges with children at St. Peter's Day School. Background shows piles of bricks to be used in building of their planned new church building.
Martha and her children!
Terry and his children!
Terry and children of St. Peter's having fun together!
Martha explains to the children about the rag dolls she has brought from St. Alban's Church, Bolivar, to them. St. Alban's Church and St. Peter's Church are linked.
The children are excited about the dolls they are all about to receive.
Everyone is very happy about the rag dolls!...the children, the staff, and our travel group members.
The dolls have made a big hit. Most of the children are affected in some way or infected with HIV and come from challenging home environments. This little girl uses a crutch and has some kind of mobility disorder.
Ahhhhhhhhh.......each child now has his or her own doll! And their names have been written in big letters in permanent markers by their teachers on their dolls to assure which doll belongs to which child!
Interior of St. James the Great Church, Kopong, where laywoman got key to let us in. The building was built entirely by the people....mostly women. It was pouring rain, and there was a huge amount of hail while driving there.
Laywoman , Phatsimo Lekgowe, who showed us St. James the Great Church in Southern Deanery....an outstation with mostly women. The women are proud of their hard work in building the church.
Roadside scene as we drove through countryside.... round mudhouses with thatched roofs.
St. Martin's is an outstation of St. Peter's at Metsimotlhabe. Cement block building shown in background cannot be used as it was not built properly off the ground....will have to come down. Meanwhile church meets with rocks as seats under nearby mopipi tree.
A closer up view of St. Martin's Church, Metsimotlhabe,an outstation of Southern Deanery. Building was started but will have to be taken apart as building was begun on the ground....will have to start over at the angst of the communicants in order to have a stable building.
Boarding van one more time!
Clothes drying outside rectory at St. Peter's Church.
Enjoying our dessert after wonderful lunch together at St. Peter's Day School. Gladys Mudereri is a nurse and is head of the day school program.
Channing and Gasethokwe Phirinyane of St. Augustine's Church, Serowe (in Northern Archdeanery) get acquainted at companion committee meeting at diocesan center in Gaborone.
Prior to a companion diocese committee meeting Barry gets acquainted with the two archdeacons of the Diocese of Botswana.......The Ven. Andrew Mudereri (Southern Archdeanery) and The Ven. Archford Musodza (Northern Archdeanery).
Bishop Trevor Mwamba, Professor Amanze and Father Benjamin Moleko at companion diocese meeting.
Dean David Guma of Holy Cross Cathedral and The Ven. Archford Musodza at companion meeting.
Clergy confer while looking at latest news article about Bishop Mwamba in newspaper!
Holy Cross Hospice, a mission of Holy Cross Cathedral is located in Gaborone. Transportation is a large part of the service provided to clients who attend the day program.
Signage at entry to Holy Cross Hospice.
This is part of the Holy Cross Hospice program, and the house was evidently used previously as home of Bishop Shannon Mallory and also of some religious sisters.
Mural on wall at Holy Cross Hospice.
Una Ngwenya, R.N. is Director of Holy Cross Hospice. She and Dr. Martha Colville collaborate.
Director of Board of Holy Cross Hospice and Gosego Nthume, Diocesan HIV/AIDS Coordinator.
Louise talks with Jospephine, long time cathedral member who is close friend of Patricia Maputle, who traveled throughout Diocese of West Missouri during the original companion diocese relationship in 1978. Patricia and the Horners had become well-acquainted at that time.
Young people sang at the launching of the Nets for Life event in Maun. Flags of sponsors in background.
Bishops Howe and Mwamba collborate with Susan Lassen of ERD at launching of Nets for Life reception
Canon Professor James Amanze joins the Howes and Dennis Robinson in attending the Maun Nets for Life Launching.
Youngsters entertain us with dance at Nets for Life Launch in Maun.
Participants at Launch of Nets for Life in Maun.
James Amanze, Barry, Dennis, and David Cutting, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank, one of the sponsors of Nets for Life in Botswana. David and his wife Heather are members of the cathedral. Both are natives of Barbados and have moved to Africa from Georgia.
Bishop Mwamba introduces Barry to Heather Cutting, spouse of Standard Chartered Bank CEO, David Cutting. The Cuttings are members of Holy Cross Cathedral in Gaborone.
Barry and Dennis at Nets for Life event. James Amanze in background.
The Air Botswana plane that carried us from Maun back to Gaborone on the Saturday of the Nets for Life launch.
Bishop Trevor's phone keeps him busy.....even at the airport!
Sunset at Maun.
Youth of the diocese gather for fun and fellowship and worship.
Entry to interior of Holy Cross Cathedral, Gaborone.
Congregation gathers at Sunday morning service at Holy Cross Cathedral.
Barry preaches at Holy Cross Cathedral on Sunday morning with the aid of an enthusiastic translator.
Barry blesses children at Sunday Holy Eucharist service at Holy Cross Cathedral.
Youth member makes announcement at Sunday service at Holy Cross Cathedral. Men in background are Dean David Guma, Dr. Sam Yeboah who is a Cathedral Warden and a group host, and the translator.
Enjoying tea and coffee time of home of the dean and his wife on Sunday morning following services
Cathedral Dean David Guma and his wife Nomowehtu with Barry on way to lunch at garden restaurant.
Enjoying lunch together following cathedral service on Sunday at garden restaurant. Lunch was hosted by Claire Hamilton, a Warden at cathedral and host of the Howes.
Lorato Manthe and Barry enjoy dessert after lunch at garden restaurant. Lorato, who is a Warden at the cathedral lives in Mmopane and works at a bank in Gaborone.
Dennis enjoys lunch at a garden restaurant with his hosts, James and Diana Amanze.
Dean Terry White preaches homily at Holy Cross Cathedral's Sunday evening Prayer and Praise service. Music was provided by musicians from East Africa.
Catered meal followed the Sunday evening service at the cathedral. The Rev. Canon Howard Moffat, M.D., is at far right end of table. He is very involved as a physician at the Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone.
Sunday evening meal at Holy Cross Cathedral.
Bishop Trevor Mwamba, Sir Ketumile Masire (second President of Botswana and also father-in-law of Bishop Mwamba), and The Rev. Ben Moleko who is Diocesan Secretary, at the Masires' home where we all enjoyed tea and conversation.
Bishop Mwamba and Sir Ketumile Masire at the Masire residence
Waiting for members of our groups to gather......in area between diocesan offices and cathedral.
We stopped at the Tropic of Capricorn on our way to Francistown from Gaborone.
Our group photo at Tropic of Capricorn taken by Ben Moleko our guardian angel, driver, and colleague.
Picturesque round mud house with thatched roof.
Scene on our drive through Botswana countryside.
Country scene along the road in Botswana.
Scene along road from van as we traveled through the countryside.
The Orphan Care Centre in Mahalapye is sponsored by the Mothers' Union. It was started in 2000 and has special programs for children in the area.....including life skills and literacy. kids' club on Saturdays, counseling, community outreach, psychosocial support camps, day day, spiritual counseling, meals. We left with the smiles and songs of the children, the spirit of the dedicated staff, and with this quote that was on a wall: "There are no hopeless situations....only people who are hopeless about them!"
Children at the Orphan Care Center at Mahalapye sing for us in a classroom.
Father Ben introduces us to Tebelero, Director of the Orphan Care Centre in Mahalapye.
Exterior of St. Augustine's Church, Serowe. Father Ben Moleko's father once served this church as rector when Ben was a boy.
We visited St. Augustine's Church at Serowe. The Baptismal font greeted us with an interesting mural on the wall behind.
In Serowe at the rectory, we all had our hands washed prior to eating the beautiful lunch prepared by the women of the church. Churchwarden, Mercy Molefe, who later addressed our group, pours water over Terry's hands.
The people of St. Augustine's Church, Serowe, greeted us upon our arrival....with smiles and ululation as a welcome when we entered the rectory. Their senior warden (Molefemercy) is first woman on left of front row and she presented a history of the church and emphasized their needs. They are currently without a rector and most desirous of having one.
A view as we arrived at Palapye.
Joana and the orphan children lead us into their church, St. Mary Magdalene at Palapye.
Joana getting her brood of children into the truck at Palapye.
A scene at Palapye with children's tent in background.....very sobering for all of us.
Another scene with the orphan children at Palapye....and their tent in background.
Spending time with Joana (the " Orphan Madonna" or "Pied Piper") and her orphans at Palapye. Girl in foreground is preteen with sight disability.
The orphan children and their Joana sing for us and pose for a photo at Palapye. Joana herself is an orphan who came to Botswana from South Africa.
A scene at Palapye near the tents.
Our time with Joana and the orphan children at Palapye with their tent in the background.
Father Ben and the orphan children of Palapye and Joana, their angel mother. They reside in the tent in background.
The orphan children and Joana gather together for songs for us and for photo. Note how they are all connected to one another and how their spirit of hope shines through.
We made a visit to St. Alban's Church at Moroka village. The younger women who work with an HIV program took time off work to spend some time with us.
Members of St. Alban's Church, Moroka. Note the Mothers' Union sash worn proudly by the laywoman on the right. It is in her home that the people of the village church can actually worship and where we gathered for our lunch.
The people of St. Alban's have built their new church to this point and are now awaiting funds for the roof which they estimate will cost $14,000 - $15,000. Meanwhile, they worship at the laywoman's home....the woman with the red beret.
We spend time in the interior of the St. Alban's Church in process of being built at Moroka village.
The women gather in a truck to go from St. Alban's Church in process of being built being built to the laywoman's house church where we were received and entertained.
Church folks leading the way for gathering at house church at Moroka village.
These teens watched the cooking fire at Moroka village. Both say they want to come to America for a visit!
Teenage girls care for child and watch the fire outside house church.
Teen and the child whom she is caring for at Moroka village.
Women continue to lead the way to the house church and sing and dance as they do so. We are invited to join them inside for refreshments and conversation.
Enjoying time together in Moroka village house church and awaiting morning treats that have been prepared.
Inside the house church at Moroka village we prepare to eat by having our hands washed.
Cooked sorghum with melon was a specialty of the day.
Enjoying the treats prepared for us at Moroka village at the laywoman's house church.
Our morning treat consists of cooked sorghum with melon and homebaked bread, which had been prepared in outdoor cooking area. Church members have given us their seats inside while they eat outside.
Hens and roosters and baby chicks are everywhere!
Members of All Saints church, Matsiloje, gathered in church to welcome us with their singing.
Interior of All Saints Church, Matsiloje.....built 16 years ago brick by brick....by members of the church.
Canon Mahupela, retired priest, welcomes us to All Saints Church, Matsiloje.
Canon Mahupela at his lovely home where we ate lunch.
One of the beautiful meals we enjoyed ........ this one at the home of the retired priest and his wife of All Saints Church, Matsiloje.
Father Ben Moleko, Lesley Monchusi, Archdeacon Archford Musodza of Francistown....outside of St. Carontoc's Church, Francistown.
Archdeacon Archford Musodza and warden, Lesley Monchusi, show Barry the interior of St. Carontoc's Church in Francistown.
One of the interesting Stations of the Cross at St. Carontoc's Church, Francistown
Exterior of St. Patrick's Church, Francistown.
Enjoying the interior of St. Patrick's Church, Francistown.....built over 100 years ago.
Interior of St. Patrick's Chruch, Francistown.
Barry has opportunity to express thanks and share reflections at evening reception at Francistown rectory where the community had gathered....for another beautiful meal together.
Mary and her hostess, Mma Leruele, enjoy time together at festive evening reception under tent at rectory in Francistown.
Francistown churchwomen prepare breakfast for all of us at the rectory. The baby was carried by a number of the women in this way at various times. The young woman is a refugee from Zimbabwe.
Another wonderful breakfast at the rectory in Francistown. Archdeacon Archford's wife Victoria is on the far left.....getting ready to take her school exam that day.
The Howes and their hostess, Mma Leruele, who arose early to greet us for a photo in her Mothers' Union uniform. She serves as a lay visitor, and as Father Ben said, she goes with Father Archford to take Holy Eucharist to people in villages. She learns how to distribute communion. She wears her Mothers' Union outfit...."she becomes the reality of the church for the people."
Louise shares a book with Farai Musodza, younger daughter of Archdeacon Archford and Victoria at their home.
Farai, younger daughter of Archeacon Archford and Victoria Musodza.
Yes, we are all eating again!
A view of Gaborone on our way back to the city from Francistown expedition.
Our committees continue to meet and plan together.
We always enjoyed our times of meeting together.
Still planning.......
We were so happy to meet Bishop and Mrs. Mwamba's son Enu.
Preparing for our departures at Botswana airport in Gaborone
Dennis says good-bye to his hosts, the Amanzes
We all had to sign Ben's potato!.....you had to have been there!
