CHURCH RELEASES CD IN HONOUR OF PERISHED TRIO

It’s been a year since church members belonging to the St. John’s Apostolic Faith Mission church in Metsimotlhabe reeled in shock after three of their church elders died tragically.
The three church elders – Reverend Leonard Barakanye, Noko Letsweletse and Maila Moilwa - drowned in the Gaborone Dam during a baptismal service on November 29, 2009.
The 60-year-old Barakanye was the pastor who opened the Metsimotlhabe branch in 2000. He had moved to Metsimotlhabe from Orapa while Moilwa and Letsweletse, who were deacons, hailed from Seleka and Shoshong respectively.
At the time of their death the trio was described by colleagues as devout Christians.
A year down the line, the trio’s memories continue to linger among the devout church members who will on Saturday hold a memorial service in honour of the perished trio.
According to Lorato Barakanye, who is the daughter to the perished founding pastor; they as the church choir looked at various ways of how they could extend the legacy of those who died tragically during last year’s baptismal service.
“It was after a few meetings that the church resolved that the best way to honour my father and the two other deceased was through a musical offering as they both loved church hymns,” she says showing me an 11-track musical CD dubbed “Tribute.”
The 30-year-old mother of one says the album is a collective effort of the St. John’s Apostolic Faith Mission church choir adding that the money raised from the album sales will be channeled towards finishing the existing ‘house of worship’ structure as well as building a swimming pool for the church.
Quizzed about the swimming pool, Lorato noted that it is high time spiritual churches desist from carrying out baptismal services at unsafe rivers and dams noting that a swimming pool within the church is the safest.
“Mind you, this was not the first time church members drowned during a baptismal session. There have been similar incidents in the past in places like Thamaga. What we’re doing is simply taking heed of government officials’ that churches should build swimming pools for baptizing purposes.”
She says, as a church choir from now on they will accept invitations from other churches who are raising funds through concerts.
“All this is not new to us. We have done concerts in the past to help raise funds for the blind. Those wanting to join us for this weekend’s memorial service are welcome,” she says with sorrow written all over her face.