Companion Diocese

Visitors from our Companion Diocese
of Botswana

The Rev. Canon Dr. James N. Amanze, chair of the Companion Diocese Link Committee in Botswana, and his wife Diana will be in the Diocese of West Missouri June 14-21. Dr. Amanze is Senior Lecturer in Theology at the University of Botswana and serves the congregations of St. Michael and All Angels in Broadhurst, Gabarone, and St. Matthew’s in Mochudi. He is the author of African Christianity in Botswana, African Traditional Religions and Culture in Botswana, African Traditional Religion in Malawi, and a Botswana Handbook of Churches.

Fr. James and Diana served as gracious hosts to members of the Diocese of West Missouri who visited Botswana in November of 2008. They are warm, friendly, and interesting people. Since one of the most important aspects of being companion dioceses is forming relationships, all those who have a chance to meet them should take advantage of the opportunity. On Sunday, June 20, they will be at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral for the 10:15 service, at which our diocesan project for a Day Care will be launched.

Connect. Care. Commune.

Now Is Your Time!

Building RELATIONSHIPS
. . .Building FAMILIES

Building HOPE . . .

Building COMMUNITIES

2010-2011
West Missoui and Botswana Companion Dioceses

Join us in reaching across the nations in fellowship,
prayer and support.
Together we can accomplish great things.
Together we can answer God's call
to bring hope to His children.

What Can You Do?

West Missouri Understands Prayer Power

Efforts are underway to create parish to parish prayer circles with our sister parishes in the Anglican Diocese of Botswana. We have long awaited an on-going exchange, and our brothers and sisters in Botswana are jumping high at the idea of sharing God’s blessings and uplifting one another. The clergy spouses have written notes praying for our partners and as shown here, they have also created prayer beads.

St. Mary Magdalene Day Care Center

Building Project . . . Building Hope for Tomorrow

St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church of Palapye, Botswana is a humble house of worship filled with bold spirit. Challenging times and limited resources don’t stop one member, Joana, from answering the call to share God’s Word with a Sunday school of 100+ children. She also works with 2 multi-generation impoverished families to assure their basic needs are met. Join us in aiding this church, Joana, and these orphaned and vulnerable children. The Diocese of West Missouri is partnering with the Diocese of Botswana to build a day care center to support this community and its families. The companion committees are also working with a local agency to build 2 family homes for the families mentioned above. West Missouri will focus on supplying funds for the daily operations and staffing of the day care and ongoing support for the families in the community.

St. Peter's Day Care Center

St. Peter’s has been serving the children of Mogoditshane for 7 years. They started with only 7 children, and now over 90 orphans and vulnerable children receive daily care. In addition, nearly 30 primary school students utilize the center’s resources for lessons, homework completion, and afternoon activities. The center is in need of food, educational supplies, bedding, and clothing.

Botswana Palapye Project
launch on Sunday,
June 20, 2010

Next Sunday, June 20 at the 10:15 liturgy at GHTC, the launching of the Botswana Palapye Project - a day care center for orphaned and vulnerable children in the Palapye community - will take place. The Rev. Canon Dr. and Mrs. James Amanze from the Companion Relationship Committee in the Diocese of Botswana will be present for this celebration.

Members of our diocesan Companion Diocese Committee determined that our partnership with Botswana should focus on addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children whose only care was being provided by a small Anglican congregation.

To that end, the diocese will assist in this effort by sponsoring a day care center to address the educational and spiritual needs of these children. This Center is targeted to serve approximately 100 children, with a future goal of developing a full-service community center.

The annual operations of the center are estimated to be $84,500. This would provide daily care for the orphans and vulnerable children, aged 1-6 years. Classroom lessons, meals and snacks and social activities are essential features of the program. In addition, after school care for primary school age children would include tutoring and other educational opportunities.

The bishop has requested that, if possible, at least one representative of each congregation be present for this special occasion. Father's Day seems like a most appropriate occasion to launch this porject that will affects the lives of so many children.

Botswana Palapye Project