While in Botswana we’re working with Love Botswana, an amazing Christian organization. The founder of Love Botswana is also the preacher of a local church, All Nations Village Church. The first time I stepped foot in that church I felt like I was at home. Although the church is actually a huge canvas tent with gravel on the floor inside (except the altar and stage) and heaters scattered strategically around for warmth I had the same feeling that I had when I went to a massive church in college. At one point, I shut my eyes and couldn’t have told you that I was in Botswana worshipping God; I would have sworn that I was in the Carolinas.
Sunday morning we had communion. (Which by the way, how cool is that to have communion in Botswana?!?) After communion they opened the floor for prayer and the congregation did not hesitate to go forward!
It was the most amazing thing to witness! Not only were the adults hungry for prayer, but so were the teenagers! Teenagers were coming up as groups, pairs and individuals. And the Spirit of God was falling on them! I don’t ever think that I’ve seen teenagers so hungry for prayer! They didn’t care how long they had to wait for prayer, they waited. Even in the bottom of the Kalahari Desert, the thirst that these people have for God and prayer seems so much stronger than their physical thirst.
These people want to know Him and they want that relationship that seems so often taken for granted in the States. All Nations Village Church is referred to as the Canvas Cathedral, due to its massive canvas tent that in America probably wouldn’t warrant many to go to church there, but here that doesn’t matter. They don’t need the expensive rugs on the floor or the expensive sound systems or the nice cushy chairs for the pastors to sit in, they just need God.
