Day 6, 500 words a day Challenge

The President of the country, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama sent out a mandate for the people of the Nation, Botswana, to pray for rain. In response to that call , the Paramount Chief of the Batawana Tribe, Kealitile Moremi (Pictured in Blue speaking in the photo above) in Botswana called all the pastors in the area to come and pray for rain at the *Kgotla (The Place of the Chief) in Maun, Botswana. Pula means rain. After the national anthem is sung at the Kgotla, the Chief shouts Pula! Then all the people follow in unison shouting in one voice, “PULA!”

Last year it hardly rained. Cattle all over the North were dying from drought conditions; people were struggling with little or no water.  The situation was dire.

When a leader gathers the people to call on God for help, something very powerful happens.  It was shortly after that the windows of heaven opened and for weeks the rains have been coming! So much rain that yesterday, another call went out to the churches to come to the Kgotla for a time of Thanksgiving to God for the abundance of rain. The meeting was almost called off because of the rain! But something wonderful happened for that gathering. The clouds parted, for just enough time to give thanks. The Elders and leaders of the community were there, along with many pastors, and thanksgiving was indeed given to God for His abundant blessing. Songs, ululating, and speeches were shared. Immediately following the ceremony, the black clouds, full of rain, began again.

“Pula” means rain, or blessing. Our currency in Botswana is thePula. No amount of money can replace water.  In a dry and desert land, when it rains, the desert blossoms and becomes a beautiful lush, green sight.  Water is life. Without water, life cannot exist.

Jesus is the living water. If we believe in him, fill our minds and hearts with this love letter to us, the words of the bible, then we will have the Living Water! Jesus said, “He who believes in me, as the scripture said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38 (NKJV)

This living water is available to us today, all we have to do is open our hearts
and allow Him to fill us with His presence. Imagine, to have God, the creator of heaven and earth, fill us with himself. He takes over our hearts when we yield to him. Whatever you need today, God can do such a better job, working through us than we can do in our own ability. The fruit of having him in our lives is always love. It is always others. To touch people who come across our paths each day and extend that love to them.  I am so grateful to be living in a country where leaders honor God. Pula!

*Wikapedia “Kgotla”

A kgotla is a public meeting, community council or traditional law court, especially in villages of Botswana, usually referred to as a customary court. It is usually headed by the villagechief or headman, and community decisions are always arrived at by consensus. Anyone at all is allowed to speak, and no one may interrupt while someone is “having their say”. In fact there is a Setswana saying that the highest form of war is dialogue (ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo). Because of this tradition, Botswana claims to be one of the world’s oldest democracies.