Bernard Mizeki Guild Delegation Visits Lesotho for Conference

Oct 17, 2008

By Michael Ntlabe

The Bernard Mizeki Guild met in Lesotho from October 1 to 5 for its anniversary conference.

It was well attended and well supported by all dioceses in the Guild's southern region. Our traveling was superb and well organized. However, church and Guild members did not support us as much as they could have and this issue needs urgent attention.

Mr Ntlabe (left) and Mr Mtshokwana.

The issues that were discussed and the resolutions that were agreed upon will ensure the best for the church and the survival of the St. Bernard Mizeki. I appreciated the efforts that were made by other dioceses, which organized clothes for poor children and orphanages in Lesotho.

We were unfortunate not to be represented among the newly-elected office-bearers. We forwarded the name of Mr F Mtshokwana for the social responsibility portfolio. He received 38 votes, as against the 48 votes which went to the candidate who won the race. (126 delegates were eligible to vote.) This shows that if we had been well prepared, Mr Mtshokwana would have become an office-bearer at Provincial level.
 
The bishop-elect of Lesotho will be officially inaugurated soon. It is of note that a high court judge of Lesotho is one of the members of the Guild. The hospitality and friendliness of the people of Lesotho needs to the mentioned.

Bernard Mizeki guild members singing.

When we managed to drive around to chat with people, they all unanimously confirmed that crime is at a very, very low rate there. They encourage and support small farming projects, as well as the selling of goods on the streets from each and every household. They have green gardens with vegetables, fruit and so forth.

There were 18 dioceses there, with the Mothers' Union, Youth Guild, Mary Magdalene the AWF and many others.

The delegation of the Diocese of Lesotho impressed me most: their singing and dancing reminded me of what Bloemfontein soccer fans call SIWELELE SAMA SOKOLARE. It was told they have a men's Diocesan Choir which is supported by the bishop and the community at large.
 
I was also impressed by Diocese of Cape Town, which organized two buses to take members to Lesotho. I must say, "Well done, Cape Town." In our diocese we were accompanied by only two members: Mr Gazi and Mr Nomxhego, both from St Francis, Mandela Park, Khayelitsha.

Our next conference will be held in the Diocese of Johannesburg in 2011. Let's hope we will manage to mobilize people to accompany amadodana with God's grace. With God's grace, we returned with no harm or injury.

Michael Ntlabe is secretary of the Bernard Mizeki Guild in False Bay Diocese.