BCM In The Kingdom Of Eswatini

God works in wonderful ways to carry out His purposes. He has done so for us in the Kingdom of Eswatini to fulfil our passion in reaching children for Christ. The potential of continued and improved ministry is not only for the children. Families, the local church, and communities have also been greatly enhanced.

Eswatini is a nation of 1.2 million population in southern Africa, formerly known as Swaziland. It consists of four geographical regions. Today, BCM Bible clubs are widespread in all of them, including both remote and urban areas. A practicing attorney by career, I (Lindiwe) served many years in children’s ministry with long-term BCM missionaries Assiena Maseko and Martha Tsabedze across Eswatini, (see “New Missionaries for BCM Africa,” BCM World, March 2022). Since the passing to glory of Assiena, I now serve as BCM Eswatini director. We are so thankful as a team for the provision through BCM of a vehicle to reach children in remote, difficult areas.

Highlights for BCM Eswatini ministry includes regular training workshops for Bible club teachers. These focus on how to better minister to children, the importance of portraying a Christ-like character, and creating lessons with only the Bible and improvising visual aids with what is available localy rather than relying on expensive purchased visuals.

After-school Bible clubs are held in thirty-two areas, sometimes in local schools, others in open air or under shade of trees. School assembly Bible classes reach hundreds more. Before the Covid-19 epidemic, BCM Eswatini was reaching more than ten thousand children weekly with almost two hundred volunteer teachers. This dropped drastically during the pandemic lockdown, but by 2023 attendance is shooting up again.

A majority of Bible clubs and even school assemblies are held outdoors, so the weather is a constant challenge, especially in more rural areas. Some willing, committed teachers open their own homes for Bible club classes on rainy, windy days, may our good God bless them. But there is often not enough room indoors for the number of children, so classes have to be cancelled in bad weather.

Each year, regional rallies bring children together from different clubs. Individual clubs showcase biblical dramas they have created, recite Bible passages and Christian poems they’ve memorized, and present special music of gospel songs they’ve been learning during the year. During these rallies, children are able to mingle and make friends from other clubs.

At a time when school is out, clubbers from all across Eswatini come together for camp, usually held at Luve, a small rural town in central Eswatini conveniently close to the main highway. A camp theme is selected each year, and lessons and activities are centered around that theme. A rally held on the last day allow clubbers to showcase all they’ve been learning to visiting parents, family members, and other clubs.

Our BCM Eswatini board is very active in the ministry. Some board members teach Bible sessions in school assemblies so that students may come to know, love and obey God. On scheduled weekends, board members visit Bible club teachers in different areas to encourage and motivate them through God’s Word and practical instruction.

Many challenges face the BCM Eswatini ministry. The kingdom of Eswatini is one of Africa’s poorest nations with sixty percent unemployment and over sixty percent living on less than the global poverty level of two dollars a day. One-fourth of the population are HIV positive, including many children. Children routinely come to Bible clubs hungry. As resources allow, BCM Eswatini provides feeding programs for some of the poorest clubs.