Tuesday, 12 March, 2019, was the groundbreaking ceremony for a new Church Hall and Pastor’s House in the scenic community of Ha Montši. LECSA Moderator, Rev. Tšeliso Simeone Masemene, graced the occasion with his words and presence. Then, with a shovel in his hand—and with the assistance of LECSA’s Executive Secretary, Rev. Nelson Khethang Posholi, with a Bible in his hand—he officially broke ground at this historic parish.
In addition to Rev. Masemene and Rev. Posholi, members of LECSA’s Executive Committee were on hand to give their blessing. Pastors from the Mantšonyane Presbytery led in worship. Chief Matsapane Tsapane graciously welcomed everyone to the community and inaugurated the event. Other leaders from the church and community shared the church’s history and expressed their excitement with moving that history forward. And members of the community provided religious worship and cultural celebrations. These things, and more, made for a great day.
The church of Molika-Liko started in 1933 under the leadership of Chieftainship Tsapane, who designed the Church Hall and started the foundation. He was assisted by Mr. Motšoane in the construction of the Church Hall and the School, which were used for over 60 years.
However in 1997 the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LDHA) started the construction of Mohale Dam at Ha Mohale. Lesotho Evangelical Church in Southern Africa (LECSA) with its property (the Church Hall, Pastor’s House, its arable land, brushwood, and the grazing land) was affected as it was within the dam area that would be under water. Since 1997 there were some disagreements in relation to the compensation of the LDHA until 2017, when the two parties reached an agreement, with the assistance of the Ombudsman, and the LHDA was ordered to compensate LECSA on its property. Although LHDA has not yet compensated LECSA fully as per the order of the Ombudsman, it has released part of the compensation which LECSA has decided to build a Church Hall and Pastor’s House at Molika-Liko Parish, Ha Montši.
Since the groundbreaking for those structures, the foundation has been laid, the walls are going up, and work will continue at a steady pace in the upcoming weeks.
LECSA 