Botswana’s plea for No 1 lesson on Africa-(15-02-07)

ive Agency series on the curriculum in both Britain and Africa in order to show people that there is “more to Africa than poverty and disease”.
The seven bestselling titles in the series have sold 15 million copies and been translated into 40 languages. And now Musonda Trevor Selwyn Mwamba, the Bishop of Botswana, where the books are set, said he wanted to take the message in McCall Smith’s work a step further and make them an educational tool.
“His books reveal to a huge audience all over the world that there is another side of Africa, a peaceful, a loving, a humanistic and above all Christian side which is, I’m sad to say, so often ignored by the media.”
“One of the things I find so fascinating about the adventures of his wonderful hero Precious Ramotswe is that she is first and foremost a Christian. It is her belief in God and Christ that sustains her and which, for the most part, sustains all Africans,” said Bishop Mwamba, who was born in Zambia and is now one of the most senior Anglicans in Africa.
“Let’s face it, we Africans are extremely tolerant and forgiving people and almost all of our 38 million Anglicans in Africa know the real enemies of Africa are disease, poverty, drought – not gays and lesbians.”
Bishop Mwamba spoke just days before a Primates Meeting in Africa where feelings are strong about “liberal” churches allowing gay men and lesbian women to play a full part in the 70-million-strong Anglican Communion. – Scotland on Sunday