More of Burundi

Second Report on Burundi Training. June 2014

Afri-Lift’s June Burundi training covered many aspects of the Petra Training.  After the level 1 training we held in Bukeye in the hills we moved to the hot lakeside city of Bujumbura to do 5 other trainings.

Discovery School teachers were trained in a second level training, followed by the Walking With Wounded Children course. For the latter, Miriam and I were joined by Riette Botha from Petra Institute in South Africa. Another private Christian School, Kings School, received training in building relationships with children through play. Allowing the children to lead the teachers in their play was an inspiration for all.

Christian Life Ministries Children’s Workers were joined by teachers from other church Sunday Schools and organisations for training in telling Bible Stories focusing on the truth of God’s Word and then were later trained in Walking With Wounded Children course at the church.

One of the highlights of my trip to Burundi was the visit to Kabezi Internally Displaced People’s & Refugee camp.  We were able to share God’s Word and give out clothing to these refugees of Burundi and Rwanda.

I was delighted to spend some time in Christian Life in Kigali with Gloria, one of our trainees at the Walking With Wounded Children course in Bujumbura.  Gloria is the Children’s pastor of 300 children.

Miriam and I are so thankful to those who made this trip possible.

 

Burundi's Children's Ministry

Burundi in June

Following the Petra Institute 25^th celebrations in South Africa, I joined Miriam for training in Burundi.  On entering the country I was touched by the number of children lining the streets, screeching out to passers by – “a land of children,” I thought.

Bujumbura, by Lake Tanganyika, is hot but I was delighted to touch the waters of the Lake, my first time ever and a life-long dream.  Within 2 days of arriving we climbed the hills to a place called Bukeye – much cooler up there – to train with a group of teachers from 4 Square Churches organised for us by Harvest Ministries of Burundi. Satan didn’t want us to arrive, though, as we had a near accident when a mini-bus headed toward us on our side of the road on the winding road.  The truck they were passing braked suddenly to let it pass us, causing the trailer to lose his whole back axle. The container on the trailer, now scraping on the tarmac, careered towards our small car, stopping just 2 feet away.  God is a miracle-working God. 

Our first contacts in Bukeye were missionaries from “The Cries of a Child” who helped us with accommodation and immediately asked if their Mamas could join our connecting course, stating, “we have been praying for spiritual input into our Mamas.”  Within 2 hours, as we started the training, 2 Mamas joined us. The Mamas look after orphans in family-based homes, caring for 8 children each.  We are now planning to return with part of our course on Walking With Wounded Children at the end of June.

One of Miriam’s prayers is to gather a team of trainers for Children’s Workers in Burundi.  Isaiah, the man who helped organise the training for Harvest Ministries has already caught the vision.  While in Bukeye we were enthralled by a young lady named Evalyn, from a 4 Square Church in Gitega, some distance from there. The emotions she expressed in her story-telling were impressive and Miriam desires to mentor her. Evalyn was unable to complete high school because of fees. Her mother died some years back and her father remarried causing distress to Evalyn.  She has been through much, just as many young people here who lost parents in the 1993 civil war.

Miriam has been here for more than a year, planting an English speaking church with other African, British and Canadian Missionaries.  The church is doing well and has a vision to uplift the churches of Burundi.