Amazing GRACE

Some time ago, I wrote the story of Jean-Marie, a Burundese child that I met while visitin the Nutrition Therapy Centre of Gatumba. Last week we went with the other colleagues to visit the same centre. Of course I asked about Jean Marie's situation, and instead of receiving the news that he passed away, they told me the following: Jean Marie started to recuperate, the wounds of the operation healed properly, he gained some weight and finally he could start walking again. According to the Aimable, the staff member who informed me, Jean Marie is healed. Jean Marie left the centre, and went back home. Some weeks after, he came back some bringing a gift for the centre. So, Praise the Lord for HIS AMAZING GRACE towards this kid. All Glory to Jesus for He is still busy in the business of healing and blessing people.
If you read this, please remember Jean Marie in prayer!

Holy Communion at Bujumbura's Anglican Church

As usual when I'm in Bujumbura, I've attended the French Speaking morning service at the Anglican main church downtown. It is an early task because it starts at eight o'clock, and when I say o'clock, I mean it! For most of the things the local habitude is to be late, but not for this service.

Today, it was a Communion Service. It touched me very much. I enjoyed the liturgy, which I associate in my mind with the old days at the Betania Church in Calacoto, or our beloved aussie friends and pastors Judy and Greg Blaxland. But what was so nice, was the way people received the communion: every person went to the front and kneeled to receive the Bread (Body) and the Wine (Blood of the Covenant). Wow, it was simply so touching to see that humility. Even the Archibishop that was present in the service went there and kneeled to receive the communion.

A blessed morning so far.

Workshop in Bujumbura

Yesterday was the last day of 3 workshop days in Bujumbura. As "chef de mission" I had to sit in front, next to M. Zénon NDARUVUKANYE, the Governor of Bujumbura Province, and M. Damase NTIRANYIBAGIRA, the Coordinator of the IFAD funded Transitory Programme for Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Burundi.

Our project is getting shape now. Three are the main components, 1) water and sanitation, 2) health and 3) Nutrition and income generating activities. I hope that it will be accepted. If you happen to read this post, please pray for the mission.

Bolivian Sunday in Bujumbura

Amazingly as it may be, there is a Bolivian family in Bujumbura. After three missions to this beautiful land, I finally met them. In the picture Nimer with his wife Claudia and his daughter Wayra. We had such a good time chatting, we went to have lunch at the beach, and enjoyed a very nice Sunday together. Bolivians are all over the world ;-)

Bujumbura again

Yep, for the third time since October 2006, I'm in Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi. It was a nice trip, this time in business ... what a difference. The afternoon full of co-ordination activities for the rest of the formulation mission. Every thing wet well so far, and I pray that it will be possible to finalise our ambitious plan of activities.

The idea is to formulate an intervention project aimed at the improvement of the nutritional status of children and the most vulnerable in Burundi. This project will be synergic to the currently functioning Transitory Program of Post Conflict Reconstruction financed by IFAD. It's target group are the most vulnerable, including AIDS and war orphans. I pray that the implementation of this work may bless many in Burundi. There will be three axes: nutrition and income-generating-activities; sanitation; and health services.

So far no pics. The weekend's agenda is already "full" of meetings, but I hope to have the time to visit the Anglican Church again. That's all so far.

Jean-Marie

This boy is Jean Marie. During the visit to the Gatumba centre, Angela told us his story. This child is suffering of cancer. He has been operated recently, as wtinessed by the bondages on his abdomen. But it was too late (probably it was already spread all over), so he is hopeless. Nevertheless, he is working with his hands, and creating beautiful table covers. The people at the centre will keep him until he eventually dies.

I felt God's guidance to pray for him, to pray for him to experience God's love while he is still here. And I could feel God's presence at that moment. Aparently, when Christians pray at that centre miracles happen ... that even the RC's friends have to acknowledge them in awe for what God does through His children :-)

In any case, it was a honour for me to pray for this kid.

Centre de Réhabilitation Nutritionnel de Gatumba, Bujumbura Rural

The Co-ordinator of the Project suggested me to visit a Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre in the area of Bujumbura Rural. This of course with the objective to better understand the true needs of the population and hence to give an accurate report of the needs. More than a purely professional visit, it was such a deep experience, difficult to explain in words. It touched my heart so much! So hereunder some pictures.
This is Angela. She is working here already for about 9 years, and she is leaving by the end of this month. She is worried about the future of the Centre. She is someone that loves in practical and evident ways. She knows the name or the story of each of the kids in the "intensive care unit"

One of those cases is this girl and her little brother next to her. The mother passed away some time ago, and though the father is alive, he does not care of his children. The kid next to is so undernourished that needs to receive intravenous feeding. The BIG SISTER is always by his side. Actually, she took him from home, and brought him to the health centre that eventually sent both to the nutrition rehabilitation unit.

Here a close up of the "little brother", saved by his "big sister". What a desire to live, and what a love! She has determination.

I will finalise my mission tomorrow, I'm glad with it, with how it went through. Hope to post more pictures of this amazing visit. I believe that God's hand was as usual there. Thanks Jesus for this opportunity to feel your heart for these children.

Visiting the Field, Pictures of Bujumbura Rural

Burundi is doing lots of efforts to keep the main roads in very good conditions ...

Due to works on the main road, we had to use "alternative" roads. This was the place we had no other option but turn left.

This picture speaks for itself. Children playing in the ground after a heavy rain. Behind them a wooden house that was destroyed by previous floods, and there is no evidence of sanitation or anything that seems like hygienic.

This picture shows how houses are destroyed after floods and bad weather. Still people are living inside!

En esta foto estoy en la frontera con la República del Congo. Muzungu is the name given by Africans to all those who look like me. At least, i have been called MUZUNGU so many times during the field visit!

HIPOPOTAMO (Lago Tanganika)

After having lunch in a restaurant at the beach, the big boss of the project and I went for a walk actually next to the water. To our surprise there was a small crowd, looking to a couple of hyppopotamus. I could make a picture of the closer one.

Thanks to my new toy's zoom, I could make a close up ;-)

And onother close-up, almost face to face with the beast.

For this picture, I went actually very close (dangerously) to the waterside.

But then, all the crowd decided to go back. And the beast swam in the opposite direction

Yes! it came out in the shore

At the shore ... we all expected it was going to actually get out of the water, but ...

It was only to make the toilet in front of the crowd ...

Anyway, a unique experience

Rainy sunday in Bujumbura

Last time that I came to Bujumbura, I had the opportunity to visit and participate of the Sunday's meeting at the Anglican Church. Normally, when I'm abroad and there's no Vineyard Church, I will try to get to an Anglican one. It's always the safest choice. During my first visit, the service was in Kirundi, so thanks to the goodness of a brother, I could get some insights of what the sermon was on. Later this same brother told me that a French speaking service was held normally at 8 ... AM. So, I went there this morning. The taxi driver did not know where was that church, so he had to ask someone on the way, and the "coincidence" was that when he stopped next to a young man, he was an Anglican who gave him the right and specific directions on how to get there! PTL.
The sermon was the last one in a series of preachings on the Apostle's Creed. It is always nice to hear again the basics of our common faith as Evangelical Christians.

The speaker touched the subject of the universality/catholiciy of the Church; Of course this "catholicity" has nothing to do with the way Rome interprets it ;-) but as I was taught from the day of my conversion 21 yrs ago: all those individuals who have a personal encounter and relationship with Jesus are the Universal Church. He continued on the forgiveness of sins, a recent subject in my own church; then he touched the eternal life, the Second Coming and the Resurrection of the flesh, from a very healthy, conservative and hence biblical point of view ;-)

It was good for starting the day. To come back, I asked boldly to someone to drive me back to the hotel, since after yesterday's experience I did not feel safe to walk the 100 meters until the big avenue. Now it is raining heavily, so any plans are banned, and again a "hotel day" is foreseen.

"J'ai faim monsieur", a report from Bujumbura

This morning the financial director of the Project kindly drove me to a mini-supermarket at a reasonable distance from the hotel. But before going there, he stopped for some minutes in the center of Bujumbura to pick up something in a store. So, I stayed in the car, and due to the weather, with all windows open. Well, instants after, there was a street kid that came to my window, extended his hand (a beggar) and said "monsieur, j'ai faim" ... it means "I'm hungry sir". When I asked him what was his name, he only answered "j'ai faim monsieur". It really touched my heart. Even the old lady that had a very thin layer of skin on her bones ... you could actually see her skull, she smiled and came to me "j'ai faim monsieur" ... But, at that moment, several other street kids and beggars started surrounding the car, and all started to say "j'ai faim" ... I felt overwhelmed. There was one that tried to pick up the gsm of my friend, and other that opend the back door and closed it repeatedly shouting "j'ai faim". I was scared. My friend arrived just the moment I was starting to think of the real possiblity of being hurt by this little crowd of young street children/adolescents.

I got the following lessons from the experience:
First lesson: apparently the only thing they know to say in French is "i'm hungry"
Second lesson: even if it is helly hot, close the windows if you're going to stay inside a car, and secure all doors.
Third lesson: hunger is a trigger of violence.
Fourth lesson: it is painful to see poverty, hunger and suffering. It overwhelms you.
Fifth lesson: nevertheless, you alone, as foreign consultant, cannot do anything to help just do your work in the best possible way, so that the whole society is improved as outcome of your work.
Sixth lesson: The Kingdom of God is needed here, and probably a ministry like Alalay.
Seventh lesson: Keep yourself blogging inside the hotel the rest of the extended weekend.

Bujumbura

What a "flight" Brussels-Paris-Addis Abeba-Entebee-Bujumbura ... This is the kind of situations where you don't sleep well, nothing seems to work ... until you are safe 'n sound at your duty station. This time I'accompanied by one of the newest assitants at the Nutrition Unit: Roos.

Our journey had some "salt 'n pepper" ... in Addis we were called to boarding, but they put us in a wrong bus, so we were sitting calmly and pleasantly in the plane to elsewhere but Buju ... it is funny when there is a hostess coming in the plane and asking for the passangers on seats bla bla, and you hear YOUR SEAT NUMBER ... and you realise that a huge mistake has happened.

Anyway, solved.

Now, Bujumbura ... I'm already "suffering" the heat ;-) the humidity and so on. Today we had already a security briefing: basically "be careful, take care of yourselves" ... and lots of rules of the "safe places".

Did not succeed to upload pictures... and wonder if this messages will go through ;-)

Fotos Burnundi Pictures

Mercado Central Bujumbura / Bujumbura's Central Market



Cajas de productos de ayuda alimentaria en los mostradores / Food aid boxes on top of the shelves



Visita a una planta de producción de aceite de palma / Visit to a Palm Oil production facility



Kristo Ni Muzima / Cristo Vive / Jesus is alive


Vista sobre el lago Tanganika/ View on Tanganika Lake



Centro de Salud Privado (equipado???) / Private Health Centre (equiped???)



Efctos de la guerra / War effects



Deliciosa brocheta de carne / Delicious meat brochette



En realidad fui por trabajo! / I went there for work actually!

KRISTO NI MUZIMA

Burundi is a beautiful country that is coming out from a very long period of violence and political unstability. Today, while attending a workshop with local authorities and beneficiaries of several projects, my eyes come up to the legend "KRISTO NI MUZIMA" that is painted on the wall of the meeting room. After asking for the proper translation, it means Christ is alive. The meeting was held in an Anglican community centre.

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