Mexican Fiesta in Burundi

Living on the other side of town from my old home has been hard to keep in contact with my old friends. Moving into this new place has been so nice. I was able to have an “open house”. I invited 6 of my closes friends (they also brought other friends that also knew me) and had them over for Mexican appetizers. These poor east Africans’ had no idea what to expect when I said Mexican food but they were pleasantly surprised. “Those mashed beans were great!” Referring to the refried beans. “The maze chapattis were great with the mango, pineapple stuff” Referring to the home made corn tortilla chips and mango salsa. The guacamole was the only thing left at the end of the day. They like their avocados whole.
While some of us were cooking away in the kitchen others were enjoying Uno and Frisbee on the lawn.
It was a great use of a Saturday.

Church

I have decided to attend the same church I attended the last time I was here. It is so nice to know what to expect and not be a visitor when at church. I am now able to sit where I like, don’t have to introduce myself every Sunday and enjoy songs I know and can sing along with.
Getting to church is difficult though. I am now living on the opposite side of town. It takes 2 buses and about an hour to get to church. It’s a good thing the bus rides only cost 25 cents. So transportation to and from church is only a dollar.

Teaching at Hope

Against what I was originally told I have been asked to teach a course at Hope Africa University. I am teaching Language Development EDU 321 to four men who would like to become special education teachers. I taught EDU 321 back in 2010 when I was here before. Since it was one of the first courses I taught I have now made some changes to the course and we have already taken one field trip to see education in action.

Here in Burundi especially for teachers the resources are limited. I am taking this opportunity to teach these students how easy it is for them to create their own resources. They will be making reading books in the local language for their class. I’m very excited to see what they come up with.

I have moved again

It seems that since I was 18 years old I have moved every 3-6 months. Well living in Burundi has been no exception. Jan to March I was living with a family in their “mother in law apartment”. Mid March I was relocated to compound with a daycare, bakery, clinic, and guest house. I feel like I’m back in the dorms. I have a square room with a bed, table, two chairs, night stand, fan and book shelf. I walk outside and down the hall to a bathroom with shower that is set up locker room style. Around the daycare on the other side of the property is the kitchen I am allowed to use which is a fully functional bakery and kitchen for the daycare. There is a covered area for hosting parties too.
The grounds are lovely, tall mango, avocado and ox heart trees, green grass, cement pathways, and mornings filled with the sound of weaver birds, small parrots, and a beautiful white and black hawk of some sort.
The best part would be my 45second commute to school. My home is now only two gates down from the elementary school.

Upcountry Chruch Visit in Sagasozo

I think she forgot her name, maybe it is written on her palm.


Never a dull time with friends.

Shall we sing a song?

What is a girl to do when a hundred curious faces are staring up at her? Sing a song of course. What about Nziza...it's one of my favorite call and response songs :)

The Boy with the Smile

Traveling up country is always an exciting time, bad roads, long church services, confusion from translators using broken english, the much dreaded trip to the "toilet" and many smiling faces.
While sitting in church on one of these up country trips I couldn't help but notice a boy in a suit and tie. He was sitting in a wheel chair. A western style wheelchair? I was shocked. The first thing that came to mind was "how does that wheelchair make it on the dirt roads?" then next was "I wonder what that boy's name was.
The boy had Cerebral Palsy and the biggest smile on his face. He used all the strength he could to keep his head upright during the long church service.
I wanted to go to him. Pray for him. Take him by the hands and help him walk. I quietly sat in my chair waiting for the right moment. The service couldn't end soon enough. I just wanted to spend time with him.
The final prayer was said and I rushed to his side. I greeted him in my best Kirundi. Through his slurred speech it was hard to figure out his Kirundi. With the help of a translator we began to talk. And then we prayed. Something within me burned to see him walk.
I grabbed him by the hands and helped him to his feet. The crowd behind me had grown (as often happens in Burundi) so that I couldn't walk with him very far. They were all waiting for something magical to happen. I knew they had missed it. Something magical had happened; someone had noticed this boy. Someone had taken time to greet him and ask him how he was. They took time to touch him. The crowd didn't realize how isolated this boy must feel and a little attention was something special.
After I put the boy back in his seat I asked for his mother. She was in the crowd watching too. I spent time encouraging her. And then my time was up. I had to move to the next activity.
I will never forget this boy. My prayers are that he will be a strong tower and teach his family and community more about what it is to love your neighbor.

So many posts all at once!

Here are the posts you have been waiting for. I've been typing them out on my computer and saving them for a day that I could go to the internet. You will need to click on "Older Posts" at the bottom of the page to see all of them. They start with one titled "School Bus?". Don't miss out on the pictures and stories.
I was afraid this morning because it wouldn't stop raining...but the clouds parted and I walked down to an internet cafe near my house...sorry to find that it is super slow!!! So I guess I will have to board a bus and travel to town for faster internet next time.
Thank you for your continued prayer and support.

Financial Update: I'm up to date on my finances as of now but there isn't much financially there for the coming months. Please pray that God will open the door to others that desire to join in the work God has for me here in Burundi.
Also if you are interested in partnering financially please send a check to:
Living Hope Church
PO Box 1726
Westport, WA 98595
check memo line: Rachel in Burundi

Blessings

Bath Time

Yesterday I was able to participate in bath time with the two youngest of the family I’m staying with. First it was Angel, she’s almost 5, just ask her. She didn’t want to get into the bath. Let me first define this so you understand. Bath time consists marching a pot full of boiling water down the long hall to the bathroom (a room with a bath tub that is broken, shelves of clothing, and a shower stall, toilet would be in the toilet room the next door over). A large red basin big enough for two 4 year olds to sit side by side in is placed in the shower stall. Boiling water fills the bottom two inches of the basin. Then from the shower cold water is added to temperature. The first child in gets the clean water and by the last child the water is an earthy brown.
Angel was hesitant to enter the bath. She had a lovely princess dress up costume on and didn’t want to take it off. She climbed into my arms and held me tight. While holding her I was able to unbutton the buttons down her back. I then reached for the skirt and underwear; sliding it down as she held me even tighter. With her little legs dangling over the bath her arms got higher and higher making it easy to slip the blouse off. Still unwilling to enter the bath she stood in the basin with a playful look in her eye. I knew that there was nothing I could do to get her into the water except to tickle her. And tickle her I did.
My favorite part of the bath with both the children would have to be making bubbles with the soap on their bellies. And tickling their feet as we washed between each toe. Andy, Angel’s brother’s feet were so ticklish that I didn’t even make it to his toes before his whole body squirmed with delight.
Although thinking about it now there is nothing that compares to the joy of holding a freshly cleaned little body wrapped up in a towel. The way a child looks at you when they are perfectly content is beyond words and brings such joy. Some day I hope to hold my children in that way and see the look in their eyes that says mommy I love you. But for the time being, I will have to accept this joy from Angel and Andy.

Surprise Trip

This weekend I took a surprise trip up to Kibuye. The trip was such a surprise that I didn’t even know I was going until 30min before. I phoned Carol Ogden about a visit in the future and she said that her program was full of visitors until they leave except this weekend. Within 30min I had showered, packed, and was on a bus for the weekend trip. I have taken the trip to Kibuye a number of times but never without transportation arranged. Nevertheless I was up for the challenge. I knew there were taxis and buses by Hope Africa University that would take me to Gitega so I boarded a bus to get me to the “bus station”. From there I checked the price. Save $2 and ride in a cramped, sweaty bus making stops all along the way or pay the two dollars and ride in a cramped taxi and get there faster. I took the taxi. I also got a window seat! I was in control of the temperature.
Once in Gitega I found someone to show me to the next taxi to Kibuye. I was dropped off on the road. It was good I only had one shoulder bag and the drawstring bag Stephanie Harris made for me because I had to walk to the Ogden’s house. It didn’t seem long because the village women quickly joined me and we had lots to talk about in my limited Kirundi. Let’s just say there was lots of laughter. Ezekiel, the Ogden’s cook, greeted me half way. It was so nice to see his smiling face. The women I was walking with were surprised that I knew someone from their village.
The weekend was so refreshing. Carol is a great host and Frank invited me to join him in the OR for a C-section, which I gladly accepted.
The medical students from Hope are up at Kibuye Hospital doing their clinical. This was not the reason I went to Kibuye but visiting friends is always a benefit. Because the trip was a surprise for me I decided to make it a surprise for them as well. You should have seen Isaac’s face when I walked into the hospital! The hospital accountant, Hellen, was so excited by the surprise she almost gave it away.
It was nice to visit the hospital and see all the patients that Isaac has been having me pray for. I saw the premature baby that is being kept in a cardboard box with gloves filled with hot water to keep it warm because the incubators aren’t working.

I also saw the 7 year old boy who had to have part of his brain removed after a bad crash. So encouraging to see that my prayers have been answered and not only is he alive but he is looking around as I stood there watching his mother clean him up; there are no children sized catheters so they must change his sheets every time he wets the bed. Still an encouraging sight amongst so much lack.
It is so nice being about to walk around the grounds of the mission station and town and see people I know, friends. I am truly blessed!

Homework Help

I’m not the only one who gets to assist at homework time. Randy and Alice Matthewson (missionaries to DRCongo who I stayed with Christmas and New Years in 2010) are on their way to Congo. They are staying upstairs. It is so nice having them around. I really enjoy them.

Just being boys.

Often I will go to the park with the children here at the house. Most of the time the children play on the swings, slide or ride bikes. This time it was different. A girl from my class was also visiting the park with her family. She brought a ball to play with. She was playing toss with her mother when we arrived. Quickly a game of football ensued. Not before long three Burundian boys joined. They were about 10 years old. Two started playing with no problem. The third was short, very short. It didn’t take long to realize that he was “walking” on his knees. He had his knees wedged into sandals so that they didn’t get scraped up as he marched along. The rest of his legs and feet were shriveled up and nicely tucked under into a permanent “crisscross applesauce” of sorts. He moved with little trouble, except the fact that it took him longer to travel the same distance given his shortened stride. He looked at me hopeful; he wanted to play. I quickly kicked the ball to him. He pounced on it. He began dribbling it across the grass. No one dared take the ball from the boy with the funny legs. Well I had no problem with that. If he wanted to play then he was going to play. I quickly charged at the ball a squeal of joy burst from the boy. He was so excited to play like everyone else. We played for a good 45min. We were all having a good time. I’m not sure of the last time that boy laughed so hard or me for that matter. Every once and a while he would fall over in laughter. The only hesitation I had playing with him was the fact that the hem of my skirt came up to his shoulders. If I charged too fast he would have gone right under it. (I was careful to avoid that, not wanting to make a scene)
Today (3 weeks later) I saw two of the boys on the street begging for money. At once they recognized me and said, “Madam Football”. I was so excited to see them, yet sad all at the same time. They are smart boys and it makes me sad that they are using their time to beg instead of go to school. It is times like these that the mix of emotions is hard because I’m not sure what I can do for them. Perhaps in the future I will be able to take someone to translate for me and inquire more about their lives.
Please join me in prayer for these boys.

Friends from Haiti

I went to a choir concert at Hope Africa University after I got a photo of my Haitian friends who are attending Hope.

Baby!

If you remember back to 2010 I went to a dote and wedding of my friend Glorious. Well she was happy to introduce me to the newest addition to their family.