“I have always felt that it is impossible to engage properly with a place or a person without engaging with all of the stories of that place and that person. The consequence of the single story is this: it robs people of dignity. It makes our recognition of our equal humanity difficult. It emphasizes how we are different rather than how we are similar.”

Chimananda Adichie makes a stunning statement about how we engage with others. Through her own story she encourages us, maybe even exhorts us, to engage with many stories to form a more true picture of a place or a person. When we can hear many stories about a person – he is a farmer, a father, a Batwa man and a person of great joy and humor – we will know him better. When we observe the many stories of a place – Burundi is one of the poorest nations on earth, it has suffered a tragic civil war in the past, it sits on the edge of picturesque Lake Tanganyika and it has some of the best food in the region – we have a more accurate sense of this place that is home to our friends.

Too often we have a very flat understanding – seeing only the poverty of a person or the broken places of a society. Such a stereotype, as Adichie points out, is not only untrue, it is incomplete. You are coming to a place with dimension and people who live in full color! You have the opportunity to see them more fully and embrace the variety of stories that reveal who they are as people and friends. You are coming to Burundi to develop a more complete picture, and as such, a truer one.

You are invited to Burundi to meet our Batwa friends. Part of the invitation is to come and hear the many stories of the Batwa people, to hear the many stories of Burundi today. In doing so, you will restore dignity to the people and place of Burundi. You will have ‘a balance of stories’ that reflect the truth of this land.

Claude and I look forward to sharing time together in the coming days! We are excited to present the many stories of Burundi and its people to you so that you can have the most complete sense of this amazing land!

Claude and I eagerly await your arrival…

God created – land, trees, streams and soil. He took great pleasure in the activity of creating and with each new marvel; He declared it ‘good!’ I think we often forget that God took great pride in His handiwork and, more to the point, He still does!

We read John 3:16, well, really we know it so well that we recite it by heart more than read it. But it is worth reading again. For God so loved the cosmos that He sent His Son – God loved the cosmos, and was compelled to take the bravest step and become flesh and blood to bring salvation to this entire enterprise. John could have written that God so loved the ethnos, the people inhabiting the planet. But no, God loves the cosmos – the world, all that He created. He loves all of it! Everything God created matters to Him and is worth His salvation. What a stunning thought. And this leads me to the next thought – if God so loves the cosmos, do I?

I have spent a lot of time learning to love the people God has placed in my life, in my country and in this world. But recently I feel God is widening the scope and showcasing all of His creation and inviting me to embrace it with the same enthusiasm that He does. This means seeing that the world, and those that are in it, are good and all beloved. It means we need to not only care for one another, but also the environment where God has put us. This is part of loving the cosmos, recognizing that God wants us to be trust-worthy with one another and with all created things.

So I look to the land that God has gifted to the Batwa families in Matara. It is good land with rich, dark soil that produces wonderful vegetation. There are trees covering the mountainside, offering shade and protecting the environment. Not too far from the village there is a fresh water stream with its source right on the land, clean water that is accessible for cooking, cleaning and drinking. You just see creation goodness all around when you walk the ground of Matara. This might as well be the Promised Land!

And so – this is part of the cosmos God created and loves, and this plot of land is what He has given to these 27 Batwa families. We have been entrusted with this land – like Adam and Eve, we are invited to cultivate the land, sustain its goodness and protect it from harm. As we care for the land, it will care for us. As we ensure that the environment remains healthy, then the trees will continue to grow and give shade, the water will remain clean, the soil continue to bear fruit and this will remain a hospitable place for the Batwa families.

So I have been asking myself – how do we care for this land in sustainable ways, so that we can honor God’s good gift and ensure that Matara remains a productive home for the Batwa families? How do we make sure the stream does not fill with silt and the water become too dirty to drink? How do we make sure we are tending the soil in a way that keeps it moist and rich – so it does not dry out and the top soil blown away? How do we ensure that the trees won’t all be chopped for firewood or charcoal production, but instead remain a canopy of shade and protection for the land? These are important questions to be asking as we move forward with the growth of this community. The relationship between the people and the land matters, it did in Genesis and it does in Matara.

These are good questions to be asking. These are good issues to be exploring together. God loves the Batwa families that live in Matara. He also loves the land of Matara. So we need to be thinking about how to care for both.

Yesterday’s election, the first round of five, went off without a hitch. There was record turn out, with long lines everywhere brimming with people eager to participate in the selection of leaders directly for the first time in 17 years. This morning we awoke to the news that one political party, the party currently in power, won 70% of the total vote. These are preliminary results, but they are pretty firm and have little chance of changing. The president’s party won big, even with 15 political parties competing. All political parties were present for vote counting and such, even external observers, and all are declaring a fair election. There were no skirmishes or incidents during the day, throughout the night or any angst expressed this morning. So this is great news – the first election was a success in that it was deemed fair and provoked nothing but record participation!

This gives us great confidence for the election rounds remaining in the cycle, including the presidential election in late June. Since it is the president’s party that won by a landslide yesterday, there is a strong sense that the people are behind him and will also support him in the presidential election. People all seem to agree that the vote was fair, so there is confidence that their political will is being witnessed, welcomed and will bear good fruit. So any fears that people had going into yesterday’s election are slowly being quelled. There is a swelling sense of confidence today in Bujumbura… and that is good news.

Thank you for praying Burundi through this election season. It is a landmark on the political landscape of the country, and your faithful prayers for the people of Burundi move us toward a better future filled with peace and democracy.

Tags: Burundi

Wangari Maathai is a Kenyan biologist, environmentalist, activist and winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Price. In her most recent work, The Challenge for Africa, she writes:

“The exercise of good leadership would end government violations of human rights and restrictions on freedoms such as the right to move, assemble, access information, and organize. Good leadership could decide, for instance, not to sell off Africa’s natural resources for such low prices, and then to invest the additional revenue to accelerate human and economic development. Good leadership could curtail corruption, one of the most corrosive aspects of poor leadership that has been rife in post-independence Africa. Good leadership would provide the milieu in which citizens can be creative, productive and build wealth and opportunity.”

Tomorrow Burundi will host the first in a series of five elections, the Burundian people participating in the selection of their leaders for the first time in seventeen years. You can imagine how excited people are on the eve of the first election, the selection of regional leaders. There are party flags waving proudly in the African sun, rallies with party leaders sharing ideas over megaphones, small groups all over the city talking together about the kind of government they want and the type of leaders it will take to move the country forward. These are important days and intoxicating times to be in Burundi!

Please pray that the Burundian people will be blessed with discernment, wisdom and courage to elect good leadership as described by Wangari Maathai. Leaders who will protect human rights for all citizens, protect the environment and natural resources of Burundi and combat corruption at every level of government… leaders who will want to serve and not steal, who will bring blessings and not a curse to this country. Pray for Burundi tomorrow – for peace to blanket the cities and citizens of this land as they cast their first vote for a new season of political life.

Lord, bless Burundi with good leadership so that your dream for this land may unfold on every hillside and in every household. Amen.

Another friend visited Matara this week. Brian was with Mark, Sarah, David and Sydneyanne on that first visit to Bubanza to meet some of our Batwa friends. He shared in the sights, sounds and sadness of the living conditions in that roadside village. And he dreamed with Claude, Mark, David and Sydneyanne about a different life for these families.

This week was the first time he returned to Burundi since then. This time he went to Matara to see a new way of life. He saw families working hard for a better future, people filled with hope. Instead of empty pots on the fire, there were gardens of fresh vegetables. Instead of bare and arid land, there were trees, flowers and even a river. The contrast could not be any more stark… then and now are like two different realities!

Brian was eager to pitch in, and the women welcomed an extra set of hands. He was immediately handed a hoe so he could join in the joy (and sweat) of cultivation.

He walked the land with our agricultural engineer (also named Claude) and learned about all the crops, the seasons of growth, the progress in the very soil of Matara. He said he could tell how proud Claude is of the families, how he praises their hard work and sees how far they have come in a year.

Brian and Francois, the current Matara leader, walked side by side through the village. Brian amazed at the new reality on the ground; Francois delighted to share his home with another good friend.

Brian saw the desperation in Bubanza more than a year ago; now he bore witness to the hope brimming in Matara. This continues to be a story of good news!

There is a new addition to Matara…

a baby girl named Irankunda. Her name means ‘God loves me’ and the chosen name reflects her parents’ knowledge that their daughter is cherished by God, being born into a good place and at a good time in their lives. This family is feeling God’s love, and expressed as much in the naming of their little girl.

There are other new things happening in Matara these days. In the last couple of months Donatien, our micro-finance trainer, has offered training sessions on the basic principles of micro-finance. He taught our friends about loans and repayment, investment in local enterprises and income-generating ventures to help earn money for their families. As of today, twenty individuals have been certified to participate in this in-house program.

This group is the first within Matara to attempt to start their own businesses. They have each qualified for a $50 loan to start something and learn how to run a successful business. Ten of the group members decided to begin making charcoal to sell to local communities. Some are buying beans, a staple for the local diet, and trying to sell in the nearby marketplace. One man is doing shoe repair. Others are providing wood for construction sites in the vicinity. For all of them, creating and running a business is a new thing. So learning by trial and error is to be expected during this initial season of the micro-finance project.

Donatien has noticed that while the business people were initially a bit shy to ask for his help, as the weeks progress they are seeing his value as a business counsellor and resource for them as they develop a new set of skills. Now he regularly meets with these friends to offer advice, help them think through rudimentary business strategy and related matters. He is pleased to report that 100% of the new business people are repaying their loans on time! Donatien, as a member of the CFB staff, is in Matara 5 days a week. His constant presence helps the participants to learn, offering daily accountability and daily access to advice. So far, it seems the friends in Matara are learning about the basics of business and enjoying the challenges of entrepreneurship!

So babies continue to be born… as well as a new crop of business people!

Well, it is a long overdue update, I realize. But I am happy to report that life is happening at a good pace and there is a routine developing in Matara. Life is a wonderful type of ‘new normal’ – including kids walking to school every morning, some going to the river to get fresh water for cooking and cleaning, others going to the fields to cultivate crops and regular community gathering in the make-shift public meeting room they constructed. All of these ‘normal’ elements would have been unheard of and even unimaginable just a year ago – these families had no reason to hope for such a reversal. And yet, God does just that, reverses fortunes in favor of the marginalized. Now instead of being on the verge of survival, these families are at the core of a thriving young community! God is good, indeed!

Recently Matara residents held an election. They elected their second set of community leaders. We are pleased to report that there has been a peaceful transition of leadership! Now there will be new voices steering the community and working with CFB staff, more learning to lead and serving their neighbors for the next season of Matara life.

The students at the student house are also well. They are amid their second term, working hard at their studies. After term one, we noticed that many of the students brought home higher marks that ever before! Their hard work is paying off! A great number of students are on track to pass the term. We have every reason to be proud of their efforts and achievements! However, we do have some students who continue to struggle in the classroom. Please keep them in your prayers, that their diligent work will reap academic benefits.

Life is good, thanks to the goodness of our God who showers His people with blessings. Please pray for God’s continued presence amid the families and students. Please pray for on-going wisdom and energy for the CFB staff who work alongside these friends in selfless ways.

We joined our friend in Matara yesterday to celebrate together. We gathered in a makeshift meeting room, covered with blue tarps and fragrant with eucalyptus from the fresh branches woven into walls.

There were prayers offered in thanksgiving.

A children’s choir singing, with school uniforms transformed into choir robes!

There was drumming…

…lots of drumming!

Testimonies of God’s goodness were shared.

“Once we had no land, now we have land with homes and crops and fresh water!”

“Last year we had no shoes, but this year we all have shoes to wear!”

Some of the testimonies were quite animated, bursting with such joy!

All gathered together were thankful for the transformed landscape, for move from landlessness to home-land. All looked healthier than they did just 7 months ago. All were eager to break bread together in celebration… this time it would be roasted beef, bugari and Fanta!

Soon after this photo was taken, we ate. And then it rained – a huge, pounding rain. We all huddled into the center of the tent, clustered under the blue tarps to stay dry. There was a lot of laughing as we waited out the rains together. But I was reminded, once again, that rain is a sign of blessing. How appropriate to be rained on as we came together to give thanks – to be reminded that God’s blessings will continue to rain down on us all in the New Year!

Merry Christmas from Burundi! All the students have now returned home for the holiday break and are celebrating Christmas with their families and villages. The families at Matara will celebrate Christmas together for the first time in this new community!

Matara Update

These two families have much to celebrate, as they both have new additions to their families this holiday! Both babies, one boy and one girl, were born during the first part of December. The sweet little girl was named Niteka, which means ‘It’s an honor.’ The little bouncing boy was named Niyomwungere, meaning ‘God is our shepherd.’ As you can tell from these names, God’s blessing continues to fan this community, bringing forth names of promise, hope and gratitude.

Just this very week we harvested mushrooms for the first time, the newest addition to the Matara menu of vegetation. As you can see, they are cultivated indoors, more like a greenhouse setting. Mushrooms are considered by many to be a luxury crop, and our hope is that the chanterelles will bring a good price at the local market!

This is a snapshot of our staff in Matara in their new office space! Our team includes an agricultural engineer, social worker and micro-finance associate. These friends work alongside the families of Matara to assist them in learning the skills necessary to build a thriving community. They offer instruction, support, encouragement and friendship daily. It is a blessing to have such a great staff, so committed to the work and cheering the families along with genuine love!

Student House Update

Our students just completed their first term of the academic year. Sadly, the public school teachers are on strike again, which means 19 of our students did not get to take final exams or receive grades. They have been working so hard all term, and it is so disappointing to see the educational system break down and slow the learning pace of these dedicated students. Please pray for the dispute to be resolved soon so that the students can return to school and return to learning in 2010!

As for the remaining 18 students in private school, they completed the term – exams, grades and all! And we were so delighted to see the grades coming in – higher than ever before! Some students improved their grades from last year by 15 points, 18 points and even 33 points! It is so encouraging to see these students excelling and reaching their full potential. There is much to celebrate!

So we are celebrating – new babies, a harvest of mushrooms, a great Matara staff, dedicated students and some really stunning report cards!

Merry Christmas to all our friends… more Good News coming in the New Year from Burundi!

Last week the Batwa families in Matara had their first harvest… potatoes! Men and women helped with the harvesting work, and you can see by the smiles that they are proud of their agricultural accomplishment. The students in the CFB house will be sharing in the bounty… keeping some of the harvest in the family. More harvesting is to come, but for now we celebrate the first one and congratulate our Batwa families.

I am recalling a passage from Isaiah, where the prophet tells of a day when you will plant crops and reap them… eat them… enjoy the fruits of your labors. A time when your harvest is yours, and does not belong to the overlord, the tyrant owner or the empire. This harvest belongs to the Batwa families, they will taste the goodness of their work. The portion of the harvest that is sold will help repay their land loan so that this land will be theirs. This is not the empires crop, this is theirs! The prophets words ring true today – once landless families are now planting, harvesting and eating their own crops. They are tasting true restoration!

And in other exciting news… the second child was born in Matara. A boy! He is called Nishimwe, which means ‘may he be thankful.’ His family hopes he will grow to be thankful to God for the goodness He has shown them. Congratulations to this sweet family!

We are celebrating with our Batwa friends in Matara. We invite you to share in their joy and thanksgiving. God is good, and these friends can taste and see His goodness, indeed!