After a long, long, 3 days of sitting in airplanes from Phoenix to Washington DC to Rome to Ethiopia to Bujumbura, Burundi, I finally arrived at the Kiriri Residence (Hotel) on Friday night around 7:30pm. Burundi is 9 hours ahead of Arizona time so that means 10:30am Friday. It's the same place I stayed last year; in fact I'm staying in the same room with the same bath tub that barely drips water, so I'm thankful for my short haircut. I slept a lot on the airplanes, but not much at night in the hotel room. Last night (Sunday) was the best night of rest as I was able to sleep for over 5 hours.
Along with the Berrymans (Dan, Marina, Michael, and Steven) and David Mitchell, this week's mission team also has a 27 year old teacher from Houston. She's Chinese and of course that fact has given me much opportunity for a few laughs. Her name is Tricia, but when she visits China, the people can not pronounce her name. Instead they call her "Tissue" which has become her nickname for this trip.
Saturday was filled with a long ride to an Orphanage north of Bubanza in the mountains. There were 30 children, ages 1-13, with whom we played games, sang songs, shared the gospel story and basically just let them rub their hands over our white skin. We will most likely be purchasing some rice, beans and some clothes to be sent to them later this week. When we returned to the Kiriri Residence, we met with the pastors and translators that we would be working with throughout this week. Since there are only 7 of us, we went out in teams of 2. If you do that math, that means someone had to go out alone...that's me. And wouldn't you know it, my mission point is an hour to the south while everyone else's sites are north.
On Sunday morning I went to the Mother Church (New Vision Church) who is sponsoring the new church plant and shared in their worship. I arrived at 9:30 with the music portion of the service already in full swing. I was escorted down the center aisle as everyone in the church (about 80-100 people) stared. I would love to know their thoughts about this tall, white, goofy American coming into the church and being seated on stage with 10 other men. This is my 2nd visit with this church as I was also here last year. I even recognize some of the people. Anyway, after about 90 minutes of praise and worship presented through 5 or 6 different choirs, I was introduced. Then there was another 20 minutes of worship after which I was to preach with the aid of my translator/ministry partner named John Claude. During the teaching, I guess I word John Claude out because after about 10 minutes, he called a timeout and asked another young man named Philemon to take over translating. My Texas drawl mixed with Arizona slang became too much for one African to handle.
The worship service went fine and ended around 12:15 at which time, after a brief Coca Cola break (Coke seems to the be the choice beverage among Burundi people), I climbed into the van with 16 of my new best friends and we headed off to what I thought was to be our mission point where the new church was to be started. On the way I was told that instead of going to Magara (the mission point) that we would be going to a refugee camp where another church was being started. Now no one on my team was aware of these plans, so I got into a van with people I didn't know and traveled about 45 minutes to a place I didn't know and where no one I knew would look for me. The thought did cross my mind that I might be heard from again. I mean, a refugee camp? What would this be like?
We drove through the camp/village of the refugees, got out of the van and people just started coming toward us. You know, refugees have this "look" on their faces that's a little different from what I'm use to, so I couldn't tell if they were all that happy to see me. I was taken to a room adjacent to where the church would meet to pray with a few men and there was told that I would again be sharing a 2nd teaching and presenting the Evangecube. A few people had been meeting for the past 3 weeks in a home and now this would be the first formal worship service for this new church. I just wish I had been told to be prepared. Oh well. When I stood to share, there were over 80 people inside the building and another 10 outside listening as little children played a few feet away in the grass. It was wild! About half of those in attendance prayed to accept Christ as their Savior and then committed to help get this church started. I was so wild! After the worship service, the children attacked me. Well, not really attacked, but it seemed like I was getting mugged as they pulled and poked and fought over who would hold my hands or grab my legs.
This stop at the Refugee camp was not on the schedule, but they begged for me to return and help them some more. So after some rescheduling, it was decided that I would be assisting in 2 church plants this week. I will travel to the original mission point on Monday and Tuesday, and then return to the Refugee camp on Wednesday.
I'm getting tired, so here's a quick summary of Monday: I rode in the van for 3 hours to get to Magara, the mission point, and arrived at 12:00pm. After 2 1/2 hours of street evangelism, I spoke to over 170 people of whom 140 prayed to receive Christ. We invited people to meet with us at 2:30pm for worship in the place where the new church is to meet. It is a room that is about 10x12 feet with a door and window. I wisely stood by the window as the crowd grew and pressed themselves into the room. By the end of the 30 minutes, I literally had people almost push me out the window. I was really cool to share with them from Luke 15 about the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son and the fact that each time that which was lost became found the angels in heaven threw a party and celebrated. I told them that God is having a big party today because so many of them that were lost became found by God.
It was a long 2 1/2 hour van ride back to the Kiriri residence, but I think you will agree, well worth every minute.
Big hugs and slobbery kisses to each of you,
Husband, Father, Son, and servant of the Most Awesome God!
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