Trip to the Village

This is Ben Johnson writing on Breana’s blog. This is a small excerpt of what I did in Burundi. My older brother Danny and I went up to two little villages in the country of Burundi. During this time, Breana was staying in the capitol city of Bujumbura with my brother’s wife, Annie. Danny and I left for the villages on Friday morning, and spent the night there Friday and Saturday night and drove back Sunday. The purpose of the trip was to take some of Danny’s goats, ducks and rabbits to give to the churches so that they could raise the animals as a church project. (A project that my brother runs called "Living Gifts." Here is a link to his facebook page.)

The first village we stopped at was called Munyinya (pronounced “Mu-nyi-nya”). It is a tiny little village without electricity or running water located up in the hills of Burundi near the Tanzanian border. The people there were very hospitable to us. They took care of us, gave us a place to stay, and fed us. We arrived Friday afternoon, about four hours after we had left the capital of Bujumbura. As soon as we arrived at Munyinya, we started building the duck pen and the rabbit cages. It took several hours to complete, and after that, we ate supper and went to bed.

The next morning we ate breakfast, and my brother Danny, Pasi and Raphael (two Burundians who had come along to help) finished making the rabbit cages while I finished preparing for the message I was to give that afternoon at another village called Cankuzo (pronounced “Chan-ku-dzo”). They finished the constructing the rabbit cages at about 10:00 am, and then we packed up some of the ducks and a goat to take drive over to Cankuzo. The drive took about an hour to get there. We drove on an old dirt road with lots of potholes. We arrived safe and sound, and a crowd of people was there to greet us.

They showed us around the church property. Then Danny, Pasi and Raphael started making the duck pen, and I continued with my sermon preparations. Once they had finished their work, they invited us to have a brunch with the elders. Once we had eaten the brunch, we went into the church for the service. After the worship, I stood up to speak. I spoke in Swahili and Raphael translated it into Kirundi (the language of Burundi). I spoke on Daniel 4 where Nebuchadnezzar became prideful about his great kingdom. I told of how the Lord proceeded to take everything away from him. My main point was that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. I also told about how everything that we have is a gift from the Lord. We have no reason to be proud because everything that we have is a gift from His hand. Instead of being proud we should be people of thanksgiving. After I finished, another man stood up and called people forward to repent. About 15-20 people came forward to repent! Praise God!

After the service we went back to Munyinya and relaxed some more. Then we went to bed. The next day we had the Sunday service and Danny spoke about David and Goliath. It wasn’t your typical message about how we have different giants in our lives and how we conquer them. Instead, it was how Christ is our David who sets us (the cowering Israelites) free from the giants of sin, death, and hell. It was a really good message. After that we ate lunch and headed home.

On the way back, a motorcycle pulled out into the road in front of Danny and Danny hit him. We praise God that everyone was O.K. The motorcyclist was injured but not too badly. They took him off to the hospital. The whole thing was not Danny’s fault. It was the motorcyclist’s. He was an inexperienced driver, who didn’t even have a license, and he pulled out in front of Danny at the last minute. Danny braked as hard as he could and beeped and swerved, but there was nothing more to be done. The police came and wrote a report. After we finished with the police, it was about 7:30pm.

We were about to continue on our journey when we discovered that the radiator was leaking. We bought a bar of soap and patched the radiator with it. With this method, we were able to make it home by stopping every once and a while to refill the radiator and re-apply soap. We finally arrived back home at about 11:00 pm. We were so grateful to the Lord for protecting us and for the work that was done.

Kigoma

Jambo from Tanzania! I apologize for how long it has been since I last posted. The internet in Burundi and Kenya was generally not the most reliable. Fortunately, it is typically accessible here, so you will be hearing from me more often.

 





     He’s a quick update on what we have been doing: In Bujumbura, Burundi, I spent two weeks substitute teaching at the Ephatha School for the Deaf. Ben helped me and spent some time observing at the eye clinic, which was on the same compound. He also went with his brother Danny on a ministry trip, which he will post about later. In addition, we helped at Discovery School Burundi in various ways. After this, we traveled to Kenya for Ben’s brother Steven’s graduation from Rift Valley Academy and then to Kigoma, Tanzania, where we are now. Here, we have been helping his parents with their ministry work. I taught at the Good News Girls’ Club last week and will be speaking at the ladies’ meeting this week. Today, I will be spending the day with Ben’s mom, Ruth, helping her with various things and visiting some of the ladies from the church with her. Ben is shadowing Dr. Pepper at Kigoma Baptist Hospital for the day.

 



     Praising God for what He is doing here! Both his creation and His work in Kigoma shows his power and might. It was not so very long ago that Dr. David Livingstone penetrated this area of the world to the risk of his life from disease or the people. Ujiji, the place where Henry Morton Stanley found him after most of the world thought he was dead, is a short drive from where I sit in Kigoma town. What change this place has seen! Animism still exists, but Christianity is a bright light overtaking the darkness (even the commercial buildings bear names such as “Grory to God Hotel”). Parasites are no fun (trust me—amoebic dysentery is not pleasant at all), but modern medicine can often cure such things quickly and cheaply. There is so, so much need, but God’s hand is at work and I marvel at what He is doing.



Furaha Asubuhini

It is Saturday morning in Bujumbura, Burundi. I am sitting on the doorstep of the home of Danny and Annie, Ben's brother and sister-in-law. It is warm today, but if feels good to me. Outside, clothes on the line wave in the breeze. Much to Ben's sadness, the mangoes on the tree are still green; however, the starfruit and bananas are ripe and ready to eat. Ernest and Pasi are working with the rabbits, guinea pigs, and poultry in the back yard, keeping an eye on the cranky turkey that sometimes chases them across the yard. Little Ruthie, Danny and Annie's daughter, is standing next to me and babbling delightedly as we watch one of the choir groups practice right on the front lawn beside the banana plants. All day, we will be hearing the melodious sound of Kirundi praise songs float through the open windows of the house. At night, the drums echo through the city and rumble gently against the walls of the compound. From here, I can see Eric herding Danny's goats and a woman carrying her mtoto mchanga (baby) in a kanga (wraparound skirt) on her back. It is quiet on the compound today-- the school children from Discovery School are at home and the Deaf boarding students are resting or playing soccer in the field across the compound. The sewing machines and carpentry workshops from the trade school are silent for the weekend. The quietude is a contrast to the streets outside the compound-- just outside the open gates, I know that the the dirt streets will be filled with people coming and going. People come and go by foot, by bike, by pikipiki (motorcycle),  and by car. People in traditional clothes, in Western clothes, in rags, well dressed, carrying big bundles on their heads or bikes, barefoot or wearing sandals, running, walking, standing, talking, chatting, yelling "Umuzungu!" if one of us white people happens to pass by-- all doing life on the dusty, helter-skelter streets. Horns will be honking constantly as cars and pikis warn bikers, pedestrians, and other cars to watch out! There are no traffic signals here, and driving on the narrow two-way streets are always an adventure.



     But here on the compound, it is peaceful. A pale yellow butterfly flutters past me. I send up a prayer for Ben and Danny, who are on a weekend trip to bless a small village with animals and the Word of God. Although I cannot understand what the choir is singing, my heart joins with their song in blessing God and thanking Him for who He is and what He has done.

Moonlit Wings Reflect the Stars

Eleven hours.

Less than half a day until my adventure starts.

I remember being a little girl who wore a tutu and tool-belt with glitter in my hair and nothing on my feet, running through the grass and dirt. I dreamed of sprouting silver wings and flying over the ocean, following the stars wherever they might lead, discovering new and wonderful places, finding Prince Charming. Then I grew up. I am not sure how it happened or when, but sometime between now and then, the pixie dust was vacuumed up and I misplaced my invisible playthings. Picture books gave way to checkbooks and textbooks. Now, the government tells me I'm grown up and makes me do taxes, and I wear skirts that actually match my shirts, layer my hair, and wear shoes (most of the time). I wonder, though, have I really lost my dreams? Or have I just discovered what the realization of dreams looks like? Silver wings are really an Airbus A320. Satellites lead instead of stars. My Neverland looks a lot like Africa. Prince Charming does exist, and he found me.   

     I just have to say, God is amazing. I can’t wait to see how He is working in East Africa, and I am beyond excited to be a part of it! I will be posting updates and photos here regularly, so check back in to see what is going on. I have a feeling that it will be pretty awesome. God tends to work things out that way. For now, Habari!