...But I have called you friends...

I wrote this post a week and a half ago (Sunday, May 27)....

Hallelujah! We had a successful concert today with the fledgling Hope Africa University Singers!  Everything came off like clockwork, and we praise the Lord for a large, receptive audience.

Pastors Jonah and Innocent reading scripture at the concert

At the concert today we read the "Vine and the Branches" passage from John 15.  It reminds me that friendship is really important to Christ.  He wanted his disciples to truly love him and each other in the way that friends do.  He designed the kingdom of heaven to be a place where we would follow his example: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  And again he sets the pattern by saying, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known to you."

We are seeing that unfold for us here at the end of our time at Hope Africa University.  True friendships are emerging from the teacher/student relationships that we maintain.  How wonderful and fulfilling that is!  It makes us believe that perhaps this wild idea of transplanting ourselves for seven weeks into a foreign land and culture, laying down the lives we were living in Greenville, Illinois and sacrificing time with our work and friends there, has truly been worth it.

Yes, today was graduation day at Greenville College...we sorely missed seeing our student-friends, who have been with the GC choir for four years, on their big day.  We missed the beautiful sound of their voices and the smiles on their faces, and reminiscing with them about memories we made together.  But we know the joy of the fruit that comes from obedience and patient laboring...and so we experienced the beautiful sounds of new voices, basked in the smiles of new friends, danced before the Lord with thanksgiving, and broke bread in sincere friendship.  It was a great day.

Kabwe, Sarah, and Christelle with Wilsons on Grace's birthday

Sifiso, a warm and friendly South African student who shared a meal in our home

Edward, a Kenyan theology student with dreams of a publishing and radio ministry

Veronique and Pam: Sister Connection sponsorship brings us both so much joy!

Beloved Body of Christ

So much has happened in the past week-and-a-half!  We'll try to keep this brief, but we want you to see the beautiful people we've been meeting.

A couple of Sundays ago, we went with one of the existing choirs at Hope Africa University to a Free Baptist Church where they were ministering. It was a tiny church building, but Burundians know how to fit "just one more" on the benches, so we all found seats for the service.  It was in progress when we got there at a few minutes before 9am, and we worshipped until about 1:15 pm!  No less than four choirs sang...and there were two sermons.  Burundian Christians look forward to their worship services all week, and they make the most of them.  We were blessed by the freedom they have in expressing their joy as they worship, sometimes dancing and shouting to give praise to God.

We worshipped again with a group of young people on the Tuesday after that. Our family was invited to the "birthday party" of a graduate student who is in our university choir, Christelle.  She wanted her 30th birthday to bring glory to the Lord, and be filled with praise and witness to his salvation, so...instead of having her friends over for food and drink, she had them over for songs and prayer and preaching!  It was a spirit-filled time, right there on her front lawn. Close to forty people attended.  The team singing Kirundi and English worship songs was absolutely beautiful in tone, harmony, fluid transitions...it was a taste of heaven. Then our family was asked to share some songs, which we did, followed by the preaching of the word.  A dynamic young preacher spoke powerfully on Jesus as "the Beloved Son of God," and our place a beloved sons and daughters when we are IN CHRIST.  He spoke in English and had a Kirundi translator...they were such a well-matched team in preaching, it was sometimes hard to tell who was the preacher and who was the translator! Again, it lasted hours...and then our family was asked to come inside the house and eat with Christelle's family (a special privilege).  We got to know her family (all 8 siblings, plus parents and extended family). It was wonderful to spend some time with a Burundian family, especially this vibrant, Christian family.

Jeff and Gabe visit with Christelle's Dad and nephew

Grace with Christelle and her sister Sarah

 Did we mention that we went sightseeing that morning? It was a national holiday, so we took time to see the Living Museum (the closest thing Burundi has to a zoo) and one of the sites where Stanley and Dr. Livingston met (remember the line, "Dr. Livingson, I presume?" Yes, this is one of the places that claims that notariety...a huge rock commemorates the event).


Nile crocodile smile

 
Last weekend we had the opportunity to go to the "Up country," the mountainous region which comprises most of Burundi's landscape.  The higher elevation means it is cooler, and has fewer mosquitos.  It is almost completely rural (though we stayed in Gitega, Burundi's second largest city).  Several trips to various villages allowed us to take in the charming countryside with its banana trees, coffee and tea bushes, huts by the roadside, roaming cattle, and people, people, people!  Though less densely populated than the capital city, EVERYONE seems to be on the winding dirt roads...carrying loads of everything imaginable: charcoal, sacks of rice, bananas, cooking oil, cattle fodder, manioc roots, etc.  The things they transport by bicycle and on foot are astounding!

Banana trees with manioc in foreground

 I will close by telling you about the warmest welcome we've ever received...given to us by forty or fifty widows at the Mount Hope location of Sister Connection.  At first we thought no one was there...then a handful of women came out the front door of the building, calling out greetings and singing a song.  The song grew louder and more joyful as more and more and MORE women poured out to greet us.  We were all on the verge of tears...it was so unexpected and beautiful.  After we were invited in, we learned that the widows were there for an all-night prayer gathering to pray for the upcoming summer retreat.  So we exchanged words of greeting with them, explaining that the Greenville Free Methodist Church in Illinois of the USA had sent us to see the good work that God is doing among them, and to affirm the bond we have as members of the body of Christ...to tell them that we pray for them.  Guess what? They pray for us, too!  Praise the Lord for the many people we are able to call sisters and brothers.

Sister Connection widows...Sisters in Christ!

Live from Burundi

This is my third attempt at posting a blog this week!  Power has been out or other interruptions have come...and our kids keep "stealing" the laptop for facebook!  Some things don't change... There is a lot to update, so pick the headings that interest you most and skip the rest.

MAKING MUSIC

Our meetings with the university choir are off to a great start!  We meet every day with them for an hour (except Saturdays and Thursdays).  They have beautiful, strong voices, and they learn quickly.  Since learning to read notation is one of our goals, we spend a portion of rehearsal learning solfege (Do Re Mi), the staff, rhythm and time values, etc.  Jeff has developed some materials that help the students transition from reading the solfege to reading notation for several songs.  Another big challenge is teaching four or more part harmony because Burundians naturally sing in three mixed parts (both men and women singing melody and two harmony parts).  So when we ask the sopranos to sing, sometimes the guys will sing along!

We discovered a pent-up demand to learn piano.  Jeff has been evaluating students to place them in levels, and more and more keep showing up to request a place in group lessons. They are so eager to learn! We didn't really bring materials for teaching piano, but we are using some of the books for music theory to help start them off, plus some easy songs we found online. There is no such thing as a piano lab here...students just have to take turns with the two keyboards that are available (and some use the xylophone we brought!). 

DAILY LIFE 

When we wake up in the morning, we do the same things we do in the USA: Pray, read the Bible, make tea, shower, etc.  But we also have to untuck the bed nets to get out of bed, open up the doors and unscreened windows to let in the breeze (closed at night to keep out mosquitos--we have screened windows that can stay open), and gather laundry for our house helper who comes at 7:15 a.m.  If we don't have laundry to do, then she does dishes and floors...which is wonderful to have done, yet takes some adjusting to...try getting ready for the day while someone is mopping your floors! We have grown to appreciate Jeannette (our helper) so much because all the laundry has to be washed by hand and hung to dry.  Without her, my whole time in Africa would be consumed by laundry!

 

During the week, we all do schoolwork. It can be a challenge to focus since people tend to drop by to visit, but we are making some progress at maintaining a schedule. Besides the pen-and-paper studies, we've been able to have some great discussions sparked by our new environment; we talk about racial and class distinctions, poverty, stewardship, war, the role of government, customs and social interaction, languages...the kids have really good questions (and we don't have all the answers).

Grace at Lake Tanganyika

We have been able to shop for groceries about twice a week.  Driving is out of the question for us (too dangerous unless you know how to do it here!), so we go when someone else can take us.  Most of the foods we can buy are very familiar...just different packaging, and we have to ask for them in French.  We love the tiny bananas, the fresh carrots, the peanuts, and Burundian tea. We knew we could survive here when we had prepared our first spaghetti dinner...confirmed again by our first pancake breakfast. Little victories!

Gabriel with Samuel Miller

SABBATH REST

Living in community is exciting and energizing...and exhausting!  So we are VERY thankful for chances to take a break from the campus life which hums around us all the time.  Our neighbors, Wayne and Barb Vibbert, have taken us to the beach twice. This is an unexpected gift from the Lord.  We had no idea that Burundi had such lovely beaches here on Lake Tanganyika! If we buy drinks or a meal at a hotel restaurant, it gives us the priviledge of using its beachfront.  We can sit in the shade of the trees or grass hut-type cabana, or walk along the shore, or put our toes in the water (swimming is dangerous...crocodiles and hippos are real threats to safety).  Last week, we went with Joel and Jeannette Miller and their kids, who moved here in January as long-term medical missionaries.  What a wonderful outing for the kids and us!

Gloria examines a palm tree

PRAYER REQUESTS

We continue to value your prayers so much.  They have sustained us and blessed us these first two weeks...and there are only six to go!  Here are some current requests:

1) Jeff needs more time with the music instructors to assist them and develop the music program.  Pray that he will be successful at scheduling meetings with these men (whose schedules are always changing due to their multiple occupations).

2) Our househelper, Jeannette, has a very sick 10-month old baby girl.  Please pray for her healing (she has a fever, but we don't know what the cause is).

3) Justin, a music instructor and member of the university choir, is experiencing financial challenges as he is raising a family of six little children.  Pray that God will provide for his family.  Also, please pray that his wife will be healed of a severe toothache.

4) Praise God for good attitudes in our family so far.  Pray that we will not give in to discouragement when it comes...and that the Lord will lessen the culture shock that usually comes after the newness wears off.

5) Praise the Lord for the Vibberts, who have made us feel very welcome and helped us adjust to life here. Praise the Lord for our financial and prayer supporters, who are reaching across the world to give these Burundian students opportunity, education, and encouragement.

Thanks for reading! Thanks for praying! We love and miss you all!

Getting to Know You

 Having safely arrived in Bujumbura, along with all of our luggage (thanks for everyone's prayers for both!), we are now settling in and meeting the people of our new community.  They are all very gracious to us, pleased to meet us and ready to make friends.  It is great to finally see their faces and learn their names! This first picture was taken at a gift shop called "Amahoro" (it means "peace") where the baby's mother was working as a seamstress.  The shop sells purses, bags, jewelry, and other items, with the proceeds helping Burundian widows.

We've done a lot in the past four days! We've taken a tour of the university, fellowshiped with fellow visiting faculty, met with the rector and vice-rector (president and vice-president) of the university, eaten delicious Burundian food in the dining hall, made acquaintances of some students and staff, unpacked our bags, learned how to shop for food  using French (and Burundi francs), washed some of our clothes by hand, and discovered that we can sleep without fans when the power goes out!  Today we hosted our first guests: Wayne and Barb Vibbert (long-term visiting profs from Spring Arbor and retired missionaries) for Sunday lunch, and a young Congolese teacher named Justin with some of his family for tea (pictured here with Jeff).

Our apartment on the third floor of the only dorm on campus is small by American standards for a family of three, but we are not discouraged.  It has some great advantages: a view of the campus and surrounding neighborhoods, a nice breeze nearly all day and night, and Wi-Fi (inconsistant, but better than none)!  We are getting used to the "fishbowl" effect of living in the middle of a very busy campus (5,000+ students come to three (AM, PM, EVE) sessions each weekday, with make-up classes on Saturdays.  So, we live in close quarters with each other and the students...we are going to to need your prayers for patience and calm when the newness wears off! :)

First Stop: Budapest, Hungary

Playing postlude for worship in Budapest

Jeff (far left) ready to converse in English when Jan Coleman (far rt.) finishes giving instructions

  Jeff is completing his first week in Budapest, Hungary, where he is coming alongside Free Methodist missionaries and church leaders.  So far he has attended an English class, a Hungarian Folk Music class for children, and a worship service.  Since one of his goals for this time is to refresh himself musically, he also went to a concert (and will hopefully attend many more during their Spring festival).



Meanwhile, the kids and I are packing bags and making arrangements to leave the house.  We continue to gather the items we need for everyday living and educational ministry.  Many thanks to our church's office staff and other volunteers (you know who you are!) who duplicated and assembled the 360 textbooks and workbooks that we will take with us to teach music theory at Hope Africa University.  We are praising God for the generous donations of paper, ink, machine usage, staples, and time! Thanks, also, for the cash gifts that will enable us to put these bags on the airplane.

One of the five suitcases of textbooks...

Countdown has begun!

We're counting down 7 days until Jeff leaves for the first leg of the trip (to Budapest, Hungary). Three weeks later, the rest of the family will meet him in Brussels, and then it's off to Burundi! So far, we have obtained passports, immunizations, medicines, travel insurance, and approval from our church and the Free Methodist World Missions short-term missions office (VISA). We are also nearly fully funded; we're hoping for about $1700 more to cover our expenses.  THANK YOU to all who have contributed to this mission.  We look forward to sharing with you the sights and sounds of Hope Africa University students making music to the Lord!