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).
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| 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!
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| 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!
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| 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!
