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A Week After Our Return: Burundi Continued

10/24/13

This is the day that all of our activities are starting to blur together. It's also the day that some things that  have already happened are taking on a greater significance.  Our first full day here, we had a leadership seminar. Don't tell, but I felt like it was just for me! Can you imagine flying all the way to Burundi for a leadership seminar with people from NYC? But God has been speaking to me about leadership, so it was no surprise to find myself front row, taking notes. ;)

After the seminar we went to a park to join in a gathering of youth from Alice's church. One thing I really like about people's names here is that they have weighty spiritual meanings. Thank God, Faith in God, One Who Loves God- are the English translations of the Kirundi I didn't learn to pronounce. When I was in Ethiopia I was given an Amharic name, Brutakan, which means orange. When I was in Zambia I was given the name Aunty Brittain. I wonder what my name will be here?

Today when we spent time with the guys from Ziga, we formed a human knot. Now imagine people from the states, people from Burundi, of which maybe only three or four spoke English, trying to untangle themselves! It took about 30 minutes, but we did it. Somehow tangling ourselves up dropped the walls of culture and class between us. :)

After our time at Ziga, we went to Oasis Church. And it was something like an Oasis to hear the worship reverberate to the heavens in English then Kirundi, then back again. I couldn't help but to imagine how sweet praise rising to heaven must sound as it takes the form of many different languages. Talk about a sweet savor! 

 Before one of my teammates spoke, the Pastor shared a story of faith, and how he came to know of David Wilkerson and Times Square Church. Both tears and laughter mixed as I was humbled yet again by a testimony of the worldwide impact that Pastor Dave's simple obedience has had. God speaks. We do. The world benefits. Let me be obedient!

Day Unknown/ Thoughts Continued

My quietest teammate is the one who speaks words most profound. He is training his Labrador to be obedient in all things. As he shared one of the exercises with me, a chord within me was struck. During this particular exercise, the master hides something without the dog's knowledge. He then commands the dog "back!" It is the dog's responsibility to seek out whatever the master has hidden. The dog must trust the master's character. If the master commands "back!", the dog must believe there really is something to be found. Then the dog must find and retrieve the hidden item. 

I think I must be the most disobedient of dogs when my Master runs me through this exercise. I don't have a problem going, but what is it that I will come back with?! Something that I am learning about myself is that I love to go, but I lean to my own understanding about the purpose. I would be the dog retrieving sticks, stones, shoes, anything and everything but what the Master had hidden for me. My excuse would be that those are all things the Master COULD have hidden. I even try to convince the Master that these found objects are the ones  He hid for me! Can you imagine a dog always determined to find for himself,  instead of what the master had hidden? 

God certainly called our team to Burundi. He made sure that the day before we left everyone's trip was paid off! This was no small feat. Two members are married, so that was twice the cost. I was unemployed, and others just didn't have a spare 3,000+ under their mattress. BUT God. He moved people's hearts so that we could travel to Burundi. We trust that He has hidden something for us to find whether in the streets of Bujumbura or the mountains of Ngozi. And once we find it, we will give Him all the glory.


Days Are Long on a Missions Trip/ Same Week

I love to eat. Those who know me well, know that about me. My mother used to ask me when I was a child, "do you have a worm?!" To the best of my knowledge it's not a worm that causes my voracious appetite, but rather a fast metabolism. God is very thoughtful so he thought of this when He planned our trip to Burundi, and He ensured that we would stop by Mama Alice's house. It was at Mama Alice's that my stomach found a home! I piled my plate high with  fish, rice, beans, and collard greens and then left it on the table. I took a moment to socialize before I returned to my seat to dig in. It was then that I was informed of THE RULE. Everyone must eat two plates, so as not to seem rude and offend our host! There was grave concern at the table because of the amount I had on plate number one. The plate was no match for my stomach, especially since it was ALL so delicious! Then Mama Alice brought out plantains. I ate a full plate of those as well and gained favor with our host. Eating is not a problem here! I guess I'll be bringing my granola back to the states! 

One morning/ Same Week

The mosquitoes who live in our bathroom reminded me that I am here to serve them. The places I didn't apply bug spray to last night, they took as their breakfast this morning. 


--
The time you spend alone with God will transform your character and increase your devotion. Then your integrity and godly behavior in an unbelieving world will make others long to know the Lord.
Charles Stanley




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