Life in Burundi

Mwiriwe! Good afternoon! So much has happened during our first few days in Burundi that it is impossible to communicate all the events and feelings we have experienced, but I hope to be able to give you a glimpse of our trip thus far.

I would like to start off with a praise! My bags were missing for the first five days of the trip, but we were able to pick them up last night! God is faithful to answer our prayers.
Keiran and I have now taught English classes for four nights. Each evening we have had a two hour intermediate class followed by a two hour advanced class. It is amazing to see the hearts of the students as they dedicate themselves to learning our language. When you ask many of them why there are attending the class, they reply that they want to learn English in order to get a better job and have a better way of life. It is so encouraging to know that we could make a real impact in their lives. Pastor Felicien started teaching the English classes several months ago, which has been incredibly valuable as we can work on more advanced topics rather than starting from scratch. It is especially helpful for them to learn pronunciation of difficult English words from us.

On our first night teaching the advanced class, the lights went off in the church part way through the lesson. Unable to continue our lesson in the dark, we decided to pray for a bit and sing some worship songs. The moment we had finished one of our songs, the lights came back on and we were able to finish! God times things so perfectly!

Some women of the church took Kieran, Susan, and I to the marketplace yesterday. It is a massive building with a high ceiling, packed full of wooden booths selling everything from clothes to toiletries to electronics and everything in-between. There is hardly any room to move between the booths so people are constantly pushing past each other. Our trip to the market was incredibly valuable both for learning about the Burundi culture and way of life, as well as being a bonding experience between us and the women. We were able to pick up knitting supplies so we can teach them a useful skill that could eventually turn into a way to make some money.
The guys have been gathering information about Internet cafes and other such opportunities. They have met several businessmen that could prove to be valuable contacts in future endeavors. Overall, we are well on our way to establishing good relationships and are very encouraged about the progress we have seen in the English classes.

The members of this team that God has brought here are simply incredible. We are growing very close as go through our days here and as we talk and pray together each evening. Already, lifelong friendships have been established and strengthened.

I pray that things are going well wherever you are and we are certainly grateful for all your thoughts, prayers, and support!
Liz