Burundi Update
I wanted to send an URGENT EMAIL to request prayers for Burundi, as the Presidential elections are scheduled for this Monday 28th. The situation isn’t good with daily grenade attacks due to instability following all the opposition parties having pulled out of the electoral process citing fraud. So the current President is the only one standing, which is obviously not ideal. The main rival has fled the country and we hope will not ferment violent opposition (he was the rebel leader until 2009 when his party reintegrated, but he made the war drag on far longer than was required). The EU and Catholic house of bishops have said elections should proceed. We are aware of massive spiritual opposition in terms of people from outside being drafted in to pray against the election (can’t go into details). So these are key times. Please please pray repeatedly over the coming days. Burundians are plain tired of war.
Simon Guillebaud
Great Lakes Outreach
PS
Meantime our work is thriving with our local partners. Here’s a quick testimony from Onesphore of Harvest for Christ from a couple of days ago:
“Manariyo used to work as a representative of the Batwa (pygmies) at Busiga. He was repeatedly let down by many Non-Governmental Organizations who promised much but delivered nothing. When we went to work in Busiga, he didn’t want to be identified as the Batwa community leader. His heart was wounded. Six months later, Passy (who is our HFC lady working with the Batwa there) saw him coming to church. He decided to give his life to Christ. And when Passy asked him why, he brought all the agreements that NGOs had signed with him which hadn’t been respected, and said: “Since you have come here, I carefully observed you. I discovered love that I have not seen in any other persons who visited us. I am sure that you are people of God and you love us Batwa. I decided to give my life to the Lord you serve and who pushed you to come to us.” Manariyo is a new convert and Passy is discipling him. His wife also started coming to church. God is slowly opening the hearts of the Batwa.”
I love this, because what we are doing is so holistic and long-term, in the context of costly service and relationship-building. The Batwa are considered the lowest of the low and are the most resistant people group in Burundi, and we are helping them learn to read and write, gain access to clean water, improve their farming methods, rear cows and goats, receive dental treatment, and know their rights for the sake of advocacy. May Manariyo be the first of many coming to freedom in Christ.
Beautiful! Thanks for being a part of it.
Simon