Coffee Team - Day 4

Here is an excerpt of an email I received from my husband yesterday morning  regarding their day. Our prayer is that your hearts will break alongside ours for this community, and that you will be encouraged by what this partnership is accomplishing!

Burundi Journal 4
July 12 9:15 pm

How do I ever begin to sum up today?
We left Buj and headed up to Kayanza. The drive was like nothing I have ever seen before. Gorgeous views of terraced hills and the road was bursting at the seams with people. Our driver had to have his hand on the horn the whole time, always warning people and vehicles he was coming with a hearty beep.

The road was tight and busy. And to top it off there were guys on bikes everywhere loaded up with goods. Huge long sticks, beer, bricks, potatoes, taking it all to market in Buj.  But the road is hilly and these guys were hauling. I mean HAULING. It was amazing and terrifying.

On to the day....
First we went to the terracing project that FH has led with community associations. It is amazing. These people know what they are doing. Steve shot a video of Philip (FH Burundi Program Director) while I interviewed. Amazing stuff.

This absolutely beautiful little girl ran over to us while we were filming and wanted to watch us. We were in the middle of a terrace and she was alone, so I shook her hand and told her she could watch but had to be quiet. She was so quiet and gentle and dressed in rags. She is burned into my memory. This adorable girl who has a future because FH is in her community helping her dad grow food for her. But she doesn't have much food, many other kids who showed up asked us for food meaning she was probably just as hungry but not bold enough to ask.  I can't stop thinking about her.

From there we went to the Amahoro (Peace) seed center. A potato farm and seed shelter site that was once destroyed in the war.  Hutus and Tutsis destroyed it while fighting each other. They now work hand in hand in 12 farming associations made up of 20 people each.  The results are profitable for them. We interviewed Jeremy, who is the led agronomist on the site and his hope for 5 years from now is that these farmers (who FH has selected because they are the most poor and vulnerable) will be able to buy their own hectare as an association. FH can then bring in 12 new associations. Jeremy was so proud of this work!  It was such an honor to watch him talk about his work. FH is doing a fantastic job here.

We got back to the Conference Centre, had dinner and then Philip told us about Burundi and its history with a power point presentation, and then we fired questions at him.
This man is amazing. He loves these people and has such a great perspective on how to help them.

I asked him what FH Burundi's greatest challenge is.  He mentioned a couple of things.

1) Budget is an issue. They work hard to keep overhead low, but even so they are short funded and cannot pay enough staff.

2) The people here can't see past today. They are war torn and have difficulty seeing past the day to day.  It is every man for himself, and this is a real problem. There is a social change that needs to happen, and it will have to happen at the youth level. This will be hard to implement but is so necessary. Another great reason to keep promoting the Child Sponsorship program and work at giving these kids some real hope for their futures.

He also mentioned the never-ending threat of war that exists here.

We all got up to lay hands on Philip and pray for him, and were all struck with emotion.  It was incredible.

It's hard to think that even though Philip and Yves are at the helm of this fantastic ship that is agile and well built and headed in the right direction, no one knows how far away the shore is, or exactly how they'll reach it. BUT! God has a vision and a future for these people, and my hope is that through this partnership and these trips, that vision and hope will spread like wildfire. Philip asked us to pray, and to be ambassadors for FH Burundi, and that is exactly what I plan to do.

“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!" Jeremiah 32:17