Tuesday, October 21, 2008
We have video!
The video of our trip is finally available. Check it out here: http://www.danforthdesigns.com/burundi/
Monday, June 30, 2008
pics pt. 2
yo yo yiggity yo! hey there. we are all trickling back in the states. skyler is on her way back and she should be getting home very soon. kieran and is on his way to thailand. and everyone else is home safe. we are starting to get some pictures up on flickr finally. theres the link on the right and we will try to get some more up soon. once you get there you can also click the link on the upper left to view it in the normal view (as opposed to the slideshow).
LOVE
LOVE
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
pics
Hey all,
We've been pretty busy the last few days, but I wanted to get at least a few pics up. I created a Facebook album with just a few pics... enough to get you to come back for more in the coming weeks. There is no rhyme or reason to them. I just flipped through my thousands of pics and grabbed a few. Very few. Sorry they're on Facebook... I don't have access to the Flickr account (you don't have to be a member to view the album).
Click here to view the album or follow the link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2057911&l=c3cba&id=56902383
We've been pretty busy the last few days, but I wanted to get at least a few pics up. I created a Facebook album with just a few pics... enough to get you to come back for more in the coming weeks. There is no rhyme or reason to them. I just flipped through my thousands of pics and grabbed a few. Very few. Sorry they're on Facebook... I don't have access to the Flickr account (you don't have to be a member to view the album).
Click here to view the album or follow the link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2057911&l=c3cba&id=56902383
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Europe
Friends and family,
We arrived safely in London a few days ago. We are currently in Grenoble, France. We are currently figuring out what we will be doing for the next week. We are paying for this entirely out of our pockets, and some of us have a very constrained budget, so I have a feeling I will be spending the majority of my time very close to Grenoble. Not that I am complaining... this is the most beautiful city I have every seen, fully surrounded by the French Alps. I love the Rockies of Colorado, but they have nothing on the Alps - the sheer rock faces of the Alps are... beyond words.
I find it rather ironic that I have come down with a cold in the last couple days. I went an entire month in a very under-developed country in Africa with nothing more than some minor diarrhea (I've been told this is too explicit, but anyone who has traveled to such a place knows the reality of it), but I step into Europe for a couple days and get a cold... bah. I'll live.
Ok, enough typing on this European keyboard. Blessings.
_Mahoro (I don't think I explained before, but Mahoro is the name the Burundi church gave me)
We arrived safely in London a few days ago. We are currently in Grenoble, France. We are currently figuring out what we will be doing for the next week. We are paying for this entirely out of our pockets, and some of us have a very constrained budget, so I have a feeling I will be spending the majority of my time very close to Grenoble. Not that I am complaining... this is the most beautiful city I have every seen, fully surrounded by the French Alps. I love the Rockies of Colorado, but they have nothing on the Alps - the sheer rock faces of the Alps are... beyond words.
I find it rather ironic that I have come down with a cold in the last couple days. I went an entire month in a very under-developed country in Africa with nothing more than some minor diarrhea (I've been told this is too explicit, but anyone who has traveled to such a place knows the reality of it), but I step into Europe for a couple days and get a cold... bah. I'll live.
Ok, enough typing on this European keyboard. Blessings.
_Mahoro (I don't think I explained before, but Mahoro is the name the Burundi church gave me)
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
GIC- Global Impact Celebration!
Yes indee we did have a GIC. Felicien planned a very big celebration with the local churchs to dedicate the new church building. They only had about 1/6 of the roof completed but that did not stop them from celebrating. There were hundreds of people there singing and praising God. It was a wonderful way to spend out last Sunday (Eventhough Sklyer, Kieran, Felician and myself got food poisoning). We leave tomorrow which make everyone very sad. Pary for our flights.
Amahoro
Amahoro
And the time came and went
Alright. Here we are. Our last night in Burundi. I'm getting teary eyed just writing this, oh dear! Today was a fun day, we rested, did a little shopping for those back home, and chilled around the house getting things ready for tomorrow. Emily and I wanted to do something special for the sweet ladies of the church that have been cooking for us and helping us all around town. We have become so close with them that i truly feel as if i have another family here in Bujumbura. We put together a little package for them consisting of a little makeup kit, some nail polish, mascara, and earrings. They broke into tears upon receiving it from us with shouts of thanks to God. They are so sweet and deserve all of it an more. It turns out women everywhere like to feel special with a bit of makeup and some accessories! They are so sweet and give so much of their time to the church. Rose and Rosine are both widows, the church is trying to save enough money to send both of them to the local university so they can increase their education and learn english. This will both help with their ministry and communication. Emily and i are currently looking for ways to support them through school because as we have gotten to know them, we have found that they are such godly women and we want them at the forefront of sending the good news throughout all of Africa.
We did a bit of debriefing today. Talked about the pros and cons of this trip, what could have been done better or worse. And at the end we each went around and told each other what that person did which was noticed and praised. It was so great to hear everyones heart and opinions on the trip. I think God has some big ministry plans that will continlue through the years and i feel honored to have served such a small role. We look forward to seeing all of you soon! YOu are dearly loved and missed!
We did a bit of debriefing today. Talked about the pros and cons of this trip, what could have been done better or worse. And at the end we each went around and told each other what that person did which was noticed and praised. It was so great to hear everyones heart and opinions on the trip. I think God has some big ministry plans that will continlue through the years and i feel honored to have served such a small role. We look forward to seeing all of you soon! YOu are dearly loved and missed!
leaving tomorrow...
It is so crazy to think that we've been here for a month. It doesn't feel like it. I will definitely miss it here.
Overall, our team has been very sheltered from the abject poverty that is found in this city. But every once in a while we get a glimpse, and it is apalling. We live in a very nice rented house with some housekeepers to clean and do whatever other minor jobs we might need. The pastors and our friends take us to decent places and protect us from dangerus places. But once in a while, there's something that is just sad.
Like the AIDS kids begging in the market.
The drunkards wandering around spending their families' last pennies on Amstel beer.
The toilets that many of our friends use - little more than a hole in some concrete... and most people miss and it stinks.
The fact that most people cannot afford even the most basic of services and sometimes even food.
That the ladies of the church spent so much money on clothes for us when they themselves have nearly nothing - it brought us all to tears.
This place has definitely left a mark on me. And then I remember that I'm heading back home to my posh (granted not the greatest paying) job in the States serving high end coffee. The price of a triple venti white mocha at Sbux is more than the average person makes here in a couple days. The conversion rate is about 1200 Burundi Franks to $1 USD, and 60,000 BRF is decent pay for a month's work.
But that aside, there is much to be hopeful about. We have made good friends in Pastor Felicien, his wife Dina, the widows Rose and Rosina, and others like Djudonai (I spelled his name way wrong), Bosco, the choir members, and some of the youth among others. They have blessed us beyond what we could have every anticipated. There truly is a debt of gratitude that we owe to all of them.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers. And even more so, keep this church, Glory Outreach Assembly, and their pastor Felicien in your prayers. They have given so much and are still in need of so much just to get by from month to month. Felicien's story of coming back to Burundi and sacrificing as he has is itself quite amazing, and I hope to tell that sometime.
Amahoro (peace)
Overall, our team has been very sheltered from the abject poverty that is found in this city. But every once in a while we get a glimpse, and it is apalling. We live in a very nice rented house with some housekeepers to clean and do whatever other minor jobs we might need. The pastors and our friends take us to decent places and protect us from dangerus places. But once in a while, there's something that is just sad.
Like the AIDS kids begging in the market.
The drunkards wandering around spending their families' last pennies on Amstel beer.
The toilets that many of our friends use - little more than a hole in some concrete... and most people miss and it stinks.
The fact that most people cannot afford even the most basic of services and sometimes even food.
That the ladies of the church spent so much money on clothes for us when they themselves have nearly nothing - it brought us all to tears.
This place has definitely left a mark on me. And then I remember that I'm heading back home to my posh (granted not the greatest paying) job in the States serving high end coffee. The price of a triple venti white mocha at Sbux is more than the average person makes here in a couple days. The conversion rate is about 1200 Burundi Franks to $1 USD, and 60,000 BRF is decent pay for a month's work.
But that aside, there is much to be hopeful about. We have made good friends in Pastor Felicien, his wife Dina, the widows Rose and Rosina, and others like Djudonai (I spelled his name way wrong), Bosco, the choir members, and some of the youth among others. They have blessed us beyond what we could have every anticipated. There truly is a debt of gratitude that we owe to all of them.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers. And even more so, keep this church, Glory Outreach Assembly, and their pastor Felicien in your prayers. They have given so much and are still in need of so much just to get by from month to month. Felicien's story of coming back to Burundi and sacrificing as he has is itself quite amazing, and I hope to tell that sometime.
Amahoro (peace)
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