While Jesse waits for the Bible School's next term to start, he is practicing his Kirundi and encouraging churches at the same time by responding to invitations to visit many churches in the hills that surround the city. Last Sunday we went to Bihara, a village about ten miles out of town. We drove most of the way on a main road, then about three on a road that would fulfill all your imaginings of what an African road should be-- red clay studded with huge rocks and crisscrossed with deep ravines caused by erosion. They were excited to show us their new church building, which is just more than halfway completed. When we visited Burundi in 2003, they were still worshipping in their old building-a 12x20 feet room full of sadness-- at one point during the war, the army burned their instruments, comandeered the church building, and used it as a place to execute men from the town of military age. You could still see the bullet holes in the wall. It was hard for me to imagine that these people still came each Sunday to worhip and praise the Lord in the very place where their sons had died. It made me marvel at the power of God that enabled them to forgive and to move on; yet I knew they must still feel the lingering sorrow. At that time they had laid the foundation of a new church, but been unable to afford more. Now they have walls of mud brick with some cement used as plaster to keep the mud from washing away and a strong tin roof that can endure the mountain winds. This is due in part to the generosity of outsiders and in part to their own hard work- they made the bricks themselves, carting rocks for the foundation and water(necessary to mix the mud) on their heads from the stream at the bottom of the closest valley. They have done all the labor themselves as well. Their biggest remaining need is $500 worth of new benches. Their good ones- a sturdy board to sit on and a sturdy one to lean your back against- were burned by the soldiers. The few they have managed to scrounge up now are almost falling apart, and they could use many more as well. If the Lord lays it on your heart to help, just send a gift to CMML (their address is at the bottom of any of my old newsletter postings). Send a note with the gift stating both our name and "Bihara Chruch." Anyway, it was a wonderful time- Jesse spoke about disciplehip and dedicating your life to discovering who Jesus is. We were served a wonderful lunch cooked by a chef that is part of their congregation. He works in the city but comes up the hill on Sundays. He even managed to bake a pound cake over a charcoal grill!!! I wish I could have seen what kind of contraption he rigged up. Quite a feat. Anyway, it was wonderful. Wish you could have come along. Come visit anytime!!! Joy
