It's hard to B-lieve how much has happened this month. (I think I say
that every time I write :)). Where should I B-gin?
Blessings—God has provided people to fly with the boys and me both
ways. Judie, who attends my parents' church in SC, will arrive in
Burundi on June the 6th. She will spend her time here teaching
English and helping me plan for the new preschool, and then we will
fly back to the US together on June 19th. We are so excited to be
able to share the work here with someone from home. Please pray that
she is blessed and is a blessing in the next few weeks. Annie, who
attends Emmaus Bible College in Iowa, will meet me in Charlotte and
fly back to Burundi with me on July 20th. She is good friends with
Jesse's brother Danny, and once here she will meet up with Jesse's
parents and spend the rest of her time with them.
We are also praising the Lord for the opportunity to take Christian
films and Bible teaching to seven assemblies in Congo. Plans for the
week-long trip (June 23- July 3) are coming along well. Jesse's Dad
and brother will be able to accompany the film team, and a retired
missionary to Congo, John Hanley, is also flying out to go on the
trip. Please pray for safety in travel for all of us.
Bullets—During this last month there has been quite a lot of political
unrest as Burundi's last remaining rebel group tried to convince the
government to give them some places in parliament and to begin
implementing other changes promised in a peace agreement signed last
year. For us this meant hearing some shooting in the distance almost
every night, spending a few hours one night lying on the floor in case
of stray bullets, not going out after dark, and hearing stories of
army and rebel initiated attacks farther away. This past week a new
peace agreement was made, and the last few nights have been quiet.
Please pray with us that this new accord will mean a complete and
final end to Burundi's civil conflict.
Bible School—Jesse is down at the Bible School as I write, teaching
his second week-long intensive course. This current session has been a
study in highs and lows. On the up-side, seven of the students/elders
were sponsored (their school fees and bus fare covered) this month by
a gift from an assembly just outside Washington, D.C.—without their
help none of these students would have been able to come. Jesse was
also able to have the students come to our home and watch a portion of
the video The Bible. I think the depiction of Noah's ark was the most
fun for them to see—I didn't understand all of their running comments,
but they were obviously enthralled— and getting to drink cokes while
they watched was a rare and special treat for all of them. I was also
touched this past Sunday by hearing one of Jesse's former students
give a sermon completely based on something he learned in Jesse's
class last session, and then seeing three people come to the Lord as a
result of that message.
On the other extreme, a student names Isaiah lost his brother last
week in the political violence—he wasn't even able to go home for the
funeral. By the time the message reached us here in the city, it was
too late for him to make it back to his village. Another of the
students, Samuel, has been diagnosed with typhoid. He has been
sleeping at the health center but continues to come to classes despite
his fever and general misery.
Businesses— This coming September, the assemblies here are planning to
start a Christian pre-school. It will be a huge outreach to those in
the nearby neighborhoods—we will have Christmas and Easter programs as
well as daily Bible lessons, and we are hoping many families will hear
about the Lord as a result. I have been asked to be the director, and
I will actually teach at the school for the first 3 months to train
the national teacher that will take over. We will begin with a group
of 30 three-year olds and then expand the following year, Lord
willing. Directing the school means that I am responsible for finding
and hiring a national teacher and setting up the infrastructure. We
already have a building but need to build a fence, get things painted,
have furniture made, and maybe even build a small playground as the
Lord provides. I also need to write curriculum and find materials.
If any of you are having Vacation Bible Schools this summer and would
like to raise money for the school or collect supplies like crayons,
puzzles, books, etc… PLEASE let me know and I can send you more
information. I would be able to carry some things back to Burundi
with me in July, and could possibly arrange for others coming to
Burundi later to carry an extra box over in the fall.
Gifts for the preschool (the Discovery School) and the Bible School
can be sent to our regular CMML support address: CMML, P.O. Box 13,
Spring Lake, NJ 07762. In addition to putting our name in the subject
line, as you do for personal gifts, add "for the Bible School" or "for
the preschool." If you would like to be more specific about how the
gift is used, please write us an email at jesseandjoyj@gmail.com
Don't forget the extra "j" at the end for Johnson, or your email will
go to a different Jesse and Joy. We would also love to welcome anyone
who wants to come to Burundi to see or help with the school
themselves.
Thank you again for caring about us and God's work here.
In Him,
Jesse, Joy, Zach, and Micah Johnson
