Things have been busy in 2013, with children & ministry & things in between.
The time since I last sent a letter is long—an alphabet book should help right this wrong.
Don't give a thought to how long this will be- I promise I'll only go from A to G!
A is for Accounting
Claire and Ismael
Things at the Discovery School are always growing and changing. (This really is as exciting as it sounds, though sometimes I have to remind myself of that as we carry boxes of books and supplies from one room to another
). A small, open classroom is waiting for our growing group of nursery students (2 year olds) to move into next month (their old room will become our library), and two large regular classrooms, the start (Lord willing) of Discovery School's 3-story classroom block, are almost done and will be put to immediate use for speech therapy and special ed pull out programs. The building went up so fast it seemed almost like magic— Rumpelstiltskin changing grant money into bricks overnight.
So far 2013 is shaping up to be "The Year of the Guests." Since January we have helped host more than thirty visitors from outside the country, and more are headed our way next month. We are so thankful that God is putting the country of Burundi on people's hearts.
Here are a few highlights:
Jesse continues to teach a Bible Study on the book of Leviticus at a local assembly each Saturday afternoon. He also chairs the Timothy Bible School committee and is deeply involved in the planning of each session. He will be teaching his course on Christian Disciplines in May. This will be the second session for the current group of students-- the previous group held their graduation in March.
E is for Education
F is for Foundations
Jesse is part of a leadership team (all the other members are Burundian) that handles problem solving, reconciliation, strategic planning, and vision-setting for all the educational, medical, discipleship, and evangelism initiatives of the assemblies (Emmanuel Churches) in Burundi. It is their job to answer questions like these and many, many more. Please pray for continued wisdom for Jesse and the other men serving in this way. We feel strongly that this cruicial but challenging role is one of the primary reasons God has us here right now.
Thanks for your prayers and time reading this letter.
I hope that it helps you to understand better
how God's using you on this side of the ocean
as part of the team keeping His plan in motion!
B is for Building
Things at the Discovery School are always growing and changing. (This really is as exciting as it sounds, though sometimes I have to remind myself of that as we carry boxes of books and supplies from one room to another
). A small, open classroom is waiting for our growing group of nursery students (2 year olds) to move into next month (their old room will become our library), and two large regular classrooms, the start (Lord willing) of Discovery School's 3-story classroom block, are almost done and will be put to immediate use for speech therapy and special ed pull out programs. The building went up so fast it seemed almost like magic— Rumpelstiltskin changing grant money into bricks overnight. 
Pouring footings The foundation The ground floor
Assembly line to pour the slab The building as it is today.
C is for Connections
So far 2013 is shaping up to be "The Year of the Guests." Since January we have helped host more than thirty visitors from outside the country, and more are headed our way next month. We are so thankful that God is putting the country of Burundi on people's hearts.
Here are a few highlights:
- January to March--Meghan and Rachel from Boulevard Bible Chapel in FL volunteered at Discovery School.
- March 11-15th-- Teams from Orlando, FL and Charlotte, NC worked at Discovery, teaching VBS-type lessons to the students, bringing over needed supplies, building a playground, and encouraging the staff.
Joy & the Orlando team NC team teaching a lesson Jesse & NC team start playground
All done! The kids love it!
- May 1 Volunteer team of engineers arrives to survey and make suggestions for future use of the church property.
- May 15- College professor of speech therapy and several of her students arrive to lead a training seminar for Discovery School staff.
- May 30- David and Anne Cliffe from Westside Bible Chapel in Oregon arrive to stay for three months of English teaching, Bible training, and discipleship.
Jesse continues to teach a Bible Study on the book of Leviticus at a local assembly each Saturday afternoon. He also chairs the Timothy Bible School committee and is deeply involved in the planning of each session. He will be teaching his course on Christian Disciplines in May. This will be the second session for the current group of students-- the previous group held their graduation in March.
Graduate receiving his diploma Timothy Bible School Graduation The Graduating Class
E is for Education
Last Friday I led a seminar for the Discovery School teachers—there are now 24 teachers and more than 40 staff. We worked together to write out the job responsibilities of people who will serve in different management positions to keep the school running smoothly as it grows. I could tell that many of them were tired as the end of the school year grows near, so we also spent some time in God's word remembering that "God is able to make all grace abound to us, so that in all things at all times, having all that we need, we can abound in every good work." He can give us what we need so that we can keep going and "not become weary in doing good." Phew! I needed that reminder myself—keeping up with the curriculum and management of a school that now has over 500 students is a huge challenge. Please pray for me as I try to balance our home and responsibilities at the school. Pray for a full-time teacher to come and help, and pray that God will continue to bring godly, talented, Burundian personnel our way.
Discovery School Staff
F is for Foundations
The Bible School pictures above showed the graduation of elders from the Shepherd's Institute, the branch of Timothy Bible School that is for active church leaders or for those who will soon be exercising those functions. This program has been in place since 2003.
Lord willing, a new branch of TBS, called the Foundations Institute, will launch in early 2014. The goal of this program will be to train the next generation for Christ. It will begin initially as a college-level one-year Bible training program for young people with the motto "Biblical foundations for life," and we will look to the Lord for future guidance for the direction and expansion of this ministry.
G is for Goals
How can the assemblies in Burundi work together to reach the lost? Who should be hired at the Discovery School? How can you stop neighbors from building their homes on church property without permission? What can be done when there are conflicts in a local church or between two local churches?
Jesse is part of a leadership team (all the other members are Burundian) that handles problem solving, reconciliation, strategic planning, and vision-setting for all the educational, medical, discipleship, and evangelism initiatives of the assemblies (Emmanuel Churches) in Burundi. It is their job to answer questions like these and many, many more. Please pray for continued wisdom for Jesse and the other men serving in this way. We feel strongly that this cruicial but challenging role is one of the primary reasons God has us here right now.
Thanks for your prayers and time reading this letter.
I hope that it helps you to understand better
how God's using you on this side of the ocean
as part of the team keeping His plan in motion!
Jesse, Joy, Zach, Micah, and Elliot Johnson
Bujumbura, Burundi
