Meet some people...

I thought you might like to meet some of the people we encounter each day...

When we travel to the Clinic and the boys house, we turn off the metalled road onto an earth road and go through a small village. It's usually busy, and we still get looked as as we drive past, but they are getting used to these two vehicles of white people each day!

There's all sorts of activity going on - groups of people talking, some buying and selling, occasional arguments, and one lady...

She sits there in the street at her treadle operated Singer Sewing Machine. She is 'traditionally built' and wears a bright coloured outfit and glasses. You don't see many village people in glasses, so she clearly has a 'specialist occupation'!

Two things cause her to stand out...

She sits under an extremely brightly coloured golfing umbrella, and whenever we go past, she breaks into an enormous smile and waves at us wildly with both hands!

When we arrive at the clinic we get out and are greeted by all sorts of people. Many of them have come to be known to us as 'The Orange Children'.

This is not because of any fruit they might give us, but because of their colour.

These children are from the local area around the clinic, and they have become stained by the soil they live in. They, and their ragged clothes have become stained orange. There are very many of them, but whilst they do look at us and smile occasionally, they are generally quite reserved around us.

They have joined in some of our activities with the boys from the house, but often they just stand and watch.

However, like all children they come alive when you involve them in play or dance. On these occasions their orange faces crack, to reveal smiles!


William runs our Hotel. Known affectionately as Will-I-Am or Willy, he is a very willing helper, waiter and advisor!

Nothing is too much trouble for William, but since multi-tasking is a challenge, it can all take a little time!

He is about 20, and comes from Bujumbura. he runs the hotel with his mother. When he's not working hard to keep us happy, he's usually online looking at other parts of the world on Google Earth.

William would love to be somewhere else, but at present he accepts that looking after his mum, and 'keeping the customers satisfied' is his lot in life.

Bosco's story has already been told in an earlier blog. It is remarkable, and he truly is an absolute champion for God.

 'Mrs Bosco' too, is a remarkable Christian woman. Her smile and personality radiate  contentment and complete trust in God. She is a mother of three boys (Elijah, John-Wesley and Steward), a full time worker in a clinic for abused young girls, she has just started overseeing the Restaurant they have opened, as well as keeping up with her husband!

Throughout our stay in Gitega, we've been helped by Dr Aline's two children - Esther and Elisé. Both of them have recently left school, and will soon be travelling to Oklahoma in the USA to study at University. They interpret for us, and join in with all our activities.

The third helper has been Grace. If ever a name fitted, it's hers. She is truly a gift to us. She is also 18, and has just left the King's School in Bujumbura. She grew up in the CRIB orphanage and tells us she has over twenty brothers and sisters who also live there. She has no other family, we'll tell you the story when we get home, but not publish it on this blog.

All three of these young Christians have been amazing. Pray that Burundi produces plenty more like them to lead their country into the future...

Finally, travel down any road or track at any time of day or night, and you will see people moving about (actually, at night you might not see them, as they don't use bicycle lights or torches!). At times it seems the whole of Burundi just walks about all day, and then sits by the road to watch!!

They are an amazing mixture of people ranging from the poor and raggedy to the beautifully dressed off to church or a wedding. Some have over-loaded bikes, some carry things on their heads, but they all keep moving.

They are one of the most memorable sights of Burundi...

Coming as we do from Reigate, we are used to a culture that tries to convince us that our worth is judged by the success we achieve, and the wealth and possessions we accumulate. In many aspects of life, we are encouraged to compete with others to be better than them - to have more, to earn more...

The Lady with the Sowing Machine, the Orange Children, William, Bosco and Mrs Bosco, Grace, Esther and Elise and The People along the Roads are all loved by God; so am I, so are you.

But none of us is loved any more than anyone else, and no one is loved any less.

God couldn't love us more if he tried! (not that He doesn't!)

Pete C