4.25.10

lovely Sunday in Gitega yesterday. it seems the rainy season is coming to a close early here – we have had beautiful warm, sunny, and dry days this past week – quite a change from when i first arrived here and had so much rain!

abi, steve (friend from UK), and I joined Kiki, kids, and house mom Karita to the Eglise Vivant (Living Church) for services. first, I am so not used to the duration of African churches – 9 to 1, and they weren’t actually quite finished when we left at 1! second, not understanding the majority of what is spoken in Kirundi (minus the few words I’ve picked up) for those hours poses for a great challenge to my patience that I am discovering here in Burundi is not so plentiful or unconditional as I’d before imagined. found myself with a question, “Lord what are you trying to have me hear today though I cannot understand the language of the songs or prayers?”

It seems that God likes to answer these kinds of questions. worship time was long, joyful and energetic. not the quiet stillness of sometimes worship at home. I couldn’t help but to feel so moved by that time, surrounded by Burundians worshipping God in their own tongue. I don’t know exactly what we were singing, but I know the thought overwhelmed me throughout the time: Jesus. Jesus died for me on the cross. For me?!? Yes, for me. And for you. Nothing matters more than to know him.

I didn’t know what the sermon was on, but did catch that one of our readings was from Philippians 2. I opened my Bible: “Imitating Christ’s Humility.”

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition, or vain conceit, but in humility consider

others better than yourselves.”

The passage goes on to a call for us to live with attitudes like that of Jesus Christ – God, who made himself nothing and taking on the very nature of a servant, became obedient to death and died on the cross for us. Wow. As the sermon goes on, I remember that I also have a borrowed copy of Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, and so I open it to the page someone else has marked to have a look, maybe read a little. The chapter that is marked is, Discipline of Service. Oh boy. I know for sure that God has something to tell me now, on this subject of humility and servitude.

To be continued…

prayers…

for the arrival of the container from Canada with medical supplies that are needed for the opening of the medical clinic in Gitega. it was supposed to arrive last week, but is not here yet.

for the upcoming opening of 2^nd YFC orphanage in Cibitoke in just days time!

for God to change my own heart.

only in Burundi…

do grown men hold hands in the street, and it’s a totally normal way of expressing friendship. however, to see a man and woman who are not engaged or married holding in the streets – this is scandalous!