Ministry progress …..We are on a mission.....
Hauge Internet cafe is born.....
Burundi ministry next year....
Amahoro y’Imana (God's Peace)
We wish we could sit across you with a cup of the best, Burundi coffee ofcause and tell you firsthand how good our God is and how wonderful His plans are! Well, the next best thing will be to read this e-mail while you relax wherever you are. Then allow God to bridge the gap through this newsletter.
Excitement and anticipation fills the atmosphere while we are writing to you! God has been really good to us over the last few months. This period was packed with all sorts of experiences which helped us grow spiritually and even allowed us to enjoy a brief time back in SA to celebrate our daughter’s 21st. She has certainly done us proud over the last 3 years whilst we were in Burundi. Scoring very well in her university studies and developing into a fine young woman whom any parents will be very grateful for. God has been faithful in guiding, providing, protecting and strengthening Bernice through a number of people who really love and lookout for her. Truly Jesus is our strength and shares our burdens with us.
Burundi has been buzzing with ministry activity. Ps Charles, who initially invited us to Burundi to come and serve the Kingdom of God, has planted a new church in Bujumbura. It is a 3 story building, situated in a relatively new area in the capital. The event was filled with an array of different activities, handing over of the church flag with deacons marching down the aisle, the reading of scripture, presenting of paintings of a shepherd as gifts to Ps Charles, a government minister greeting the church and conclusion of the service with a sermon from Dr Howard from California. To us Ps Charles has always been one who God has sent (an apostle) to pioneer new churches for God's Kingdom. We pray for Full Gospel Church to take the next step to grow internationally into East Africa.
Ministry News.....
Initially our invitation to come and serve in Burundi was both to the local Full Gospel Church as well as to different denominations. We sensed that the work God was calling us to was and is a Kingdom work wherewe would have the opportunity to see Pastors and Leaders associate and learn together as brothers in Christ from different denominations.
Rick Warren in his book “Purpose Driven Church” gives good guidance in the aspect of building Kingdom minded disciples. He clarifies this in the prayer of Jesus in Luk 17, saying that He calls His disciples to both a ministry and a mission. We also have the challenge to serve in both a ministry in our local church and also a mission in the Kingdom of God. It is not either or, rather both ministry and mission.
Therefore Diane serves in the local church in the ministry of Sunday school but also serves in her mission to the Kingdom of God by training Farming God's Way. In my case, my local ministry is preaching and teaching the Word of God in the local church and my mission is to train Bible Interpretation skills to Pastors and leaders interdenominational.
Veritas....
We graduated 3 Module 1 groups in Ngozi, Kirundo and Rutana respectively. The Pastors from different denominations were both excited for completing the 1st module and waiting in anticipation for the 2nd Module to start. We have started to train Veritas Module 2 in Gitega and Rutana.
Children ministry....
Children's ministry in the local church has grown to almost 150 children. Diane has re-arranged her Sunday school program so that she can have more time with the children, resulting in a greater impact on their lives. She has started to meet the children every 2nd Saturday for at least 2 hours, growing their fine and gross motor skills by playing different games with them and completes each play time with teaching a Biblical lesson.
At the beginning of 2011 Diane had a vision to train other teachers from Full Gospel church. This finally came into being during November. She took 13 teachers for practical training to Bujumbura for a two day seminar. The seminar was hosted by Ps Ahn and Sunny from EAC Church, they are long serving missionaries from Korea, in fact they have been serving in Burundi for the last 20 years. Their faithfulness has been a blessing to many and we can see how Jesus is using them to bridge the gap between the generations. In their home th
ey have a sign with a saying “Not next year but Next generation” an awesome focus to have because God's blessing is so great that is able to bless in tranches of generations.
In December Diane prepared for a Children's concert. One thing you have to know is that, not much can dampen Diane's excitement if it comes to doing some activity with or for the children. Therefore when she gets going it is often all out, no stopping, no slowing down, until she finishes the task! She and Aron were painting props, making
soldier armour and gear from cardboard, painting, making bandanas, what a joy to watch her being excited! Surely this is this inspiration from God! The concert took place on Saturday 24th December. The concert was followed by the handing out of gifts which were very difficult because it was the first time we handed out more than 400 gift packs and sandals and it was rather difficult to control the children. But we have learned from the experience and we know next time we are more equipped to do a even better job of distribution. Not withstanding the fact that many children were blessed including street children who joined the party.
Hauge Internet cafe....
During our visit in September I may have shared with a few people about pioneering an In
ternet cafe in Gitega. Well it is done and dusted! Actually I cannot take any of credit for this work, because you see it was not my idea, but God's idea. One day during May 2011 I had the clear promoting form the Holy Spirit to start an Internet Cafe in Gitega, I was given instruction to work with specifically Peter and Fedilite (Burundian couple). Well I sent one email to a friend and business man, who happens to love the Lord so much, in Norway. I explained to him the plan to start an Internet cafe and the vision I had with this business. One email sparked the founding of Hauge Internet Sprl in Burundi. Together with other investors we have established the business in a business property we are now renting in the centre of town and the Internet is up and running. Peter helps manage the Internet and Fedilite has started the Amakuru Cafe (Translated: News cafe).
Now we are using the premises to also train Veritas, Farming God's Way and possibly additional adhoc skills from Acat, to be established during 2012, which will help entrepreneurs start more businesses in Gitega. Un-intentionally we have founded a centre where we now have an Internet cafe, a restaurant and running Skills development courses, hence we have named the centre “Hauge Skills Development Centre”. Pray for guidance in establishing this ministry in order for it to become self sustainable.
Thank you...
We know God will reward those who are generous towards His work but we want to specifically give thanks to some folk who really have helped the mission in Burundi:
In our last news letter we requested help for the Veritas Module 2 books, Commentaries and Bibles, well God's people heard the call and responded. Thank you especially to Ray Castle, founder of Missionary Encouragement Projects, I know you are a good steward and I have purposefully not revealed the names of the donors to his organization, so that God may reward them in heaven. We were able to buy the books from Veritas Uganda office.
We thank God for yet another year of financial support received for Bernice's studies towards her degree. This support has been such an answer to prayer and we want the sponsor to remain anonymous, Thank you for your commitment and sacrifice to invest in both the future of Bernice and the next generation whom she will be teaching. Again we see God's hand bridging the gap.
Burundi Ministry 2012....
How do we see the work continue in Burundi? At the moment we use Aron as our translator and due to Diane's growing ministry with Farming God's way,
Acat and Children ministry, needs someone to help her permanently. We have asked God for another Burundian translator who will be able to help me train Veritas. God answered with an emphatic yes and when I shared this burden someone responded. Ps Jean-Marie has confirmed that God is calling him to work with us and to train Veritas. He is a pastor of a congregation in Ps Charles' church. We will balance his existing responsibilities with the Veritas training. He has already finished Module 1, and qualified as a trainer. I would like to start training with him from January. We are trusting God for a monthly support for Ps Jean-Marie. If you desire to finance this support, then please send me an email and we can make the necessary arrangements.Veritas module 2 training will continue in Rutana from January and we will also start a second group in Gitega for English speaking pastors.
During April 2012 we plan to visit SA again for two primary purposes. In order to attend my graduation for my BTh qualification from the South African Theological Seminary and to attend a 3 week social development course hosted by ACAT in Howick, Kwazulu Natal.
Spiritual thought.....Dealing with discouragement
Diane and I normally after re-entry into Burundi have to deal with emotions of discouragement. If we allow these emotions and thoughts to continue we start to withdraw from people as well as from God. During these times it is wise not to make any major changes or allow the discouragement to dictate our actions. We have taken much comfort from these words of Jesus.
Matt 11:28-30
This passage has three elements to it:
a) “Come to me” - Jesus always takes the first step and wants to bridge the gap between us, in fact He wants to share the burden with us. He promises to protect us from the consequences of these burdens. Jesus says His plans and purposes for our lives is not difficult, in fact He says it's easy because it is His plans and visions we serve not ours or those from other people. Herin lies the warning, who's plans are you following? Your own plans, or the plans of others? Who or what is the voice you listen to giving you direction? The voice of your emotions and thoughts? Does it line up with the Word of God?
b) “I will give you rest” - So often we look for comfort in the wrong places, things or people. Some look for comfort in food, or even in seeking out people who we know will agree with us. Jesus invites us to come to Him, He is gentle and humble, His voice and direction will leave us with a sense of peace and assurance. We need to draw closer to the Word of God and allow God to comfort us.
c) “Take my yoke” - Do you feel over extended? You might be taking unnecessary responsibility for others. We might even attempt to serve the vision and call God has for other people and not our own. Jesus Christ yokes us together, he helps and sustains us, when we face discouragements, hardships, challenges, disappointed relationships, Jesus is the one who will come and bridge the gap, pick us up and help us because He wants to and are able to strengthen us physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Jesus is waiting for us to respond to Him....He is ready...take time and share with Him your burden and allow yourself time in His presence, in order for Him to refresh your soul.
Prayer points.....
Please continue to pray as follow:
1. Peace for Burundi – pray for continued political stability in the country. The security has been compromised by a small band of people who seek to bring instability.
2. Pray for Bernice – studies 2012, final year.
3. Pray for us – protection for our health, relationships, that no weapon from the enemy against us will prevail.
4. Divine appoints – ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into all divine appointments He has created for us and to discern His words of wisdom.
5. Studies – that I may finish well this year, this is my final year for BTh. Thank God for His faithfulness the end in sight.
6. Veritas Training – Thank God for His divine provision, also pray for ongoing provision for the books required.
7. ACAT & FGW training – Diane for implementation.
8. Kirundi Commentaries and Bibles – pray for more funding for this need.
9. Hauge Skills Development centre – to become self sustainable.
Please stay connected with us on Face Book………
Much love
Anton and Diane
