• Veritas…. Module 2 groups in 4 provinces completed
• Compassion Fund…Diane continues to distribute food, sandals and school items to the children of Burundi
• Development…1st ACAT course held in Burundi - Godly Leadership how to address poverty
In February we will be celebrating our 5th anniversary in Burundi, how cool is that! This is a wonderful milestone for us personally as we have experienced how God have provided for our every need during our stay in Burundi. Thank you Lord for your hand of favor upon us.
Although we are in good health, Diane and I have been challenged on the mission field. To mention a few are the culture, language, being away from family and friends and also the pace at which life happens in Burundi.
Every time we visit SA it takes me a few weeks to adjust to the fast pace and soon as we have “climatised” we return to the slower pace of Burundi, which bring along the experiences of a host of frustrations.
Tim Keller in his book, King’s Cross, he makes the point that we cannot control what happens to us but we can control our “response” to what happens to us. Needless to say that we appreciate God’s grace in this area, as we only sometimes find victory in our responses. So the narrative of our lives continue as the maker uses what happens to us to shape and change our character into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Here are a few highlights over the last few months.
Veritas…
Module 2 had been completed with the Ngozi and Kirundo groups. During the next 6 months we will continue to facilitate the training of Module 3 in Gitega and Rutana provinces.
One facilitator, John Baptist have initiated his own group of 17 leaders from different church denominations. Here is a pic where we visited his group and distributed Kirundi Bible commentaries.
Ps Jean Marie Vianey, who is a full time pastor, part time electronics technician, has a passion for training using Veritas material. After a period of training with me in the North, we released Jean Marie as a facilitator to pioneer his own Module 1 group of 15 pastors.
We have another 3 facilitators who are training their own groups. These are the people who have proved themselves faithful to train according to 2 Tim 2:2. We are committed to supporting and strengthening these facilitators who will continue the training of Veritas College into the remainder of the country.
Translation of Module 3 have been completed and Module 4 will commence later this year. We want to extend a big Thank you to ACAT for providing the funds to continue the translation of Module 4 into Kirundi. As well as for the financial support for the distribution of Kirundi Bible commentaries to the participants.
The next month is focused on our Veritas College International Sub-Saharan Africa meeting, which will be held in Pretoria during the last week of September. This will be a time of fellowship with staff from all over Africa and a re-focusing on our calling with Veritas.
Compassion Fund…
Diane continued to support the family of John Bosco who suffers from anemia. The poor child has been hospitalized twice this year for blood transfusions. To assist with his nutrition levels, Diane supplies premixed porridges for breakfast and also a full meal to the whole family every day. Diane have connected with a local NPO who distributes prepacked meal portions which consists of rice and soya. They receive containers of the food from an organization in the US, Feed my Starving Children. The interventions are paying off as John Bosco have been growing and increasing body mass.
What a privilege it is to be the hands and feet of Jesus, sowing His compassion with passion. This next pick Diane had distributed about 200 pairs of sandals, copy books, pens, balls etc to children in a remote village in Gitega.
Development…
We sent an invitation to ACAT to come and present the 1st ACAT Leadership Skills to Address Poverty, also presented by the leadership of ACAT (a personal cherry on the cake). I was convinced that this request was a God idea. However what transpired over the last 6 months was nothing short of seeing God’s miraculous hand of provision. We were witnessing how God was using the course to address some 50 leaders from 7 nations, representing 12 diffident church denominations from 25 different local churches. The participants also included business leaders and other Non Government organizations.
Our theme was Ps 127:1 "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain."
During the training, ACAT donated $7000 towards Bibles of which the bulk have been distributed at the training.
- 864 Kirundi Bibles
- 50 English Bibles
- 54 Swahili Bibles
What remains is to say thank you Father God for having Burundi close to your heart, for sending Jesus before us and that we had this privilege Lord Jesus to follow you to Burundi for the work you are busy doing in this nation, which is not God forsaken but Blessed because the most High has not yet said it is over!! Thank you Holy Spirit for your active involvement and presence during the training that you drew close to each one of us and encouraged and sustained us for your service. Now Lord we pray that you will multiply and grow the seeds spiritually and physically sown that you will give increase.
Thank you Gerald and Philippa Dededkind for your visit and investment into Burundi, which have resulted in many Kingdom seeds being sown. This was your first visit and for coming to Burundi you had to have faith, for which we commend you.
Dutliff Snyman founder of Royal Staple (Pty) Ltd. And our partner in so many ways, Thank you for your continued invest into the Kingdom of God and specifically in Burundi, you have been a pillar of strength.
Arne Sylta founder of Hauge Family Microfinance, thank you for joining hands with ACAT and Royal Staple in making the Leadership course a reality.
Our next step will be to host the Implementation and Basic Life Skills course in Burundi. We are targeting the last week of November 2013. ACAT have already provided finance for translating the training material into Kirundi.
As I write the final few words to this report and reflecting on how surely God builds His Kingdom, I am both humbled and filled with hope for Burundi. Thank you Lord! Thank you ACAT for your faithfulness in which you have held onto the vision and direction God has given you so many years ago, now is the time to ask the Lord please give us the nations. (Ps 2:8)
Vision 2013…Diane and I have peace to remain in Burundi living out the call from God at least for the next 18 months.We will contiue to use Hauge Skills Development Centre as our base in Gitega from where we contiue to live out our vision 2 Tim 2:2 to GO > SERVE > TEACH in the following spheres: 1. Veritas training Church leaders and equiping them with minitry skills, Building Godly Character and imparting Biblical knowledge for their calling. Remainder of the year we will plan to start Module 3 training in the 4 provinces, and commence the translation of Module 4 into Kirundi. 2. Compassion ministry is Diane's fortei and she loves giving and helping the underpreviliged especially the children of Burundi. She promises to give away all the donations with passion :) 3. Development using the Farming God's Way and the more comprehensive ACAT program to reach more communities with the Gospel of action. We will host the 1st ACAT Implementation and Basic Life Skills course in Burundi. Spiritual Thought… Luk 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” When considering the cost of being a disciple of Jesus, think of what you gain, Jesus Christ, priceless! Prayer Points… Please continue to pray as follow: 1. Peace for Burundi – pray for continued political stability in the country. 2. Pray for Bernice – thank you Lord Bernice have graduated. 3. Pray for us – protection for our health, relationships - that no weapon from the enemy against us will prevail. Also for the ongoing relationships in the local church we connect into. 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. Veritas Training – Thank God for His divine provision, also pray for ongoing provision for the books required. Also pray for the many facilitators now trained, that they may multiply the training into their own churches. 6. ACAT & FGW training – for implementation. God will establish leaders that will hear His call to reach the Active poor in Burundi. 7. Hauge Skills Development Centre – for registration and finance to register a Non Profit association in Burundi. 8. Travel Mercies - we will travel to South Africa for September conferences with Liberty, Veritas and meetings with ACAT. Thank you!! Muracose Canje!! As they say in Kirundi, thank you very much for your continued support whether financially or prayerfully. We are so thrilled with what God is doing and how He is building His Kingdom in Burundi. By each one fulfilling his or her call in the food chain of the work in the Kingdom we will surely meet the goal of our faith, to give glory and honor to God. |
Much Love
Anton and Diane
