Burundi, Africa 2023

October 2023

Brad had the blessing to be able to travel to Burundi in Africa after our daughter Felecia's wedding in September.

Burundi is said to be the poorest country in Africa. 

It is beautiful, with Bujumbura the capital sitting alongside Lake Tanganyika (which likes like an ocean it's so large).

It is where Dr. Livingston met Stanley when walked through this region; planting seeds of the Gospel as he went.

It is where we have many church planters traversing the mountains, to villages where there is no church. 

Brad was able to visit with several church planters, their trainers and some churches. He was welcomed warmly. Oh the loving people of Africa is life changing.

A treat is he was able to visit the spot where Dr. Livingston and Stanley are memorialized. 

He walked up a mountain twice to a training center and church. A year before he had almost died and now he was able to do this.

All the places he went he delivered some of the Bibles our church purchased for the Great Lakes region. For most all of them it was their first Bible and will be the only Bible represented among many churches.

They would hug them and immediately open them up right as they were given to them.

He travelled up the mountains where he viewed rice  and even coffee fields. Thatched huts and people walking all around.

He stayed in a hotel that a pastor owned, fed the largest avocados he had ever seen (larger than his hand). Truthfully, he doesn't like them, but it was his source of protein. 

He preached in a few churches and met many new converts as well as church planters. 

One time, the car broke down in the middle of the road by a village. They were concerned about Brad, being a white man in a foreign country. Children first came by the droves, then young people then the adults. As they waited for an other car to come, the Gospel Message was preached and many came to Jesus.

Isn't that just like Jesus?

Brad again delivered the micro SD cards with the Jesus Film, video and audio Bible studies all in Kurundi to put in their phones to share one on one with others. It has been a great evangelism tool. 

Our church donates the phones and one gentleman at a PA camp we attended donated the the sd cards.

The dust from the travels attacked Brad's lungs. When he came home he was ill for two months. But, it was worth serving in this capacity.

I did not go because we did not have the funds for me to go. It greatly saddened my heart, but felt at peace. I too have the call to serve on the mission field; but this time I stepped back. 

PLEASE PRAY OUR SUPPORT IS INCREASED AND OUR CASH ACCOUNT WHERE WE PAY FOR TRIPS INCREASES TOO! We do need help!