A Mission to Burundi
By Scott Jackson
When the announcement was made that there was going to be a mission trip to
Burundi, Africa I wondered why we needed to go so far when there is so much
need close to home. Others asked me that same question and all I could come up
with was that in the United States we have social services, charities and other
avenues for our disadvantaged citizens to obtain needed resources.
However those in countries like Burundi have no such opportunity. While those
are accurate statements the point I was missing is that the people of Burundi
are lacking much more than food, shelter, clothing and education. They are
lacking the most important thing of all which is the knowledge of God and as
Christians we have been given the great commission of spreading the word of God
to all corners of the earth.
The people of Burundi live in one of the 3 poorest countries in the world.
The Burundi government offers no social services, no public housing, no public
schooling, no free medical care, no food stamps or free transportation.
The people of Burundi are however receiving various social services including
housing, schooling, medical care, food and transportation through faith based
groups such as Great Lakes Outreach, Youth for Christ, Harvest for Christ and
Scripture Union. All of these are Christian organizations providing life
sustaining essentials to the people of Burundi as gifts from God. These
groups are not providing food because people are hungry, or shelter because
people are without, or medical care because people are sick, but rather because
God loves the people of Burundi and as Christians we are sharing God's blessings
with them. Everything we have comes from God and everything we share is a gift from God.
Having experienced first hand what is taking place in Burundi I am now a witness to the thirst and hunger the people of Burundi have for God. While they struggle on a daily basis to quench their thirst and hunger for water and food they know where to get those life sustaining elements. However, without people like us who went on the mission trip bringing them the word of God they would not have access to it. Seeing the struggles these people face on a daily basis makes their thirst and hunger for Spiritual knowledge all the more amazing.
Yes we helped build the foundation for a new home on the orphanage grounds,
yes we delivered food to the Batwa and provided funding for a number of new
homes at the Batwa village, yes we helped pay for soon to be installed water
systems, yes we built a playground, yes we helped organize a new medical clinic
and yes we sponsored a number of children. While these actions alone will provide
much needed daily benefits the fact that each of these actions was done through
a love for God has provided the people of Burundi with eternal benefits.
Many of you supported the efforts of the mission trip and for that we say thank you! I know each and every dollar given has been put toward assisting the people of Burundi and expanding God's kingdom. There are people in Burundi who need our continued support as they further expand God's kingdom in Burundi and throughout Africa. The impact of your donations and prayers is being felt in Burundi. I saw it. I felt it. I lived it. I thank God for it.