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From team leader Van…

We’ve had some funny moments on this trip.  This afternoon, driving through Bujumbura,  the capital of Burundi on a local shopping and sight seeing excursion, I saw a quaint Boulangerie and Patisserie.   Having spent time in France and being a food lover and we’ve basically lived on white rice with an occasional whole fish staring back at us, I immediately knew this was my kind of place — a bread bakery and sweet shop!  I shared the news with my car mates.  “Hey, a boulangerie!”  had two odd reactions: (1) “if I brought my wife lingerie home from Africa, I would be in big trouble” and (2) “yeah, I can’t imagine wanting Burundian lingerie.”.  After I explained that I said boulangerie, which means “bakery” in French, my teammates were surprised they both had the same reaction and then said –  “she still wouldn’t want Burundian lingerie” and “my husband would be so proud of me for thinking of it!”.

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Same Struggles…Different Continent

Robbie reporting from Burbanza

Today was the last day of the conference. We had started conflict resolution yesterday setting up a very impacting lesson on forgiveness. David M. and Burson H. were so powerful in mixing their stories and God’s Word. It was a highlight of the week as we transitioned from forgiveness to finish conflict resolution. Overcoming language and cultural barriers is certainly a struggle, but hearing and seeing them struggle was encouraging. They struggle with pride, superstitions, traditions just like we do.

Today there was a cow, we played soccer (at the conference, in the building) and flashlights were valued like gold. So many encouraging words, stories and feedback. We see so many needs and wish we could do more but the same source we have to transform our homes, neighborhoods and city is there for them. So glad to be used. May He increase and we decrease (John 3:30)

Pray for the young pastors and leaders, there is a stirring happening.

Thanks for praying for us!

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Laughs and New Relationships

It was a great closing day for the women’s conference. Beth and Kristen spoke on forgiveness and conflict resolution and Amy taught health and hygiene. One woman came back today with her wooden spoon that we had given them for speaker-listener. She stood to ask a question and used her spoon! It got lots of laughs.

One woman shared that because the women from different churches came and sat next to one another and became friends, sisters in Christ, it is a new beginning for relationships. Exactly what we hoped and prayed for this trip!

They all got a few laughs from the diarrhea doll, too. They blessed us with songs of gratitude and well wishes, circled around us. Amazing to see their joy and gratitude. They asked us to thank the people of our church for sending us and praying for them. It was a sweet 3 days.

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Checking in From Burbanza

From team member Burson…chiming in from Bubanza. It’s 9:00 here on Tuesday night. The day is coming to a close. We’ve just wrapped up preparing for tomorrow.

Today was a great day with the men (Beth is posting for the women now too). I covered “leading self” this morning…and what it means to be God’s man. David then discussed leading others…with the main focus on how we are called to lead our wives. The concept of a husband leading his wife here is very hard for them. To even say “I love you” to your wife (and kids) here is not common. We challenged the men to do both tonight.

After breaking for morning tea, Robbie did an incredible job discussing pain and suffering…and why evil exists. The highlight was the men reading Psalm 37 and all the men shouting together “This is the word of God and I believe”!

After lunch, we opened up the floor for Q&A.  David then taught on preparing for conflict…and successfully managed to walk the room with a 4 ft log in his eye.

We closed out the day setting them up for discussing forgiveness tomorrow and are looking forward to hearing what they bring in to discuss.

Quote of the day came from Van as several of us managed to be in close proximity to a school upon dismissal. Within minutes, we had hundreds of kids surrounding us. Van’s comment….”And this is what it feels like to be Bono…every day”.

We are now farkling for what will surely be an embarrassing day tomorrow for one lucky person.

Thanks for all the prayers for the people of Burundi, the ALARM staff and our team! God is good!

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“Blessed” Takes on a New Meaning

Tracey spoke on hiv/aids, which the women were already very educated on; but when told to share this truth with their children, that is a cultural taboo. Tracey, Kristen and Amy did a great job teaching today. Amy, Kristen and Beth went to the orphan care headquarters and met the orphans. It’s hard to fathom the loss in their lives but amazing to witness God’s goodness in action and see that our Lord is truly the Father to the fatherless. They are so joyful and happy with how god has “blessed” them. Blessed takes on a whole new meaning here. Please pray for our 4 hour conference on conflict tomorrow. Thank you for praying your prayers have been heard! Everyone is healthy except for one person who has a fever. Burundi is actually a beautiful country.

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Marital Communication is Vital

Kristen spoke on communication in marriage and did an example with the speaker listener technique that encouraged the women to better communicate with their husbands. Marital communication is foreign here, but we have spoken in depth on communication and parenting and how to honor the Lord with both. They are so eager to learn, we’ll see if they will really put these truths from gods word into practice.

Also, Beth completed her second farkle with another beautiful singing performance!

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Encouraging Times in Burundi

Today we got our first taste of teaching. It was an amazing experience. The eagerness of the conference goers to learn is encouraging.  Van and Beth did a great job teaching Bible 101. We shared the gospel several times and Amy taught parenting too.  Looking forward to what God will teach us tomorrow.

We are so bleesed to be partnering with the ALARM staff. They are amazing, faithful and so kind. Oh and Beth “won” the second farkle. Her rendition of “Jesus loves me” at breakfast was inspiring.

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Traveling to Burundi

A few posts from trip leader Van Beckwith…

2/25 We had a big tail wind.  Made it here in 7 hours. Crazy fast
Throughout the night I was struck by the notion that no simple conference teaching man’s ideas of wisdom would be worth 24 hours in the air.   If these are just man’s ideas, they can figure it out on their own or come up with new ideas.  This only makes sense if Jesus really lived, died, and rose again.  Any break in that chain and this doesn’t make much sense.   But we know the rest of the story — we know Christ lives.  As a result, we are here as ambassadors sharing His wisdom, His teachings, and His tools for leadership and conflict resolution. When viewed that way, it makes perfect sense to fly 24 hours to see friends and share God’s wisdom. 

2/25 Landed in Nairobi.  Team is doing great.  High spirits.  Excited.  Slept well. 

2/25 Hello to all the team is in Burundi safe!!! Please keep praying! I will be keeping you updated. My dad will text he does not have email! Thanks, Scott Beckwith

2/25 None of the bags made the trip! Please pray they will get them tomorrow! Some of the carry ons are missing as well!!! Pray!!!

2/26 We’ve got all the bags and after a long nights sleep (ok the two leaders overslept!) we have all bags!   All great here!

 

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How Would You Respond

Thoughts from David Penuel:

In May 2011, I received an email inviting me to be on the team that would pilot Watermark’s first kid’s camp in Uganda.  My first response was an automatic and definite “NO”.  I thought my reasons for not going were good ones.  First, I’m already on what I believe to be an important, high priority mission here in Dallas working with Watermark’s junior high ministry.  I didn’t want to sacrifice one mission for another. Second, I’d already researched the history of Uganda and heard stories of suffering, survival, hope, and redemption.  I didn’t need to go there in order to care.  Finally, my two pre-school aged sons aren’t at the ideal life stage for their daddy to be gone for such a long time.

After processing the decision with my wife, community group, and other close friends, all of my reasons not to go began to sound more like excuses.  They encouraged me to take what I’ve learned on the mission field here in Dallas and apply it in a new environment.  They championed the idea that God might use the immersive experience in Uganda to do something unique in my heart.  They offered to support and encourage my family while I was away.

After spending a week in the Pader District of Northern Uganda, I sure am grateful that I listened to their counsel and said “yes” to this once in a lifetime opportunity.  Everything about the experience was a new adventure for me, and I learned so many things.  Specifically, my horizons were broadened when it comes to ideas related to partnership, sponsorship, stewardship, and vision.

PARTNERSHIP:
I learned that Watermark’s partnership with ALARM (African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries) is a perfect fit.  After spending a week working closely with their team, I can affirm that ALARM is absolutely the right ministry partner for Watermark.  Their staff is comprised of humble servants with hearts focused squarely and tirelessly on the task of making disciples.  They recognize that healing, reconciliation, hope, and restoration are only possible through God’s intervening work in the person, word, and body of Jesus Christ.

SPONSORSHIP:
I learned that sponsorship is supremely valuable to the orphans who receive support from Watermark and ALARM.  The provision of school fees, books, clothes, food, and sometimes shelter is worth infinitely more than the “sacrifice” of the $35/month cost to a Watermark member.  Whenever kids would share their testimony, the native crowd consistently erupted into cheering whenever a forgotten, abused, abandoned, lost, or terrorized child got to the part where they discovered that they were chosen for sponsorship.  Receiving a sponsor is often for a child in Uganda evidence that God has not forgotten them, that He cares for them, and has a plan for their life.  The opportunity to sponsor a child is the opportunity to be God’s megaphone shouting a message of love towards His precious children.

STEWARDSHIP:
I learned that I have a lot to learn about stewarding the limitless provisions God has made for my life.  I’m quick to express gratitude for the many blessings I’ve received, but I’m not as apt to exert effort to maximize the potential of those blessings.  When these impoverished kids are given an opportunity, they take full advantage and max it out.  They take nothing for granted and work hard to steward every resource to the fullest potential they can imagine.  What conviction and inspiration was served up by their example!

VISION:
I learned that my initial hesitation to travel halfway around the world to “do ministry” has been completely reversed.  This is my personal opinion, but I believe that we’ve got to go back and we’ve got to go soon.  Only 1/3 of the orphans sponsored by Watermark and ALARM had the opportunity to attend camp and it was an experience that I believe will have a lifelong impact on the individuals, their communities, and possibly even the entire nation.  Not only do the other 400 kids deserve the same experience, we need to follow up with and continue to encourage the first group.  I realize there are significant needs right here in Dallas, but these kids in Uganda have next to NOTHING.  No Watermark. No community centers.  No government funded lunch meal plans. Besides their ALARM mentor and the provision of sponsorship, they have NOTHING.  The least we could do is share the love of Christ with them on a personal and consistent basis.

Now, if I receive another email inviting me to participate in the next kid’s camp in Uganda, my gut response will be an automatic and definite “YES”.  My community group will have to talk me out of it! But they better look out, because I might just end up pushing them (and you) to take my spot so that more and more people can awaken and nurture a heart of compassion and love towards the beautiful and noble nation of Uganda!

David Penuel
Director of Junior High Ministry

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Your Chance to Get Involved

The team is headed to the Kampala airport for our midnight departure.  An amazing week for the kids as an amazing team of staff and volunteers served and cared for the 250 plus kids the Watermark body provides support for each month.  Log onto www.watermarkworldwide.com and grab one of the remaining orphans that is not individually cared for, prayed for, and loved by a Watermark member.

-Rick Howard

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