this is why

June 2021 Newsletter

Although floodwaters are slowly receding, many homes still remain underwater in communities along Lake Tanganyika. These homes are near the Hope Center in Gatumba, Burundi.

1 Timothy 4:10 NCV “This is why we work and struggle: We hope in the living God who is the Savior of all people...”

 

It’s hard to articulate exactly why any of us do what we do. We all have responsibilities: our families need to be tended to, bills need paying and we need to work for income to see to all of our responsibilities. Yet, responsibilities change with the seasons of our lives. Our children grow and move on, we downsize (or upsize), have different bills depending on where we are in life. Our why changes and with that change we can feel disillusioned if we don’t keep our focus on what our real motivation should be: our hope in God.

This is why we struggle: for our hope that rests in God. This hope is not like the hope we feel when working our jobs, hoping we’ll get a promotion or raise. Our hope is secure. God has a handle on it all and if we can focus on Him, our why has real meaning. The struggle is real and it is for Him we struggle and for His kingdom.

 

Updates

 

  • Floodwaters along Lake Tanganyika are easing – all areas surrounding Lake Tanganyika have suffered with rising levels of the lake which have, at one point, reached 6 feet above normal. Much of our area still lies underwater but thankfully, the levels are no longer rising and have even begun to subside. 
  • Building has begun in Lusaka, Zambia – footers for the building and work on the foundation has begun. The journey to a permanent building for our main church in Zambia has been a long one. While we are far from being able to complete the building, we have begun and we know God is well able to help us finish the job.

Pictured above our Lusaka, Zambia congregation in front of the temporary structure they've been using since 2004.

Footers have been laid and work has begun on the foundation, these are exciting days to be in Zambia!

 

  • Feeding updates – the new Hope Center in Gatumba, Burundi has been open for nearly 3 months. We have struggled, as has everyone in the area, with the flooding. People have been living in tents for nearly 1 ½ years now. Many were forced to move out of their tents, authorities closed their camps. It has been beyond difficult for thousands in our region. Complicating the already difficult situation are food shortages and inflation due to covid. Thankfully, feeding has continued as God makes a way each and every day.  

Prayer before feeding at the Gatumba Hope Center.

  • Malawi schools – our schools are open again in Malawi and we are looking to expand one of our existing schools in Lilongwe and finally open our school in Blantyre. In Lilongwe, we are hoping to build a 3-classroom block in addition to the existing smaller classrooms. In Blantyre, we need to finish/update/repair the existing classroom and purchase school supplies before any activities can begin.
  • If you would like to know more about how you can help with any of these or other outreaches, send us an email at: JLPeters@africa-and-beyond.net  

 

A Memorable One

 

The flooding along Lake Tanganyika made this past month a memorable one, the struggle has been real! But God has been faithful and while there were days when we wondered “what next?” Here we are on the other side. As we shake ourselves off from the stresses of last month, we know our why: our hope is in God. He is faithful. 

 

Our trip Stateside is coming up (July 18 – Sept. 18) and our calendar is filling up. Pray that God helps us get all our business done on that side as we have a number of things to take care of while Stateside (the most important being seeing our kids and grandkids).

 

Thank you for all of your encouraging words, prayers and support.

Jamie, Lea and Andreya 

 

Online: Africa & Beyond

Lea's blog: The Cultural Misfit

Email: JLPeters@africa-and-beyond.net

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