Not As It Used To Be

May 2021 Newsletter

Psalm 31:21 “Blessed be the Lord, for He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.”

Things aren’t as they used to be. Here in Bujumbura, Burundi, as well as other nations bordering Lake Tanganyika, we are facing flooding at levels that haven’t been seen in 40+ years. Today, the lake is at least 6 feet above what we would have considered to be normal just 3 years ago. You can’t push a lake the size of Lake Tanganyika aside with landfill. It is the second largest lake in Africa and second deepest lake in the world. Tanganyika will do what Tanganyika wants to do.

 

No matter the reason, these elevated levels have resulted in a lot of suffering. Entire villages have been evacuated as Tanganyika has taken her position. We’ve heard of hippos and crocodiles taking the lives of those braving the floodwaters in search of personal possessions. This is not life as usual.

 

If all of this wasn’t enough, we are, together with you, facing the all-too-familiar Covid crisis. Economically, Africa has taken a hit. While here in Burundi we have not faced lockdown as many of you have in other parts of the world, the borders to the country have been closed resulting in steep inflation. Burundi, prior to the pandemic, was already over 50% food insecure. We don’t have official statistics for what those levels are now but we know they have risen. People have asked us why we haven’t faced a lockdown. Simply put, the nation could not survive a lockdown as most people depend on their small businesses to feed their families on a daily basis. I’ve been told by many that they’d rather risk Covid than die of hunger. What a reality to live in.

 

The picture I have painted sounds bleak. It does feel as if we are in a city (or small country) under siege. Yet, in the middle of the siege we are witnesses to incredible blessing. We’ve seen hundreds of families fed, a Hope Center (community center) opened and lives changed by the Gospel. The Good News always shines brightest when the darkness closes in.

 

Updates

 

  • Vocational Training – our first vocational school in Africa opens later this month (May) in Bujumbura, Burundi. We will be teaching welding initially to small groups of young men (3-6 students at a time). To those who finish well, we hope to equip them with their own tools to start their own businesses.
  • Building – we have long waited to begin building in Lusaka, Zambia. Since 2003 the main church has met in a temporary building. We have been able to set aside enough funding to begin building a permanent structure. 
  • Feeding during Covid times – thanks to partners (Hand of Hope, Hope for Europe and others) we were able to hand out food relief to 189 families in Burundi and 25 families in DRC. 

 

 

 

 

Special thanks to all who have worked with us locally and abroad to make these special food distributions happen. Your help has made a difference in the lives of many.

Yes, It’s Time To Travel

 

We are planning a two month trip Stateside to see our children and grandchildren as well as take care of some business that can only be done on that side. Pray for us as we make preparations for the journey. As long as we test negative for Covid, we depart on July 18th and return on September 19th.  If you would like to connect over coffee or possibly a service while we are there, please email us at: JLPeters@africa-and-beyond.net. We would be delighted to connect and catch up.

 

There are no guarantees to what we will wake up to tomorrow morning. But we are guaranteed the covering of God’s lovingkindness in the middle of it all. Take courage – God is still on the throne.

 

Thank you so much for your partnership and prayers,

Jamie, Lea and Andreya

Online: Africa & Beyond

Email: JLPeters@gmail.com

Lea's blog: The Cultural Misfit

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