'Mission Matters'

New Team from Scottish School!

2009-12-10T02:18:00.000-08:00

Pupils and staff from Menzieshill High School in Dundee are now preparing to make the long trip to Uganda in October 2010. The group will be the school's second team to venture into Africa to help support the poor. Their destination is Gabba in Uganda, where they will be based as they get involved in projects in various parts of the country.

Currently the team are making preparations by fundraising and raising the profile of their trip throughout the school, the local community and further afield. Staff, parents and family members are being called on, along with local businesses and funders to support this hard working team in their efforts to raise the required funds for their fares as well as enough funding to support a small project whilst they are in Uganda.

Keep up to date with the events surrounding this trip by looking back at this blog where updates will be posted as they happen.

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2008-10-22T04:47:00.000-07:00

Pupil Blog of Uganda experience:

"....We visited the slums afterwards and were lucky enough to be invited into a couple of the houses - it was quite shocking. the houses are very small, smaller than our bathrooms, and there are 5 - 7 people living in each of them. The side streets are crowded and there are animals everywhere. Sewage flowed freely down the dirt paths and it was a very smelly pace. The kids were all desperate to touch us and hold our hands, a lot of us cried when we had to leave. Its such a shock to the system seeing people live like that in real life rather that on television adverts, seeing it first hand is an experience that will always be with us. Perhaps in the future when we’re all older we’ll go back and try to help these people. Until then they will be in our thoughts and in our hearts. x...."

http://dc2blog.ea.dundeecity.sch.uk/uganda/

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A really enjoyable time!

2008-10-17T00:33:00.000-07:00

The MHS team enjoy their stay:

Painting the school, the first task taken on by the team proved to be well accepted by the staff and pupils alike. The primary school kids went off for a public holiday only to return to see their school looking like new after a coat of paint.

Armed and dangerous, here the 'rebel' army prepare for action.

The team had a wonderful opportunity to visit 'Dwelling Places' a rescue and rehabilitation operation for street kids, in Kampala. Here Diana one of the staff receives gifts left for the children by the team.

On the way to Jinja to see the source of the Nile an the Bujagali Falls, we stooped off to visit Bweyogerere Multi Purpose Primary School where Mission International's Mighty Meals project is in operation.
The source of the Nile, here the waters of Lake Victoria start their epic journey north to Egypt where they meet the ocean.

The equator was a real educational experience, watching how water behaves to the north and south of the line and right on top of it as well as knowing that due to centrifugal force a person who stands on the equator is 3% lighter.

Bethany Village near Kyaggwe meant more painting, but the team did not get all of the paint on the walls of the orphanage house.

A photo call to use an African hoe, here is the site for Bethany's new football and sports ground after it was cleared by a bulldozer the team tried their had at levelling the soil.

Namutamba is a very rural village, the team spent two days there being entertained by the kids and viewing their site where they hope to build a new school and agricultural project amongst other things.

Murchison Falls game park rounded off the visit to Uganda. This is a particularly good tourist attraction with lots of animals to see.

The Murchison Falls is able to be viewed from the bottom of the falls area after a 90 minute boat ride where the team were able to see all sorts of animals and birds.

The top of the falls is spectacular as the water rushes down the huge chasm causing an incredible noise and spray as it plunges down to the river below.

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Menzieshill High School begin their work in Uganda

2008-10-04T03:08:00.000-07:00

Team does a great job!

The team of 8 pupils and three staff from Menzieshill High School have been commended already by the staff at Gabba Community and the Maranatha School for their hard work and expertise in painting the outside of the school building and repainting some of the classrooms. Their commitment has been unwavering and their skills very useful as they took the opportunity of a public holiday in Uganda to make sure the paintwork on the school was up to scratch.

From their base in a local guest hose the team have visited various parts of the country, from Katwe (the biggest slum in Uganda) where they met the Dwelling Places team and the kids and families they work amongst to Link International's Hosanna and Katwe Primary Schools. Jinja and the source of the Nile and the Bujagali Falls were also on their itinerary. The team also visited a Mission International project called Mighty Meals in Bweyogerere.

The team carried with them a wide range of supplies for schools, medical facilities and lots of clothes and toys for children. Here the headmaster of Maranatha School recieves three microscopes donated by Menzieshill High School along with a consignment of useful school materials and equipment.

There is always time to meet some new friends, here a team member has some fun with one of the local kids who were all very interested in the Mzungu team.

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Local support for Hope Centre:

2008-09-21T02:19:00.000-07:00

Local trader provides aid for the poor:

A local market shop called "QUINCAILLERIE NOOR" has provided 150kg of rice and 150 kg of beans to help feed the Hope Centre children, after funds to feed the poor were sent to them from Pakistan.Pastor Leonard Tuyishimire (Hope Centre founder - far right) thanks the shop owners fo their generosity in providing support for the children. A full pictorial report on how this and other developments are progressing for the Hope Centre can be found by clicking here.

It is quite a load but it is squeezed into Charles' car and transported to feed the children.

To view the Hope Centre Blog page click here.

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Hope Centre work continues:

2008-09-09T00:56:00.000-07:00

Hope Centre foundations are put in place:
Charles & Val Carr and their boys, who left Aberdeen in July 2008, are now firmly ensconced in Burundi, they have now found their own house to rent and have begun the work of putting down the foundations for the Hope Centre in Mutimbuzi, Gatumba by Bujumbura. As you will see from the picture below, the block presses have arrived and the work of making blocks has begun.

A block press is filled with sieved soil mixed with a small amount of cement.

Septic tanks and soakaways for water and sewage are constructed.

Shuttering is constructed to form the tanks for the latrines.

To see more information and a full pictorial description follow this link to the Hope Centre Burundi official website.

To see the Hope Centre Blog follow this link

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Uganda Team preparing to go:

2008-09-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

Menzieshill High School team to Uganda:

A team from Menzieshill High School in Dundee are undergoing some training before setting of for Gabba in Uganda during the first three weeks of October 2008. The training deals with issues of culture, health and safety and practical issues to do with the work to be carried out whilst in country.
Pupils and staff are meeting together on Wednesday evenings for two hours on the run up to the trip in order that the full training schedule can be completed before departure.

Below is a local map of the area showing Gaba (often spelt Ggaba, or Gabba) on the shores of lake Victoria.

Busy itinerary ahead:

The team will visit a number of centres including some tourist destinations during their time in Uganda. From their base in Gaba they will spend a few days in Kyaggwe (Bethany Children's Village) where they will interact with the orphaned children as well as get involved in the project doing tasks like painting and cleaning etc.

The tourist part of the trip will entail visits to the equator, near Masaka, the source of the Nile at Jinja and the Murchison Falls Game Park. It is hoped that the team will also have the opportunity to visit Namogongo where Christian martyrs were killed as the Roman Catholic Church first spread the Gospel in Uganda. The Kings' traditional palace home in Kampala is also a well known tourist destination. The Rwenzori Mountains (Mountains of the Moon) are too far for the team to travel on their trip on this occasion.

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What happened?

2008-08-16T02:32:00.001-07:00

There are those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who ask what happened?
During this three week trip the five strong Mission International team supported by a number of the Rema Team visited three centres in Burundi from our base in Bujumbura, Burundi's capital city. Our first few days was spent in a village near the town of Rutana called Kiramvya, there the team were involved in various activities from seminars to train church leaders to craft workshops to support women trainers providing training in income generation projects to ladies with HIV/AIDS, as well as entertainment and teaching for the many children who are often forgotten but need to be involved in the development of the whole community. The second week we spent in Rumonge which is a town on the lakeside, due south of Bujumbura about half way to the border with Tanzania. Our final week took us to an 40s built mission station in the village of Mweya, which is a few miles outside of Gitega, Burundi's second largest city which lies in the dead centre of the country.

This map shows the three centres visited Rutana, Rumonge (on the lakeside) and Gitega in the very centre of the country.

Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, is typical of African cities. Grid locked streets, trading happening on every space, from early morning until dark the activity is frenetic.

To add to the frenzy which is Burundi's daily struggle for survival there is a new problem on the horizon. Now that the war is over and all of the factions have signed a peace agreement, the refugees are returning from DR Congo, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. It is estimated that approximately 10% of the current population of 8-9 Million are refugees. As you can imagine their determination to return to their homeland after years in exile is proving to be a headache for the authorities. Where do you put all of these people in a country the size of Wales and whose population is already causing problems in terms of land, food supply and jobs. "Why don't they stay where they are as refugees" you may well ask, but for example, the Tanzanian Government, who publicly state that the refugees can stay in Tanzania, has now stopped all support for refugees in terms of education etc. The pressure therefore to return to Burundi is mounting all the time.

When resources are scarce necessity becomes the mother of invention:

The picture below gives some indication of the kind of poverty endemic in Africa, and as Africa's poorest country, Burundi is no exception. How ever 'the show' - life - must go on and so ingenious methods are employed to make it possible.

This church choir is led by a lad who has made his own guitar from an oil can and some wood.

How far would you go to get the training you so badly need?

These men had traveled from around Burundi to come to this church leaders and men's event. For some they had saved up for a considerable time to be able to afford the journey and for others they had borrowed the fare. Mission International paid for their food and thy all slept on the dusty floor of a local primary school. Many church leaders were killed during the war simply because they were educated, this means that most church leaders now are un-educated and so require training and support wherever possible. This is part of Rema's remit and Mission International was enlisted to help in what is now a huge task.

1000 men arrive for a men's meeting in Mweya near Gitega, some coming from as far away as DR Congo border region.

A two day strategy training session was carried out with the Rema team in their offices in Bujumbura.

Some of the poorer children from the refugee community are invited into the school classrooms to be involved in a simple art project which allows them to enjoy something that until then was only a figment of their imagination.

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A new day is dawning for the Carrs!

2008-07-21T03:41:00.000-07:00

Everyone arrives safely:
Charles & Val Carr and their three boys have now arrived safely in Bujumbura, Burundi to begin the task of building the Hope Centre.

Here the boys - competitive as ever - engage in a board game, in their temporary home in Bujumbura. Soon they will start school and their parents will begin to prepare the site for building.

Charles, Pastor Leonard Tuyishimire and Jean Samadari pour over the plans as they see how the homes will look once they are built. To see more detailed information and keep up to date with events as they happen visit the Hope Centre Burundi website http://www.hopecentreburundi.com/

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The Carr family depart Aberdeen:

2008-07-17T02:51:00.000-07:00

Africa here we come!
Charles & Val Carr and their three boys left Aberdeen this week to make their way to Bujumbura, Burundi. Their journey was no holiday, heavily laden with belongings which they will require before the container arrives, made it a hard days work. Their home will be that of Simon Guillebaud which has been loaned to them for their first 3 months in while the Guillebaud's are travelling in the UK and USA. Their transition from a cold and rainy summer here in Scotland to a hot and humid capital city will be challenging but we all hope that they will enjoy their new commission as they settle in. Their commission of course is that of building the Hope Centre Burundi. Currently this consists of only a plot of land purchased by the generosity of Home on the Range Ministries in the USA. Charles first job will be to use his prized theodolite to survey the plot and to find the best site for the foundations for the new homes.

Family Fortunes:
The whole family will need to sort out the things that families need to. School for the boys, where to shop for food, do we have a vehicle to get around in, how do we get home from here? The King's School Burundi will be the centre of the boys' lives for a while as they develop new friends and begin to deal with language and culture issues. Mum will need to learn the culture as well, how does a Mzungu woman integrate into Burundian culture? Well all these questions will be answered in due time. We all wish them the very best as they fulfil their calling.

Mission International team:
A Mission International team will be going to Burundi on 23rd July and will meet the family and see how their new life is developing. Hopefully we will be able to post some information during the trip so keep watching this space.

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A place for everything and everything in its place:

2008-07-07T03:39:00.000-07:00

The container is packed and on its way:
With the help of some good friends from their local church, Charles & Val and their boys have successfully managed to pack the huge 40' container, which is now on its journey to Burundi.

Individuals and companies all supported this venture, some with donations of materials and some with funds, others were able to give materials at cost price, making it possible for the Hope Centre, Burundi to be built within the budget. Some funds still need to be raised if we are to be able to complete the whole project but we are well on the way to the £60,000 we need.

Taking a very African approach, the Carrs enlisted the help of every able bodied person they knew to carry the materials into the container.

The crane struggled to get the tightly packed container on to the waiting truck, but now that it is on its way we hope to see it arrive in Bujumbura safely in about three months time.

A very special thanks to everyone who has donated to and has supported this venture so far. Your help will make it possible for children in Burundi to have a more secure future.

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Preparations well underway:

2008-06-10T06:57:00.000-07:00

Next Phase Begins:

Charles & Val Carr have now sold their house in Aberdeenshire and have purchased their tickets for their year long trip to Burundi with their family. During the last few weeks they have also been involved in various successful fundraising events for the Hope Centre in Burundi. www.hopecentreburundi.com A 40ft shipping container is being filled with relevant tools, equipment and supplies and this should be ready to go as soon as a delivery schedule can be arranged. It is quite a challenge for the family to sell up everything in the UK and go to a remote corner of Africa together. This is not a BBC documentary or a holiday with a difference. It is however a very brave attempt to serve God and serve the poor in a way that is less seldom seen in modern times. Charles and Val have made it clear that this is not about them demonstrating how wonderful they are, they want their names to appear as seldom as possible in any description of the events which take place. It has to be said however that we admire them and their unparalleled commitment and we do wish them well as they set off, there will no doubt be good times and not so good as they interface with a new culture and function at a level they perhaps have never experienced.

If you would like to find out more or perhaps contribute to the contents of their container then please click here.

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Press interest in 'Good Example' family!

2008-05-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

Click on article to enlarge it.

"This article has good example written all over it", was one comment made when the above article was seen in the Aberdeen Evening Express. In generations gone by we might have heard of people giving up their western lives for something less exorbitant in some remote and needy part of the earth, today however the Mission Hearted are less prolific in number. Charles & Val and their family are pioneering a new paradigm for mission and will be a good example to many.

Click Here to donate to the Hope Centre Burundi

Hope Centre acquires cows:

2008-04-29T01:58:00.000-07:00

Buttercup and Daisy..... (or should it be Mareseatoats and Doeseatoats and little Lambseativy)?

A group of three bovines were purchased recently by funds collected in the UK for a small agricultural project designed to help the overall sustainability of the Hope Centre project.

A pretty out of focus picture of the group, Click Here to get more information on the bovine acquisition.

If you would like to contribute to the Hope Centre project please Click Here

What does a container contain?

2008-04-25T03:08:00.000-07:00

Can you help?
Charles & Val Carr are currently filling a container of materials to take with them to Burundi to use for the construction work in the Hope Centre. If you are able to help then please let us know.

Click here to find out how you can help and get more information about the plans so far.

Stabilised Soil Blocks: This press will produce the brick blocks shown below and will make it possible to provide a very much more environmentally friendly project. To see more details Click Here.

The blocks are designed to lock into one another reducing the amount of cement used in the construction.

This front elevation gives an idea of how the houses for the children will look.

The Carr race?

2008-04-25T01:22:00.000-07:00

Counting for something:
Now that the initial rekki trip to Burundi is over there is a race to get organised and get the long-term trip underway.

Charles & Val Carr are now planning a trip which will result in the Hope Centre Burundi being built and a permanent home for the Hope Centre children being put in place, this joined with other efforts of Mission International will secure a long-term sustainable future for these kids. If you would like to see more on the Carrs then please click here. Charles & Val Carr, have in my opinion signed up for something that few in our generation are willing to consider. They will 'up sticks' and head for Burundi with their children and seek a new experience which will ensure that their lives count in the big scheme of things.

Giving to The Hope Centre Burundi

2008-04-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

You can now give to The Hope Centre, Burundi via PayPal:

Give securely by credit card or bank account without exposing your bank account or credit card number.

If you would like to give to the Hope Centre in Burundi to help support Mission International's work amongst orphaned children then you can do so by following this link. Click here if you want to use PayPal to support this crucial project. (Please be aware that PayPal will deduct a small transaction fee).

If you prefer however....

It is also possible to have a printable document file sent to you containing the support arrangements documentation, so you can print it off and return a paper copy of your giving to Mission International. Please request a printable giving form by emailing Mission International at the following email address, stating whether you want to make a one-off gift or wish to sponsor a child on a monthly basis. mail@mission-international.org

Thank you!

Other areas of interest:

2008-04-07T05:50:00.000-07:00

Projects abound:
If you are interested in making a difference in the developing world then there are all sorts of projects available, I will make an effort to provide links here to offer opportunities to support the poor, please have a look and also make any comments you feel are appropriate.

http://henderson-school.blogspot.com/

http://mighty-meals.blogspot.com/

One final 'leg'?

2008-04-01T05:11:00.001-07:00

Best foot forward....

Pardon the pun but I really couldn't resist it. During this entire trip I have experienced swelling in my lower legs. The various diagnoses offered whilst on the trip made me worried enough to visit my doctor on my return, non-medics can certainly put the wind up you with their scary prognoses of what might be a really minor issue. Charles & Val are no different, thoughts of DVT as a result of air travel is never far from my mind and were reawakened by our combined search for a reason for my 'condition'. Trying to put a brave face on things covered my real feelings fully expressed in the following short phrase - 'I want my mummy'! Dr Buckney is not my favourite person in the world since he and I fell out some years ago over what then and even now is a minor issue which I wont bore you with at the moment. This sparring partner was a welcome face as I arrived at the doctor's surgery. His kindly welcoming voice put me at ease and his spoutings of technical terms, which to him endeavoured to describe the situation in detail, were nothing more that background noise until I heard the comforting facts that my 'friends' and family's limited knowledge was in fact nothing more than inaccurate. You don't have the dreaded DVT and you don't need any medicine either (mummy you can rest easy), your legs have swollen as a result of the long flights, travelling around in cramped conditions and the intense heat experienced in Burundi, was his considered opinion, one which I am happy to accept, even though he an I are never likely to hug for any reason, I was appreciative of the time he had spent learning this medical stuff. The problem is made worse as a result of my height and my increasing years. My height causes there to be a high pressure of blood to my feet and my aging cells cant cope any more resulting in swelling caused by gravity. My toes are to be wiggled feet raised and body exercised regularly. I can appreciate that the sight of me with my feet on the desk for some may not be an obvious change to the status quo but the doc says I have to do it and so cest la vie!

One final view of Burundi. I have to say Scots will feel very much at home with the mountains and large amounts of water around.

A short but successful visit.

2008-03-31T03:51:00.000-07:00

REMA is thinking ahead to the future.
The site acquired by REMA for their planned training and facilitation centre is indeed a gem. Francois Nitunga enjoyed showing us the site, at Ruziba just outside Buj'a, and describing the plans the team have to develop this for the benefit of the local community and the nation. The plans include a training facility for pastors and leaders in the church as well as training and facilitating AIDS/HIV awareness and reconciliation. Its lakeside location is incredibly beautiful and with a backdrop of huge mountains on the other side is unique. I am hopeful that funding can be discovered to bring this dream into reality.

The REMA lakeside site stands out as a potential winner.

Francois Nitunga is a key person in Burundi having connections around East/Central Africa as well as in the UK. He is currently involved in repatriation and reconciliation measures to support Burundian returnees as the find their way home from refugee camps in Uganda, Tanzania and DR Congo.

How much more could we have packed in?
The well planned and executed trip through out all of our preconceived ideas about how Africa runs. The REMA team had excelled themselves in putting together what was a really effective and well managed visit allowing us to achieve everything we had set out to do. It is down to their professional attitude and forward thinking and planning, not something Africans are renowned for, that made this trip as enjoyable as it could have been. From the moment we hit the ground in Buj'a airport we were involved in one thing after another, finishing strategy meetings for the future on the last evening and morning before we left for home.

Jean Samandari treated us to a farewell meal at a local beach resort on our last evening together.

Emmanuel Ndikumana a leading thinker in Burundi. He is seen here involved in and supporting youth seminars in the PTI Centre in Bujumbura.

Partners Trust International (PTI) Youth centre and church Bujumbura. This is an ex UN site where soldiers were billeted, the church frame that you see is the most recent building. There is a building complex behind us (which you can't see in this picture) which is being used to hold meetings to train the country's youth.

What now?

It is clear that there is a lot of need in Burundi today. Designated as one of the world's poorest nations (the poorest by some commentators opinions) Burundi will be fortunate to survive without further unrest. It seems like an impossible task for the current government, and any Government for that matter, to be able to turn things around. With global economies in the western world struggling to make it through this difficult season, what hope has a small developing world nation like Burundi. By the grace of God she will survive however, struggling and fighting for every breath as she endeavours to crawl from the chrysalis of corruption and civil disorder to find her place in the world amongst the many others who vie for the resources the world has to offer. It's true, she will probably never achieve the status of the 'Big Boys' but I am sure that this tiny plot in the 'Heart of Africa' will keep beating otherwise Africa itself will be the worse off.

Ejits abroad!

2008-03-31T02:13:00.000-07:00

The Market place....

Our trip to the large central market in Buj'a was an interesting if not nerve wracking experience. Feston, one or the ubiquitous REMA team who hosted us on our trip, was given the job of safely maneuvering us around the internal 'streets' of the huge undercover market. The place is vast, its alleyways crammed with people looking for something to buy as well as a host of traders trying to match the needs of the buyer with something on their stall, or at least trying to convince the buyer that what they need is what the trader has on offer. The overall 'plan' suggests that there are areas of the market reserved for food, clothing, meat, drinks etc etc, kinda like our 'Motor Mile' idea in the UK, where all of the outlets are car sales showrooms. These places are... well... 'crammed' seems an unsuitable word, even 'stuffed' with sale worthy merchandise, is insufficient to describe this place. Frankly there isn't room for another grain of rice, ream of paper or bale of cloth, it seems as if one were to put any more in, the whole place would collapse like a pack of cards. Even though the porter boys continue to carry loads in excess of 100kg on their heads between the crowds of inspecting customers. Behind you, if you get in the way of these porters, you will hear a loud 'hissing' sound, which is their way of letting you know they are there but without expelling the lungful of air they have managed to inhale before loading up and running through the alleys with their heavy loads.

Most of the market is great, although you have to be on your guard against pick pockets all the time, but there is of course one area where our visit was short lived and that is the fresh fish and meat area. Having been brought up on a farm I have learned how to avoid breathing through my nose and so the smells were less than effective on my senses, but when hearing the groans of disbelief from my companions I knew that there was indeed a putrid odour around, we made our way out of this area rather quickly. Soon our visit was over but not before we were introduced to the many relatives of Feston our guide through the maize.

Does the sun fry the brain?

From time to time we meet regular right minded people as we go about our every day duties, however there are the few who challenge us because of their 'feral' approach to life in general. One such person is Simon Guillebaud a young marketing executive turned missionary who now resides in Buj'a. Simon serves through GLO (Great Lakes Outreach) and also works for other agencies like SU (Scripture Union) and YFC (Youth For Christ). Currently Simon is involved in a number of projects one of which is the construction of a large conference centre near the lakeside in Buj'a. This is a vast project which requires lots of finance and a strong hand at the wheel.

The conference centre is now well underway.

Clapping the crocs!

Simon, although militant against laziness, has an obvious flaw to his character. He is profoundly mad! As part of the 'touristy' stuff we were exposed to during our short but hectic time with Simon, was a visit to the reptile house in Buj'a. Simon treated this resource as if he in fact owned it jumping in and out of the various pools and cages to 'interface' with the occupants. His disregard for personal safety as he tried to grab the tail of a large crocodile was in fact nothing less that lunacy. His lean, wiry frame sprang about keeping out of harms way by the thinnest of margins.

Here Simon attempts to 'catch a tigger by the tail' Mmmm! not my idea of a quiet day out?

I am sure that one day this pioneer will be a snappy but hearty meal for the crocodile he has evaded so far, my advice to him would be "quit while you are ahead".

Simon (seen here in his right mind) discusses details of the conference centre project with Charles & Val.

Continuing Challenge

2008-03-27T00:55:00.000-07:00

Rutana and Gitega:

Tuesday and Wednesday we travelled first to the Rutana area. When we started the journey we were not sure if it would be possible to complete it due to the lack of fuel in Buj'a. Petrol stations were all saying they had no fuel, this was not the case but the vendors were putting pressure on the Government to raise the fuel price and the Government were resisting, so in effect the petrol vendors were on strike. We visited about 6 or so stations before being able to get a few litres of fuel and by going to other stations we managed to get enough for the journey. The trip to Rutana was as I remembered it, cars bikes, buses, trucks animals and people all vying for the carpet of tarmacadam on which we were travelling. Horns and lights blazing we would avoid and negotiate all sorts of hazards like some sort of crazy computer game. We eventually made it and from Rutana went out to a very rural out of the way village called Nyembuye, where we were able to see the almost complete medical centre and dispensary that I had visited almost two years previously with a team, on that occasion we had gathered stones for the foundation of this building and helped the local community see what the future might hold when a medical centre was realised. It was really great to be able to see it withing 'touching distance'. We heard all sorts of stories of pregnant women with birth complication being stretchered by four men for two days to the local hospital some of whom died on the way. We were asked if we could consider raising the £60,000 to build a maternity unity which would also serve this remote community well.

The medical centre in Nyembuye in the final stages of construction.

The finishing work internally has begun. the final painting still to be completed awaits any snagging before it is finished and ready for patients to enter.

Many women will benefit if we can find the means to build a maternity unit in addition to this medical centre. Currently women who develop complications during childbirth are stretchered for two days to Rutana maternity unit but many don't make it, dying on the gruelling journey.

Gitega:
We left this community feeling we could really do more for them, I stretched my imagination to see if I could find a way in there to realize the resources they needed. In some ways it was easier when the current building was standing there. We made our way to Gitega, it was really dark before we got there, and there is a rule in Burundi, "Do not travel after dark", when we saw a role of barbed wire blocking the road in front of us we were concerned that this might be some sort of attempt to rob us, but in fact it was a regular police roadblock checking traffic, one of a number we had negotiated on our journey. They give no warning and you have to be very attentive to see where they are.
We stayed in less than up market residence for the night after we had dined at a 'high class' restaurant, where the beef was like leather. I awoke the next morning with a few bed bugs bites which are incredibly itchy. .

Charles & Val have "Breakfast at Tiffany's" - (The 'Ewacu' pronounced Ewachoo-motel)

Model Orphanage:

Nearby the town of Gitega there lies a small project for orphans run by Youth For Christ (YFC). We had been keen to visit this after Charles & Val had discovered it whilst browsing the Internet. The REMA people had included this project in our itinerary for the week and we were very glad of that since it was to become a strong indicator on how we would plan our own project in Mutimbuzi. It proved to be a very worthwhile visit and like the village dispensary allowed Charles to have a look at building construction ans so on giving him a clearer idea of how to proceed with our eventual building project later in the year. This project was a series of small homes for 6 kids and a mother to stay, the kids hung on our arms and legs as we were shown around, they were very friendly but very well behaved as well. They have a cow project and a school and some really nice plans for the future. Once they have built a house they fill it with children and then build another using one of the houses to accommodate building teams as the construct their part of the master plan.

The project includes a series of small houses a cow project and a primary school.

The cow project is good but requires some further experienced input on animal husbandry to make it even more effective.

This school is quite small but is doing a good job. An extension is already underway, the view from the front is breathtakingly beautiful.

Some blankets and baby clothes created and donated by folks in the UK, as well as sweets and bouncy balls were left for the kids to enjoy.

The way back to Buj'a:
After visiting Francois friend the Bishop of Gitega who was a very kindly and welcoming elderly gentleman, we made our way back the capital. The journey was long and taking in levels two and three of the earlier computer game 'Battleship Burundi' where we had to find our way home without killing something or someone and without damaging the vehicle. We made it in once piece, to fight another day.

Under the Sun

2008-03-24T23:49:00.000-07:00

A safe trip!
Our trip from Scotland out of Aberdeen Airport to Amsterdam with KLM was very civilised. The fact that Val had her sun block removed from her hand luggage by the security folks was to prove a problem later on, but as for now it was OK. When we checked in the line was quite long but nothing like some of the larger airport. Just as the three of us got to the check-in desk the lady from the Business Class desk called us over. Our baggage was so heavy and I was not sure whether we would be able to get everything through. We were carrying children's clothes, useful items for the people we would meet and a very heavy digital projector. It was amazing we were taken by the business class check-in lady since her set of baggage scales were broken and we were then able to get all of out stuff on the flight and checked right through to Bujumbura without any problem.
The fight was long but I managed to get some sleep on the Holland Nairobi leg. We were awoken a couple of hours before arrival for breakfast, about 3am UK time, just as the sun was rising over Africa. We landed at Nairobi and were soon on the way to Buj'a. On arrival at Buj'a airport we had to acquire visas but the lady behind the desk did not like my $US, which I had bought at Aberdeen airport, which were pre the new security information and so were rejected, thankfully the others had some of the newer bills which were accepted. We got our visas and then went through immigration and into the baggage hall to pick up or untouched bags through the green channel and out into the meeting area. A large group of people were there to meet us, Francois Nitunga, Feston, Felibien, Gervais, and pastor Leonard Tuyishimire with Jean (John) Samandari the government official (MP) from his sector. We were taken back to our place of residence with a police escort (there for the security of the Government official not for us I hasten to add).

One of the views from our window. Burundi is a beautiful country, the capital Bujumbura is surrounded by mountains.

A long church service:
We were given breakfast for the third time, one on the Nairobi leg of the flight, one on the Buj'a leg and now a third. We then quickly changed and were rushed off to a church service outside of the city, still with police escort (AK47s by their side), the congregation had been waiting about 3 hours for our arrival and when we approached through the banana trees and small huts we could hear their amazing singing wafting towards us. The service went on for a further 3 hours at which we were all asked for a contribution of greetings etc etc. Once the service was over the people had prepared a beautiful meal of fried fish, beef, rice and veg for us all washed down by a welcome bottle of soda (coke or the like - no irn-bru though?)
We tried to stay up until it was quite late so that we would be able to sleep, but sleep came without warning and we went off to bed and slept peacefully most of the night (there were of course the dogs barking and the youth shouting as well as the 5am Muslim call to prayer, etc but it was a minor issue).

Mutimbuzi (Gatumba):
This is the sector where the Hope Centre sponsor children live, we visited them and they sang and received small gifts before we left to visit the sites for building and agriculture. One of the sites will be used to build a brand new centre to accommodate Pastor Leonard and his family as well as the many children he has gathered together during the long years of unrest.

Pastor Leonard Tuyishimire, himself left an orphan due to civil unrest many years ago, has responded to the needs of so many with whom he can easily identify.

The children sang numerous songs for us as we visited their current accommodation, they are all so grateful for the support they have received.

Current accommodation is poor, the whole family, now over 40 in total, are cramped and often up to six kids to a bed.

Food is prepared out of doors on a rudimentary 'stove', this is unlikely to change although a charcoal stove may replace the pile of stones.

The Hope Centre children attend this primary school (which was on Easter break when we arrived).

One of the classrooms - often teachers are handling up to 120 kids per day (60 am and 60 pm), this classroom had seats for 64 children, so potentially 128 kids per day could learn here.

The site for the construction of the Hope Centre. This whole piece of Land is now acquired for the work and will, we hope, be a very straightforward build.

Together we enthuse over one of the two plots of land in Gatumba for use to support the Hope Centre Children. This plot is likely to include two projects, a cow project and a fish farm project.

Since we are only a few miles from the DR Congo border, Jean Samadari the local MP takes us to visit the border staff and we are allowed momentarily to step into no-man's land and there meet the DRC border staff.

The local Government administrator (MP) Jean was with us for the whole day again with his trusty police escort. We spent time getting to grips with what this project might mean in terms of layout and other practicalities before being taken to the administrators office, via a local outdoor restaurant where we had a lovely whole grilled fish, to fulfil the official thank you speeches etc.

Jean Samandari in his office signing some of the huge pile of documents which had arrived on his desk while he spent time with us.

All in all it was a great day, this the first Mission International trip was getting off to a good start. We got home very tired and a bit burned by the powerful sun ( and no sun block).

The Heart of Africa!

2008-03-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

Burundi Whereabouts:
The map uploaded to this blog will help you to get a handle on where we are during our trip. The country itself is only about the size of Wales and so is quite small in relation to the size of the vast African continent. Due to is location and its shape it has been dubbed 'The Heart of Africa', and in some ways this is significant. The peace now won in Burundi hopefully will settle much of the ethnic unrest in the regions round about. Refugees from Burundi have scattered to Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Our hosts in Burundi will be REMA Ministries, Rema is a Kirundi word for reconciliation, and much of their daily operation is working with refugee returners and those who have remained in Burundi during the troubles, to help deal with strife and disputes over land rights etc. Francois Nitunga (himself a refugee of the troubles, having had his house burned down then fleeing to Kenya with his family) works in the refugee camps with refugees to help them figure out how they will deal with their return and also with those remaining in Burundi on how they will deal with people who return to demand their land back again.

Our Purpose:
The purpose of this trip is to make connections for Charles & Val as they plan their year's service in Burundi, building the Hope centre Burundi, a project of Mission International. During our time we will try to find schools, and accommodation etc as well as make connections with those who can help them get the job done. Of course a central part of that will be to meet the children and to begin to plan the overall practical outworking of the project, converting it from a proposal to a reality. Our plans are achievable and realistic etc but of course Africa can be a challenging host to the Mzungu (white man). We hope that all will go well and much will be achieved.

Burundi Map

2008-03-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

The 'Deep Litter' filing system.

2008-03-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

Memories! - or the lack of them.....
The title of this entry reflects my well rehearsed organisational skills, the basis of which come from a deep chasm inside my head somewhere or I suppose even from a deeper black hole within the inner me. It is by the Grace of God that I have not forgotten to turn up for life on a number of occasion, probably too many to mention. If it were left to me to fill the cosmos with fuel every morning, I'd have to do it as part of my daily routine like the shower, shave, dress and breakfast, otherwise it just wouldn't happen. The other day I put some left overs from the previous days family dinner in a Tupperware box into the fridge. I left it near the milk so that I'd see it and wouldn't forget to take it with me to work for lunch. The trick worked, I took the box out and put it on the counter as I prepared breakfast and lo and behold when I got to work it was ..... missing! I'd walked out and left it on the counter. There nothing too unusual about that but for me it is a daily occurrence. I seem to have lost all short term memory. I once suggested to someone that I had a poor memory and they kindly replied that it was probably 'full' not 'poor'. I am happy with that summation and so have to move on with life trying to find ways of unloading superfluous information and detail and trying to hold on to and recall the things which are important.

The Axe Murderer....
That's easier said than done, my late mother often remarked that I was able to remember 'rubbish' and would forget what was essential, in particular in her eyes. She would comment in phrases reminiscent of the brutally 'honest' Scottish father, played by Mike Myers, in the movie 'I Married An Axe Murder', "Yer heid's fu o' nonsense' she would regularly comment when confronted by the antics of my twin brother and I. Things haven't really changed much since these heady days of boyhood. Responsibility comes screaming and kicking into my experience, I have a lighthearted and almost mindless quip flitting through my head, often making its way out of my mouth long before it should, if it should at all, always before a pearl of wisdom, which blows past like tumbleweed in the wind, before I can grasp it and use it to anyone's advantage including my own.
Memory, or the lack of it in its short term variety, is then a huge problem. That joined with a basically untidy nature makes it an uphill struggle trying to keep tabs on everything that I do and the administration that goes along with that. My long suffering wife cannot quite believe how quickly and easily I can scatter computer equipment, paperwork, books and the like around a large space. Well its just the way I work, I seem to be more productive when surrounded by a certain chaos and mess.

Clear-ups!
My clear ups are when it all goes wrong. I have folders and files and clear-view pockets by the lorry load but it seems that once I have filed everything away I cannot retrieve it again when I want to, or at least it appears that way, I think I just like to live is a cosmos that is chaos in order that I have something to blame for my many failings.
This trip I will do my level best to remain tidy and in order and hope that I can look remotely professional in order that we can achieve our communal goals. It seems like Charles and Val, my friends and travelling companions, don't have this problem however. Their organisational skills are legendary and so I will have to run to keep up with them as they take Africa by storm.
Even now as I write this there is something at the back of my mind that I should be remembering but its hiding in there and wont come out. I did however remember to take my Malaria tablet, I have to admit however that my wife, Marie, asked me on Sunday evening, "Have you taken you malaria tablet"? to which I had to answer "No"! and then quickly ran off to find them and take one. Well I suppose I can't have everything, I'm sure there are some who would kill to be as ruggedly handsome as I, but then again... - nice try?

A chance to win!

2008-03-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

Scary days:
We are approaching the day when the short trip will begin. The big question is '' have I forgotten to do anything'', I have dragged out everything that I hope to put in my case (except for clothes and other gear I need for myself of course). I have a pile of second hand mobile phones, a couple of web cams a few Viop phones for use on Skype, some neat leather diaries etc.
There is a ton of blankets and children's clothes still to find room for and no place remaining for the offers of gifts from the many who are on board with us in this venture. Its at times like these that I would love to have a personal jet or a haulage company with the facility to move goods to the poor places in the world giving them a chance to succeed. A friend once quoted a line from the song by the Saw Doctors which stuck with me, '' ...to win just once...''. You know it must be heart breaking to live in a community knowing you have the potential for so much more and due to the lack of funds never have to opportunity to have a go and make mistakes and learn in the way that we in the rich West have the opportunity to do.

Here's the lyric from the song....

''To win just once would be enough
For those who’ve lost in life and love
For those who’ve lost their guile and nerve
Their innocence, their drive and verve
For those who feel they’ve been mistreated
Discriminated, robbed or cheated
To claim one victory inspired
To win just once is their desire

To win just once against the odds
And once be smiled on by the Gods
To race with speed along the track
Break the tape and not look back
To never have considered losing
As if to win is by your choosing
Bare you soul for all to find
An honest heart and an open mind

To Win just once
That would be enough
So come all ye fulltime smalltown heroes
Cast away your inbred fears of
Standing out from all the rest
The cynics and the pessimists
The self-indulgent almost rich
The blatant hurlers on the ditch
Time is passing so come on
And face the ball, the game is on''

Well, whatever you think of the detail the idea is great and begs the question, 'how can I help someone to win just once'?

Back to the grind:
I almost began a philosophical rant there. The practicalities are that we will never have enough space to take everything we want to, like a second hand PC about to be binned here but would really help a school or a family make the leap from losing to winning. Heaps of medical equipment or building tools bound for the scrap heap or the charity shop to make way for a more modern replacement can open the door to a new opportunity for a medical facility or a beginnings of a business for a breadwinner. A previous co-traveller once remarked when she returned from Africa, having seen the poverty of the masses, "I didn't realise how little nothing really is". Our modern facility of 'disposable income' is not something that many Africans appreciate. The 'blessing' of having enough for today and the grind of finding it is what most will experience. There is something wrong with this picture where people pay to go on a diet and many people in the world do not have enough to eat, where we empty our wardrobes into the charity shop and others walk around in second had ill fitting clothes from a charity container. Where we store up resources to survive into our very old age getting medical care costing zillions and others drop in the dust washed out and broken having a life expectancy of 40 something.

There will never be equality, or will there? Will the west in its drive to meet the consumer hunger for 'stuff' fall from grace and find itself back in the struggles of previous generations and current once in the developing world. Financial markets are shaky, banks are meeting crisis after crisis. There is a great web page if you search for 'Shift Happens' which brings into perspective the changing world in which we live and the change in the leading world powers from what 'Great' Britain used to be to the rise of the USA to the upcoming power of China.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U
One of its statistics which blew me away was the statement that China has more brilliant children than America has children. Have a look and see what is happening in our world right now.

Mayhem ensues!

2008-03-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought it was safe to......
Why is it life has its quiet spells and then its hectic spells? Everything seems to be under control then when you least expect it an event as manic as a burst water tap in the kitchen at dinner time happens. Anyway it all flys off at once, everything needs to be done at the same time, Jabs are required, money needs to be exchanged into English notes, Malaria tablets are required a week before departure, purchases from the Internet which are to be taken on the trip need to be here on time and so on. Its all very well if you have a secretary who covers that kind of thing for you, but this is a charity, we don't do secretaries, we do it ourselves. Well the hackney phrase springs to mind, "if its not done then its not done", but that's OK if its not a life threatening disease that has not been innoculated against for example. To top all of this there are trustees meetings and coffee mornings and speaking engagements to take care of, and they all have to be fitted in outside of my 'day job'. Am I mad or what? Don't answer that! I am so looking forward to the flight. Its long and boring but that's exactly what I need right now, a long boring flight where I can Sleeeeeep!

My companions!
Charles & Valerie, the builder and the interior designer, are heading to Africa for the first time. I can see from a distance the excitement monitor reaching the 'red' zone. Are they going to spontaneously combust before the travel date? Will I need to tie lead weights to their feet to make sure I can get them to an altitude commensurate with boarding a plane? I am so looking forward to this trip, we are great friends and we have already an agenda which is greater than the time we will be on African soil, and that is not taking into account the 'eventualities' which we will no doubt encounter throwing an African sized spanner (or other similar but less well designed technology) in the works of our Mzungu (white man's) diary planner. Will we still be friends when this hectic week is over, once the respective dark continent's brethren have stretched us in every direction at the same time, trying to get the maximum out of us whilst we are there..... I'm already looking forward to the flight home which should give enough time for rigor mortis to set in.
To add to all of the stresses of the last few weeks I think we could have done with a whole lot more time to put our plans together, to discuss the trip and what we will do in a whole lot more detail.... I can see my slumbers on the trip over being somewhat interrupted - Aaaaagh!

The day gets closer.....

2008-02-27T03:32:00.000-08:00

Good Ideas:
It's amazing what comes your way when you begin to plan for a trip to the continent of Africa. There are many good ideas generated by people who genuinely want to help. Folks who want to contribute to the smooth execution of the trip and well wishers who are really on-side to help in whatever way they can. I have been travelling to Africa to attend to business relating to the support of projects for the poor for almost the last two decades. In the early days I would stuff my suitcase with things that I had gathered together which might be helpful to those that I came in contact with there. It's nice to be able to give a small gift to a family who patently cant afford it but have just fed you, it would be insulting to offer to pay for the meal but to leave a gift of something they need but find difficult to find due to cost or availability is worthwhile and in some ways lets them know the level to which you appreciate their kindness. Every time I begin to plan a team in recent days I have said to myself, "OK this time I'm going to travel light, I'm not going to be in a situation where I am pleading with airline check-in staff to give me a few more free Kgs of luggage allowance so that I can get the extra box of kids clothes, or a second hand computer on board". However every time I go I seem to be in the same position. The army of well wishers wins again, I have now quantities of 'loot' greater than my luggage allowance, even if I took no clothes at all. Well it looks like I will have to secrete donated and collected items around my luggage and prepare my best smile for the check-in staff once again. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Planned items:
Of course a lot of mental and physical planning goes on to be able to get any trip to Africa underway. Passports, visas, jabs, and malaria tablets, etc all begin to climb the priority list. "Is there six months of 'life' left in your passport after your date of return?" This seems a bit of a joke to me since I've paid for a ten year passport but I only get nine and a half years out of it, its a bit of a cheek is it not, why not make a ten year passport stretch to ten and a half years instead? Yellow Fever certificates are required by all UK residents who wish to enter Africa. In my life time I have yet to meet a UK citizen who has Yellow Fever, maybe the authorities here just don't want us to come back with it? Anyway joking apart, there's a lot to be done. Planning to go to Africa and to achieve anything at all whilst you are there is quite a feat. Africans are not renowned for their future planning abilities, they live for today in the hope that they might make it into tomorrow. If you need a taxi don't book it in advance, just go and see if there is one there now, of course there isn't and we have now to wait, waisting valuable time.

Choices Choices Choices!
What do you take and what do you leave behind? Is it worth taking a laptop? Would I be better using the weight to take things for the poor? What do the folks we will be working with need? This initial trip for Mission International, we have specifically asked individuals working in Africa amongst the disadvantaged to let us know what it is that they actually need. Since they do not often get asked this question they took a little while to discuss it and work out the pros and cons and then get back to us. One of our partners in Burundi has decided they need a digital projector to use in their training initiatives around the country. REMA a Burundian based reconciliation and training organisation helps refugees prepare for their return to Burundi and helps those who have remained there during the troubles, perhaps having moved onto land and into homes that may belong to those who will soon return. REMA also helps deliver training in HIV/AIDS to refugees and those in Burundi alike bringing groups together, using every opportunity that becomes available to them. Of course a digital projector will be of great benefit to them in their Centre in Bujumbura and in other training facilities around the country. Although small I believe Mission International will be able to find or fund a projector. Pastor Tuyishimire, who will develop the Hope Centre Burundi in conjunction with Mission International, has asked for a laptop so that he can administer the child sponsorship scheme we have begun near Bujumbura and so that he can prepare documents for the children's home that we are about to partner to build. Again this is not as expensive as it once was, a low cost laptop can be purchased for about £300, we will of course do what we can. Other items to help communication will be delivered, a Skype phone and a web cam so that we can more readily keep in touch when Internet links are running well.

Quart into a pint pot:
Will we manage to get it all into our luggage? Well I sincerely hope so, you will be able to find out if you keep up to date with this blog.

Preparing for the first trip!

2008-02-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

Mighty Fine:

My experiance of serving in the third sector for the last 18 years or so has been mostly the high point of my life. There have of course been times when I could have seen the charity with which I served far enough, but all in all it has been great.

Life is a bit different now of course. For the last almost two decades I have been at the behest of a director or boss who called the shots and whose opinions and desires held sway over anything that I could wish for. Now of course things are different. Although there are measures in place and people to whom I am ultimately responsible, trustees, the government and of course the recipients of the work of the charity, there is a great deal more freedom to operate, within the boundaries set, as freely as I like. This can be incredibly liberating; making decisions, choosing what is top of the priority list, getting things done in a way that seems edifying are all new to me in a way. However the responsibility of course to make the right decision, to take risks and to take others with you as well as look after everyone's safety is all a bit daunting to say the least.

I've been at it for ages what's the problem?

Getting things done, when setting up a new mission charity from scratch, is all about time and effort. There are of course loads of people who slap you on the back and want to encourage you to get going and who make all sorts of promises of how they will be alongside you and do whatever you want them to do. Some stick with it and others are of course no-where to be seen when they are needed.

First Mission Adventure.

OK let's get down to it, a small team of three individuals who want to visit Burundi in Africa in order to see what needs to be done there are preparing for the trip. A builder, an interior designer and a student support worker. No candlestick maker, butcher or baker in sight, thankfully.

The plan is for the three to arrive in Bujumbura and from there 'rekki' the possible projects and deal with the practicalities of what might happen if a longer (one year) visit opens up. "What about schools for our kids", "what about medical care", "can we get insurance?" "The projects that are at the top of the priority list, are they practical, can we do them, is there enough funding to complete them", etc, etc. The list of questions is endless. "Have we thought this through"? "are we going to look like a group of 'numpties' once we get started let alone get 'finished'"?

Well the plans are underway, the flights are purchased, the time off work is booked and the hosts are forewarned. 22nd to 30th March 2008 will be a milestone in the calander of Mission International. The first trip for this small charity, the start of what we believe will be something good. It's early days yet of course, will the plans come together, will we be so disillusioned that we fold? Time of course will tell, and so will the following submissions to this blog. Keep looking it to see how we get on.