Upendo, Amahoro, and Coffee.

Joshua's Story

2011-06-05T01:01:00.000-07:00

Joshua: Naomi's Village's first child.

His story is a sad one that can be found in the Kenyan news. Drunk one evening, Joshua's father came home and murdered his pregnant mother and two brothers while Joshua hid under a table and watched. His father then hung himself on a rafter over the very table Joshua was hiding under. Neighbors found Joshua still hiding under the table the following morning.

Praise God for places like Naomi's Village that can rescue children from horrible circumstances. While, of course, Joshua will have struggles, he has a safe place and loving people that God has placed in his life to love him, protect him, and care for him.

Naomi's Village

2010-08-25T00:23:00.002-07:00

While I'm here in Kenya I am helping my friends Bob and Julie Mendonsa with their orphanage, "Naomi's Village," by taking photos for them to help promote what they're doing...

Bob and Julie Mendonsa

Here is the orphanage...it is nearly finished but additional funding is needed for it's completion...

For more information about Naomi's Village you can check out this video...

Naomi's Village

See more photos at

Or send an to naomisvillagekenya@gmail.com.

Kitu Kidogo

2010-08-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

Kitu Kidogo...which means "Something Small" in Swahili typically refers to bribery...but when walking through the IDP camps I had Obama on my side...or on my backside that is...therefore bribes weren't necessary...

My time in Kenya thus far has been full of: chapatti, beautiful kids, land cruisers, bumpy dirt roads, British accents, long skirts, good friends and more chipatti...

Kenya has been wonderful and beautiful-- it's really as if I never even left...It's great to be back with Bob and Julie Mendonsa. Bob and Julie have started an orphanage called "Naomi's Village." It's been fun taking photos for them...

Here are some of the kids that I met down at the IDP camp...

Martin has gorgeous eyes...

Mumbi...or Princess Mumbi as she is often called, loves to chase me through the camp, tugging at my skirt, demanding attention...

Mumbi again.

This little guy loved to hold my hand...

Mumbi yet again...

This is Ashton...he hopped right in my lap during movie night. We put up a projector on top of a landcruiser and played the movie "Madagascar II" for the whole camp. A wonderful night with the exception of the riot which happened over popcorn.

Port-au-Prince

2010-05-18T19:02:00.001-07:00

On Monday I headed to Port-au-Prince with Tim to drop off supplies for some of his building projects. I was amazed by the cracks in the road and just all of the rubble everywhere.

In this case pictures do more justice than words...

Haiti Day 2

2010-05-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

Waking up at 3:30am is not easy by far...

But driving for 20 hours through the mountains of Haiti is even harder...

I know what you're thinking...20 hours. Come on Jillian, that's being pretty dramatic! Nope, its a fact. 20 hours up in the mountains. We left at 4:10am and returned at 12am the following day.

I have often held myself to Burundian statements such as Burundi has no infrastructure. Burundi is ridiculously hot. Burundi has the worst roads...

That was until I came to Haiti...Haiti has the worst roads. HANDS DOWN. No competition. I wouldn't even call them roads...they are more like large footpaths covered with large white rocks and boulders. I have no idea how we made it through with only 2 flat tires--Yes, let me take a moment and pause there. We had two flat tires by 10:20 am, within 20 minutes of each other: There were flat tires, a broken side mirror, trekking through a foot of mud, driving through rivers...need I go on.

Quite the adventure.

Well let me hone it in on a couple of highlights from the trip.

We will start with coconuts.
I drank my first coconut. And lets say, drinking a coconut takes skill and I didn't have it. I was dripping the juice everywhere, down my face and into the mud. The whole village was watching and laughing at me. Tim told me that the guy who had given them to us had asked if it was my first time. Laughing stock...that's what I was. Perfect.

Cans of beans.
When you're on the road in the mountains with no street food one must provide their own means to eat. For us, this included cans of beans for dinner. I have to say, the three of us were quite a sight sitting in the truck, opening cans of beans out the window and trying to keep them from plopping out onto our laps as we hit the continual rocks and boulders...

Lastly.

I-Spy.
When 11:30pm is approaching and one has not slept in 20 hours. Driving can be rough. Therefore, what is the solution to stay awake? A ridiculous game of I-Spy. Now understand, the 3 of us were completely tired and really half asleep...but statements went from:
I spy something small and mangy...to I spy something deadly and invisible...

We were laughing at ourselves and really made no sense as we did not spy anything outside as it was pitch black. Still it kept us awake until we reached the gate to the Reinhard's compound.

African thoughts noted:
* There is no traditional dress in Haiti. (This is due to the fact that Haiti historically, was made up of slaves and were not aloud to bring their culture--hence traditional dress material--with them).
* I have not seen an AK 47 anywhere (UN Peacekeepers are the exception here), this compares to Africa, where they are everywhere you look.
*Women in Haiti have long hair as opposed to most women in Burundi who have short hair.
* Babies are not with their mothers, traditionally women would leave their children behind at home instead of taking them with them--which again is not like African culture.

Quote of the day:
Tim: "Jillian do you know what marijuana smells like..."

Haiti-Day1

2010-05-15T19:53:00.000-07:00

Humid/Hot.

A lone UN Peacekeeper and his Blue Beret standing "watch". [I chose those words very carefully].

UNHCR Tents lining the fields around the airport.

[Note to self: Haitian makeshift airport in old warehouse: still nicer than Burundi's airport...]

Mobbed by crowd upon leaving the airport...[therefore turn around, head back in and grab the Brit who had come in on my flight, ask him to wait with me until I find my driver.] Outcome: New friend made and restricter of all the men grabbing at me. Check.

Finally after hunting down an airport worker to use their phone, I called Tim, he called the driver he had hired for me and eventually said driver found me and drove me to another airstrip where I would catch a small flight called Tortug, to the coast.

[Find driver in mob during hot sweaty afternoon. Success.]

12 hours after leaving JFK airport I arrived in Les Cayes, Haiti to my friends Joan and Tim Reinhard.

African thoughts noted:
The heat is the same as Bujumbura.
People still want to talk to you and pretend they know you even though they dont. [Hence taxi drivers saying they had come for me, when in fact they were lying and hadn't...C'est la vie.].
The joyful and not so joyful smells...oh exhaust fumes how I've missed you...
Coke in a glass bottle is a beautiful thing no matter the location...

Classic first day moment and I quote...
Joan: "Tim already has a trip planned for you."
Tim: "Yeah we leave tomorrow morning at 3:30am and will head up through the mountains...We should hopefully make it back sometime late in the night...
Lord Willing." Unquote.

A Change to Make.

2010-01-29T19:35:00.000-08:00

There are some things that change you forever. Once you go through it, there's no going back. Once you've seen something, there's no erasing it from your mind. That's what Burundi has become for me. It is the underlying theme for all things cultural. It's become this huge revelation to me in my Social Work classes here at Columbia. When we talk about social issues, people, diversity, poverty etc. I think about my time in Burundi. How could I not?

There is no going back, there is no re-doing it, but there is a sense of re-living it. Moment by moment in my mind as I think back to all of the things that I saw. All the things I experienced. All of the things that I cant solve. All the things I would want to solve if I could snap my fingers and make Burundi a better place...

The best question I was asked when I returned to the States was, "If you were to invest in one Development area what would it be and why." My answer without hesitation is Education.

Education could help with so many other concerns: AIDS, Clean Water, Disease, Agricultural terracing, Infrastructure, Gender roles, Domestic violence, violence, war, genocide etc. I could go on...

So here's a question for you. Think of a Country that tugs on your heart. Maybe it's Burundi, Kenya, Guatemala, Croatia or China. What Development issue would be your top choice to solve for that country/region and why? It's a big question.

Which leads to an even bigger question--once you've chosen said life changing issue, how would you implement that change? Easier said than done, but possible right?

Safari in Nakuru, Kenya.

2009-05-16T04:23:00.000-07:00

I spent my last two weeks in Africa with the Mendonsa's in Kenya. It was fabulous. Our our last weekend together. Bob and Julie took me to Nakuru for a last African horrah. Here are a couple of pictures I took.

Julie and I in front of Lake Nakuru...

Tons of Flamingos!!

There were Rhino's everywhere!

Look closely at the baby rhino....

Me sitting on Baboon Lookout.

The baboons were so cute!

However, I think my favorite adventure was when Bob thought..."Hmm I think I can get us through that mud." Nope, never been so stuck in my life. We were stuck in the mud (more like a gigantic mud pit--what WAS Bob thinking?) for a good half hour. Good thing the rangers came by. Bob put planks under the wheels and got pretty muddy. I drove the land cruiser and the rangers pulled us out....

Rafting the Nile River.

2009-05-07T02:01:00.000-07:00

We practiced flipping our raft early on, so we wouldn't be shocked later when we flipped in the rapids.

Nothing like getting knocked in the face by a wall of water!

Not looking good for Josh and I who were on the upper right corner of the raft.

We were knocked out and swept under. But we were pulled back in once we surfaced.

Rafting the Nile River was an amazing experience!

Ma vie en Afrique.

2009-05-06T07:21:00.000-07:00

I am fearless, what can I say...

I was told while out treking in the Bush that if the Rhino's charged at me I should jump behind a tree.

I felt REAL safe. Good thing there was an AK-47 nearby.

Me sitting on a rock in the middle of the Nile River, surrounded by crocs...

and hippos...

The Savannah. Little does the Water Buffalo know that there is a lionness meters away...

Lake Albert which separates Uganda from the DRC.

Murchison Falls.

Sunset over the Savannah.

I can hear the music to the Lion King in my head as I look at these pictures...

The source of the Nile in Uganda...

The Nile River...

I wouldn't mind a pet giraffe. They are right below Camels on my list...

Pretty Awesome to come across this herd of Elephants while on a boatride down the Nile.

Kids playing "football" in the hills of Rwanda...

Nagasaga Burundi

2009-05-06T03:10:00.000-07:00

My Last Night in Burundi we went out and had dinner at Khana Khizana's, our local "We'll look for any excuse to eat at Khizana's," hang out joint.

So my time in Bujumbura Burundi has finally come to an end.

Things that I'll miss:

-African Rainstorms...the thunder, the lightening, the flooding of my room. (Ok, maybe not that.)

-Goat Brochettes.

-Grilled Sweet Potato.

-Attempting to speak French and Kirundi.

-Looking out over Lake Tanganyika at the Congo Mountains.

-Wearing skirts everyday. (I am going to return and have utterly no fashion I am afraid.)

-Bartering at the market. I am a Burundi Kazi (Burundian Woman) and one hard bargainer!

-No Ques for lines. Whatever will I do when I come across a line. Hopefully I put myself in check and won't cut...

-No rules on the Road.

-Sitting in the back of Landcruisers.

-The Burundian Finger...(I know what you're thinking, whatever is the Burundian finger? You'll see. I'm sure I'll pull it out in the States. Its like an index finger wave with a shake of the head. It stops anything:)

-Playing stupid when I get pulled over at a roadblock. A quick innocent look and a simple, "I only speak English Sir," often gets me a smile in return and a wave to go ahead. La Vie Dans Afrique.

-Hippos.

-Getting tangled in my Mosquito net.

-Taking my malaria pill every day.

-Boiling my own water.

-Pot Holes.

-The rooster just outside my window.

-Washing laundry by hand.

-Burning garbage...

-Big hairy African rain spiders.

-Sweating all of the time. (And when I say all of the time, I mean ALL of the time!)

- Hearing Mzungu, Mzungu wherever I go...

Well maybe I wont miss everything on the list...

I especially won't miss being called Mzungu! I wish I had some craftier response to the continual call of "Mzungu." All I could think of was "Aburundi," or "Excusez-moi. Vous me connaissez? Je m'appelle pas Mzungu!" (Excuse me, you know me? My name is not Mzungu!) C'est la vie!

Nagasaga Burundi!

(Goodbye Burundi!)

Burundian Birthday!

2009-04-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

What does one do for a birthday in Burundi you might ask? Not much pops into my mind. A birthday in Africa is exactly that, a birthday in Africa. However we do have one place that the rest of the world does not have and is definitely Birthday worthy...Khana Khizana's. The best Restaurant in Buj, and by far the best Indian Restaurant I have ever eaten at! We celebrated three birthdays on my 27th. Charles' birthday was a day before mine, and Simon's was the day after. We celebrated on my birthday, March 21st, smack dab in the middle.

King School Kids.

2009-04-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

During the past four months I've spent some time tutoring the above kids at the King School. These kids are orphans from the war.

I took these pictures when I went over to say goodbye to them today.

Naga Saga. (Goodbye in Kirundi).

Mars Hill in Burundi.

2009-03-21T06:32:00.001-07:00

In mid March I spent a week with Mars Hill Church on their Vision Trip. It was great! We spent one day Upcounty in Ngozi and then another day along the Lake in Nyanza Lac. We focused on helping the team gain a detailed understanding of Turame, our Microfinance program, and our Rehabilitation program which provides assistance for Returning Refugees: this consisted of visiting many Turame venders in the market and asking a lot of questions about goats to returnees;) There's absolutely no way to walk away from our rehabilitation program without a new found love of goats. I particularly loved the goat I had on a brochette for lunch after our visit with beneficiaries in Nyanza Lac;)
Hmmm...there's nothing like a good goat brochette....

Moving Along...

Below you can see Ngaira, Country Director to World Relief Burundi, as he talks with a returning refugee and mother of eight. She described to Ngaira that before the War her family owned the land from where her house was currently located down to the main road. Upon returning years later after the War, they were only given the small plot of land that the house was currently on. This is one of many stories about land issues due to the War and returning refugees. Many Burundian Refugees who have been in the camps in Tanzania have returned to find their land occupied by others.

After we spent some time with returnees and understanding our Rehabilitation program. We visited a market where many of our Turame clients have small businesses. After we had listened to many stories about the impact loans had had in the lives of a number of Turame Clients, Mars Hill prayed over the 3 loan officers who serve in the Nyanza Lac region.

One of the things that I love most about Burundi is it's World Famous Drummers. Below you can see the Drummers doing what they do best, drumming, singing and flipping. It was ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!

Did I mention showing off their muscles??

The FNL.

2009-03-21T04:53:00.000-07:00

The FNL.

I saw the FNL this week. Loads of them. Hundreds of them. I was riding in a Land cruiser with Mars Hill Church when a modorcade of Government Trucks passed us with dozens of Rebels in the back of each vehicle. I'm not just talking about a couple of pick up trucks either, but numerous Military trucks. There were at least 15 vehicles and a lot of AK-47's.

I was shocked. When I asked if it was the military, my friend and co-worker stated that it was the FNL (Burundi's last Rebel group) being brought in from the bush. A peace agreement with the Government has been in process for the last couple of months and the FNL were being brought in to be registered as a formal Political Party. In addition to their party being registered many of the FNL are to be placed in the Military or perhaps the Police force and others will be given a stipend.

I can not describe to you the scene of sitting in the land cruiser, observing the motorcade of Government vehicles with hundreds of FNL cheering and celebrating as they were being taken to the military camp.

For more information on the FNL you can click on the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forces_Nationales_de_Liberation

Sawa Cyane.

2009-02-21T23:36:00.000-08:00

Awesome people.

Awesome new friends.

Sawa Cyane.

TIA This is Africa.

2009-02-20T00:52:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like the wind and dirt in your face...covering your white Muzungu skin with a nice "natural" tone that I like to call, a "subtle layer of dirt." All the while the sun's effect on your skin is amplified due to the doxycycline you take every day in hopes of warding off Malaria. This experience can be yours if only you have the opportunity to ride atop a land cruiser for hours through the bush.

Diesel trunks. Land cruisers. C'est la vie dans Afrique. There's something so African about Driving a diesel trunk through the streets of Kigali, or riding on top of a land cruiser hunting the trail of an elephant while on Safari... Enough said.

Or there's the blessing of a good starch. Blessing, I use that word lightly. I am REAL tired of starches. Rice, Beans, Fries, Potatoes, Bread, Fried Potatoes, Rice, Bread, and pasta. Good Lord, starches are like a brick, a brick lying for days in your stomach. Too much information. I know.

Languages. This is not something that I have mastered, but definitely something I get a lot of practice doing. A lot of practice for me and a lot of laughs for the French speaking Americans who stood by and watched me stumble through my mix of English, French, Kirundi, and sadly Spanish. Yes, I put some Spanish in there... that was a sad sad moment for me. But I will endure and am determined to return to the states with as much language skill I can gather. Sawa Cyane. Did I mention Swahili?

Motos. Seriously. Riding motos through the streets of Kigali. One of my favorite things to do. I can get a moto ride for a mere 400 FB. I've got skills. There's nothing like helmet hair from a loose helmet that doesn't clasp and the wind up your skirt, exposing ones knee. Scandalous. Je Sais.

Bucket baths. I can do bucket baths. But when you're upcountry sifting sand and putting together water filters, a bucket bath fine, Sawa. So be it. But when there's no water and five of you standing around covered in a sandy mud. The hunt for water must begin. Amazing that we managed to "steal" (I use that word lightly because we were in a guest house) 5 bucket worth's of water from one of the downstairs bathrooms, only to find out that when we had finished attempting to clean with a empty water bottle that the water was back on. Not only was it back on, but it was hot and had a lot of pressure.

TIA. This is Africa.

Beautiful.

2009-02-19T06:09:00.000-08:00

Cant even describe the beauty of going upcountry and walking through the villages.

Clean Water, Cute newborn babies...what more could you ask for?

2009-02-19T06:01:00.000-08:00

Creating clean water. Awesome.

Holding cute newborn babies named Iranzi. Totally beautiful.

Being called "Abuzungu" and being trampled by a herd of kids, slightly daunting.

Using my French. Priceless. Totally Jillianch!

Safari!!

2009-02-19T05:40:00.000-08:00

Land cruisers...sitting on top of one is an awesome experience. There's nothing like the sun burning your skin and the dust giving you a nice coat of "natural tan." I maintain, land cruisers are by far the best part of a safari!!

Water Buffalos. Pretty awesome. However, my affection for them doesn't even compare to my new love of camels... sigh.

The Land of Milk and Honey...and Monkeys!

2008-12-31T02:59:00.000-08:00

Until you move to a place like Africa, much less Burundi, honestly you have no idea how much you have. The little things go a really really long way.

For example, things that we (I mean you) have in the states, you have plenty of and probably don't think twice about....

Diet Coke

Diapers

Soda in plastic bottles

Desserts in general

Microwaves

Chocolate chips

Brown sugar

Meat that you can chew

Powered sugar

spices

chicken

Iced Mocha's

Hair Salons.

Justice. Think long and hard about this one...Whether you like it or not. We do have some goodness is our law system, imagine if you saw this around DC...

and

Normal Spiders... (Please the next time you breathe a sigh of annoyance as you squish the little piddly Daddy Long Leg that has placed itself in the corner of your living room. Take a moment, pause and thank the Lord that it isn't an African Rain spider that you are being forced to kill. And "kill", I use that lightly because they're so beastly, without a man (thank you Bob and Jon) to kill them, they remain alive and ugly as they sit on your wall staring down at you with a smug look on their hairy disgusting faces...)

Alright, let's refocus. Burundi is lacking in material goods, you're blessed and then I have discovered an amazing secret. Kenya. Kenya is seriously the "Land of Milk and Honey..." over here.

I cant tell you how many times I have said, "You have brown sugar?" or "Wow this meat is tender," or seriously, "you have a hair salon, I haven't had a haircut in 5 months." (Fear not, I have received a wonderful haircut in Nairobi and am looking fine FINE, fine!)

Some pleasant surprises for me while Visiting Kenya...

English. People speak English here! I cant tell you how many times I said "Madame, merci or oui..." and gotten a blank look...(I do appreciate my forming skill of French though;)

Or there's of course the food. So much western food... I've had iced mocha's, ice cream, pecan pie, turkey, enchiladas, Christmas cookies, and re fried beans...seriously canned re fried beans!

I am shocked by what I can find in Kenya's numerous Western-like stores...brown sugar, powdered sugar, and bread pans just to name a few. And not just any bread pans, bread pans that are only $7 instead of $40 (yes a bread pan in Burundi is $40 American Dollars). Cereal. I have had cereal on more than one occasion for breakfast...in Burundi a box of cornflakes is $24 American Dollars....think about that the next time you pour yourself a bowl of Special K.

The Internet. Man, most of you know how slow my Internet is in Burundi. Cant even get in a skype call. Here the Internet is so fast that I can actually download things and have a skype call without a delay. Amazing.

And Coke Light. I have had more than one Coke Light and even in a plastic bottle. MMMmmm...

Go ahead and have a cold diet coke right now. However when you're drinking that cold diet coke, remember that there are some people out there who are having to quench their thirst after killing a huge African rain spider by drinking a regular coke in a glass bottle...

However while they might be drinking a good old coke slightly warm in a 500 ml glass bottle, they might just be looking out at the moneys that live in their backyard...Kenya!

Out of Africa...Kenya that is...

2008-12-30T08:59:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Kenya!

2008-12-26T23:48:00.001-08:00

Christmas in Kenya. I know what you're thinking...what does one do for Christmas in Kenya? Well besides cutting down a Christmas shrub with a machete (which by the way was brown and dead in two days)...you can hand out food to the poorest of the poor...

On the day before Christmas Eve, Emily and I put on our long skirts, jumped on top of a landcruiser and headed down to the valley to a nearby UNHCR IDP camp to visit Kikuyu refugees.

We went there with bags of food, clothes, firewood and clean water. Once there we broke up into groups and handed out the items to the refugee families.

Seriously, seeing those refugees on Christmas like that. Thinking about how little they had, the things that they've been through. The stories they shared and the machete and spear scars that they showed. Humbling. I cant help but think so many people don't know, don't truly know what goes on in the world. Come visit me just for a week and I'll show you....it would change your life. For sure.

Anyway, so Emily and I spent the afternoon down there, completely, completely covered in dust. I have never been in a dustier place. I was caked in mud. I can't even imagine living down their in those UNHCR tents, no food, the dusty days in the dry season, and the cold cold nights of the rift valley... Thank God for your warm houses and Christmas cookies...

Then on Christmas Eve, Bob, Julie, Emily and I packaged up some rice, sugar, lard, salt, spinach, flour and maize...loaded up the 30 bags into the landcruiser and then handed out those bags to some of the poorest kids in the Kijabe area... It was another humbling experience, one that reminds you of what Christmas really is.

Kenya Thus Far...

2008-12-21T01:57:00.000-08:00

So I am in Kenya for three weeks and loving every moment of it!

First on the agenda, a trip to Mombasa with my favorite family! Driving on the road from Nairobi to Mombasa, almost surreal. Especially when you're zooming in and out between semis crawling at 10 mph and other land cruisers whizzing by, passing when they shouldn't. All the while making sure you don't miss the zebras, giraffes, ostrichs, and packs of camels along the side of the road. All of which I saw (awesome by the way!). The beaches along the Indian Ocean at Mombasa are absolutely beautiful: white sands, clear waters, TONS of sea urchins. A good strong breeze helps to forget how heavy the humidity in the air is...which means my hair was wretched! Curly hair + humidity=frightening...

I enjoyed 5 days at the beach in Mombasa with the Mendonsas! It was a GREAT vacation. Emily and I took a ride on some camels one afternoon down the beach. I'll have to say that I think that camels are definitely one of my new favorite animals. There's something weirdly exciting about sitting on top of a hairy camel tromping down the sandy white beach. And something even more weird about kissing a camel after the ride. Both of which I did and documented with pictures...

On another afternoon Bob, Emily, Will and I went with some others on a "hike" through the shallows of the ocean out to the nearby reef. And I'll admit it, because I know Bob would say it anyway, I was ridiculously scared of the sea urchins and taking many cautious "feminine" (according to Bob) steps through the knee deep water. Hey, those needles on sea urchins are terribly frightening in my opinion! I survived though and have the tale of a hike out to the reef in exchange. That and we did find some really really beautiful purple starfish!

My time in Mombasa ended Saturday though and now I am in Kijabe, Kenya at the Mendonsas home where I will be with them through the holidays for two more weeks. I am excited for the Christmas season, the cookies, music and all that the holidays entail.

A Christmas Tree...oh did we find one! Well It's more of a shrub really. We headed out on our mission, "Get our Christmas Shrub" at 10 PM in the dark of night so that our "hacking" of a nearby tree located in the rift valley would go unnoticed.

So away we went and Bob literally hacked down a scrawny tree with a machete. And hack he did. Finally he cut it, we took it back to the house and decorated it Charlie Brown style.

I am certain that "O Christmas Shrub" will be playing in our house over the holidays...

My First Team. C'est Bon!

2008-11-21T23:26:00.000-08:00

Wow.

I maintain. Two weeks in Africa feels like 2 years. It's amazing how you can be with people non-stop 24 hours a day, and feel like you're known them your whole life! I made some awesome friends on the team and felt very encouraged and blessed by them. I am positive that God sent some people in my life to be great friends...even though they are now on a plane heading back to the states. It's amazing the bonds of friendship that Africa can create. The things you go through to together...words can not even begin to express.

We had an amazing time! Between home visits up in the mountains, the landcruiser forgding its way over footpaths, muddy slopes and what seemed to be sometimes impossible roads, or no roads at all...amazing.

On Monday morning I was on my way to a home visit with Sarah and Carl in the Landcruiser with Emmanuel driving. It had just rained. We'd dropped off the other team members at their locations and were headed to ours. We were driving on a dirt road, which in this case was a muddy road. Bridges? Bridges are made out of logs. In the past we'd always joked about the day the land cruiser broke the log bridge and got stuck. That day finally happened. With Carl Sarah and I. We sat there for a moment as a crowd of men gathered. Emmanuel tried to floor it and get it out. No use. The wheel had cracked a log and was now stuck in its place. So what else is there too do, but hop out, skirts and all for Sarah and I, and push the land cruiser out. Carl, Sarah and I somehow managed to do just that, in our flip flops. We pushed the huge land cruiser out of the rut with about 20 Burundian men just standing by just watching. Sarah I always took a face plant in the mud, our flip flops sliding all over. As for us. We were smiling. Anything that makes a great story later often puts a smile on my face. Muddy or not...

Mount Songa/the hot springs in Rutana and the source of the Nile. A fabulous day. The climb to Mounta Songa was SO beautiful. treking along a mountain in Burundi passing children hurding goats. Pricesless. There was something so beautiful, so wonderful about it. We had an amazing time. However note to self. One bottle of water is not enough. I was through it by the time I was too the top. It was a warm day. But hey I ended upwith a great tan!

After a 3 hour jaunt across the country--we finally made it to where the hot springs were located. The men went over to their hot pool and hopped right in. The women, let's say its never simple for the women. After treking barefoot across a small river and arriving to our "hot pool" which was about 4 feet wide, 1 foot deep and with a naked woman in it; decided we were better off in the men's pool. So we hiked our way barefoot to where the men were. (Note: walking barefoot across rocks, a river, and cattle poo is not fun. I do not have tough feet!) However once we finally managed to join the guys in the hot springs, random mysterious water bugs were biting everyone. Within three minutes of getting in, I was out, trying to escape being bitten but an unknown creature. Yes I am saying creature. Some of my teammates were not so lucky. Still, a good story is always fun and we had a great time! (Us girls changed out of our suits hiding behind a shawl and a bush. We are a resourceful crew!).

I had a great time wearing Burundian skirts, called Kitange's. I wore my two skirts well and was more a Burundi Kazie (Burundian Woman), then ever!

All and all, it was a great first team. I learned alot about my role and made some great friends! I'll post some more pictures. However we all know it takes me a lifetime to upload on here. So if you want to see ever more pictures, check out my facebook!

To Stare or Not to Stare...

2008-11-08T00:52:00.000-08:00

Here are some things to look for if you ever head up country in Burundi.

In the mountains of Burundi traveling by bike is extremely common, but pretty rough considering Burundi is mostly mountainous. So what should you did if you find yourself on your bike and need to get up that mountain...grab onto a truck...everybody's doing it.

And then when you're in the village, make sure you're looking real good because everyone and their mother (literally) will stop by and stare at you. Take note of the people in the window and door in the picture below, yes they were looking (staring, guaking however you want to put it), at me. The world literally stops when a "Muzngu" (white person) is anywhere in view. The world just haults; freezes. Everyone drops what they are doing to stare, shout "Muzngu," or in this case gaze for 2 hours straight into a house that is not their own in hopes that you might look their way.

What is typical of a Muzungu sighting? Let me tell you. Everyone pauses midsentence and stares without shame. If you're in a conversation dont finish it, if you driving a car let your eyes shift off of the road and cause you to hit a pothole head on. If you're on your bike, stop looking where you are going, but dont look away too long or you might just hit a goat if you dare to stare for too long. If people aren't justing staring, they are gathering and gauking. There are no rules here.

The look on people's faces? Priceless. My friend Karri likes to describe it as this...

Imagine a man walking by stark naked, not just naked put playing with one of those paddle balls as he is strolling along casually-no underware or a care in the world. Yes, you would be standing there in complete shock, jaw dropped, eyes following whether you want to look or not...this is exactly the reaction to that of a muzungu passing by or in this case, sitting in a house in a village. Everyone stares without shame.

Alright, on a serious note. What exactly what was I doing in a village which caused so many bystangers to take a look, other than my presense? I was in Gitega where I attended a care group meeting of our Child Survival Program (CSP). A Promoter exployed by the CSP program has meetings or care group once every other week with volunteers (10-15 mothers) of a local community who have been chosen to attend the Child Suvival's meetings which focus on messages about Diarrea, Maleria prevention, nutrition, and immunizations. After these meetings, the mothers then go and share with other mother's in their communities. These messages educate the mothers in these 4 different areas which in turn will hopefully help to prevent deaths of children under the age of 5 and promote better health and hygene. I had the privelage to sit in on a message about breast feeing and taking care of children aged 0-6 months.

I have to say that this was a moment of culture shock for me. Just realizing all of the informaton I have about health just by growing up in America. I know that diarrea is not caused by breast feeding. I was shocked to learn that a lot of mothers stop feeding their chilren breast milk when they have diarrea because they think it was caused by the milk. I was also shocked to learn that most of the mothers did not know that drinking alcohol while pregnant isnt good for the baby. It was also interesting to hear the mothers ask about family planning and how they could prolong breast feeding in order to prevent their periods so they could wait longer to have children. I couldnt help but wonder why I had this information and these mothers were just now hearing it. Where would they be without these health lessons? And the women getting these messages are only certain ones in certain regions. I was sitting there wondering why I was privy to such information and not even a mother when a lot of mothers around the world are struggling to help their children to survive diarrea. Yet a lot of them dont know truely what is in actuality causing the diarrea. World Relief's child survual program is amazing and it making life changes all throughout Gitega province. I was honored to be able to observe and take part in it.

Another shock for me: Diapers. One does not think about how important diapers are for babies until you are in a small hut with 22 children under the age of 2 and not one of them is wearing a diaper. Babies just go...wherever and whenever they please. Whether they are standing on the ground right in from of you or in their mothers lap. I couldnt help but wonder how such a small thing was not even possible for these poor families, there wasnt even cloth for diapers. I couldnt help but take for granted what we (in the states) have. I have never thought about "what if my children did not have diapers." Diapers are a huge problem and in reality would be a solution to some of the hygene problems that these families are facing. The lack of diapers aids to the problem of diarrea and other stomach problems. As human refuse is everywhere and on not only the children's clothes, but on the mothers as well, this can cause of a lot of the health problems...and all due to lack of cloth for diapers and clean water to wash clothes and those diapers that they dont have in. Just a thought.

Mothers who are reading this blog, take a moment and appreciate the diapers that you have for your child...

Here are some pictures of the women from the care group I sat in on.

Up Country

2008-10-30T06:10:00.001-07:00

I went up country for the first time last week. I spent a day in Nyanza-Lac and a night in Gitega. The drive down the coast along Lake Tanginyka was beautiful! Nyanza-Lac is located in the Southern part of Burundi, down by the Tanzanian Border. This is the area where a lot of the Refugees are located that are returning from Tanzania. (In 1972 there was a conflict which caused many Burundians to flee the country. Most fled into Tanzania where many refugee camps were then set up. These Burundians have been in the camps since 1972 and are referred too as the 1972 Burundians). The Tanzanian Government has decided that all of the Burundian Refugees need to return home. So they are returning in large numbers heading back to their Provinces. Nyanza-Lac is the area where WR's Rehabilitation program is located. This program helps to relocate and establish the refugees that are returning to their land.

As we were driving along the road I saw many Blue UNHCR trucks with refugees piled in the back returning to their homes. It was definately something I have seen in movies or documentaries about Africa. I felt very "American" as I saw the trucks and sat there wide-eyed. It was even more personal to me, knowing that these were the refugees from the same camps along the Tanzanian Border as the Burundian Refugee family that I worked with for the past year in Washington DC. Definately brought some of their life into perspective.

After spending a day in Nyanza-Lac we drove to Gitega. Gitega is in the center of the country, completely mountainous and absolutely beautiful. Up Country Burundi is gorgeous, mountainous and green. I arrived in Gitega after dusk. The cool night air reminded me of fall back home. The air was so crisp, so cool. I went to WR's child survival program. It is located in a cove of Pine trees. PINE TREES! Apparently the building was built by an American Missionary family back in the day and they planted the trees. I just stood there, taking it all in, breathing the air. It definately had a feeling of Wisconsin, where I grew up. It was wonderful to get out of Bujumbura and see other parts of the country. I have heard about the countryside and been told that I would love it. And I did. There's something special about waking up and eating eggs made from palm oil and really really thick bread....mmmm....and just incase you are curious Palm oil is made out of these barry like things which come from Palm oil trees...

On the way back from Gitega we stopped at a market in the Mountains... Pictured below are sweet potatoes.

I am headed up to Gitega next week as well. Hopefully I will have an opportunity to take some more pictures!

Sunset over the Congo

2008-10-20T00:42:00.000-07:00

Attached are some pictures that I took at Sunset of Lake Tanginyka, and over looking the Congo...

The Little Things...

2008-10-14T00:11:00.000-07:00

Well, not much change in my surroundings here. Still settling in, and attempting not to think about home too much, otherwise I’ll be homesick. I miss urban ministry so much, I cant help but think about where I’ll be and what I’ll do in two years when I return to the states. It’s hard being in a foreign country, and one that is the poorest and ravaged by war for so many years. My friend Meg has been encouraging me to take note of things I like every day, therefore I am focusing on the good things instead of the so many hard things…

How do I spend my time? At work during the day and watching Prison Break at night. To my disappointment I reached season 3 last night only to discover that there is no point in watching season 3 because someone dies off (although this person does return in season 4—which is currently on TV.) The con—it’ll be a year at least before I can get season 4 of Prison Break to remedy this horrible season 3. So now what do I do to waste my nights…I guess practice my French…boring. There is something about trying to find a good book (which I don’t have or attempting to watch a movie and then the power goes out). The things we take for granted, electricity is a good thing!

A couple of things I have discovered recently:

Beef Brochettes are amazing, I need to escape my food in the house every once and a while to get some meat. A Restaurant down by the lake has some great beef on a stick, this is good. I can’t tell you how much a person craves protein when there isn’t any readily available.

A sweet treat: I have discovered that the one coffee shop in town sells 2 big sweet crapes for only $3. This is good to know, a new place to go when I’m craving something sweet.

A new Like: Coffee. Who knew, I know like coffee. I have forced myself to like coffee. I had discovered that in being here for two years I needed something to look forward to everyday, this has become coffee, with milk and sugar of course, I can’t do it plain… It’s slowly growing on me…

Sounds: The Rainy season. I love the way huge thunderstorms rollup over the mountains across the city and toward the Congo. It is awesome to sit out on my open porch and watch as the wind soars down toward the coast, shaking the house and thundering clapping so loudly that it makes me jump.

And how did I spend my weekend? Last night before I was disturbed with disappointment of Prison break season 3, I watching that when heard my first bout of gunfire in the night…C’est Afrique.

This morning, woken by Duncan with a text to go to Rusizi to go and see hippos. So I climbed out of bed at the crack of dawn to drive to this place down by the lake to see tons of hippos. I forgot my big lens for my camera, which was a bummer. Still it was good to see some hippos that are not in a zoo.

FYI hippos are huge in Africa!

Revelation in Rwanda

2008-10-03T06:04:00.000-07:00

I went to Rwanda last week and it was glorious. So glorious! It was refreshing and exactly what I needed. The country was so beautiful!

It all started at the airport and what a nice airport it was...

When I got off the plane in Rwanda I went into culture shock. Rwanda is so different than Burundi, so different. I could feel it in the air around me. There was something so lovely-so refreshing. I had noticed that Burundi was different than any of the other countries I have been too in the past, by stepping off of that plane in Rwanda confirmed it. Burundi is extremely poor and it is noticeable. After all Burundi is ranked in the poorest 5 countries in the world.

Rwanda, is known as the land of a thousand hills...it is so true...

How do I begin to describe it, other than it was absolutely amazing, so beautiful. And for me coming from Burundi, where there isnt much western influence, stepping into Rwanda was like stepping into Europe. After Myal picked me up from the airport we went to Bourban, which is really a Western Coffee shop. I must have repeated the entire time how shocked and delighted I was as I sipped my iced mocha that tasted like something from Starbucks. After dinner Myal then took me to Naukomat which is a store that has many western items. I was jealous…jealous of Rwanda, its infrastructure, smooth city roads, organized traffic, stop lights, beauty and iced mochas. I’ll admit, my mind said—why Burundi—at least once--more than once...

It was shocking to me how much expeierncing Rwanda reaffirmed how poor Burundi is,

how difficult Burundi is. There is such a contrast between them. (Although I have been told that the Burundian countryside is even more beautiful than Rwanda's. I hope so.) When I am in Burundi I can only feel the effects of the darkness in this world. The effect of poverty, the effect of corruption... There is so much that Burundi is trying to overcome so fresh out of conflict and civil war.

I can't help but wonder, what part do I have to play in what is happeneing in Burundi. In what God wants to do in Burundi. I know that God brought me to Burundi for a very specific reason and his reason was very intentional. I am curious to see what that is because it hasn’t been easy by far.

Burundi itself and its poverty and its corruption isn’t the hardest thing for me. It’s the people around me, not the Burundians, but the other Westerners. As I have told so many of my friends back home, it has been really hard to make friends and to feel like I belong, especially when people intentionally exclude me from things. Middle School, it reminds me of middle school.

All in all, God knows my needs. It was so wonderful to hang out with the team from MBC. They were great and it was so refreshing to actually have somebody say, "Jillian how are you doing?" It was fun to be with them and very encouraging. The picture below is me after we spent the morning helping to build the foundation of a church with lava rock...

Uma Suma

2008-09-23T00:26:00.000-07:00

Uma Suma.

In Kirundi Uma Suma means Thief. I was told by one of the other volunteers at WR to yell Uma Suma if someone bothered me or stole from me or attacked me etc…

Today Isaac and I were walking back from Lunch. I wanted to take Uprona ( A longer route, but a little safer), he wanted to take the short way, which meant past the market. I told him as long as we didn’t go down the street with the gangs on it, alright. Once we walked down a ways he wanted to cut across so we didn’t have to go through the market. We turned, and I said I didn’t think it was a good idea, it was the street with the gangs on it. This was the same street I was grabbed on on day 2. Not to mention, I had my purse on me, and there was money in there for my work Visa.

We were walking along and we noticed that were being followed. Isaac caught it and moved me to the opposite side of him, trying to keep the guys away. Suddenly one of them turned in front of him, bumped into him and picked his wallet. I turned around to find Isaac fighting with the two guys, holding one of them back, grabbing after each other. Isaac was calling out in French and grabbing after the guys. I was so confused when I turned around, seeing Isaac with his arm around those guys yelling.

At first I thought he was trying to break up a fight. Finally I realized he had been robbed. I started yelling “Uma Suma” as I had been told to do. Everyone stopped and just watched as Isaac fought for his money, and I called out Uma Suma, trying to get someone to help. Finally the thief threw Isaac’s wallet down by a car. He grabbed it and we continued on our way. It was surprising really. It all happened so quickly. I am not a fan of that street. Ah Burundi...

Burundi=Desert-Like?

2008-09-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

It isn’t unusual to hear random things about security on a daily basis. Whether an assassination plot or a shooting. I was sitting at a dowry for one of my co-workers when I heard about a shooting that had taken place in the city center the day before. Apparently the government has banned all moto taxis this week due to the fact that they are trafficking too many guns into the city that are used in assassinations. This didn’t go over too well with the moto drivers. There was a demonstration downtown where there was a mob rushing down Uprona St. There were some shots fired…who did the shooting? I don’t know, police or moto drivers? I don’t know. Was any one killed? That isn’t certain either. What is certain is that the government banned motos for a week to lessen the guns that were being trafficked for assassinations. Ah Burundi…
Meanwhile I attended my first dowry on Saturday night. A dowry is the event before a wedding where the man has to pay the woman’s father a dowry in order to been given her for marriage. This dowry is being given to compensate the loss of work from the daughter, since the family is losing one worker to another family. This includes a lot of going back in forth and a payment in cows and gifts. It was fun and interesting. Next month the wedding will follow.

I am feeling a little overwhelmed and in wonder of exactly what God has intended for me here. I know without a doubt that God has called me to Burundi. But I can’t help thinking, why has God asked me to leave behind the great ministry and relationships in that ministry to move to Burundi? I was working alongside an amazing Burundian family in DC. I love them so much, we were so close. And here, how will I become close to a family like mine back in DC when there are so many cultural factors at play. Jone and Jackline love me, but in the beginning they didn’t have a choice but to open their home to me, I was helping them adjust. I am nearly brought to tears when I call them every Sunday and the kids get on the phone and say, “Jillian, Jillian? I miss you, ndakakundah, I love you” as they are excited it’s me. This morning was a killer as Ngabire, the 7 yr old girl got on the phone and in clear English said, “Jillian I have picture of you on the wall. You are with babies in Burundi. Who are these babies?” (I had emailed a picture of me with some kids here in Burundi to the Parkers for them to take over to the Busoneras, my Burundian family.) I think she was a little jealous that I was loving on some Burundian kids other than her;) No one could ever replace the Busonera kids in my heart.

This week was a rough. It was a little overwhelming trying to keep my head above water through a ton of people scheduling different meetings for me and rescheduling meetings that didn’t happen. All the while I am trying to grasp my role, understand my quickly approaching responsibilities and all of WR programs, and attempting to understand the culture. Put on a thick layer of “I don’t speak French or Kirundi”, buying a car in Africa, and skype freezing in the first 3 minutes of every phone call and you would be thinking in circles too! Actually it feels like my thoughts are hitting a cement wall... And at the end of the day, who wants to hear about the turmoil-some thoughts swirling in my head when I can't put a sentence together in English much less French. My pen has been burning the pages in my journal.

God knows my needs . Even though I don’t always realize it (or acknowledge it), I know he knows them. During my quiet time today I was really frustrated and trying to write out my thoughts. I asked God to “help me to feel his love.” I didn’t know what that looked like tangibly, but I asked it…and God answered. Tonight I received a call from my good friends in Kenya. We talked for a while, and talked through some of my thoughts. When we got off the phone, I couldn’t help but feel anything but loved. God had answered my prayer to feel his love. And he used the Mendonsa’s to show me that.

Burundi may not be easy…but I know this is where he’s brought me. Bob and Julie brought up a great verse that really made me think. They shared Hosea 2:14 with me. “Therefore I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.” I may not have expected Burundi to be a desert or a place where I would feel so alone with so much happening and going on, but it is. What Bob and Julie said really resonated to me. Even though being in deserts is never fun, if he brought me here, he brought me here for a reason. He is speaking to me, or trying to speak to me. But I need to be so close to him and in the word every day to hear him… I can’t hear him if I’m not listening for his voice. And sometimes he takes us into the desert--or in this case, Bujumbura Burundi, so that he has us all to himself. As of right now, God definitely has my attention!

A weekend in Burundi...

2008-09-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

So much has happened just over the weekend.

The scariest…

Friday night I was driving to a steam room with Seth and Myal. I was sitting in the back seat of the car. I wouldn’t exactly say that Bujumbura is the safest place to go at night time. So we were slowing making our way through downtown. We were rounded a corner pretty slowly. Suddenly I heard a loud thud hit the back of the car, my head snapped to the rear. It sounded like a huge rock or a gunshot or something. I made a comment to Seth and barely had I spoken when there was another bang and the rear window shattered. I ducked over in the seat, instinctly; I don’t even know what it was. Seth just sped up. We still don’t know what it was or who did it. I think it was the guys in the cars next to us. I had been watching them and they were eyeing the car. Who knows? But that was my first experience with violence…

Gladly I can say that I haven’t heard any gunshots in the night yet. Seth and Trina say it’s been a couple of weeks since they’ve heard gunfire in the night. It is quite normal to hear gunfire, however I still have yet to experience that.

The strangest and most surprising…

I tried frog legs. Yes, frog legs. I didn’t eat the whole thing, I really just tried a couple of bites of my friend Brandon’s it had been his idea. So I tried it. I have no idea how is it that I could eat Frog legs, yet seafood makes me sick. Maybe its because Frog legs tastes like chicken, and since there’s not much chicken around here…what’s a girl to do?

A pleasant and beautiful surprise…

Lake Tanganyika. It is beautiful. Today I went down to the beach with Brandon to experience my first time swimming in the Lake. There were some waves so there weren’t any Hippos or alligators, (Thank God). It was so much fun just chillin in the water as the waves crashed over, and when we weren’t swimming, you just sit under these, grass/bamboo little pavilion things, laying in the sand, with the lake and the Congo on the other side.

The details…

I drove yesterday. Trina gave me a driving lesson. Driving in Burundi is completely different than the US. It’s like a frightening game of dodge. You’re dodging cars, coming at you in your lane, cars trying to cut you off, Motos all over the street, bicyclers, pedestrians, and huge pot holes, narrow roads and no rules. No rules at all. It’s fend for yourself and hope you don’t hit anything. No street lights, no stop signs really. But I did survive my first drive around; this included a lot of honking, flashing and swerving. And the car was a stick. I think I deserve a metal.

Things I am missing…

My teens, one of them emailed me this week, it made me want to run home to be there for him. My Burundian Refugee family in DC. However I did call them yesterday and talked to them with my couple of words in Kirundi. Iced Mochas. (I hear I can get one in Rwanda;) Only one country away…) Other single people. There are a lot of married missionaries, but not many single people. Diet Coke. Being able to go out and buy a book when I need to read something new. Having someone that understands me and knows me to talk too at the end of the day…

C’est Fini. There will be more amazing things to add soon of happenings of my life in Burundi…

To the village...which one I'm not sure....

2008-09-01T01:23:00.000-07:00

So Burundi is a lot more expensive than I thought it would be. It is actually quite expensive here. Shocking really. I also think that its going to take me a lot longer to make friends than usual. Seth and Trina are awesome, but the others I have met are very indifferent and not very talkative with newcomers. I feel that maybe they dont want to meet new people because so many people are coming and going. However, I am here for 2 years. So that is kind of hard.

It is hot, very hot. I think that the dry season is the hottest, its hot and dry, very dusty. The rainy season will begin soon, and then everything from what I understand will be lush and green.

I went to a village on Friday with Seth and hung out with some kids. It was great, Seth showed me around. It was wonderful, just being with the kids, practicing French, Kirundi, and Jilli-anch. (which is my own version of French). It was a great day. I've posted some pictures below.

My First Couple of Days in Burundi!

2008-08-27T23:46:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since I last wrote. I spent three weeks at MTI, a training center in Palmer Lake CO. I had a great time and met awesome people that are headed all over the world. I made some wonderful connections with some great people. It was so nice to be with people that understand everything I am going through especially right before I left the country. It was great, there were even some families that are headed to Kenya that I hope to see. Not only that but I feel that I made some deep life-long connections with relationships that were clearly orchestrated by God!

My flight to Burundi was a little long. I was sick most of the way…sick on a plane with a tiny bathroom. Horrible, seriously. Have you ever puked in an airplane bathroom, not much room in there. But I made friends with this awesome young guy from India who totally helped me and even sat with me in the Brussels airport…

And now, I’m in Burundi!

It is my official 4th full day. The first day I spent resting as I was still getting over being sick and jetlagged. And thereafter, slowly getting to know Burundi!

Pleasant surprises:
* Warm showers
* Enoch (Seth and Trina’s cook) makes awesome Banana Bread!
* Brushing my teeth with the tap water (apparently Bujumbura has some of the cleanest water in Africa, you can also drink the water from the tap, who knew?)
* Coke in a glass bottle is just as wonderful on a hot day as I remembered.
* Huge Thunderstorms; Apparently during the rainy season, storms are HUGE. The dry season is about to finish and soon the storms will roll in. We had one Tuesday night. Trina and I sat out on the porch and watched it, it was great! The thunder and wind were so strong it nearly shook the house. I loved it!
* The path down by the lake: Awesome. There is this path down by Lake Tanginyika (I think the second deepest and longest in the world...). There are hippos down there but I didn’t see any--not that day anyway;)
* The Market: Trina and I went to the market and bought some material, we’re going to get some skirts and bags made!

Boos!:
The Street Kids: Yesterday Trina and I were walking down the street with her friend when a street kid grabbed me as he walked by. It was a little ballsy if you ask me… If I hadn’t stood in a stupor I might have slapped him.

But all is good here in Burundi. I am really enjoying my first week here!

C'est Fini!

2008-08-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

I have left DC. I cant believe that that door is closed. The past two weeks have been such a whirlwind, I havent even had time to process everything.

2 weeks ago I went to Oshkosh WI, where I grew up. Honestly, going home is always hard, but I have to say--going to Oshkosh was such a blessing! I was so blessed by the people that I grew up with. I felt so loved. Its amazing to me that I can be gone for 2 years (and many more years since high school) and I can return and people still love me as they do. Not only was it a really fulfilling, but I felt that God really blessed my obedience in returning home. I shared what I'll be doing in Burundi at my churches 3 services and also had a sharing night. It was absolutely amazing. So many people were interested in hearing more about Burundi, what God's doing there and what I'll be doing. I was truly encouraged by the response I received from people in Oshkosh. I realized that I am truly blessed and that there are lot of people who are close to my heart that want to walk this path with me to Burundi.

I am amazed by how God provides. It is amazing to me how quickly things can change. Even in the past couple of months my friendships have been changing. Some of my closest friends have left the DC area themselves, or have just pulled away as my transition has begin. It's crazy to think that the people that you thought were going to be there for you weren't, but yet God is in control and he already knew, and he raises up others. I have been truly blessed by my supporters. Their friendships, prayers and simply the sacrifices they have made have been heartwarming. I am thankful for all of the new friendships and people God has brought into my life in the past couple of months, or even brought BACK into my life. I am truly blessed by the friends that are walking through this challenging and exciting time in my life.

I have said goodbye to my Burundian family. I spent 4 hours with them on Sunday (1 hour with them on Saturday, 4 hours with them on Friday...I love them;) ....surprisingly there were no tears. Honestly I thought I would cry, and well....not a tear was shed at all during my last 4 days in DC. I think that there was just too much going on, and I just couldn't process it all. My Burundian family had lunch waiting when I showed up on Sunday and the kids knew it was my last day. The little girl kept on asking me to sit by her. And saying things like, "I miss Jillian, Jillian go Burundi. Jillian no go. Me cry with Jillian." It was heart wrenching! I can only pray that God would create such relationships with others Burundians for me in country.

And now I am in training in Colorado. I head straight from here to Burundi. I think that it was good timing after all for me to head here right before I go overseas. I have been so busy, stressed and overwhelmed with closing up my life in DC, that I havent even a second to process much less feel the emotion of moving. I still havent felt any emotion. I am wondering when it will all hit the fan. However I am still blessed, while there are only 3 single girls at this training and ALL the rest are married couples and families...slightly overwhelming. However, I am enjoying getting to know all of these families that are committing their lives to missions and am encouraged. I think I will make some great friendships here. There are some families that will be serving in Kenya. I hope to sometime have the opportunity to visit them....

Two weeks left here in the mountains of Colorado and then onto Burundi!

Bringing tears to my eyes...

2008-07-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

So the goodbye's have started and it is hard. On Saturday I hung out with the twins, JP and Brandon along with Duy who was also in the teen program. You should have seen the looks on their faces when I arrived ant their house, trying to hide that they were excited to see me to keep up their "tough too cool demeanor." We went out to lunch with their parents and then went bowling. After that we headed to my going away party.

My party was great. So many of my friends showed up, it was such a great time. And the teens were awesome, so well behaved. And so many of my friends hung out with them! The night was great. Later on in the evening my friends shared with me and then prayed for me. That brought tears to my eyes.

If saying goodbye to my friends at my going away party wasn't hard enough, saying goodbye to the teens that I invested my heart in over the past 1.5 years was. They are like little brothers to me. JP repeated to me numerously Saturday that "its your day" and I could do whatever I wanted. Hugging one of them at the end of the night and telling him I loved him like a brother and him whispering back "i love you" was so amazingly sweet. Then him walking away slowly, kicking his feet before he turned around and asked, "when are you coming back" me, 1.5 years until furlough...and him "saying oh, that's a really long time." Heart Wrenching...

I cried the whole way home that night after dropping my teens off at 1am after my going away party. If that wasn't the end of it.... Sunday (was not the day I am saying goodbye to my Burundian family, but a teary-eyed conversation for sure) I hung out with my Burundian family along with the other amazing volunteers who work with them... When I stepped out of the car, a good 50 yards away and up a hill I was spotted and no joke all 6 Burundian kids ran the whole way chanting over and over is wonderful English with kirundi accent 'Jillian here, Jillian here!" until all 6 of them, including the babies had made their way over me and smothered me with their hugs. I nearly died from the shear way they greeted me!

When the other volunteers had left, Guy, my friend who speaks kirundi was talking and translating with Jone since Guy will not be with me the last time I see the family...and the father thanked me and said that they loved me and that they'd miss me and that they wanted me to call back and have a kirundi/english speaker on the phone call so we can communicate and much more...what was said to me by the father on behalf of his family, obviously brought tears to my eyes.

Not to mention when their 7 yr old daughter tugged on my skirt numerous times saying "Jillian go airplane? Ngabire go airplane? No only Jillian go airplane."

Everything and saying goodbye is really overwhelming me, and its really hard to say these goodbyes. Saying goodbye to my teens, my twin little brothers broke my heart, much less one of them saying "I love you too" to me, that was killer.

It hurt so much to give up that relationship which I have worked on, worked HARD on to build a trust with those two boys, they have quite the story... And then my Burundians, its not even the time to say goodbye to them and I am already brought to tears when I think of it. Please pray adamantly for me during the next two weeks up until August 4th.----(I will be saying goodbye to the Burundians of the 3rd...mental notes--lots of tears will be involved). I am in the stage where I have no idea why wanted to move to Africa when I have to give up such God ordained relationships that I have invested my whole heart and poured out all of the love that I have in my teens, and the Burundian family.

I know this is normal...but it is hard to say goodbye, and very hard to say goodbye to where I've invested my heart. Please pray that I would remember that the Lord has called me to Burundi for a specific reason, because I am having a hard time when I have to give up so much and I feel like my heart is going to explode with every last hug... I could really use your prayers and encouragement, seriously, I am having a hard time giving up the people that I love so SO much.
thanks so much for all of your prayers...

Beautiful

2008-07-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

How can I say goodbye to this... Sad. Yes I spent yet another day with my Burundian family and their family friends. I should be at home packing, or learning French, yet somehow I find myself at their house. Today I was actually babysitting the kids (6 of them) while their father went to a job interview....

If you're reading this, lift up a prayer that the father would get a job. Their adjustment here to the US has been a tough one!

Whirling...

2008-07-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

I feel like time is just flashing past. I have less than 3 weeks left before I head to CO Springs for my 3 week training. Two of that is spent in DC while, And I'll be spending another week visiting family and friends in Oshkosh/Milwaukee WI.

This past week I was in Baltimore for a four day training with World Relief and then I traveled up to NYC from there to visit my friend Meg. As for the World Relief training....SO much information I can barely process it all. I definitely have a better picture of World Relief and what I'll be doing in Burundi. But I'd be lying if I said that my mind had taken it all in. I think that all of the info is just swirling around as the reality of moving to Burundi sets in. I'm passed the romanticized part of moving to Burundi. Reality is definitely in the forefront of my mind...

As for my time in NYC, I had a great time visiting my friend Meg. I met Meg during my second trip to Uganda back in 06. She and Jess were definitely a God send as I stayed with them during my crazy time in Gulu. Meg and I had a blast walking literally all over the city...we didn't even bother to take the subway. Jess flew in on Sunday and I got to catch up with her as well....

Note to self...move to NYC when I return from Burundi;)

And now I'm back in DC wrapping up the final touches to my life here. I have 2 weeks to raise the remaining amount of the 30,000 budget...and say good bye to all of my friends, teenagers, and cute Burundian kids. I am jam-packed!

Here's how things look for me until I head out to Buj:

July 19th, going away party/hang with teens

July 21st Fundraiser at BD's Mongolian BBQ in Bethesda (hope you can come out--if I get 50 people to sign in under my name %5 of the proceeds of the day go to me).

July 24th: Head to WI

July 31: Return to DC

Aug 3: Say goodbye to Burundians. Cry. Get commissioned at McLean 5:30pm.

Aug 4th Head to Co Springs for training.

August 23rd, head to Bujumbura Burundi....

I feel like I barely have time to breath. I have many things to do on my "Need to finish before flying off on my 2 day flight to Buj" list:

If you would like to support my too year stint with World Relief Burundi there are a couple of ways you can do that. The first option and most needed is monthly financial support. If you're interested in a monthly commitment please email me at Jillianm.lee@gmail.com and I would be happy to give you the needed materials. My goal is to have $1250 of committed monthly support. If you would like to make a one time on-line donation you can do so by clicking on the following link and selecting Jillian Lee in the designation box. https://community.wr.org/NETCOMMUNITY/SSLPage.aspx?pid=938&srcid=938

And of course your prayers are needed! I'll update my prayer requests on this Blog as time goes on. Currently most of my prayer needs revolve around my departure preparations...raising support, saying goodbye to friends, my transition to Burundi, etc.

As for the highlight of the day....my Burundian kids running up and giving me all hugs at once nearly knocking me over. Have I mentioned how much I love them???

Almost there....

2008-07-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

I have less than a month left in DC before I head to CO for MTI training and then of to Bujumbura Burundi for the duration of two years where I will be working with World Relief. Everything is so surreal to me as my time is winding down. Good byes are hard, and giving up ones life is too crazy to even wrap your mind around. Everything that closes up and finishes for good: a job I loved, moving out of a neighborhood in NE where I lived, passing off the refugee resettlement ministry I started with my friend James, saying goodbye to my teens....

The things that are hardest for me to give up arent the warm showers, or air conditioning. I think it's the relationships that I have with my teens that I have been with for the last 1.5 yrs and the Burundian Refugee Family that I have been working with for the past 9 months.

I found myself in tears on Sunday night when my Kirundi translator and friend called me to tell me that my Burundian family was wondering if I was going to stop by and that they missed me (I had just been to their place 2 days before for 6 hours!) Talk about the killer....when the kids whisper "dakakunda Jewian" (I love you Jillian) in my ear and start giggling as they call themselves my Mzungu baby. Or the fact that the baby literally looks at me and rambles of mamamama with an outstretched arm and cries when I walk to the door. Its painful. However I cant help but smile as I think about them and how they remind me every time I'm at their house that "Jillian go Burundi." The parents have taken to giving me Kirundi lessons, I have a whole list of words that they are teaching me. The Father has such pride in teaching me his native tongue. I think he truly treasures and enjoys that he is helping me with his language, as I have been teaching him English for months. How will I say goodbye to my sweet sweet Burundian family here in DC....