Branch Activity creates missionary opportunities

On May 21, 2011 the Elders Quorum organized a branch soccer and frisbee activity.  It was mainly organized by the Elders Quorum President Aimable Burundi.  This is looking down the street we had to drive to get to the soccer field.  It is very typical and the majority of the city streets are similar.

As soon as we drove up the young people wanted to throw frisbee's and Phyllis got right into it.  

The soccer field was right across from a technical school of 2000 students.  We quickly became an object of curiosity.

The children loved to have their pictures taken.  These three hung around Phyllis most of the time and seemed to enjoy being with her.  They are Kanjohi Ehise, (green shirt) Fisto Muhosa (red shirt) and Kevin Ebiginon (open shirt).  They are brothers of Fabrice who is not a member yet but I am sure will soon will be.

The girl in the flowered dress is Brother Johnson's daughters Celine Niyimpaye (10) and Aline Nishimwe (9)

Kanjohi and Fisto again enjoying a picture with Phyllis.

These three boys were herding these goats through the soccer field and stopped and watched for a while.

We shared the soccer field with these cows.  Brother Simon told me that these cows were very ancient and dated back many centuries in Burundi.  He said that they were kind of useless as they didn't give much milk and were always very skinny.  He did say that there genetic pool was very valuable and that is why they were raised.

We continue to be amazed at the interest of the people in the Church.  These students wanted to know all they could learn about the Church and between all of us we talked to and gave out missionary pamphlets to over 50 people.  This is Elder Diozola proselyting.  All of the other missionaries were doing the same thing.

We have talked about Brother Methode (white T-shirt and shorts).  He is a wonderful teacher and missionary.  He has been instrumental in bringing 100's to a knowledge of the church.  He is the one responsible for the 11 people who were baptized last Saturday from Uvira and many more are waiting.  It did not take him long to have a group to teach and bare testimony to.

As we drove to the place the branch was going to have refreshments we drove passed these gorgeous flowers that are now blooming throughout the city.

This is the three amigo's again and I took this pictures to show you what the refreshments were for the branch activity.  A bottle of pop and a piece of bread. Kanjohi opened the pop bottles with his teeth.

This is part of the 90 people that attended.  They expected to feed 60 so they cut the bread a little smaller and quickly went and bought some more pop. I am sure that over half were not members.  The missionaries were busy making appointments and getting addresses. They were a little concerned that they were not going to have enough in there branch funds to pay for the extra pop.

This is Brother Methode.  He is probably one of the greatest missionaries I have every met.  He is the one that was converted upon seeing the name of the church on the back of one of the wheel chairs the church donated.  He says he has taught and converted 100's of people and they are waiting for the church to be organized in his village in the Congo.

This is President Johnson Hatungimana, a counselor in the branch presidency, and his daughter Celine Nishimwe.  He, his wife and children make up 10 members of the branch.  He has become a choice friend to us and will be a great help to us in public affairs.

This is President Malabi Kyubi Wa Kyubi, his wife Malabi Nanjira Kivunge Veronique and their daughter Malabi Riziki Ann Marie.  They are definitely the backbone of the branch.  His is the president of the branch,  she is a councillor in the R.S. but holds it together because the R.S. President has not come for quite a while and Ann Marie is the Primary President.

The field is white and ready to harvest

On Saturday May 14, 2011 a wonderful group of five couples and one son came from Uvira (35 Km) and Baraka (95 Km), D.R. Congo to fulfill, what was for some, a 14 year wait.  Some of these couples had been studying as a group 3 times a week for many of those years.They were here early Saturday morning for their baptismal interviews.

Sister Domine (she was baptized with her son two weeks ago) was to be a part of a small miracle.  The pool where we normally do baptisms was being repaired.  No other pools were available at a convenient time.  Through a series of events orchestrated by Sister Domine and the Dean of Applied Sciences, who we just happened to meet, the pool at the University of Burundi was rented for 5:30 that afternoon.  As we got permission to use the pool Sister Domine said very humbly "We have been led by the hand of the Lord".

We arrived a little early and Sister Evanson is speaking with Jean Paul.  Jean Paul Ndikumasabo speaks French, Swahili, Kirundi and English and is one of the translators of the Branch.  He really enjoys Sister Evanson.

A white harvest and the culmination of 14 years of planting and caring.  There were eleven baptisms from the Congo and 2 from Burjumbura.  These converts have so very little and have sacrificed so much to come many kilometers from their homes every other week for several months to be taught by the missionaries.

The university was situated high in the Burundian hills overlooking the countryside and the city of Bujumbura.  It was a beautiful spot for a beautiful event.

Baptismal site overlooking lush green vegetation of the Burundian Mountains.

It was so breathtakingly beautiful I thought I would include a few photos of the scenery looking from the pool area.

This is looking over the city of Bujumbura and the north end of Lake Tanganyika

On Sunday morning the Sacrament Meeting was taken up by 13 newly baptized members being confirmed.  5 of the brothers were then sustained to receive the Aaronic Priesthood and ordained after the meeting.

After the meetings on Sunday these children loved to have their pictures taken with Sister Evanson.  It was a sweet ending to a marvelous spiritual experience and feast.  It is hard to describe the joy and privilege of being able to be a part of these pioneers who sacrifice so much.

Some more of daily life in Bujumbura

We are once again headed out to do some errands and do some shopping.

This is a very typical scene from the front window of the truck.

This is one of the better hardware stores in Bujumbura.  I was trying to find some small brackets to fix the desk we just bought.  They didn't have any so I ended up buying a small hinge.  It worked great.

This sewing machine was on sale in the hardware store.  With one of these machines you don't have to worry about the electricity going off.  Notice the fine detail and the craftsmanship of the cabinet.  I am sure they would have fixed it good as new if you wanted to buy it.

These tailors are using foot treadle sewing machines that were on display at the hardware shop.  They have their tailor shop on Mission Street which has just about anything you can imagine.  The street is also full of potholes and on the end of the street you have to drive through a hugh hole full of water.  There is a big pile of dirt beside it that hopefully they are eventually going to use to fill the hole.

I thought I would end with this photo of a man carrying a refrigerator on his head.  This is one of the stores we shop at for electric appliances.

Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika April 29,2011

Elder and Sister Frogley took us to one of their favorite places in Bujumbura.  It is about 5 miles out of the city on the north end of the Lake.  We spent a very relaxing couple of hours walking on the beautiful beach, watching the crown cranes and eating a delicious meal of sangila fish which is native to Lake Tanganyika.  Lake Tanganyika is very beautiful lake as you will see.  The Lake is 420 miles long by 31 miles wide.  Its average depth is 1870 feet with the deepest being 4820 feet.  It holds 1/6 of the worlds fresh water and is the 2nd largest lake by volume.


The drive to the Hotel is in the country setting.  It takes a little longer than you would expect because the road is full of pot holes so you have to drive slow.  This is looking west towards the congolese mountains.

The hotel rooms are fronted by the beach and in the back of each unit are beautiful gardens.

There is a very large beach owned by the hotel.  The sand, surf, breeze, trees and flowers make it as if you were on the ocean in the Caribbean.  This is looking west towards the Congolese Mountains.

This is a good view of the city of Bujumbura at the base of the Burundian Mountains

This is part of the large beach in front of the hotel.  You can see the Burundian Mountains in the background and if you look hard enough you can see the city of Bujumbura at the base of the Mountains.  This is looking east.

There was a cooling breeze as we ate in the shade of a pagoda.  We had delicious Singula fish kabobs and ended with a desert suggested by Elder Frogley, ice cream wrapped in honey crepes.  Those bottles could be deceiving!  They actually contain pineapple juice that is bottled here in Bujumbura.  It is yummy!!!

While we ate we watched the crown cranes.  They are native to the area and are the national bird.

This is looking south down the lake and the end of a relaxing, beautiful afternoon

The first time out and about By Ourselves.

It took a little bit of grit and courage to go by ourselves and see if we could find our way around to the 4 or 5 shops we needed to go to.  This is one of the better streets as it is paved.  This is looking west and you can see the mountains as you look down the street.

On our way to Chez Shiva and shopping.  Many of the streets are cobble stone because the World Bank will only fund that kind of street because it employs more people and asphalt is much more expensive.  If you go fast it doesn't chatter your teeth quite as much.

Mom talked about Chez Shiva.  This is owned by a neat chinese lady who caters to most dry goods, eggs, cleaning supplies, etc. She also makes banana chips, dried cumin chips, etc. which are very good. This is usually our first stop.

This is a typical street with small business shops selling almost everything you need.  You just have to look long enough.  There is usually a big hole being dug a some point or another.

The chapel is on the upper floor of the DHL.  Everyone knows where the DHL is located so the directions to the Church are very easy.  This has become our focal point in finding our way around the city.

I thought this picture was kind of neat, not only because of the load on the bike but because of the disparity in the modes of transportation.  You can also see the beautiful Burundian Mountains in the back ground.

A load of bananas being pushed up a small hill.

It is amazing how much they can carry and still balance the load.  On top of all that it was pouring rain.

On our way home, just before dark we were stopped to make way for this wedding.  These are the bride maids carrying beautiful matching baskets on their heads.  These baskets are typically burundian.