Cup of Cool Water Uplifting Critical Communities by Revolutionising Key Ministries ___________________________________________________________________________ BOX 1941 Bujumbura Burundi Tel: (+257) 79 951 467 E-mail: [email protected] August – September 2011 News Letter Dear prayer partners and Brethren, Please receive brotherly greetings from your brethren from Cup of Cool Water, Burundi. Assisting the impoverished One of the worries that widows and orphans who met the missionaries Hazel, Marjorie and Allan during their visit in Burundi last April was that they are not able to provide themselves children with copy books, uniforms and school fees. This is true because a number of orphans are compelled to interrupt their studies due to extreme poverty. CCW was able to purchase more than 700 copy books, 100 pens and 144 pencils and distributed them to 79 orphans. ‘Thank you for having thought about our case by providing us with school materials. May God bless donors and your Ministry,’ they said Charles (Right), CCW director handling copy books as donation to one of the destitute orphans thanks to financial support from Rev. Dr. Tony and Rowena Sargent Missionary Hazel handling a cover for a baby to one of marginalized four families who benefited goat donation in Kirundo province ‘Thank you Muzungu (the White) for your love and concern. Please, keep remembering us’ One of the female goat donated to the one of the marginalized last April got already a baby. The life of the beneficiary is improving and hope is taking place slowly as they said. 1 Cup of Cool Water Uplifting Critical Communities by Revolutionising Key Ministries ___________________________________________________________________________ BOX 1941 Bujumbura Burundi Tel: (+257) 79 951 467 E-mail: [email protected] CCW purchased 15 goats which were distributed to 21 families from 6 provinces. We are planning to establish a farm were we can be able to multiply goats, chicken, pigs and cows in order to help many poor fighting against malnutrition and under nutrition. This is a long term project. We may start with goats, then chicken and so on as the Lord and His people provide. Our Sister Hazel is aware that a number of orphans she met are suffering from eyes sickness as a consequence of under nutrition. Others are dying early because of Kwashiorkor and related diseases. We thank God as we have already a big property which can be used for that purpose. . Trauma Healing and reconciliation seminar CCW was privileged last august to have missionary Hazel Joining our local reconciliation team as an international facilitator. She fitted in as if she had been always with us. Her personal experience, her servanthood spirit and herself were a blessing to participants and to us. ‘There are12 years that I visited Rwanda for my first time. There was lot of woundedness because of the genocide that took place there in1994. There are much pains in countries that experienced tough situations. Is there hope for such people and countries? Rom 15:13. Let us know that God provides us hope through Jesus Christ. In these 3 days of the seminar, we will exchange ideas in order to understand the problems that are happening in our areas and lives. We do have pains that we are suffering from; we are going to learn together on how we should get out of it! Whenever there is love between people, something good takes place. This way, from the love between God the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit was born a human being. God created a man from which different people of different ethnic groups were to be born (Act17:26). Imagine if we all resemble to one another. We could get bother! of it. We are all equal to God. And, if we are little different it is because our God is the God of diversity. Look at the world, the |nature around us! It is made of differences. White and black people, we all have same blood. If our skin is white, it is just meant to cope and adjust with the climate which is very cold (Europe). Likewise, the black skin is meant to cope and adjust with very hot areas. God placed us with different families, ethnic groups, and race? Countries so that we may be able to identify and locate ourselves. God would like us to love one another (Rom.12:10).Things are worse as they are because something wrong happened. The sin that destroyed everything. We are influenced by our society, family and environment (milieu) that we are living in. We are going to find out and know the source of bad things we are experiencing. Let us be willing, open our ears and heart to learn new truths.’ By Hazel, in her introductory session. She was interpreted by Charles. 2 Cup of Cool Water Uplifting Critical Communities by Revolutionising Key Ministries ___________________________________________________________________________ BOX 1941 Bujumbura Burundi Tel: (+257) 79 951 467 The view of widows attending a seminar on 24-26 August 2011 E-mail: [email protected] Family photo of participants . Why widows as target? It should be noticed that widows (and orphans) are the most hurt and destitute within Burundian society. Not only are they suffering from the consequences of the loss of their beloved ones because of ethnic divisions and cyclic civil wars but also they are abused and overlooked by the society, expropriated from their properties and denied their rights. Here are some of their testimonies at the end of the workshop: “When I became widow I had 3children. I decided myself not to have relationships with other men although I am still being young. In fact, I avoid quarrelling with their wives. I was impatiently waiting for this seminar that gave us an opportunity to be encouraged and valued. We are becoming giants sited with princes!” A participant “ I had hate rage against my neighbour who used to abuse me. I could not even say: hello to her. However, I am released from the hate rage thanks to the teachings of this seminar. I even talked to my neighbour this morning. Also, I used to over-look myself but now I am delivered and I am happy!” A participant We continue get positive feedback from some of them. Overall, the seminar was very successful and we – local facilitators- have never experienced such deliverance among participants. CCW run another similar seminar for youth in Bujumbura Suburb on 7-9 September in collaboration with a local association for youth which mobilized participants. This area is known to be the most dangerous because of killings between people from opposite political parties recorded there since the last democratic elections of October took place. We were fearful for it was scary to run a seminar there. We asked God to provide security for us sometimes before the seminar took place. 3 Cup of Cool Water Uplifting Critical Communities by Revolutionising Key Ministries ___________________________________________________________________________ BOX 1941 Bujumbura Burundi Tel: (+257) 79 951 467 E-mail: [email protected] The previous day, on 6th night, I (Charles) had a dream under which I had a phone call from Missionary Hazel. She told me’ Charles, I am sending you this equipment which will protect you from bombing while in ministry’. I felt happy and confident. On 7th, I shared the dream with my colleagues and we concluded that it was God’s confirmation for our protection. We went there and run the seminar peacefully and successfully. We never heard again about new killings and fire guns after the seminar. We thank God for that. We thank you too as it was proved that you do support us not only materially and financially but also spiritually. Ezekiel during a devotional time speaking to 50 participants I Ruziba- Bujumbura- conference Hall on 7-9 sept. 2011 Mbabazi Clinic project CCW staff have been reviewing and adjusting Mbabazi Clinic project. In fact, prices of building materials are increasing day by day. There is almost one year since the project was done. Our current currency is becoming valueless. Things are becoming as such because Burundi is recently part of East African Community. Hence, we decided to use metallic sheets for roof instead of concrete cover. The concrete roof would cost a lot of unexpected and not provided money. We decided to increase the number of rooms so that the clinic can accommodate many services to serve the sick more effectively than provided before. We maintained the original budgeting - same amount. Our Engineers have been working on the plan the are two weeks ago. Once they finish their work, we will send you the adjusted and detailed plan for advice along with the list of needed materials and equipments. Office Facilities Cup of Cool Water was able to purchase a second hand desktop which is much better than the very old one we had thanks to your general ministry fund donation. Also, we were able to pay for transport, communication, office material and other office expenditures. 4 Cup of Cool Water Uplifting Critical Communities by Revolutionising Key Ministries ___________________________________________________________________________ BOX 1941 Bujumbura Burundi Tel: (+257) 79 951 467 E-mail: [email protected] However, we are still being in need of a laptop. It can be helpful for us to catch up with report writing and save time while in mission in the countryside. Burundi is experiencing a shortage of power on national level. Not only there is lot of power interruptions but also there is a lack of it. Three days can pass without having it at all. Or it can be available for five to ten minutes or to one hour at most then it goes off. This hinders our work. We are thinking about finding an alternative to face that situation. The use of solar energy seems to be appropriate, secure, cheap and long-lasting. We need prayers from you, as usually. Following up the beneficiaries of our ministry We held three meetings with widows and orphans whom benefited from our small capital to run small income generating activities. This was to help them establishing an association and a social solidarity cash box to be able to work together and fight poverty. We plan to make a similar follow up for the 30 widows who attended the seminar in Kirundo last august and for all our beneficiaries allover the country. Prayer Items Continuously thank God for His goodness to us and pray for one another as prayer partners so that God continue strengthening and guiding us in our ministries Pray for the widows who attended our seminar on trauma healing and reconciliation so that they continue healing and be able to work to support their family Ask God to provide for necessary means so that we continue running seminars for the traumatized and torn apart individuals from all over Burundi We pray continuously for you as you are committed and willing to help providing our poor and sick people with a clinic Pray for us as we are still being in need of office facilities, power sources and means to establish a farm to keep domestic beasts to assist the impoverished and the hungry effectively We are thankful to you for having supported our ministry in order to uplift our critical and destitute widows and orphans. May God abundantly bless you as you are bringing love and compassion to the poorest. Charles NDIKUMANA, Director Box 1941 Bujumbura BURUNDI Tel: +257 79 951 467 Fax : +257 22 52 77 E-mail: [email protected] 5