My blog is turning into a C.A.R update board, which isn’t what was intended. But it is crucial this info gets out to as many people as possible to get more prayers offered up. Please email me if you want these updates direct – I get them daily, and am only posting the occasional one.…

The following letter is written by Pierre, my dear friend in the Central African Republic. He’s under tremendous pressure, his kids are traumatised, lots of his friends have been killed, people are looking to him as the leader, and he manages to write such stunningly wise and gracious words. These have been translated from French.…

Warning: there are some grim pictures below, if you don’t want to see them. Maybe the first thing I should say is that I love Muslims. I have Muslim friends. For the Christian, ISLAM stands for I Sincerely Love All Muslims. Islamophobia is not in the spirit of Christ. With that stated up front, please…

When I woke up this morning, I jumped out of bed and knelt down to recommit my life to the Lord. Why? Because I turned forty today. Wow, seriously old! When I was a teen and in my twenties, I thought forty was simply ancient… and so now I’m ancient! This is what I prayed:…

Last week, an old man in Muramvya had a dream. Jen Eckersall, who’s working with us out here, was upcountry visiting homes and doing a discovery Bible group with a few families when he said: “Last night I had a dream in which I saw a white person and two Burundian missionaries coming to my…

Georgette Butera, who is an old Burundian friend of mine now living in England, wrote the following to me. I have to say, as I wrote back to her, it left me really discouraged. Why? Because there are so many needs out there crying to be met and I feel swamped, able to help completely…

Yesterday I walked down the corridor at home and came face to face with a snake*. My protective instincts kicked in immediately as I sensed danger for my loved ones. It was an incredible adrenaline rush. The sheer ferocity of its defense was awe-inspiring. Eventually after much ducking and diving it took six health thwacks…

In March 2008, I wrote a call to action that has now been beautifully fulfilled. I’ll paste it again below to remind you of it, if you want to be inspired afresh by what God has done. And nearly five years on, we stand on the brink of the next phase… What were we trying…

In March 2008, I wrote the following, which relates to the next post coming shortly:  Dear Team, It was nine years ago that I heard God’s call to go to Burundi, leaving family, friends, job, security, and landing in a crazy war zone which was rated the most dangerous country in the world for some…

I’ve heard it referred to as Burundi’s equivalent of the USA’s 9/11, which I don’t think is an appropriate comparison for a number of reasons, but it gives the outsider at least a measure of understanding of quite how big a deal last Sunday’s fire was and still is to this impoverished nation. One week…

I quote from a dear friend of mine, Jean, whom we’ve sponsored: “Today, 27th January, as the whole central market of Bujumbura has gone up in smoke, it is a national disaster. We are mourning with thousands of others. Many have lost hope. Some have committed suicide by jumping into the flames as their livelihoods…

I’ve just returned from upcountry where fourteen great folk from Charleston are busy running a medical clinic. On the first morning, people were lining up from 4am. At 7am we gave out 200 tickets for the first day and had to turn away 500 others who were also waiting. That shows the need and demand.…

Doug Hiebert’s an old friend from Canada who spent five years out here a while back, and he emailed me last week saying that he was bringing a bunch of musicians out to do concerts all over Burundi, and wondering if I’d like to tag-team with him as the preacher. I jumped at the opportunity,…

Greetings from Burundi! I wanted to say another MASSIVE THANK YOU to all of you for your support over the last year, and wish you a happy new year – may 2013 be a great one for you! This time a decade ago, I wrote the following: “The start of this year has brought some…

…that’s the ask. (EMAILED THIS A FEW DAYS AGO, SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE RESULT!) As I write this from our King’s Conference Centre, we’re hosting the President and he’s just arrived, surrounded by literally dozens of bodyguards. Soldiers with AK47s line the street outside, and one of his cavalcade has taken my parking space…