Last week a group from the Segal Family Foundation came to visit and check out a number of Burundi projects, with a view to developing potential partnerships. So we spent a few days together, and I’m hopeful it’ll yield some great fruit, as they seemed to love what our guys are doing. At one stage…

When I read the Open Doors report below, it made me think of what we’ve signed up to as followers of the Way. I mean, contexts change, but the gospel doesn’t. And yet quite naturally (but wrongly) we allow our context to distort the gospel – unless we live with great intentionality according to a…

I’ve just re-read a beautiful testimony by David Servant of www.heavensfamily.org Procaire’s story is a stunning one, which I trust encourages you. David writes: “Procaire Bucumi lives in Kayanza Province of Burundi in the agricultural village of Musave. She was married to a witch doctor, and legally, she still is, although they are now separated.…

It’s my fast day.  I’m not saying that to impress you, and I know we’re not meant to tell anyone, but it’s part of a confession, so maybe that makes it OK! Actually I’m a bit rusty at fasting because of my ironman training, but my back’s bad and I feel a bit sorry for…

Just a quick update and a few photos for those who like to see and hear more about the family: We had half term recently so we went up to Gitega to the YFC orphanage, which is in the background behind us in the picture. We were with our new friends the Millers (both doctors)…

Today was a great day. I got up at 5am and jogged to the pool up the hill, expecting to do a swim and then get to the office, but somewhere towards the end of it, I must have taken a wrong turn, because eight hours later, I finished a half-ironman (of sorts). I realized…

I had a very fruitful but frustrating meeting yesterday. It was fruitful because I secured a great house for two new team-members who are arriving in a couple of weeks, but it was frustrating because of part of my conversation with the delightful landlady. As we signed contracts, I said: “I think you can be…

Zeal – The Thoughts of J.C. Ryle The following are excellent excerpts from “Zeal” by J.C. Ryle [1816-1900] from his book Practical Religion: Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians. (London: William Hunt and Company, 1883) “It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing.”…

“Utabesha ntasumira umwana.” This Kirundi proverb – and as you know, proverbs shape and reflect a given culture – could be translated as: “If you don’t lie, you won’t feed your kids.” (literally ‘He who doesn’t lie won’t take his child to market.’) There are some beautiful aspects and some darker aspects of any and…

I wish you could have been there. I’ve just returned from a great trip upcountry with the Scripture Union team, where we met with the leadership of twenty schools, showed two films, did an open-air campaign, and then on Sunday went to another school. There’s loads I could share. We ministered to about 5,000 people…

  Annick needed surgery urgently. Her serious heart condition meant she’d been given one year to live, had had two mini-strokes, and had been rushed to hospital temporarily paralysed. There was no way to be treated in Burundi. Her husband Cyrille’s salary couldn’t possibly pay for the recommended treatment in India, which was about ($12,000).…

This last weekend, the SU team went up into the bush on outreach. We trained a whole bunch of young leaders and had a large inter-school meeting as well, showing a few films both nights. And then Sunday morning we drove further towards the Tanzanian border to my old friend Pastor Juvenal’s church. I was…

Here’s how the first two hours of each day go for me: I’m a terrible sleeper, so invariably I’m awake by 4am. I get up at 5am, read the Bible until 530am, and then wake up Lizzie before leaving the house to go for a jog and a swim. I creep out, trying not to…

Psalm 105:44 – “He gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for.” The immediate context of this verse was the exodus, but it’s made me reflect on how we’re reaping much today from our forebears’ dedicated and dogged labours of yesteryear. Our work is stunningly beautiful…

Do you want the good news first, or the great news? I’ll start with the good news: in response to last week’s story of amazing forgiveness, many of you donated and John has received enough money to build the house he and his wife and five little kids were about to be evicted from. He…