I got this email from Chantal*, a ministry leader GLO supports. Sometimes words aren’t enough…

“Greetings from Bujumbura, Burundi!

I am writing this email with tears in my eyes and a wounded heart as I see the struggle of my people, especially my staff. I wish I could go into a big hall or a valley and shout: Why all this Lord?! Yet I know he sees everything and He will change the situation at the right time!

Simon, things are no longer as they used to be!!! There’s no fuel, no sufficient water, no electricity. People have forgotten what it’s like to travel by bus – they walk long distances and are hungry.

I am crying as I write this.

Yesterday, I went to the butchers. I used to buy 1 kg of meat for 23,000 francs but I was told it is now 47,000 francs. I screamed in despair as he told me that this Christmas, it would be 60,000 francs! Now, everything has gone up two or three times. The situation has become worse beyond your imagination. Every day I receive 3 or 4 people at my office or home telling me that they have slept hungry, children didn’t go to school, or they have been chased away from their house because they didn’t pay rent etc…

Simon, I know you always send Christmas gifts so that families and children can celebrate Christmas by eating meat and enable us to buy a small gift for our spouse and children.

Thank you for listening to me. Writing this has been like shouting in the big hall or valley. May the Lord bless you as you continue to work in His Vineyard.”

I don’t need to add much. Many of you have already been generous in giving health cards – thank you!

But if you want to help, we plan on giving all 801 staff employed by our partner organisations, an increased Christmas gift of $50 (£40) to help their families at this difficult time. If we receive more, it will be used wisely to support our amazing brothers and sisters to continue serving precious, broken Burundi in the year ahead.

If you want to cover 1/5/10 families, please do so here:

God bless you so much, and I wish you and yours a meaningful and precious Christmas!