Sister Connection Survey Day 7

Easter Sunday was awesome as we attended the Free Methodist Church located next to the hospital at Kibuye. Over 700 filled the auditorium and the message (with an interpreter) and music was excellent. (Notice the 55 gal. barrel made into a drum.)   

This morning, Linda and I said goodbye to Craig, Mike and Bob from Wenatchee, WA. Craig was representing Sister Connection, Bob was looking at ways to train the widows in animal husbandry along with principles in gardening etc., and Mike is a retired power lineman and manager.  I have been corresponding with Mike Babst for a year now and it was really good to have the chance to work with him and work through the electrical survey process of how best to bring power to this new location of Sister Connection.

It has really been a good time getting to know the men and see their desire to see Christ make a difference in the lives of the widows of Burundi.

This is a beautiful location on a hill top called Mt. Hope, just outside of Gitega, in the center of Burundi. Like so many locations where I-TEC provides electrical surveys around the world, Burundi has an electrical grid that you really do not want to attach to without having serious plans for dealing with voltage fluctuations, and multiple power outages that occur daily.

Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive options but I think after several days of walking the site, measuring distances, looking at supply houses with generators etc, we will be able to put together a proposal listing multiple options.  This will give the leaders of Sister Connection enough information to be able to make good decisions.

Thank you for your prayers and Linda and I would ask that you do not stop yet.  Tomorrow we begin our second survey with the mission of THARS. www.thars.org                                     

It too is just outside the city of Gitega so we are able to stay in the same Hotel and will be meeting a new translator and driver, (Charles) tomorrow. A translator is vital for survival just in ordering your meal at the restaurant here at the "Hotel." Many times this week the wait between ordering and actually beginning to see something show up at your table, could be 2 hours.  Sometimes after 30min, we would be told that the item ordered is not available.    

Again, I will try to post pictures but so far, I have not been successful.  Every other building around town is painted bright red with the letters LEO in white.  This is the Internet provider (the only one) and it is often said that if they would put the money from paint into the Internet band width, it might actually work. 

Actually one should not complain about slow Internet in Africa.  Knowing the cost and challenges of getting band width at Macha in Zambia, I am very pleased to have it at all. Forgive me Lord.