Ensemble nous prosperons!

Together we prosper! 

As I drove from the airport in Burundi to the town I saw these words on billboard and it spoke to me concerning the Genius of God, the body of Christ, operating in tandem, for mutual benefits and the extension of the Kingdom of God. They synergy of people in unity of faith and mind delivers more advantages to everyone than what they actually contribute.

I could practice my French again in Burundi when I met with Pastors Subire Jean-Basco and Jean-Baptiste  Niyonzigiye. They told me that our message of reform, ‘c’est tres important au Burundi’ because the pastors are uneducated and there are so many false teachings floating around. There is no bible college in Burundi and those who want to study theology have to go out of their country to do so.

People do not want to commit to churches because pastors do not live what they preach and pastors control and manipulate people with false prophecies and even pronounce curses over members that leave the church. Pastors tend to make prisons out of their churches to shut people up and even prevent them to attend other seminars or crusades. 

Pastors desperately need training in the Word of God in Burundi. ‘We’ve been dreaming that God will send someone like you to help us,’ they told me.

The old mind-set of pastors is that you do not need any education because Peter and John were not educated and all you need is the Holy Spirit. So prophecy is very prominent in churches, but there is a great lack of accurate teaching. Another false teaching based on the Scripture, Jesus Christ is the same, today, yesterday and forever, causes them to resist change. They forget we have to change from faith to faith and glory to glory! Jesus instructed and taught His disciples and commanded them to ‘Learn from Me for I am meek and lowly of heart.’ You have to become teachable and humble to receive instruction that will change your way of thinking, which is reformation. But in Burundi they see humility as a physical bowed over posture and meekness is never mentioned.

Pastors abuse prophecy to tell church members how they will prosper materially if they give more and more to the church. People do not want to hear the message of the Cross or have anything to do with suffering for the Gospel’s sake, because all they want is expensive cars and luxurious homes.

Holiness, righteousness and justification mean nothing to them.

But there is a new generation of young people rising up that have an appetite for knowledge. They want to know the Word of God.

The two pastors that met me, asked me to send whatever Bible College material we have in French. They even committed to translate some of our courses, because the need for Bible College material that is accurate is so great.

How I got to meet these pastors is an amazing story. I had to go to Uganda to obtain our official registration documents as Harvester International in Uganda and at the same time I spent some time with Apostle Richard Ssendi and minister in our Harvester Church in Mpererwe.

I looked at my world map in front of my desk and told Nola, ‘I think I will stopover in Burundi on the way back from Uganda, even if I don’t know anybody there. It is right next to Uganda.’

The next week Nola was invited to attend a businessmen’s breakfast where the Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, was the main speaker. At the breakfast she met Pastor Pascal from Burundi. He gave me the names and details of the two pastors I met. The timing was absolutely perfect!

Both of these pastors told me about an experience of supernatural transportation. Pastor Bosco said they fasted for a few days and decided to go and pray on top of the mountain. But they were so weak that they could not climb up anymore. All of a sudden they were lifted up and place on top of the mountain! They were so awe-struck that no one said anything for quite a while and then they asked each other: ‘did you experience what I experienced?’

In the Bible there are many references to supernatural transportation: Elijah outran a chariot with horses! Philip was transported from where he baptised the Ethiopian Eunuch in water in Gaza to Azotus, about 40 Kilometers from there! Henoch walked with God and was not! Jonah was transported in the belly of a big fish to Nineveh! Jesus and Peter walked on water!

We are constantly reminded that we serve a miracle working, supernatural, powerful God! All things are possible if we believe!

Lake Tanganyika is the second deepest lake in the world. The deepest one is in Russia. Four countries border on the lake and great ships carry cargo from harbour to harbour across the lake. There are beautiful lodges on the edge of du lac Tanganyika, but it is very dangerous to go out at night as the hippo’s come out to graze! The lake is teeming with crocodiles as well and people are not advised to swim in the lake. But some foreign tourists find the lukewarm water of the lake too tempting and ignore those warnings.  Many have lost their lives as a result.

The local beer Tempus rules the life style of Burundians. Everything is settled over a bottle of beer. Every favour deserves a bottle of beer. Burundi is second only to Germany for beer consumption!

The temperature is hot to very hot: from about 26 degrees to 42 degrees Celsius!

On the way out of Burundi there was another bill board saying: ‘Vous souhaite un bon voyage!’ We wish you a good journey!