July 2017 - Community Camp
As 2017 began, Burundi was struggling with a terrible drought. When planning began for the first tournament of 2017, it became clear a tournament was unreasonable when people needed food. We decided to do another community camp. As we examined options for this program, our minds continued to drift back to the orphans from the August 2016 camp. Their uncle had taken the three children in when their parents had passed away early in the summer of 2016. He had little to provide for them. The house built in August 2016 provided them shelter. It was time to build them a solid, permanent house.
Initially, we planned to provide 20lb bags of rice and beans to all participants. As planning progressed, the food scarcity seemed to lessen. By the time the camp started, it was clear the greater need was for school supplies (each participant was still fed heartily each day). The full recap is below the slideshow. The family is featured towards the end of the slideshow, with the niece/sister, Joyeuse, sharing her gratitude with all participants.
There are still many ways you can continue to support this family. To learn more about their specific needs and how you can help, please see our Donation page.
Initially, we planned to provide 20lb bags of rice and beans to all participants. As planning progressed, the food scarcity seemed to lessen. By the time the camp started, it was clear the greater need was for school supplies (each participant was still fed heartily each day). The full recap is below the slideshow. The family is featured towards the end of the slideshow, with the niece/sister, Joyeuse, sharing her gratitude with all participants.
There are still many ways you can continue to support this family. To learn more about their specific needs and how you can help, please see our Donation page.
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Community Camp Recap
written by: Ezechiel in Bujumbura, Burundi
Since its inception the volunteer group Goshen, facilitates activities that seek to bring people, primarily young people together.
The current activities have brought children and young adults together. Soccer tournaments and summer camps have been organized for the last two years with a very satisfying recorded results. Young people have learned to accept and respect each other in their diversity according to various testimonies from parents, local administration and observers.
During this summer 2017 our focus is on the construction of a house for an orphan who happens to be a member of a team that has participated in the above mentioned tournaments.
The first days activities was preceded by a word of prayer from Pastor Enoch and the registration of the participants (boys and girls from different soccer teams). In total 63 people were registered and ready to build the house of their friend and his siblings who are orphans.
Lunch was served to everyone who was participating. By the end of the day the foundation of the house was taking shape and waiting for the next days construction activities. The campers and all participants thanked God to be with them.
As it was on the first day, the activities of construction continued by volunteers. The girls and boys formed a chain where they passed bricks to each other untill they reached the mason who was building the walls of the house. By the second day, the house was at a considerable level. Both groups, masons and student volunteers were all in action. All participants were excited with the activities as they served whole heartedly towards the goal of having a house built for the orphans.
By the fourth day the house was almost done. Only final touches remained, making doors, windows , ceilings and the beams for the roof.
The fifth day was an unforgettable day for the family of Nitanga Joyeuse (the orphan girl). The day that God has made for them to have the key of their own house with her little sister and brother. Songs of praise and adoration were sung by the volunteers. Joyeuse was joyous with tears on her cheeks. Joyeuse, with her little sister and brother were very happy with the volunteers in front of their new house. They were speechless in response to this kindness. Their guardian was also speechless, seeing them being given the house. He was expecting that they would be asked to pay money for the house. Joyeuse received the keys with tears in her eyes.
The people in the neighborhood had a hard time comprehending the act of kindness that was shown toward the orphans. Passers-by stopped and participated in the ceremony. One of the vendors who passed by said, “This is an extra-ordinary act for the current situation in Burundi.”
Joyeuse thanked the volunteer group and then said, “Now I believe that God is the Father of the Fatherless.” She pleaded that these acts of kindness would extend to other areas of their lives. She also added in her speech of thanks that she had prepared and read, “I am speechless. I thank God. I thank all of those that God used to come to our rescue and I thank all of these young people who have come to help construct. May God of heaven bless you. We are having a hard life. I get hurt when I am kicked out of school because of school fees or when my little sister is also kicked out for the same reason. We pray and hope that one day God will touch his people so that we can be able to get school fees. I thank all of those who worked that this house can be built. I thank those that supported financially so that we could even eat all of these days. May Jesus bless you!” The guardian followed with a speech thanking the volunteers.
For all the volunteers it was a time for encouragement for their participation in constructing the house. Each one that participated received school supplies for the academic year 2017-18. Joyeuse was the first to receive her books and then others followed. All of the volunteers went home with joy as they received their books.
written by: Ezechiel in Bujumbura, Burundi
Since its inception the volunteer group Goshen, facilitates activities that seek to bring people, primarily young people together.
The current activities have brought children and young adults together. Soccer tournaments and summer camps have been organized for the last two years with a very satisfying recorded results. Young people have learned to accept and respect each other in their diversity according to various testimonies from parents, local administration and observers.
During this summer 2017 our focus is on the construction of a house for an orphan who happens to be a member of a team that has participated in the above mentioned tournaments.
The first days activities was preceded by a word of prayer from Pastor Enoch and the registration of the participants (boys and girls from different soccer teams). In total 63 people were registered and ready to build the house of their friend and his siblings who are orphans.
Lunch was served to everyone who was participating. By the end of the day the foundation of the house was taking shape and waiting for the next days construction activities. The campers and all participants thanked God to be with them.
As it was on the first day, the activities of construction continued by volunteers. The girls and boys formed a chain where they passed bricks to each other untill they reached the mason who was building the walls of the house. By the second day, the house was at a considerable level. Both groups, masons and student volunteers were all in action. All participants were excited with the activities as they served whole heartedly towards the goal of having a house built for the orphans.
By the fourth day the house was almost done. Only final touches remained, making doors, windows , ceilings and the beams for the roof.
The fifth day was an unforgettable day for the family of Nitanga Joyeuse (the orphan girl). The day that God has made for them to have the key of their own house with her little sister and brother. Songs of praise and adoration were sung by the volunteers. Joyeuse was joyous with tears on her cheeks. Joyeuse, with her little sister and brother were very happy with the volunteers in front of their new house. They were speechless in response to this kindness. Their guardian was also speechless, seeing them being given the house. He was expecting that they would be asked to pay money for the house. Joyeuse received the keys with tears in her eyes.
The people in the neighborhood had a hard time comprehending the act of kindness that was shown toward the orphans. Passers-by stopped and participated in the ceremony. One of the vendors who passed by said, “This is an extra-ordinary act for the current situation in Burundi.”
Joyeuse thanked the volunteer group and then said, “Now I believe that God is the Father of the Fatherless.” She pleaded that these acts of kindness would extend to other areas of their lives. She also added in her speech of thanks that she had prepared and read, “I am speechless. I thank God. I thank all of those that God used to come to our rescue and I thank all of these young people who have come to help construct. May God of heaven bless you. We are having a hard life. I get hurt when I am kicked out of school because of school fees or when my little sister is also kicked out for the same reason. We pray and hope that one day God will touch his people so that we can be able to get school fees. I thank all of those who worked that this house can be built. I thank those that supported financially so that we could even eat all of these days. May Jesus bless you!” The guardian followed with a speech thanking the volunteers.
For all the volunteers it was a time for encouragement for their participation in constructing the house. Each one that participated received school supplies for the academic year 2017-18. Joyeuse was the first to receive her books and then others followed. All of the volunteers went home with joy as they received their books.
There are days when I wonder if anything is going to make a difference in this crazy world we are living in. However, after hearing the stories of hope from the people I worked with this summer and seeing the changes that occurred right before my eyes, I’ve realized that there are still ways of creating peace among people; and that is what drives me to want to do more.
- Sarah Nieburg
- Sarah Nieburg