Beauty and Duty

The beauties of this world are never ending.  This is up country near Ngozi.   I love these tall trees which are towering over tea fields (foreground).

The hills are covered with these tea fields which are a bright green.  Burundian tea is especially good, we are told, as we haven't tried it.  It makes for beautiful landscapes.

Here again, the proverbial cow of Burundi.  They are everywhere and no one pays attention to them.  They seem docile and completely harmless.  Here they are resting on the lawn of a nearby school.

 Here is David saying, "Watch me stand right here while these cows walk around me!"

 Here is Charles saying, "No, that is not a good idea, sometimes they may not be so friendly."

 Here is David taking Charles' advice. 

  Here he is with renewed courage.  He has a switch like they all use to herd them.  We have also seen them use these switches on the kids at school.

Below is a photo of our garden project.  The members are raising linga linga which tastes like spinach.  They eat it cooked with other vegetables.  

 I loved the way the camera caught the water in the air.  Chantal is powerful.  She climbed down into the ditch on a makeshift ladder. (about 5 feet deep), filled 5 gallon plastic jugs and lifted them up to someone else, poured it into this red tub and with something flat threw the water out onto her crop. 

The members enjoy working together.  Rosalie is here at the garden site even though she is actually gardening in her yard. 

We loved General Conference and felt really good when we heard the talk by Jorg Klebingat and he talked about taking care of our physical bodies. No, this isn't us running, though it is impressive.  This is the park where we go to walk the track.  

This is the quote:  

2. Take responsibility for your own physical well-being. Your soul consists of your body and spirit (see D&C 88:15). Feeding the spirit while neglecting the body, which is a temple, usually leads to spiritual dissonance and lowered self-esteem. If you are out of shape, if you are uncomfortable in your own body and can do something about it, then do it! Elder Russell M. Nelson has taught that we should “regard our body as a temple of our very own” and that we should “control our diet and exercise for physical fitness” (“We Are Children of God,”Ensign, Nov. 1998, 87; Liahona, Jan. 1999, 103).

Thanks to a Burundian Phenomena called "Terrance Torture" we are feeling better than we have for years.  Terrance meets us in the park at 6:30 a.m. three days a week. He forces us to exercise.  (Ironically we pay him for this.)  And he knows Foot Reflexology which we think is so great!

Terrance calls David "Chief".  He is always saying, "Chief, continue! It is very important for you."  

One day we were particularly adamant about finishing even though it started to rain.  Someone brought me a big umbrella.  Terrance didn't stop for a second. 

 Our posture, muscle strength and circulation has improved dramatically.  

This is the club house.  They offer aerobic exercise classes and the use of exercise equipment.  They play loud music, some of it American.  


And, we are eating healthy!  The food here is not genetically modified.  It continually amazes me how many wonderful foods the Lord has made available with their own hygenic wrapping!

 The Cauliflower is some of the biggest I have ever seen! And I love they way they stack the tomatoes, sell eggs in a plastic bag, and harvest palm oil. (the yellow plastic jugs.)

This is the palm oil plant as it is cut from the tree.

We love these cute sister missionaries.  They live upstairs from us.  They wash their clothes in a bucket and don't have the benefit of hot water.  We feel very spoiled having a washing machine and a water heater.  They are adorable and so hardworking.

Our sewing classes are still in full swing.  We have about 25 dolls finished -- that would make us half way to our goal.  However, painting faces hasn't taken place yet.  That one has me a bit worried.

We have the benefit of 6 electric sewing machines, but we are also teaching the women to use a treadle.  First they have to be able to make the wheel go around the same direction continuously.  Then we work on threading the machine and actually sewing.  It's not as easy as it looks.  They are so good to teach each other.  

 We have new women coming every week.  Babies sleep right through it all.  
(In SOME cases.)

 Here is one of the latrines Humanitarian built for a public school.  The kids are crowding around the wash station.

 Monday we painted a church logo on desks that are being built for public schools.   Claude built the doors for the latrines, and just finished 104 desks.  Bet you can't guess what David is talking about with this great young man, Claude's son, who just was baptized. 

Here is Claude, yes, you have seen him before.   He helped us get into our truck when we so carefully locked ourselves out.  He is superb! 

Claude, his wife, Agrapine and three of their ten children were baptized.  They had gone to church after church and finally found us.  He loves it so much he has invited all of his friends and neighbors to listen to the missionaries.  

They are an outstanding family. 

We don't leave the house without praying for safety as we drive.  One night as we left to go take missionaries to the airport, we were driving on a main street and all of a sudden there in front of us in the travel lane was a big truck totally stopped with its tires off.  

The next day is was still there, the axle off and on the ground by the side of it and workers lying in the shade waiting for.....what?  a spare part?   It was there three days.  It saves on towing, just fix it on the spot! 

Kinama street -- a commune in a more highly populated part of Bujumbura.  

 Down town--hustle bustle and a gorgeous red flowering tree in the center.

 What can you get on a bike?

 Live chickens on their last ride.




 Bujumbura from the 6th floor of the Martha Hotel. 
They have great pizza if you are willing to wait.

Royal Drummers of Burundi

We are in Burundi!        We wanted to see the Burundian Drummers and hear them play. 

So a trip to Gisora and Gitega was in order.  They are in the center of the country.  The road  reminded us of the Alpine loop--very picturesque and steep in places.  

As we started out, Aimable said, "Oh, I think we have company."  There was a bicyclist holding on to the back of the pickup intending to get a free ride.  We pulled over and he let go, but we saw so many of these hitchhikers on the road --bicyclists who had taken their wares to town and now needed to get back up the hill without expending that energy or money to pay for a ride. Two we saw had bought a ride on a motorcycle - bike and all. 

When we arrived at Gisora where the drummers began, we were greeted and allowed to take a few pictures before the show began. 

Highly traditional, the Burundian drums are made from a certain tree considered sacred. 

 In the ancient Burundian kingdom, the drums were played for special occasions like the birth of a baby.  So the drum beats are appropriate for us this week!  Welcome little Grant into our family.  We play the drums here, you celebrate there!

Different drums represent different parts of the society organization.   There is always one in the center representing the royalty.  It sets the pace of the beat.  In the ensemble is a small drum that is never played.  It represents the future generation of the kingdom.  We bought one of these for each grandson.

These drums are heavy, up to 100 kilograms apiece.  They are carried on their heads, then placed in a bow shape.  The dancing is expressive of their lives. 

This particular drummer could jump and throw his feet over his head.  We felt lucky to catch him in this pose.  You can tell how high he is by looking at the shadow on the ground. 

This man, pictured with David and Aimable was with the drummers when they toured the US in 1964.  They played Vegas.  Drummer status is passed Father to Son.












Of course, YOU KNOW WHO wanted to try it!  He was pretty good!  I took a video, but it wouldn't load.  I'll figure out a way to share.

 After the show, we had lunch in Gitega nearby and saw this tree which is considered to be in the very center of Burundi.  It is hundreds of years old.

We continue to be amazed by the loads they carry and their lack of fear.  As we ascended this road to Gitega, we saw many bicyclists carrying huge loads of charcoal coming down.  This rider has three bundles.  One we saw had four.  They are flying down the steep road at at least 60 MPH.  This a a road they share with buses, motorcycles, cars and huge trucks.  No wonder they want to hitch a ride back.  Risking your life both ways.  

This man had been carrying this big pot to market.  He had started at 1 a.m.and still had a long way to go.  We asked if he would put it on his head for us to take a picture, but he was taking a rest and was too tired. 





So we talk about walking to the beat of a different drum.  We drum our fingers and drum up business.  These drums Take the Cake!

The Family is Ordained of God

1 Corinthians 11:11 "

Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord. "

Marriage is a significant event with lots of ceremony and tradition in Africa.

Tonight was a real cultural experience.  Aimable called about 4 p.m. and invited us to the "paying of the dote" ceremony.  We went early to find the place and went in and sat down.  We talked to a young man who was there for Frida.  He had been in Holland.  After we sat for awhile on the side he said was Aimable’s, he came and told us that the groom's friends and family arrive late and come in together and are greeted by the bride’s family.  So we stepped out and waited another half hour. 

  Finally Aimable came, gathered his family and friends.  He walked in with an entourage of girls bearing gifts.   We all followed and were greeted by the bride's family, photographed and sat down.  Then the two uncles (both fathers were killed in the war.) started a back and forth dialogue.  One would speak for a few minutes and then the other.  “So you are here asking for someone.  Are you sure you are in the right place?  I don’t see her.”  Then the other one- “We will pray and maybe she will appear.”  “We want to see your gifts and see if you are serious.”  “We want to see the girl and see if she is worth it.” These were light hearted fun speeches. The translations we got were very much shorter than the Kirundi.  Finally Aimable’s side brought gifts born by girls in dresses all alike.  The bride’s family looked at the gifts. And over the loudspeaker you heard the mooing of a cow.  Then they said, “We want to check out the cow and see if it is healthy.”  “Okay it looks good, we accept your gift.”  “Now we want to see the girl.”

Finally an entourage of girls in dresses alike came with Frida who was being presented by her brother.  Aimable and his friend met her and he gave her a ring and a very friend-type hug.  They went up on the stand and hugged each other’s families and took a seat at the head table.  Then more dialogue.  We were getting pretty sleepy, (I guess we are not so good at listening to foreign languages for long periods of time.) but we hung in there until we got to hug Frida and Aimable.  She was radiant and his smile was wide as usual. 

That was on Thursday.  Saturday was the actual wedding. The marriage itself took place in a government office somewhere with family members present.  The celebration was held at Branch One which offers a beautiful setting. 

Guests arrived early and waited for the arrival of the Bride and Groom.  Almost every woman was dressed in traditional style. Men wore suits, some tuxedos. 

Finally the Bride and Groom arrive and go to the front.  We started with a song and prayer, then the Bride and Groom receive advice.  Jean Paul and his wife first spoke to them, then President Mabingo.

The choir from Branch 2 sang as well. 

The festivities continued outside in the yard but the Bride and Groom first took a ride together before returning to walk down the especially prepared path where they cut the ribbon at the arch and entered the place of honor. 

 (elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist, touch your heart, blow a kiss)

Advice and talks are plentiful.  We should have paid for a translator, then it would have been more fun.  Some of the talks are serious, some more light hearted.  They are given by the oldest presiding member of the family.  Since both fathers of this couple are deceased, the uncles gave the talks.  They talk a lot about unifying the family and supporting the young couple in their new life together.  

Rather than the couple dancing, others dance for them.  Three traditional dancers provided entertainment.

Refreshments were served by the couples friends and family.  You could choose from a Fanta, Coke, juice or water.  They brought it to your seat.  Aimable estimated there were around 500 people in attendance.  

After the talks, people were invited to come up and give the couple their gifts.     

 We love the strong family ties these people foster.  The family is central to their happiness.

 Frida will have been a member of the church a year in November.  We hope to go with them to South Africa to be with them when they are sealed as an eternal family.