FINDING JOHN - FABIEN

He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. - Job 12:22

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Fabien, is a community mobilizer who works with villagers with disabilities. Challenged by a disability himself, he has a passion for searching for the disabled in communities.

Too often they are an embarrassment to their families and are hidden away from the community. One such child, John, was concealed in his family’s home and locked there when the other children went to school. His mother is deceased and the father works in another
place so during the day no one is home. He is kept in the house because of safety and also shame.
 

Fabien found and brought John into the village and began spending time with him. They celebrated Christmas together by sharing a banana. With Fabien’s
encouragement and presence, John now is spending more time out of the house in the village with his brothers and sisters. - Ephesians 8-11

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For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to
discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, butinstead expose them.

STEWARDSHIP SPREADS - PASTOR HERVE

Pastor Herve a mobilizer with Burundi Development Solutions (BDS) shared

an emotional visit to one community.

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"We saw people who struggle to meet their own nutritional needs sharing food with the elderly and disabled. My team of community mobilizers were touched to see people giving of their own meager resources to bless others.

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To see the joy and hope in the eyes of the recipients gives me joy to be a part of BDS.”

DRAWN TO THE MARGINS - PASTOR ROSE

Pastor Rose rejoices at positive changes in the Musama community that resulted from her teaching on
steward leadership. Now organized in savings and loan groups, people come together to help others.
With hearts of compassion, they have built a house for someone who used to sleep outdoors, provided
food to a widower with a disabled child, and donated money to help a woman with roofing.
 

The money for these and other projects, as well as individual loans, was generated from growing and
selling mushrooms from six mushroom houses. The loans enabled people to buy hoes, pigs, rabbits and
guinea pigs.
 

The local government hill leader sees people now “looking smart” because of development activities,
access to water, and working toward the dream of President Ndayishimiye“..that every mouth should
have something to eat and every pocket should have something to buy.”
 

Rose is also drawn to two marginalized Batwa communities where Burundi Development Solutions
supported latrine construction. She teaches Sunday School, ethics, and hygiene as she helps families
navigate the realities of living alongside the larger Burundian community.