Teams 2012 - book a place now!

If you would like to take part in a mission team for 2012 then please get in touch with us as soon as possible.   Teams to Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Haiti and India are planned.   Send an email to mail@mission-international.org or find out more on out teams site www.mission-teams.org

Leaving Milles Colline behind!

Those who remember the movie Hotel Rwanda will perhaps recognise the name Milles Colline; the hotel where the movie is based in the centre of Rwanda's bustling capital.   Milles Colline is of course French for 1000 hills and is the other name by which Rwanda is known around the world.   My last visit here was in 2006 as I travelled from Uganda en route to Burundi.   The whole country has changed so much that I am in fact astounded.   Roads are tarmacked, homes are in good order, the place looks clean and tidy in general.   The capital, Kigali, is modern and thriving with new malls and supermarkets like any other city in the world.   One of the most encouraging changes is the traffic speed limits.  Now main roads are limited to around 55mph which makes the whole experience of being here so much less hair raising.

I have spent my time with Rev Nathan Amooti and Bishop Louis Muvunyi (Anglican Bishop of Kigali) being shown some of the projects with which they would like to partner with Mission International to progress.   There are still many needs in Rwanda, however it is encouraging to see, like in no other African country that I have visited, the way in which funding is being used to develop the country from the government down.   I am sure that every penny of international aid is being properly used here, otherwise the progress would not be taking place so quickly ad effectively.

Today (Sunday) I leave Rwanda for Morogoro in Tanzania, I will be strangely sad to leave, I have so much enjoyed my time renewing friendships and seeing the way in which the whole nation is moving on so quickly.

Separated once again.

It was a tough morning, just after 7am when I had to leave the team in their residence in Bujumbura, Burundi as they rested before their return home on 29th.   I made my way towards Kigali in Rwanda (where I am writing this port).   We have had such a good time in Burundi, everyone has worked so hard and selflessly have given of themselves in what they were doing.   The MissionMedics team have treated around 600 people whilst in Nyembuye and the kids ministry team were inundated with kids, at times the venues were so full it was difficult to do anything that involved moving from the spot.   Church leaders have repeatedly requested that we return to give more.

My trip to Kigali was uneventful, we passed a truck on the mountain road which has been sitting on the carriageway for weeks awaiting a spare part to get it mobile again.   We had a wait of about 1 & 1/2 hours for my lift at the border.   He had been stopped 4 times by the enthusiastic Rwandan traffic police on the way to pick me up.   The exit stamp on my passport was dated wrongly and this also caused a slight delay at the Rwandan side as they altered the date.   Soon we were on our way after sad goodbyes to Felibien and François at the border post.   We (Nathan, Steven & I) stopped in Butare for lunch and to visit the Anglican Bishop.   Soon we were on our way again, I was so tired I fell asleep in the car, even with all sorts of 'tasty' overtaking manoeuvres.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day so I am off to get a shower and go to bed.

All Change!

This has been a time of change for the team.   Hannah, who was with the MissionMedics group in Rutana (Nyembuye) and Shannon who was working with the group doing children's work are returning home today (early on 22nd).   They have both worked very hard and will have lots of stories to tell when they get back.   We pray they have a very safe and happy journey together.

The rest of the Mission (kids & adults ministry) team have now moved on from Rumonge and are now in Gitega and are visiting a very rural village called Karoba each day to bring biblical teaching to adults and kids there.

Signs of Life in Karoba!

The mission and Kids team have been serving in the village of Karoba about 40-45 mins drive along a marram road outside the town of Gitega.   The dusty road winds through a valley which reveals a river beside which there is a patchwork of small allotment fields where busy people plant and tend their crops of beans and cabbages.   This is a really rural setting, we climb from the marram road on to a potholed track which climbs up through small dwellings surrounded by plantain trees and we eventually see the church.   It is built on the very top of a hill and the ground all around drops into the valley below.   It has a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.   The people are already waiting, it is about 10am before we arrive, to give time for those who are walking in from some distance from the surrounding villages.  The primary school lies about 1 & 1/2 miles from the church and this is where the kids ministry team are going to be based.   The 'Pied Piper of Hamlyn' style troupe of kids which set of behind the Mzungu team is a sight to behold.   The church is already packed to the door with about 400 adults.  The pastor asks for choirs to sing and they do with great gusto after which I am called upon to preach.   First sermon is to the church, the next after a break of 10-15 mins is the many who have come who are not yet believers.   I preach a message based on 'Legion' the demon possessed man and 'Bartimmaeus' the blind beggar.   After I am through I ask if there is anyone who wants to come to Jesus and repent, fifty or so dear people make their way to the front for prayer.   All very tired with the heat, the dust and the pressing crowds we make our way back to our dwelling but not before we are provided with a huge meal for 'lunch' at about 3.30 - 5pm.

Just another day in the life of a MI mission team.

Moving along the lakeside!

The part of the team which has remained in the Bujumbura (capital city) area since arrival will today set off to the town of Rumonge which lies on the side of Lake Tanganyika, towards the border with Tanzania.   This town has a very high number of refugee returnees in the area and so is in great need.   We will be serving in a local Anglican church there and will spend time training church leaders and working amongst the many children who will come to see the Mzungu (white people).

Good reports are still coming in from Hannah, Nicola, Jackie and Chris who form the Mission Medics (Dental/Medical) part of the team.   They remain in Nyembuye and that area near to Rutana and continue to serve the people there who have little or no access to any medical or dental provision.

Many peoples lives are being [positively impacted by our being here.   Some by the practical skills of those who have come and some spiritually as they hear God's Word and respond to it.

Please continue to pray for us as we deliver what we have come for and pray for those we serve that they too will gain the maximum benefit from our service.

Hannah and Shannon leave to go home on the 22nd since they can not remain for the whole team deployment.   Please pray for them as they go back and for us as we say goodbye to them as this wont be easy for them or us.

A heavy schedule!

Everyone is working very hard here.   The schedule is quite heavy and the temperature is hot.   The team is effectively in three parts, there is a part of the teram doing medical and dental work in Nyembuye near Rutana, reports from them are that they are doing well, pulling teeth, diagnosing health problems and dispensing medicines and they have also been involved in some preaching which by all accounts has been very effective.   Secondly the young folks on the team ably supported by two more mature ladies have been doing a lot of childrens ministry.   This has been so well received.   Those older folks whop remember flannel graphs at Sunday school will have an idea how the Bible stories are being delivered.   That combined with songs and a lot of dancing is what they get up to with the kids.   I am doing a lot of preaching to chuirch leaders, who have had no formal training anfd so are in great need.   In addition to this I have also preached a some outreach events where many have responded to the Gospel.

We made it - eventually!

The team arrived in Burundi on Sunday afternoon after having an impromptu stop over in Nairobi.   We arrived in Nairobi from Paris unaware that there were events taking place in Nairobi which meant that our flight was cancelled all together.   We were told that we had to make our way to immigration so that we could get visas for Kenya and be taken to a hotel for the night.   We were put up in a £120 a night place about half an hour from the airport and provided with a meal and a beautiful room.   The next morning at 5am the bus was supposed to pick us up but arrived 2 hours late, making us very late for the flight, however due to industrial action or some other as yet unknown issue the flight was held up for a further hour and we all managed to get it.

The mission medics part of the team are now in Rutana (Nyembuye) and the rest of us in Gatumba douing work with kids and church leaders.

Dont hold your breath for long posts since this is a painfully slow connection - I will do my best.

Burundi Team 2011 - Get ready!

A major part of any Mission International team's experience is the preparation stage for the trip.  Team members do go through a period of training, however often one of the most testing times is deciding what to take with us.   The team will gather a consignment of items together in the months prior to departure, each of which is destined to support the poor or to further the work of the team during deployment.   The pictures below show items being gathered and packed for transport.   Each team member is allocated 2 X 23kg suitcases which after their limited clothes allowance is packed will be filled with the items gathered.

Poor and needy families will benefit from the gifts and items carried and those who are treated by the dental/medical team will also greatly benefit.   Dental and medical facilities are scarce in Burundi due to severe national poverty and so the queues of people waiting for help and treatment will again be long.  

It is sure to be a challenging trip for each member of the team, please pray with us that God uses us to achieve great things during our time in Burundi.

Please pray!

Please pray for the teams as they head out to their respective destinations; Haiti and Burundi.  One item which requires some prayer is a ticket issue.   One of our young Burundi team members withdrew from the team late on and as such we will lose his ticket/seat (no refund available).   The new team member who has agreed to take his place has to start from scratch at this late stage to find £1250 for the replacement ticket and so the team and their families have set about doing the extra fundraising to get the money together.

Please pray for the Burundi team as they get involved via Mission International's partners Rema Ministries in evangelism, children's ministry, dental/medical care and practical projects in support of the poor.

The Haiti team also will work with MI partners Trinity Church of Jerusalem in Ouanaminthe (next to Dajabon in the Dominican Republic).   They will serve amongst the urban poor and share the good news about Jesus Christ with the people there.   The Haiti team have already started blogging here. You can find this button which will take you directly to the Haiti team blog on the right sidebar for easy access.

Teams Training event a great success!

Training event successful!

Mission International's teams training event took place on Saturday 4th June. Team members were given training on a wide range of subjects ranging from how to deal with a different culture and what they need to carry with them as well as how to share the Gospel with those they will serve during their deployment.   All team members, for both the Burundi and the Haiti teams, were present and began to make team relationships with those they had met for the first time.  

The training was delivered by Rev. David Robertson from St Peter's Free Church in Dundee (who also kindly provided the venue for the event), Richard Woods the Haiti team leader (see pic), Gervais Nyandwi a Burundian and member of the the Rema Team (MI Partners in Burundi and hosts for this year's team), and also Hugh Henderson the Director of Mission International.

Team members expressed how much they had enjoyed and benefited from the event that they now feel more prepared for their trip and feel inspired to serve God and reach out to those their team will serve during deployment.

Support for Mission Teams 2011

Mission International Teams will be involved in projects to support the poor during their deployment.   If you would like to contribute to their project costs then you can do so at our 'Make a Donation' page or go directly to  the Just Giving pages set up to raise funds for the teams.

The support you give will go directly to further the specific project you have chosen.

Thank you for supporting the poor and the work of Mission International.

Please pray for our Mission Teams!

Please pray for our teams as they travel, serve and return home to their families.   Your prayers would be really valued by each member of the team.   Pray for the team leaders that they receive the kind of wisdom they require to make appropriate decisions and give godly leadership.

Please continue to pray as updates are left on the blogs and see God's protection for each of them, for travel, for health, for wisdom and for God's strength to carry on in what can often be difficult and traumatic circumstances.

Please also pray for Mission International as we endeavour to develop and grow our teams ministry into new areas.   We are currently planning new Construction Teams as well as growing the number of Mission Teams and Mission Medics Teams as well as seeking to encourage more School Teams too.

Teams Training day!

Teams training Day!
The Teams training day will take place on Saturday 4th June 2011.   The teams travelling to Burundi and Haiti will join together to receive training and discuss their plans for the team.

Teams News!

Mission International teams will travel to Haiti and to Burundi this summer to work with partners there to share the Good News and to support projects in aid of the poor.