Burundi -II-

(...) Early in the morning, on 4th August, we were on our way to Mwanza, where we could get a connection to Kabanga border port from where we could enter Burundi. But again we had to face other difficulties. Upon arrival at Arusha town from our head office, we managed to secure tickets and were told that the bus was leaving Arusha at exactly 12.00 noon, but for our disappointment we left Arusha at 6.45 in the evening, arriving very late in Mwanza on 5/8/91. Our trip to Kabanga border port from Mwanza on the next morning was hard, much harder that anyone can imagine. The buses run on this route only twice per week. Unfortunately, we found that two of the buses were out of order so we had to travel on an over-crowded bus, without a place to sit, for over 350 kms., about 20 hours on a rough road. At last, we arrived at Kabanga at 11 p.m. There, God made us meet a sister who took us to one of the guest houses where we spent the remaining few hours before

the day broke into another morning. On Wednesday 7 of August, early in the morning, we left the guest house to the neighbouring hotel to ask if there was something for breakfast, but again, for our disappointment, we found nothing; so we asked the attendant to boil some water for us, which he did free of charge. Before we left the hotel, it was wonderful for us to meet one brother who works at the immigration department at Kabanga and with whom I used to work in the past. He took us to his home with our suitcases, and there his wife prepared some hot milk and bitings for our breakfast. Later, we went to the immigration and customs offices for departure formalities. Now the question was how to enter into Burundi. Between these two border posts, Kabanga in Tanzania and Kobello in Burundi, a distance of about 12 km, there is no passenger vehicle, only trucks and tankers, so our friend arranged for us to be taken to Kobello in a tanker.

INBURUNDI

Our entry formalities into Burundi, at Kobello post, did not take us much time, but again we had to continué in our tanker up to Muyinga, about 15 km, where we

were to board a small boat to Bujumbura. It took us the whole day travelling, and at about 8 p.m. we finally arrived in Bujumbura. The only thing we could do was to ask the driver to take us to a cheap hotel. At first he hesitated, but later he accepted to take us free of charge to Hotel Welcome along Buyenzi Street No, 2.

AT THE RECEPTION OF THE HOTEL

Upon arrival at the hotel, the driver went to the reception to ask for a place for us and he came back with a positive response; then he took our suitcases down to the office where the receptionist, a tall woman, told us that for a double bedroom we had to pay 1750 Burundian franks, about 12 U$.

Unfortunately, we were left with only 600 Burundian franks after paying the bus fares, so we told the woman that we had travellers' cheques which she could cash at the bank the next morning, but she refused, saying she only wanted cash. There we were stranded, but immediately God opened a way for us. In our pockets we had also 8 U$ cash, so the driver who brought us there found a solution; he consulted on our behalf and they agreed for us to pay U$ 8 cash that amounted to 1200 BF, which added to those 600 BF we had, made it possible for us to pay the hotel bill, remaining 50BF. The driver then asked his companion to give us 150 BF more so that our balance could be 200BF with which we could afford to buy something to eat in the evening; he agreed and we were able to get some milk and bread. We thanked the Lord our God that in a marvelous way he gave us a place to

sleep and something to eat during that first night in that country.

TRAVELLING TO RUMONGE

On Thursday morning, 8/8/91, we went to the city center where we tried to look to a bank where to change some cheques; then we looked for a bus station to Rumonge after having taken something for breakfast.

Having seen where the bus station was, we went back to the hotel to collect our suitcase, and then straight to the bus station to catch a bus to Ruminge, which is the home town of our brother Nzeyimana Cyrille, who had invited us. The journey from Bujumbura to Rumonge was about 72 kms. and it gave us an opportunity to admire interesting sight- seeing. We were able to see on one side a mountanious area covered with banana plantations from which people make shelter and on the other side the waters of Lake Tanganyka. We arrived at Rumonge at about 5.30 in the evening and by following the sketch with the directions on how to get to his house, that brorher Cyrille had sent us, we could easily find his home, but to our disappointment we were told that he was in Bujumbura. However, God gave us a change to speak to brother Cyrille's brother about the Sabbath and its importance since it is the seal of God's people.

BACK TO BUJUMBURA

We spent the night at Rumonge and early in the morning, on Friday 9/8/91, we left for Bujumbura, together with brother Cyrille's younger brother who took us to brother Cyrille's house in Bujumbura.

We were once again disappointed since we could not see brother Cyrille but another brother and his wife welcomed us with a big smile. They took us to their home and we prayed together, then they told us that brother Cyrille was working somewhere in town, and the brother would go right then to take him back home.

The brother's name was Nyabenda Tharcise. His wife prepared some food for us and since she was unable to speak our language, she went to the neighbouring house to call another sister who could speak with us. When this sister came, she told us that she was originally from Rwanda, but she had married to a brother from Burundi who had died some years before. She told us that she belonged to the Temperance group since they separated from the SDA church and she said that in Rwanda they were many more members of this group than in Burundi; she said the separation in Rwanda started earlier, so we asked ther to find us some contact for Rwanda. Then brother Cyrille came and he was very happy to meet us. He told us about the urgent need to organize the church in Burundi because people required baptisms, the Lord's Supper and some of them wanted to get married. They also needed Sabbath school lessons immediately as well as some other teachings and the principles of our faith. When we asked how many people there were, he said they had not an accurate report but about 3,000 throughout Burundi.

We could not believe our ears, our hearts were moved by this wonderful news! Then we prepared ourselves for opening the Sabbath..

OUR FIRST SABBATH IN BURUNDI

In the evening of Friday August 9, anice group of about 8 people asembled together ready for the opening of the Sabbath. Brother Mwanjabeki led us in the service, whereby he brought a very nice Bible study from the book of Daniel 12:12-13, the last chapter and the last 2 verses which refer to a very important time in history.

SABBATH MORNING; A UGUST 10, 1991

Since separation, these brethren assemble together for worship in private homes because they have no churches and they believe that to build churches now is a waste of money. However, we told them that even if Jesus were coming tomorrow, today we must build churches and they agreed. So about 9.15 a.m., we arrived at their place of worship abut 3 kms. from where we slept. We were very surpised to find that already a nice group of about 50 people, including children, had assembled. We were introduced to the brothers who owned the place and who before the separation was their church elder in the SDA church: His name was Ndilujinam Paschal. This brother gave us a heartly welcome and told us that we could conduct the whole Sabbath programme. Therefore, brother Mwamjabeki opened the meeting, as usual, and then he made the review of the Sabbath school lessons from the book of Daniel and Revelation, indicating the series of events which correspond to signs of the times.

I conducted the day's lesson which was about the sins fo the spiritual Babylon. During the missionary program we were able to give them an outline of our church, and explain that we belonged to an international missionary society which is an organized church in the whole world. We gave them reports from the East African Unión and neigbouring countries such as Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Zaire, and South África.

During the divine service, brother Mwanjabeki spoke about church history starting as early as 1833 when William Miller, under the influence of God's Spirit was studying the Bible verse by verse until he carne to Daniel 8:14. He continued with the history of the church until 1925 when the SDA Reform Movement was organized. Because our brethren were not aware of our visit and some of them lived as far as 7 or 8 km from where we assembled, we closed the meeting and agreed to meet on Sunday morning for more studies. We had a good lunch time with some of them who remained until the closing of the Sabbath. Brother Mwambene led the Sabbath closing service, where he spoke about the lost chance of Pilate, relating to a class of people today who depart from the sanctifying truth they have in their hands and judge against their own conscience regarding God's requirements. John 18:33-38.

SUNDAY AUGUST12,1991

We arrived at the meeting at about 8.30 in the morning, and most of our brothers and sisters were already there. After the usual opening led by brother

Mwanjabeki, brother Mwambene had the opportunity to speak about the chosen people of God and their covenant. This subject related the three important points for obtaining holiness as a condition to enter into the heavenly kingdom: obedience to the Ten Commandments of God, the health reform and the Unes of organization.

Later on, brother Mwanjabeki brought the observance of the Sabbath and how we can keep it, and just before we closed the meeting, br. Mwanbene spoke about the need of the reform in dress. Later, on Sunday evening, it was the right time to organize the church at Solorezo, Bujumbura, since we had to visit another place on Monday morning.

(...) Continnation in IMSNews, October 2004
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