Greetings once again from Bujumbura!

I think many of you are seeing light (and some warmth / less extreme cold) at the end of a long hard winter. I’d love to know when the daffodils etc are out; I miss spring but not the winter you’ve had!

Working hard and feeling fulfilled

Last month I continued preparing trauma healing training materials – still more to do – and then co-lead a workshop in Nyanza Lac in the south of Burundi – see below. I was also blessed to have another week’s leave with great friends as it seemed the last opportunity in quite a while as things are pretty busy for now.

This month I’m joining the Flame International team of 12, for 2 inner heal-ing conferences they are leading. The first is 7-11 March in Buye and the second is 14-18 March in Ma-tana. We hope to have half Anglican and half non Angli-can pastors attending. I am doing 2 of the teaching ses-sions: belief systems and reconciliation. Pray for God’s anointing on all that happens, His protection, and for deep lasting healing in people’s lives.

I’ve been blessed get-ting to know Steve and Lucy McIlhenny who moved to work in Muyinga in January. They often stay at my house when in Bujumbura which is a great blessing. They’re good company! Pray for them as they start out.

I’ve recently reviewed my first year with Rema and have realised that the best opportunity to serve in my calling (and Rema’s) seems to be through day to day working with Harvest for Christ. I have good relations with Rema and will continue doing some work with them. They are focusing on press-ing needs esp. around the elections.

Advance notice: I’m going to be back in the UK as usual this summer. I’ll be going to my brother’s wed-ding, speaking in churches, seeing supporters, family and friends, attending the iNet mission conference and much more, in June and July. I will try to include a list of where I’m speaking and when in my May prayer letter so hopefully many of you can some along.

Trauma healing training in Nyanza Lac

Frederic, from Rema, and I co-lead a 3 day trauma healing training workshop for 20 pas-tors in Nyanza Lac. The pastors, nearly all recent returnees from camps in Tanzania (many hav-ing fled in 1972), are part of a Pentecostal Assembly which began amongst the refugees.

We found the pastors really hungry for teaching and open to God. It was the first time they had received such training. God worked in their hearts andmany were healed and envisioned to help others suffering in their churches.

Most of the pastors had fled Burundi having only had, on average, 2 years of primary education. Often pastors in Burundi have no formal Bible training which is a huge issue in itself; but when you’re a pastor and are struggling with literacy as well then it’s very tough! We felt these pastors really wanted to learn but they definitely had problems both with lack of basic biblical knowledge (e.g. they were unaware that Christians should forgive others) and understanding and following quite simple instructions. Please pray for more literacy and Bible training for pastors in Burundi and that they can then receive more in-depth teaching.

Prayer Points

- Flame healing confer-ences 7-18 March at Buye and Matana.

- Praise God for His protec-tion during my recent colli-sion with a drunk, unlit cyclist at night.

- God’s overruling in my housing situation – my landlord has said he’s con-sidering selling / knocking down the house and will decide in next 2-3 months.

- My brother involved in the current offensive in Afghanistan until end March – for his protection and that he’ll meet Chris-tians in the military