Over the past 40 years Burundi has faced ongoing issues of ethnic conflict and genocide. It is one of the world’s poorest nations and like its neighbour, Rwanda, has been plagued by tension between the dominant Tutsi minority and the Hutu majority. The Church is playing a critical role in helping to encourage forgiveness and reconciliation.

Alison Gill is working alongside a local Burundian organisation called Harvest for Christ, where she is involved in providing training for local pastors and communities in the area of Trauma Healing. Since arriving in Burundi in January 2008, she has been involved in writing training material, building networks and learning the local language.

Alison, originally from England, is working with the church in Burundi with an English mission agency, iNet, acting as her lead sending agency. As a result of her connections with churches and supporters in Ireland, built up over years of visiting, CMS Ireland are delighted to be able to assist Alison prayerfully and financially with her work in Burundi.