BURUNDI: A ONE HAPPY NATION IN THE HEART OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT
By Dr. Josimar Salum
12/01/2024
THE BEAUTY OF BURUNDI NATURE AND PEOPLE.
Burundi is a small, beautiful country in East Africa with many natural wonders, including national parks, lakes, waterfalls, and coffee plantations:
National parks: Burundi has many national parks, including Kibira National Park, which is known for its rainforests and rare species, and Rusizi National Park, which is home to hippos, buffalo, crocodiles, and chimps.
Lakes: Burundi is home to Tanganyika Lake, the world's second deepest lake, which is popular for water sports.
Waterfalls: Burundi has many waterfalls, including the Karera waterfalls in the south-eastern region, which are spread over three levels and divided into six branches.
Coffee plantations: Burundi's high altitude, volcanic soils, and plentiful rainfall make it ideal for growing high-quality Arabica coffee.
The Source of the Nile River: A mountain top spring where water flowing from one side eventually reaches the Congo River, while on the other it all flows into the Nile.
Landscape: Burundi is covered in green hills and trees, and is not exceedingly hot.
People: The people of Burundi are hospitable and curious
BURUNDI CHALLENGES
Burundi is one of the world's poorest countries and ranks 187th out of 193 countries on the 2024 Human Development Index. Here are some factors that contribute to Burundi's poverty:
Subsistence agriculture: About 80% of the population relies on subsistence agriculture, which contributes to food insecurity.
Access to water and sanitation: Access to water and sanitation is very low, with only 62.2% of the population having access to a basic water source.
Access to electricity: Less than 5% of the population has access to electricity.
Health care: Access to health services is poor due to a shortage of qualified health care providers.
Civil war: The civil war that lasted from 1993 to 2005 still contributes to Burundi's poverty.
Corruption: Though it has changed enormously corruption is still a big issue in Burundi.
Natural disasters: Frequent natural disasters exacerbate humanitarian crises.
A HISTORY TIMELINE BY BBC WORLD
Some key dates in Burundi's history:
16th Century - Emergence of the Burundian state. Over the following centuries, the Kingdom of Burundi or Urundi expands, annexing smaller neighbours.
1884 - German East Africa Company is active in the African Great Lakes region.
1890 - The kingdoms of Urundi (Burundi) and neighbouring Ruanda (Rwanda) are incorporated into German East Africa.
1914-18 - World War One: East African campaign see German forces defeated by British, Belgian and allied troops. Belgian army occupies both Burundi and Rwanda in 1916.
1922 - Ruanda-Urundi becomes a Belgian League of Nations mandate.
1959 - Influx of Tutsi refugees from Rwanda following ethnic violence.
1962 - Burundi and Rwanda become independent as separate nations.
1965 - Parliamentary elections see Hutus win a majority in parliament, but King Mwambutsa appoints a Tutsi prime minister.
Hutu-dominated police attempt coup. The Tutsi-dominated army, led by Michel Micombero, carry out reprisals in which up to 5,000 people are killed.
1966 - Michel Micombero carries out coup, abolishes the monarchy and declares himself president. He promotes African socialism and receives support from China.
1976 - President Micombero is deposed in a military coup by Jean-Baptiste Bagaza.
1981 - A new constitution makes Burundi a one-party state under Uprona.
1987 - President Bagaza is deposed in a coup led by Pierre Buyoya.
1992 - New constitution providing for a multiparty system is adopted in a referendum.
1993 - Melchior Ndadaye, leader of the Hutu-dominated Front for Democracy in Burundi (Frodebu), wins first democratic elections and becomes first Hutu head of state, leading a pro-Hutu government.
1993-2005 - After the assassination of the president, Burundi went through years of civil war that raged violence.
2006 - The last major rebel group, the Forces for National Liberation (FNL) and government sign a ceasefire. Sporadic clashes recur over the next two years.
2007 - UN ends peacekeeping mission and refocuses its operations on helping with reconstruction.
2009 - FNL lays down arms and officially becomes a political party.
2010 - President Nkurunziza re-elected in uncontested poll after main opposition parties boycott the vote.
2013 - Former FNL reber leader Agathon Rwasa, resurfaces after three years in hiding and says he will stand in the 2015 presidential election.
2015 - Constitutional Court rules in favour of President Nkurunziza's decision to stand for a third term, which sees him again elected.
2015-2018 - Prolonged unrest and fighting between army and rebel groups in Burundi sees over 400,000 refugees flee to neighbouring countries.
2019 - Capital moved to Gitega, although Bujumbura remains the commercial capital.
2020 - Former Hutu rebel leader Evariste Ndayishimiye takes office as president, a week after President Pierre Nkurunziza dies during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is worth to indicate that Burundi had the first peaceful election in history and there were not riots or disorders, it was a peaceful transition.
ONE HOPE FOR BURUNDI
In 2011, Dr. Paul Taylor, a pastor and businessman from Maine, USA, was invited by the President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, to train 42 young people, 2 from each province, for a week in basic leadership skills and transformational thinking on how to solve problems in a very poor environment. How to become a "Soulutionist" - a problem solver. Pragmatic and practical, non-religious teaching of transformation in all areas of life.
Three of these students (Innocent Niyongabo, Xavier Karorero and Fabrice Bizimana) had an idea to start in Burundi, a French speaking country beside Kirundi language what they called ENGLISH CLUBS to teach young people English, aiming the possibility of their employment within the economic block of the English Speaking neighborhood countries.
They also transformed these hundreds and hundreds of English Clubs in SOLUTION CENTERS, as forums for discussing solutions for their communities in the areas of Agriculture, Farming, Health, Education, Small Business and the Gospel of the Kingdom teachings. Today there are more than 75.000 of young people who learnt English as a second language and thousands of them that have been part or the solutions for their country.
In 2015 Dr. Josimar Salum, a business leader, joined Taylor to help his endeavors for leadership development and community transformation of these young people.
On December 16, 2016 Salum introduced the first two transformation teachings: SEEDS AND BREAD: PERSONAL ECONOMY X PERSONAL FINANCES and THE KINGDOM TEACHING ON ONENESS - a message beyond Unity.
“Unity is portrayed as a bag of potatoes, Oneness is the mashed potato on God’s pan.”
““I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23 NKJV”
Taylor and Salum created a SCHOOL OF TRANSFORMATION as an ongoing presencial and online educational movement to train their leaders and potential leaders for the transformation of Burundi through Education. Thousands of young people that received smart phones from Burundi Friends International were able to communicate to each other as part of the English Clubs and also as part to this Transformation movement.
They also started THE CALL PRAYER MOVEMENT - THE CALL TO BE ONE launched through a document called The Burundi Manifesto. Today this movement though it doesn’t use the same name is led by missionaries from Kenia, Jane Wanja Kamau and her husband Bernard Mungai Ngugi.
Here is part of the transcription of this document:
Where there is mistrust, suspicion, bitterness, unforgiveness and when reconciliation among the people is just a political platform;
God raises a JOHN the Baptist generation, thousands and thousands of boys and girls and fill them with the Holy Spirit, with Faith, Courage and Extravagant Love so they may call the whole nation back to God in total surrender, unconditional abandonment and joyful obedience so He may pour out His Spirit, reconcile and revive all people, heal the land and transform everything so everyone may become a true disciple of Him, so the Church may send out a company of missionaries to the ends of the Earth.
Where are the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and the teachers in Burundi?
Where are the John the Baptists, the Nazirites of the Almighty God who will turn their nation back to their Father?
Where is the Joseph Company to set up the economy of God in the country so that the people through plenty of work, God’s way of provision is able to provide for their families and feed themselves with plenty of delicious food and clean water so that there shall not be any child of God who perish by hunger or decease in the land?
Where is the Joshua Generation who will cross the Jordan river and conquer the land to their families so there shall not be any beast left to devour their crops, their children?
Where is the Daniel Generation who will govern and establish Justice and Peace in every spot of the market place?
Where is the Jesus Generation who will become like Him and will proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom, cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead and make disciples everywhere so whole nations become disciples of Him?
What God has put in our hearts is to train and equip His children (the saints) who want to do the work of the ministry everywhere, in the church and in the marketplace, and become transformation agents of the nation.
We must get back to the first love, to the basics, prayer, fasting and holiness and to making disciples with the Gospel of the Kingdom, and not by religious traditions and rituals.
The Call is a prayer and disciple movement to turn the whole nation back to God.
We will also call out a fast, prayers and public Acts of Love and Justice.
We will also pray fervently for all public officials and for all people of the land until God sends a transformation Revival.
They founded a Burundian organization called ONE HOUSE OF TRANSFORMATION FOR BURUNDI with a small structure (wineskin) to facilitate all efforts in the country led by all Burundians. This organization is led by Jeremie Manirakiza (Executive Director), Innocent Niyongabo (President), Gerard Ninziza, Jean Marie Nizigiyimana and Mathias Ntakarutimana. The original idea was the creation of ONE UNIVERSITY FOR AFRICA that was postponed due to government bureaucracy that time. It consisted in creating an online university to provide high college education to young people in partnership with some American and Brazilian universities.
These are the programs ONE has been developing since 2016:
LOCAL SCHOOLS OF TRANSFORMATION
These schools are led by Pr Jeremie, Innocent, Gerard and Jean Marie who serve as teachers. They have visited many communities in the country to teach Business, Finances, Leadership, Husband and Wife seminars based on the Five Languages of Love, the ONE message about Oneness to bring Hutus, Tutsis and ‘Twas as One Burundi People and they teach Repentance (change of mind) and New Mindsets as a practical teaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom.
DREAM HOUSE
It is a house for country students to study in Bujumbura that pays for the rent and food while attending the university. Usually a program for 4 years.
HIGH EDUCATION GRANTS
Supporting students financially and by other means to help them to get their College and Master degrees.
LITERACY CLASSES
Teach people from all ages, specially young and old people from many provinces in reading and writing (alphabetization). This program reaches Tutsis and Hutus alike but specially ‘Twas (the Burundian pigmies).
SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT CLUBS
It is in a format of cooperatives for many communities where they come together to learn finances and contribute with small amounts of money so the participant family gets a loan per month until all of them are benefited.
SMALL BUSINESS LOANS
Provide financial help for small businesses with very small interest and long term payments plan.
SMALL FARM PROJECTS
Led by Mathias Ntakarutimana and other leaders who provide families with small grants to produce hens and chickens, porks and rabbits. Mathias teaches and train them how to farm these animals. His family was the first who received a grant and he became very successful in his small farm. Today his family is self sufficient and he helps many orphans in Burundi.
CONCLUSION
Burundians are very humble, smart, intelligent and a teachable people. It is amazing how they love their country and how they respond to the true Gospel of Jesus.
They have been converting time to time as they hear the teachings of the Bible and respond to the message of the Gospel beyond religious cliches and traditions.
They love the Truth and it is amazing to see how the Message of One has brought them to Oneness after many years of division and brutal separation.
Burundians believe that Tomorrow shall be better than Today. Their hope is shining for a better tomorrow.
As they have worked and they are working hard God is healing their hearts of the past and yet fighting poverty they see the ferment of the Gospel of Kingdom taking step by step the nation in a constant influx of the transformation power of God.
Burundians are not fatherless neither helpless. God is their Father and the Father is their present Help. Their smiles, kindness and generosity speak louder with a strong commitment to change their nation.
#ASONE
