Bowen News November/December 2006
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                  Bowen News November/December 2006               
                                                                                    

Our dear readers! This may be the last email we manage to send out to you before Christmas, since we shall be in UK briefly, for a festive time with the family and for Roger to see the Consultant. So let us begin by wishing you a very JOYOUS CHRISTMAS and Happy New Year! j I know we have said it before, but we do want to tell you of our heartfelt gratitude for your interest, prayers, love and support. Without the ‘backup’ team, I doubt we would have managed our time here. May the Lord bless you as you have blessed us.

We told you about Claudette last month. This is the latest picture of her house (L). We have since cemented the walls to seal the mud bricks. Members of the nearby Catholic and Anglican churches have plastered the interior walls (with mud) and whitewashed them with a mixture (R) of chalk, water and cow dung (to make it stick!!). We are waiting for the rain to stop to build her a toilet! Please pray that when she moves in she will know peace and a good relationship with her neighbours.
We also mentioned Anny and Jonas and we want to tell you that Anny is now out of hospital, having physio until the end of the week and coming back to Matana at the weekend. She has regained her speech, limps a little, but has not yet regained complete use of her arm and hand. Please continue to pray for them all.

                                          .

We have been more encouraged in the Institute by the calibre of the new students who have been joined by Audace from Buye Diocese. 

L-R Back Row. 1st year. Alain (Matana) Innocent (Gitega) Jean-Paul (Matana) Audace (Buye)

Front Row. 2nd year: Léopold (Makamba) Alexis (Matana) Alexis (Muyinga)

Roger and Miranda have both been struggling to keep spirits up in recent weeks. Roger finds the daily battle with the effects of Parkinson’s to be very wearing and is starting to address the many losses it is bringing. Miranda is not sufficiently occupied, which she finds more stressful than being over-occupied! We have both found some of the leadership issues in the church difficult to accept and ask you to pray for Archbishop Bernard who is trying to balance all his commitments effectively.
Miranda has been working with the PLWA to teach them necklace making, using pages from magazines and calendars. The results are surprisingly pleasing! A small group of ladies are learning, who will then go on to teach others… We hope to sell them in UK over Christmas and then to find another outlet in Bujumbura. The money raised will go towards providing bus tickets for the PLWA to attend hospital.
On Sunday, Archbishop Bernard held a Confirmation Service in Matana Cathedral and confirmed 124 people! They were all ages, and even though the service was long (4+ hours) it was very varied with many choirs. 

                                  


Please join us in thanking the Lord and praying for :

-Clear vision and courage for President Peter Nkurunziza and the Government 
-Bishop Bernard in the division of his time to his family, the Province and Matana Diocese
-Claire and Paul continuing to explore volunteer work abroad
-Students in the Institute 
-Beth seeking to manage all the time pressures at University and will return to Burundi with us for 10 days in January
-Kate ending her contract in Afghanistan at Christmas 
-The rain to lessen in Burundi and all East Africa 
-Claudette and Anny and their families
-A new vehicle for Mark 
-A joyful Bowen Christmas together

We send you our Christmas Greetings, our love and our thanks for your companionship on our journey! 

            Roger & Miranda

EAB Matana, DS 30, Bujumbura , Burundi , Africa

Email: bowbelles@btinternet.com

 

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