42/50: East Africa
This song always gets me moving.
“Turikumwe”
My major in college was intercultural studies and psychology. I specialized in cross-cultural transition and in the cultures of Central and Southeastern Europe. I thought I was going to be a missionary for the rest of my life. For a variety of reasons I only stayed in Europe about 2.5 years before coming home. I got married, had babies and put to bed the part of myself that loved to travel and work internationally.
And then, Maggie walked into my office in Bend, Oregon and said she wanted the church to make a connection in Africa which led me to reach out to an acquaintance, Kelly Bean. Kelly was the co-founder and Executive Director of African Road. Their model of friendship and genuine partnership resonated with me and with the church. We took a trip to Burundi and began a connection with three indigenous villages. That friendship has changed the course of hundreds of lives and set a new path forward for the indigenous Batwa people of Burundi, the poorest of the poor in one of the poorest nations on earth. Although Maggie and her team have done all the work, that project is some of the work that I’m most proud of in my life.
I now serve on the board of African Road and my friendships have expanded beyond Burundi to Rwanda and Tanzania. Sharing life across the ocean with these dear friends is a treasured gift.
For my birthday next week, I’m inviting you to participate with me in this deep joy and help make a land purchase to expand opportunity for Togetherness Cooperative, a place I have visited many times. Their leader, Pastor Steven Turikunkiko is a dear friend and visionary. He was African Road’s first Changemaker who responded to the urgent needs of children by founding Togetherness Cooperative.
Togetherness Cooperative is a remarkable community of children, youth and survivors of genocide who came together with the help of Pastor Steven. 142 young people who were children orphaned as a result of genocide, are now family and community for each other. With guidance from Steven and partnership with African Road, they are building a better future for themselves and others. Using the 6 acres of land purchased in 2011 by African Road, they have transformed it into a hub for employment, education, empowerment, and connection. Small businesses (bakery, sewing, flour mill), a soccer field and empowering sports project, a preschool and a clean water well serve their needs and the needs of the rural community around them. And now, they want to purchase road frontage as a strategic expansion that provides long-term stability.
African Road has been offered a $9,000 matching grant challenge to purchase land, to be met by December 1st. $9,000 raised becomes $18,000 to secure land and road frontage adjacent to Togetherness. I’d love for us to together help match the $9000. If you’re able to give, please go to https://www.africanroad.org/donate/