Week 32
Each week we introduce you to the children of Hope Centre Burundi. We upload a picture of one child and give you their story.
Olivier Ntakirutimana
Olivier's StoryOlivier is 4 years old.
Olivier's mother died of AIDS when he was just a baby and, the same year, his father also died. Oliver, and his older sister, were taken into care by a couple that knew the children. Pastor Leonard's wife agreed to look after Olivier's sister and then eventually she agreed that they should look after them both as Olivier was missing his sister.
He is not yet in school and is now living, along with his sister, with friends in Cibitoke.
Progress & Further Donations:Once again, as is normally the case, work is progressing well. We have five workers less this week to keep in step with the available funds. However, some of you may know that Val has been in the UK for the last week or so to sit her viva (final oral exam for her PhD). Whilst there she has received several donations for the project which I believe amount to almost £5,000. This is great news for all concerned. This will allow us to get a lot more work done and not have to stop the work for at least another month. Thank you to all who are responsible for these gifts.
Completion for house number one is definitely in our sights now. This week we had some very heavy rains which was not a problem as the first house is covered over, allowing the work to begin inside. The water pipes, cable runs and cement rendering are all being done at the same time. I have experienced first-hand the dangerous and poor electrical work that can be presented by so called electricians here in Burundi. Poor Vincent, our site supervisor, has had to put up with me explaining how we do things in the west. As a result we are saving some money wiring the houses ourselves and will end up with a safer and dependable installation.
Let the Fun BeginIn the UK, and other countries, walls are plastered or cement rendered using a loaded plasterer's hock, to hold the cement, and a plasterer's trowel to quickly spread the cement onto the walls. However, here in Burundi, this technique is not commonly used. I haven't seen anyone do this yet. I thought that I would introduce them to our technique but they just couldn't figure out how to do it and quickly reverted back to what they are used to.
Their technique basically consists of picking up some cement with a trowel and throwing it at the wall. The initial effect is more like rice pudding but very quickly they can level it off.
You may notice that there is no ceiling yet. Now that the first rendered coats are on the walls, the ceilings will be fitted and then the cement finishing coats to the walls will be applied:
I'm sure that the person who donated these new overalls, which he had been keeping in his garage and were transported over in the container, will be happy to see them being used.
It's funny, I asked Vincent why they had not been used yet and he said that he was keeping them for me and for others like me. I said that they were to be used and would be happier if they should be used for the workers who don't have the money to replace their clothes should they get too dirty.
Here you see the light switch wires and the walls being prepared for the cable conduit runs:
We have brought in a plumber to work under our supervision. He has already installed water service runs in house one and house two allowing us to render these walls:
An orange boiler suit makes an appearance at house number two. Even with these clothes and the mid day sun these workers will feel comfortable. Me, I would be dying with heat exhaustion and drinking gallons of water. Our kids thought it funny when the temperature dropped to about 19 degrees centigrade and the children were arriving at school with thick fleecy lined coats:
Meanwhile the process of block-making continues. This part of the process involves the blocks having to to be uncovered and watered once a day for a week before stacking for use.
It never ceases to amaze me just how much these women can carry on their head and the distances covered.
Non-GiftAid Donations: 
GiftAid Donations: 
Here are different ways to contact us in BurundiEmail:
Val Carr = vcarr@HopeCentreBurundi.com
Charles Carr = ccarr@HopeCentreBurundi.com
New Mobile Phone Numbers:
Val Carr: (00257) 79239810
Charles Carr (00257) 79239809
Our New House Phone Number:
Use this number sequence and you will only pay 4p per minute.
Dial: 08444 287287 & wait for a voice and then..
Dial: 00257 22259608Please email us and let us know if you don't manage to contact us on these numbers.
Pastor Leonard
Pastor Leonard's StoryPastor Leonard was born in 1971, the youngest of five children. His parents were killed in a mass killing of their ethnic group in 1972. The children struggled to survive and look after each other for many years.
As a teenager Leonard was full of hatred and wanted to avenge the killing of his parents, but he became a
Christian when he was 18 and was able to meet and forgive those who had killed his parents. He felt God told him clearly that he was to look after others who were orphaned as he had been.
At the time his circumstances did not allow him to do this, but he was ordained as a Pastor in 1996, and was able to take in his first orphan in 1997, just before he was married.
His wife partners him in this ministry and they now care for over 40 orphans in addition to their own three children.
Around about April this year Pastor Leonard's land-lord for the house that he was staying in asked Pastor Leonard and all the family and children to move out of the property which they were renting. Obviously this was an impossible situation for them. Latterly Pastor Leonard managed to negotiate a compromise with the land lord whereby his immediate family and a few of the orphans could stay in the property until his house was built. This meant that the remaining orphans had to be farmed out to friends that would be willing to take them. Pastor Leonard continues to provide food and clothing for these children which is now even more difficult for him. Thankfully though you have helped him greatly with your regular child support donations.
February 04, 2009, 09:32:16 AM
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