Showing Hospitality in Burundi
Artwork by Naya Green, 2023
As a child, Mama Georgette observed her parents showing an extraordinary amount of Christian hospitality. Her father was kind and generous. If a meal was prepared for the family and three guests suddenly arrived, he welcomed them and served them alongside the family, as equals.
It was not uncommon for strangers to arrive at Georgette’s childhood home, for her mother was trained in treating many illnesses with natural remedies. People traveled sometimes for days to request help from Georgette’s mother. No matter their tribe or economic status, they received treatment without a request for reimbursement. Hospitality was part of Georgette’s DNA from an early time.
Fast forward fifty years: tribal warfare turned into genocide, poverty turned into malnutrition, disease, and more death. The habit of hospitality was lost. Isolation and desperation filled the void.
Upon returning to Burundi for the first time in decades, Mama Georgette was stunned at the condition of her native homeland. Almost an entire generation of parents had been wiped out. Children wandered the streets, alone, orphaned . . . hopeless.
Remembering the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 as told in the Gospels, Mama Georgette prayed about starting a food program. If Jesus could feed 5000 men (not including women and children) from five loaves of bread and two fish, then He could also certainly feed the children of Burundi.
Then, in 2016 she began inviting children to Bible Clubs where they would sing praises to the Lord and learn to give thanks to God because He has not forgotten them in their misery. As they would depart, the children would also receive a two-week supply of food for themselves.
Today, 600 children continue to receive two-week food supplies (enough for one meal each day). Doubtless, as food and fuel continue to be difficult to acquire, entire families are sharing the meal that was meant for one child.
What is more stunning than this, though, is the fact that no child attending Bible Club, nor any adult accompanying the children, has ever asked for a larger supply of food from Mama Georgette. We can only conclude one thing: JESUS MUST BE MULTIPLYING THIS FOOD IN THE SAME WAY THAT HE DID THE FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH!
Hospitality is returning to Burundi because of our food program. Jesus is making sure that whole families gain the health and nutrition that they need from a single meal meant for a child.