BURUNDI - Sister Connection
The vision of Sister Connection is to enable Burundi’s widows and orphans to thrive in their communities with healing, dignity, and hope.
Spes is a Burundian widow who became connected to Sister Connection in 2020. Since her husband died 7 years ago, she has been raising her three young children by herself. She has no land of her own to farm, so she and her children work for others in return for a small amount of money or food. She cannot afford the school fees, so her children do not attend school. During the rainy seasons, her house is wet inside because she cannot afford to repair the damaged roof.
Chantal is another Burundian widow recently connected to the Sister Connection ministry. Her husband left her with eight children to support when he died 6 years ago. Since then, her husband’s family has refused to help either her or the children. Chantal’s house is made of mud and grass and leaks constantly throughout the long rainy season. Chantal works for others as a farm labourer because she has no land of her own. In return, she gets a little money for food. But that is not enough to provide the basic necessities.
Both Spes and Chantal’s lives are worse than “pandemic-difficult.” Burundian society ostracises them because they are considered a financial burden. However, from the moment a widow connects with the ministry of Sister Connection, they are united to a new spiritual family. The sisterhood worships and learns together- blossoming spiritually as Biblical truth and Christian fellowship feed their soul. Sister Connection tends to the feeding of their souls, so that they may regain hope, but we are also called to address their physical and emotional needs.
Over the past 13 years, God has led Sister Connection to develop four core programs- home building, sponsorship, vocational training and micro-finance to help widows like Spes and Chantal gain financial independence. Because of the enormous support of Imagine Nations Church, more than 2300 homes have been built or repaired.
It is difficult to describe in earthly words the Kingdom impact realised by a widow and her children when they receive the gift of a new house. For the first time in years, the security and stability lost through homelessness is restored through the loving gift of a home provided by God’s ministry through your acts of love and compassion.
A home becomes hope and sets the stage for spiritual and emotional healing.
James 1:27 teaches us that “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
On behalf of the widows and orphans served by Sister Connection, I want to THANK each of you at Imagine Nations Church for your loving support for the precious sisters of Sister Connection. In closing, I want to share with you a quote from another Sister Connection widow.
“I thank God a lot in His Word when He said ‘‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and will give you rest’’ God has helped me become mature and responsible for all that I do, now am able to meet my various needs. - Marguerite
Blessings.
Craig Reese, President of Sister Connection
