Encouragement, my word for the week!
Encouraged is how I felt within 24 hours of arriving in Burundi. It may seem odd, considering the daily challenges faced by the people here. But their love for the Lord and for one another gave me the encouragement I needed as I settled in to do the work God has guided me to do. The challenges remain, but we are better equipped to face them through the encouragement we draw from one another.
This trip is bittersweet. I will soon be saying goodbye to missionary friends who are leaving Burundi and beginning a new chapter in the U.S. The Bassett family has been both dear friends and like extended family to me here. I am so grateful to have had them as neighbors, and I rejoice in knowing that our families will remain close and continue to be forever friends back in the States. Please pray for them as they prepare for their departure in August.
One of the highlights of my week was meeting with the Women of Hope teaching teams. The women shared feedback from those they’ve taught, and the response was unanimous: the churches are eager for them to return with more teaching from God’s Word. The women will continue ministering in new churches through August. Then, during the final months of 2025, the teams will begin planning community crusades—events that will invite other churches and women in their areas to hear these teachings. We’re also working on a way to reach the furthest provinces with teaching, beginning in January.
We have a visitor in Burundi! This week, we welcomed Dwayne Phillips from the SEED (Sowing Edibles and Evangelical Deeds) Ministry in Fork Union, Virginia, to join the Burundi Hope Project team. Dwayne brings with him a wealth of knowledge in agriculture, and he is generously sharing both his expertise and the Gospel here in Burundi.
He has spent time with the Agriculture Team at Kanura, offering valuable insights and encouragement. He also had the opportunity to share the Gospel with the student Bible Club—a blessed moment of ministry.
Dwayne has truly been a blessing to the Lord’s work in Burundi, and we’re grateful for his heart to serve!
Please pray for Stacie! This sweet little girl, Stacie, was brought to our door after suffering a severe burn on her arm. Tragically, she has been turned away by her family. Her aunt has taken her in and is now caring for her, but Stacie still needs further medical treatment and physical therapy to heal.
Beyond her physical wounds, Stacie is carrying deep emotional pain. She is heartbroken over being sent away.
Please join us in praying—not only for her physical healing, but also for her spiritual and emotional restoration. May she come to know how much she is loved by the Lord and by those around her.
Thank you for your ongoing prayers! We will be teaching the youth this weekend on how to be godly young men and women of HOPE!
God Bless!
Susan May, Burundi Hope Missionary
