Burundi Humanitarian Trip Nov. 6-12, 2014

We departed SLC on Nov. 6, 2014, traveling for 46 hours before reaching Bujumbura, Burundi on Nov. 8.  The Humanitarian missionary couple, the VanWagoners picked us up at the airport and delivered us to the Panoramique Hotel where we got some much needed rest after a long journey.  Sunday morning 

after watching conference in French, we left for Ruyigi with the Van Wagoners and Emory, our translator. 

While climbing the hillside, Bujumbura and Lake Tanganyika lay in the background with the mountains of DR Congo in the distance.  

Cultivated terraces adorned every hillside, with small houses dotting the landscape.  Burundi is densely populated for it's small area and 9 million people.  

We have looked forward to the this humanitarian trip with excitement in order to meet Maggy Barankiste, a Burundian Champion for the children of her war-torn country.  Dr. Levi Kandeke helped plan the project to provide eye equipment to set up a clinic at Rema Hospital which was built by Maggy for Ruyigi province.  

As we entered Maggy's home at Maison Shalom, or "House of Peace", she gave all of us a very warm welcome and embrace.  She exuded graciousness, beauty and hospitality, and insisted that all five of us stay with her at Maison Shalom.  She has guest houses and an extra bedroom in her own home where Jesse and I stayed.  That evening in her home, fifteen people gathered for a lovely Burundian dinner prepared by her "children" of Maison Shalom.  All the guests were either employees or humanitarians providing service for her hospital:  An othopedic surgeon from Canada, two gynecologists from France, a dentist from Belgium, Dr. Kandeke from Bujumbura, and Jesse, both ophthalmologists.  

Dr. Levi, Maggy and Jesse, followed by the children who helped prepare our meal.  The food we ate was grown on their own farm, operated by the Maison Shalom community.  

Maggy formed Maison Shalom in 1993 as a safe haven for children and orphans, including children soldiers, who have survived civil war unrest and violence in war-torn Burundi.  Only recently has Burundi emerged from 12 years of civil war, leaving 300,000 dead.  Maison Shalom is a multi-functional service agency centered on education, health, vocational training and reconciliation. It strives to change the lives of children in order to build a better life for the community and Burundi as a  whole.  Her funding comes from the many international peace awards she has been granted.  

Rema Hospital - means "Have Hope"

This was by far the best, cleanest, newest, and most beautiful hospital we have seen in Africa.  Maggy insists on cleanliness, landscaping to add beauty, and quality care.  They have a cafeteria to feed patients, allowing them to work on the grounds to help pay for the food.  They have 3 incubators to help premature babies.  

Rema has a full-time optometrist and a general practice doctor who is going to do an ophthalmology residency in Kenya. We provided a slit-lamp, autorefractor, and a trial lens set, plus other examination instruments.  

Maggy was our first patient during the screening.  

Mako Thierry planned the handover ceremony, inviting the Ruyigi provincial Governor and Senator.  Dr.Levi explained our current and future project.  Jesse examined the governor's eyes.  In two days, over 100 patients were screened by Jesse, Dr. Levi and two optometrists.  Those needing surgery will go to Bujumbura for the operation performed by Dr. Levi or his two associates.  

The VanWagoners enjoyed this project very much since it was their first time traveling outside of Bujumbura.

Maggie's home and gardens with banana trees.

Maggie built a chapel on her property for the children of Maison Shalom to worship in.  She also goes there early every morning for her own private devotional.  These Hydrangeas were picture perfect!

Monday Evening, Maggie led our little party around Maison Shalom, quite an accomplishment for this remarkable woman.  Each spot had it's own particular miracle.  We ended at the mass grave in which she had the task of burying 72 people after that first horrific event in 1993 that began the course she has taken.  She freely tells her story because it is her testimony of God directing her to create a peaceful environment for the war-orphans and to create hope and peace for the entire community.  It truly was a spiritual experience to be in her presence and listen to her share the story of this marvelous work.  She gives all the credit to God's love for all of us.

The school included primary and secondary grades,  the farm has pigs as well as food.  All of the children provide the labor and learn life long skills to use when they are on their own.  In addition to these projects, Micro-financing is provided for those wanting to build their own business.  Maggie has also reached out to women in jail, by having them make baskets that are sold in Bujumbura.  

Maggie felt that a cinema, swimming pool, and library would bring the community together both Hutus, and Tutsis. Indeed it has.

This has been a wonderful project with amazing "Champions" to work with who love and serve their people.  We look forward to the next project to help with operating room equipment at Rema Hospital.

We found our dinner on the way back to Bujumbura, fresh vegetables and chickens!

Romania Humanitarian, September 21- October 6, 2014

Another successful humanitarian adventure has been completed in Romania.  Finding and developing projects for a second-world country brings some interesting challenges, but we have seen the Lord's hand directing this important work in serving His children in Romania.  This project was not initially on the list of projects for 2014 but came about at the request of the Consul General of Romania after his visit to Salt Lake City.  He had been pleased with the 2013 project and asked if we would  do another one for his country.

Development built upon an understanding during the 2013 of a desire to have more cornea training in Romania.  We had helped facilitate a 3 month cornea observership at the Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah for a Romanian resident, Dr. Alexandra Zamosteanu.  She in turn met there a former Romanian missionary and cornea specialist practicing in Utah, Dr. Matthew Ward.  As we all met in SLC, the idea for the cornea training became obvious.  In addition, we provided some small, but very needed examination equipment for a large Newborn ICU in Bucharest and also an eye clinic providing care for the homeless Bucharest population.

Elder and Sister Dodge set up all the appointments, schedules, and provided the mission van for our transportation around Bucharest, and to three other cities.  Our NGO support, CRED, also helped as their employee, Nicu arranged for meeting places, refreshments, and contacted doctors who provided  publicity for the training meetings.  Dr. Paul Grecu continues to be another champion for charity eye care in his country of Romania.  

For the second time,  an LDS film crew followed this eye project in order to produce a documentary for the Mormon Channel on People who give back.  The Romanians who were interviewed and filmed seemed happy to participate.  

Dr. Ileana Vatavu recieves the hand-held slit lamp used for infants and small children eye exams.  The Dodges, the local Branch President and Counselor, Dr. Vatavu, Drs. Hunsaker and Ward participate in the hand-over ceremony.

A second project involved the Regina Maria Free Clinic which provides free or low cost medical and dental services.  Our hand-over ceremony went ahead as planned In spite of the Auto-refractor not being there due to a strike with Air France!  Our luggage had not arrived when we did.  The film crew still interviewed all of the doctors involved, both Romanian and American.  When we were finally able to set up the new auto-refractor five days later, the staff was elated. 

Dr. Paul Grecu has been very instumental in helping plan and implement our projects.  He is second on the left.

After the training on Saturday in Bucharest, seven of us including the Dodges, Wards, Alexandra and ourselves headed north for Brasov.  This was a former area of missionary service for Dr. Ward.

We first stopped at Peles Castle, built by a former Romanian King from Germany.  The wood work was exquisite.

Brasov is a beautiful city in the Translyvania mountains.  The LDS church was brand new when Dr. Ward served there.  Our Hotel faced the town plaza where all the locals gathered.

Jesse stands in the world's smallest city street.

The city of Sighisoara boasts of being one of the few fortified towns that are still inhabited in Europe.  Vlad the Impaler, or better known as Dracula, lived in Sighisoara.

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Cornea Presentations were also done in Cluj-Napoca and Sibiu.

Following Romania, we flew to Zagreb, Croatia to visit our dear friends, Jim and Laura Hobbs.  They are serving an 18 month mission in the Adriatic North mission, which covers 7 counntries.  Their assignment to assist the Mission President.  We all have on our missionary name tags.

We spent a day enjoying a drive to Slovenia to see the countryside. Perched boldly in a cavern below a cliff stands Predjama Castle.

Postojnska Jama Cave seemed immense with it's endless formations.

Scenes from Zagreb; The Cathedral, eating figs and strolling the main square.

The Kressimir Cosic memorial in Mirugoy Cemetary.
Below Jesse is watching a vendor in the market grate squash to sell.  Diane and Laura enjoyed reading a new book about the life of Kressimir Cosic who brought the LDS Church to the former Yugoslavia.

We will always cherish these memories made with our good friends, the Hobbs.  They are doing a great work for the Adriatic North Mission!