Our founder Simon Guillebaud had an exhilarating start to his recent visit to Burundi! Visiting a rally in Kirusi run by United Citizens for Change and Development, alongside US board member Lacey Faieta they had the chance to share with the hundreds of locals who came to the rally. This was a chance to witness the gospel, pray for the sick and encourage the local church.

Another sight we usually do not see in Western nations is many hundreds of people dancing in the rain. In the video below shared by Simon, you will see the party atmosphere of praise which erupted! What an inspiration to witness the poorest of the poor worshipping with such joyful hearts! Simon reflected:

We could learn a thing or two from our Burundian brothers and sisters about joy in worship (even in the rain!), SO GOOD to be back in the action, and some beautiful miracles accompanied the preaching of the word!

The weekend was not without its challenges. For example, as Simon approached the end of his message, a woman named Teresa who was watching became extremely agitated and threw both of her shoes at him! The team from UCCD responded well, taking her aside and praying with her, bringing hope and deliverance as she confronted her demons. In the video below you can enjoy a taste of what the rally was like, and see Teresa throw and shoes, and then a clip from an interview after her deliverance a few days later.

It was a hugely encouraging time with several hundred people making a commitment of faith and many miraculous stories too. One story was shared of a man who had a swollen leg and struggled to walk which was instantly healed, which he enthusiastically demonstrated to be back in working order before all the crowd as he testified.

These rallies are a cornerstone of the ministry of UCCD, they run them in different parts of Burundi each week, often lasting multiple days. Alongside the evangelistic messages and praise, they will show the Jesus film, dubbed with Kirundi on a huge sheet using the generator and projector provided with GLO funds. People in rural Burundi may have never seen a film on anything larger than a mobile phone so they will often walk many miles to see the phenomenon.