Burundi President Calls Nation to God | 15th Dec 09

Some 300,000 Burundians perished during the conflict between Tutsis and Hutus that spanned almost 12 years, and hundreds of thousands were displaced. A new constitution, established in 2005, elected a government under the leadership of born-again Christian President Pierre Nkurunziza.
Under Nkurunziza, a programme to build free primary schools to promote equality in a country long divided by ethnic conflict has been put in motion: several hundred schools have been built so far without aid from external governments. The Burundi government provided the materials, with some assistance from Christian ministries such as Aid for the World.
“All Burundians had to engage in community work,” Nkurunziza said. “Every Saturday they came together to help build these schools.” In addition to expanding access to education, Nkurunziza’s government offers free medical care for pregnant women and children under age 5 to help reduce the nation’s child and infant mortality rate.
Nkurunziza said he became born-again in 1997 after receiving a Bible from a rural minister. “I started reading the Bible from beginning to end,” he said. “When I finished, I got saved! …In our political party until now, God occupies the first place. Everything we do we start by praying and end by praying because we have to remember to put God before everything.” Nkurunziza plans to run for re-election in 2010 and wants to provide free secondary schooling and build more health clinics.
Each August the president holds a large national rally to thank God for sparing his life and developing the nation. He said he wants the Burundian people “to think about what God has done for our nation, what God has done during the whole year so that as [we] praise God, He can be with us the next year.”

Source: Charisma Magazine; CIA Factbook

BIBLE STUDY: Isaiah 2:4

PRAISE: God for the peaceful four years and the improvements that Nkurunziza has brought to this once divided nation. Pray for a real revival