Friday,  May 15


  We are now at 105,000 people who have fled Burundi.  (I'd like to make that number jump by two!)  Sadly, from the news reports it appears the coup has failed.  Very bad news.  That seemed to be the quickest way to peace.  Now I don't know what lies ahead for the good people of Burundi.

     We saw on the news last night a story about a wounded man in the hospital.  I assume this man was not one fighting FOR the president because a group of police broke into the hospital and gunned him down.  Does that sound even vaguely legal to you?  And these are the men in charge of law and order here.

     The Van Wagoner's came to the Martha Hotel yesterday so we could all be together when the word comes to go.

     We are assessing info on the airport and the borders.  We wanted to head out for the Rwandan border, but the Southeast area presidency asked that we stay put.

     Here is an alert we received yesterday from the US Embassy:

May 14, 2015 - Travel Warning

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens against all travel to Burundi and recommends that U.S. citizens currently in Burundi depart as soon as it is feasible to do so.  As a result of the deteriorating security situation, the Department of State ordered the departure of dependents of U.S. government personnel and non-emergency U.S. government personnel from Burundi on May 14. The U.S. Embassy is able to offer only very limited emergency services to U.S. citizens in Burundi. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning issued on May 11, 2015.

The security situation remains fluid and volatile because of military and security forces activity in Bujumbura.  There have been increased political tensions and civil disturbances related to these actions.  Airport and land borders are reportedly closed.  U.S. citizens should shelter in place until it is safe to move about, ensure that your travel documents are up-to-date, and confirm that air and land borders are open before attempting to depart the country. 

The terrorist organization al-Shabaab, based in Somalia, has threatened to conduct terror attacks in Burundi.  It may also target U.S. interests in Burundi.  Political violence persists throughout Burundi, a carryover of the Burundian civil war. Armed groups operate in Burundi.  Weapons are easy to obtain and some ex-combatants have turned to crime or political violence.  Crime, often committed by groups of armed bandits or street children, poses the highest risk for foreign visitors.  Exchanges of gunfire and grenade attacks have increased but are usually not directed at foreigners.  If you encounter such a situation, stay indoors in a ground floor interior room away from doors and windows.  Common crimes include muggings, burglaries, and robberies.  U.S. government personnel are prohibited from walking on the streets after dark and from using local public transportation at any time.  Local authorities in any part of Burundi are often unable to provide timely assistance during an emergency.

Demonstrations, gatherings, and even sporting events that are intended to be peaceful can turn violent without advance warning.  For this reason, U.S. citizens should routinely monitor local media sources and the Internet for reports of demonstrations and unrest, and avoid political rallies, demonstrations, and crowds of any kind.

Travel outside the capital, Bujumbura, presents significant risks, especially after nightfall.  Note the U.S. embassy limits and monitors the travel of its personnel in Burundi.  All movement by embassy employees outside the city from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. is prohibited.  Likewise, U.S. citizens should not travel on national highways from dusk to dawn.  Armed criminals ambush vehicles, particularly on the roads leading out of Bujumbura.  Keep vehicle doors locked and windows up when stopped in heavy traffic.

Corruption is endemic in Burundi and contributes to an environment where the rule of law is not respected.  Government officials may ask for bribes for providing routine services.  Travelers are frequently stopped, questioned, and asked for bribes by security forces at numerous official and unofficial roadblocks throughout the country.  Likewise, criminals who have paid off local officials may operate with impunity.

Thursday, May 14th

     To temporarily lighten the mood, I thought I would show you a photo of Gary and the "kids."

     Wednesday evening, after receiving word we had to leave, we had Gian Franco come over and take our two little cuties.  He and his family were going to take them on the 26th, his daughter's birthday, but he was happy to come get them a bit early.

Now back to reality and what's going on.

     All night Wednesday we could hear gunfire, grenades, and mortars going off.  Fierce fighting erupted over night between soldiers loyal to the president and those who support the protests.  The 2 factions battled for the national radio station and several other government locations.  A rocket hit the independent radio station that has been the source for independent news, totally destroying it.  At 7:00am, we left our house to go to the Martha Hotel.  Gary and Fabrice had to use some muscle power to move rocks from 4 barricades that blocked our way.  The other barricades were wide open, and when we made it to the main road, we were the only vehicle we saw.

A parting picture of Gary and our guard Fabrice

     We arrived at the Martha Hotel to find their gates closed and a guard telling us we could not come in.  It was quite eerie to be alone on the streets with all doors and gates closed to us.  We asked to talk to the lady at reception.  She came out and recognized us, as we have brought several people to stay at this hotel and are acquainted with this woman at the desk.  She let us come in, and we got a room.  It felt good to be at the hotel!  The security man responsible to  get us out is also at this hotel.

     We are not sure now if the coup was successful.  The celebrations of yesterday have turned into fear and firefights with both sides claiming to be the victors.

     Lunch was interesting at the Martha.  The explosions and gunfire at times seemed so close that Gary insisted I sit behind a small cement support wall for a time.  The ladies at the front desk were hunkered down behind the reception desk.                          

     Tonight we talked with other guests at the hotel restaurant on the top floor.  We met Peter, an electrician from South Africa who was in Bujumbura working for the local power company, James, a businessman from Malawi who is here checking on his business interests, and Patrick, the security guy who supposedly will get us out.  He doesn't inspire much confidence so we may have to figure this out on our own.  No one knows when or how we will leave.

Monday, May 11th

     Today we went to a meeting at the US Embassy that dealt with the tense situation in Bujumbura.  Their main message was for everyone to figure out what your tipping point is, what your trip wire is when you know you must leave Bujumbura.  The Embassy does not, at this time, tell us we need to go, but they leave that decision up to each individual.  They know that breaking point will be different for everyone.  But they did caution everyone not to wait until it is too late to make that move to get out.  They also told us about a security note they sent all US citizens which warned of a possible terror threat directed at Westerners in Burundi from the terrorist group Al-she-bab.  This terrorist group is unhappy with Burundi for sending troops to fight them in Somalia.  I think it is safe to say that after this meeting everyone was ready to hop on a plane.

There were more vehicles burned, one more killed.  The death toll is around 18 dead, over 200 injured, and over 600 arrested.

Tuesday, May 12th

    Demonstrations continue, 2 more cars set on fire.  This morning when Gary left for his walk to the truck,  he was stopped by a group of young men.  He continued on his way, but definitely felt threatened.  When he returned, mightily unnerved,  he announced he had found his trip wire when he was accosted by the group on the corner.  He insisted we pack an overnight bag before we left for the day in case we didn't make it back to the apartment.  I think we have decided we need to move out of our place and go live in the apartment over the Van Wagoner's.  Their place is in one of the 2 safe neighborhoods in the city.  The sister missionaries have been living there, but they are leaving today.

     We tried to get the Uvira elders' passport again today, but no luck.  We then had a meeting with the branch missionaries in 2 and 3 as we set in motion a plan to continue the missionary work with no full time missionaries here in Bujumbura.  We took 8 full-time missionaries to the airport and sadly said good-bye to them.  Then we came home and started packing.

     Today there were 3 more dead in violence at the protests.  Two were killed in a grenade attack and one more was shot to death.

Wednesday, May 13th

     This morning Gary once again went out to fetch the truck, but this time he was turned back.  They said he could not leave the area until after 10:00am.  We both then walked the 1 1/2 miles to get the truck, noticing more barricades had sprung up along the way.  There was even one below the elders' apartment we had to drive over.  Truckloads of military and police were racing down the streets.  You could hear people protesting in the distance.
     We had another meeting about the branch missionary plan to continue teaching, and then we went to see the apartment over the Van's where we thought we would be moving.  Heaven help me, what a mess!  Then we needed to take the remaining elders back to their apartment, pick up their luggage, and get them a taxi to Uvira.  They are the last of the elders in Bujumbura.  We found the main road was blocked by police so we drove over the center median and turned to go back the way we had come.  About that time, we were passing the US Embassy, and suddenly all of the students who have been staying out front surged into the street, cheering and jumping, arms in the air.  We stopped to find out what was going on, and they told us ,"Coup d'etat!"  We were excited to hear that and cheered and pumped fists with them. Gary honked the horn in celebration.  This day had gone from one of anxiety and uncertainty to one of joy!

     We were thrilled and celebrated with the people with thumbs up and clapping and honking as we went.  It was like a huge weight had been lifted.  All we could see was things getting back to normal.  We were at the Van's and could hear people in every direction celebrating, singing, whooping , blowing whistles.  Then we got a phone call from the mission president.  He called to say that the Southeast area presidency had decided they wanted us out of Burundi as soon as possible.  (Where was this phone call for the last 3 weeks?)  Anyway, they had intel that suggested there may be violence following the coup, so they wanted us out as soon as we could go.

     We took the missionaries back to their apartment to pick up their clothes and then drove them to where they could pick up a taxi for Uvira.  All along the way people were in the streets singing and shouting, waving tree branches, giving us thumbs up as we passed.

We hurried home to pack everything we own for the trip out.  They say if things are peaceful in Bujumbura, we will return soon.

Just found out the International Airport is closed, as are the borders.  All flights are cancelled as of this moment.  There is a security company who is supposed to drive us to the airport.  They have suggested we get out of our neighborhood, get over the river and wait in a hotel until we can make the flight.  We are supposed to leave tomorrow at 3:10pm.  My first coup---don't know quite what to expect!

May 7th

     Today is our anniversary, 45 years.  We celebrated by eating a piece of fish, some rice and a green salad this afternoon at the restaurant on the lake, Club Lake Tanganyika.  Wow.

     Yesterday, Gary drove our truck to the missionaries house, about 1 1/2 miles away and parked it there.  They are not barricaded in, so with the truck there, we can now have access to it and attempt to do some work.  He drops me within 2 blocks of our apartment and then goes to the missionaries.  After parking it there, he walks to our  place, about a half hours' walk.  Not particularly convenient, but it beats being a prisoner in your own home!

     We are losing 8 of our 12 missionaries on Tuesday.  The mission is removing all the sisters and 4 of the elders from Bujumbura.  The remaining elders will go to Uvira to do missionary work until conditions improve around here.  The mission president has cancelled his plans to visit us in May due to the trouble in the streets.

     Today 3 people were killed in protests.  In Kinama, a young militia guy (Imbonerekure)  threw a grenade into the crowd of protestors, killing 2.  The crowd subsequently caught him, put tires over his head, doused them with gas and burned him alive.

     Monday afternoon the U.S Embassy has called a meeting for all U.S. citizens.  They also sent a warning on e-mail of possible terrorist attacks against Westerners and places that cater to Western people.

May 8th

     This is a picture of me as we walk to our truck.  It was raining all morning which slowed down the protests.  Love this umbrella!  It reminds me of a children's story called "Little Black Sambo."  Anybody remember that story?

          Today we spent 3 1 1/2 hours at the Congolese Embassy trying to find out where a passport is for a young man who applied for this passport last August.  We finally discovered it had arrived sometime in April.  We have made repeated trips to the Embassy since mid September looking for it. We actually got to see it , but they wouldn't give it to us.  One man said the money for this passport had not arrived in Kinshasa, so we couldn't have it until we paid for it again.  HA!!  Kinshasa wouldn't have made the passport and sent it to Bujumbura if they had not received the money for it.  Methinks this jerk is just trying to get us to pay for it twice!  We have the receipt showing we paid for it, so we shall see.

     More violence again today.  Two cars were burned and people injured.  This is one of the cars that was burned.

Someone blocked this road with a ???????

   
May 9th

We were notified by UPS that a package had arrived for us, but they were not delivering because of the protests and ongoing unrest.  So we drove to UPS and picked it up.  Thanks, Kim!  We also are having no garbage pick-up, no lawn mowing because of barricaded streets.  Could end up with piles of trash and very long grass!

Tonight we took our 8 missionaries to dinner as our final time all together.  You get so attached to these cute young missionaries that it's hard to say good-bye.  We won't have any young missionaries in Bujumbura till things settle down.  All sisters are being pulled,  and the remaining 2 elders here will go to Uvira.

Tuesday, May 5th

Today was an interesting day for us.  We jumped in the trusty truck to go do some errands as usual and found that our street was barricaded at both ends.  So Gary hopped out and moved some rocks so we could proceed.  When we rounded the corner we could see that every street was barricaded and the street we were on was barricaded every few yards.  A group of young men standing at the corner had us stop and they informed us we needed to return to our house and not try to get out.  I think they frowned on us going through their barricade.

We returned home and called the Van Wagoner's to ask them try to get as close as possible to us so we could hand off the electric bills that needed to be paid so we both wouldn't run out of power.    A branch president from Uvira was coming to meet with us today and we were supposed to pick him up at the Marché de Sion, but that obviously wasn't going to happen.  We called him on the phone to cancel our meeting and then walked a couple of blocks over barricades and met the Vans'.  While we were at their truck, we heard singing and chanting.  The protesters were moving in our direction.  Van Wagoner's took off,  and we started walking back home toward the group.  They had stopped in the intersection where we needed to make a turn to get home.  They were singing and seemed in a good mood.   We walked through the group of protesters, greeting them, shaking hands  and saying "hello."  Everyone was quite friendly.  One young man shook my hand, looked me in the eye and said, "Pray for Burundi."  Amen.

In the early evening just before dark, we made a quick trip to Jean Paul's to give him things that needed to go to Uvira.  ( By 5:00pm the barricades were partially open so we could get out.)


Wednesday, May 6th

This morning the barricades were all back up,  and the protesters were having another march in our neighborhood.  They had several fires burning in the streets.  We asked to see if we could leave because I had an English class to teach with the missionaries.  Permission denied.  We walked back home and called the missionaries to say we couldn't make it.  We understand we may be able to get out after 3:00pm today.

The number of Burundians who have fled the country now has reached 40,000.  This includes the vice president of the courts.  The court was considering whether the president has a legal right to run again.  One article I read said that of the 7 judges, 4 were saying it was illegal for him to run again.  Then the pressure began, and rather than die, 3 of the judges changed their minds and voted that it was legal for him to run.  The fourth one, the vice president of the court, fled in the night for Rwanda.

A total of 16 people were injured today in different parts of Bujumbura.  The Imbonerakure (youth group affiliated with the ruling party) attacked peaceful demonstrators at Kanyosha, a suburb just south of us.  A dozen people were wounded by hand grenades thrown by the young members of the president's party.  They are armed and dangerous, menacing and violent.

Jan Egeland, former top humanitarian official for the U.N., called for international action to avoid a catastrophe in Burundi.

"All lights are blinking in Burundi.  All alarms are going.  So where's the fire brigade?" Egeland told a news conference in Geneva.

Friday, May 1

This evening after dark, there were 2 grenade attacks in the Kamenge neighborhood.  Three people were killed, 2 policeman and a civilian, and several injured.
The government has closed the University of Burundi and put all the students out in the street.  Now about 500 displaced students are camped out in front of the U.S. Embassy which is not far from the University.  Students say they feel safe near the Embassy, and some are asking for asylum.

Saturday, May 2nd

Just before noon there was another grenade attack, this time in the city center.  There were injured, but no one was killed.  We went to Branch 1 because they had scheduled a session of Easter General Conference to be shown at 2:00pm.  We arrived to find nothing set up, no one there.  The branch president called us a few minutes later, saying that he was calling to cancel the showing of the Conference session because he and many other members of the Church were going to the markets to stock up on food.  The markets were closed last week and were open this week-end to let people buy food.  Word is the markets will all be closed again starting on Monday.  Only about 5 people showed up anyway.  The 2nd counselor is leaving for Rwanda, and he's not alone.  Reports estimate between 20,000 and 26,000 Burundians have fled the country.

Sunday, May 3rd

We had Church today and showed a session of Conference.  Attendance was fair.

Monday, May 4th

This morning we had a phone call from Gian Franco letting us know roads in our neighborhood were blocked with rocks and debris.  We managed to make our way with much zig zagging  to DHL in the city center  Their door was padlocked but when someone came to do business, they would unlock it and let the person in.  DHL is located right across the street from a small park called Independence Square.  Police almost line the perimeter of the park and are ready for anything.  They have their riot shields, gas masks and automatic weapons.  Not much going on so some of them were relaxing.

There was hardly anyone on the roads today.  When we tried to go home on the biggest and best road in Bujumbura,  we were stopped and ordered to turn around.  Picture below shows what was ahead on that road.  All we could tell was there was lots of smoke and police presence.  Gunfire could be heard in several different areas today.

Latest on today's events:

Police in Bujumbura shot dead at least 4 demonstrators and wounded 46 others.  The Death toll now 

stands at 13, including 2 soldiers and 1 policeman.  A grenade attack wounded 15. Around 600 protestors have been arrested.   Returning to our apartment was kind of tricky, as so many roads were barricaded with rocks and junk.

 These are a couple of the blockades we found as we were trying to return to our place.

Things are difficult for the missionaries because they are not able to be out teaching the gospel.  It's also hard to find markets that are open in order to buy food.  They are all fine, but scared.

Finally, tonight, a quote from the U.S. Ambassador in Bujumbura:

"Violent suppression of dissent and intimidation of citizens who have a right to protest peacefully is unacceptable in a nation what wishes to strengthen its democratic transition from a post-conflict society."

It went  on to deplore the authorities' decision to shut down African Public Radio, the main independent radio station in the country.

Tuesday, April 28th

Protests continue throughout the city, most businesses are closed, very little traffic on the streets.  From our house, we could hear automatic gunfire today.   The Red Cross says 6 protesters have been  killed so far.  Lots of soldiers and police on the streets, each one carrying an automatic rifle.

Wednesday, April 29th

We understand that a representative of the U.N has come to talk with the president, and President Obama has sent an envoy with a message from the U.S.  People hope that this will help the situation.  Some feel that the best outcome would be a military coup, deposing the "president" and placing a military leader in control until new elections could be scheduled for next year.

This evening, Gian Franco asked us to come to dinner at his house.  He had his mother-in-law, 2 sisters-in-law, another family member and 6 extra kids staying with him for the night in order to escape the violence in their neighborhood.  The African mamas prepared an African dish for us for dinner.  It was rice and a sauce made of cabbage, onions, peppers, tomatoes and nasty, whole little fish called dagala in it.  For the families at Gian Franco's house, the fear was that the out -of -control, armed youth group  (the Imbonerakure) would toss a grenade through their window or door during the night as vengeance for participating in the protests.

The young man who comes and takes our garbage came today and showed us a wound on his arm that he says happened when he was attacked by a member of the youth group in his neighborhood.  (Imbonerakure) Machete wound.

Thursday, April 30th


This morning we had to go to another quartier to pick up a sister missionary for a training session at our house.  On the way back to our house, we ran into a traffic jam on the main road so we turned down to go home a different way---through another neighborhood.  It was actually a jarring experience to go through this particular neighborhood.  It seemed almost surreal, as the area was scarred with remnants of many fires in the streets.  There was one fire burning brightly in the middle of the road, so many others smoldering, police everywhere.  You could see where roads had been blocked with stones and tree limbs.  Today in a neighborhood near us a policeman shot and killed a soldier.  Fifteen others  were injured.  The University of Burundi has been closed by the government and all the students have been put out in the streets.  None of the schools here are running as yet.  The government has shut down the independent radio station,  What's Ap, Twitter and Facebook.

Quote from a newspaper:  "Over the past days, Burundi has suffered a wave of killings, arbitrary arrests, detention, the closure of media outlets and the targeting of human rights defenders.  The ruling party openly condoned the violence.  An electoral process that lacks credibility, not to speak about one that triggers outright violence, is a huge setback for Burundi."

These are a couple of the fires burning as a protest against the current president's bid to run for office again instead of stepping down, as the constitution  requires.  It's difficult, if not dangerous, to attempt to get photos of the police, soldiers, riot scenes.