LPC people know the names of the people and the place. John and Jess Cropsey. Kibuye, Burundi, East Africa. For eight years we have heard the names and have gotten to know John and Jess just a little bit. They visit with us from time to time. We have learned about the wonderful work they are doing in that little town we had never heard of before – in a country few of us could have found on a map.
John is an ophthalmologist serving as part of the medical mission team at Kibuye Hope Hospital. This video was shot five years ago, but still captures the heart of what John is doing. Indeed, the blind are made to see.
The Kibuye team is building an amazing center of healing in what may be the poorest place on the planet.
But the Kibuye team is not just a group of Western professionals there to give to those who have nothing. They have become a part of the community, learning from their neighbors and loving them as friends.
Jess, in particular, loves the teachers and the students at the local school and has shared her love for them with us, offering ideas on how we might support the school and its students and teachers. Last winter LPC was able to fund the purchase of a copy machine (in Kibuye, Burundi!) and some other equipment. Jess told us she would use whatever funds that might be left after the major purchases to provide simple supplies – rulers, pencils, sharpeners, erasers – for the students.
This past Monday Jess texted from Burundi (I love modern communication technology!) telling us, With the remaining money from Langhorne’s gift to the local school in February, we purchased new uniforms for the first graders as well as some supplies that are required for the country’s new first grade curriculum (ruler, eraser, pencil, & sharpener). The kids were very excited! Please pass along our thanks and these pictures and video to the missions committee and/or the congregation. God bless, Jess Cropsey
One of Jess’ pictures is in the header of this post. LPC folks, you’ll see the video in worship – prepare to fall in love with some joy-filled first graders in the poorest country on the planet.
One of the hallmarks of LPC’s mission program as it has evolved over the past dozen years is that it tends to be relational. Good relationships are built on love and trust. John and Jess were called to Burundi to lead a medical mission that is, in fact, changing lives, physically and spiritually, in the poorest country on earth. But love has spilled beyond the halls of the hospital to the local school and its 1,500 students and their teachers. Trust means that when Jess Cropsey has an idea, we want to be a part of it.
Some much-needed equipment for the teachers, rulers and pencils, sharpeners and erasers, for the first graders. You’ll want to see the video.
Last Monday morning I replied to Jess’ text and thinking about an designated gift our mission program had just received, I asked her if she had any other ideas. She replied immediately. Great timing! Yes, as a matter of fact they had to close their kindergarten/preschool class this year because the local administration would not allow them to continue using the church building as a classroom. They do not have any other classrooms free. So, they would like to build an additional classroom off one of the existing buildings. I asked them for a rough estimate, but don’t have numbers yet. My guess would be $5000, but don’t hold me to that. :-)
The Mission Committee met Monday night and voted to designate $6,000 of the special gift we had just received to the new kindergarten classroom in Kibuye, Burundi. That’s how love and trust in the name of Christ works. I’m hoping there will be a little money left for some more pencils and rulers or whatever else those students might need.
By the way, if you’ve ever wondered what to do with some money that’s not working very hard, talk to me. I may have some ideas about how love and trust could give it something worthwhile to do.
See you Sunday (and be ready for that video)