Thursday, January 26, 2012
Into Africa
Arrived last evening after a nice travel adventure. The flight from Brussels was only 9 hours and I was able to sleep most of the way.
Was met at the airport by Fr. Emmanuel the Catholic priest in charge of COPED and sponsoring the mission work here. We had an enjoyable evening and a light dinner at the DAI home where we are staying. The home itself is a beautiful colonial home with walls, wire, guards and a garden. Of course, the walls and guards are just for show.
Today I met with a former Minister of Agriculture and discussed the pros and cons of raising rabbits here. He is interested to see if it is possible for the coffee farmers to do so for off season income or as a project for orphans to raise money to stay in school . A rabbit for protein would fetch around 8 dollars or 4 days high wage. I might go up country to lead a seminar on the subject next week in conjunction with a USAID funded NGO.
Tonight we attended the Shika Awards for the Burundi Business Incubator. Five finalists were selected from many applications to have their business plans judged. Everything from mushroom production to medical records software were proposed. The mushroom grower won first prize of 1000000 Burundi Francs or $10000. The proposals were impressive and the goal is to raise up entrepreneurs who can start businesses and provide jobs.
All in all a good day in Africa.
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God bless you and those along side of whom you minister. May the work in which you engage bring hope and opportunity to many in the Name of Christ Jesus our Lord.
ReplyDeleteMay God bless your work there, and keep your family in your absence; and may this trip strengthen a link between dioceses and nations. I remember reading an article a few years back from the Min of Ag of Vietnam about raising rabbits in warrens. It didn't work here because I had the wrong breeds and the location was too wet and the soil too heavy, but the article said it worked well in the tropics. My best to all there with ways to produce quick and clean protein for their families and villages, not to mention jobs.
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