Beyond Surreal

{Note, this was from Wednesday but due to internet connection could not be posted until today}

It's difficult to fully explain just exactly how surreal today was. I compared my last trip to rural Burundi similar to traveling back in time - where everyone is rural farmers with no electricity or running water. And I say surreal because along with that you are in the middle of a tropical paradise. Everything is lush and green, no space is wasted for crops, and everywhere you turn there are banana trees, corn stalks, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, avocado trees, tea and coffee plants, and so much more. And with all of that, the people of Nyamwango and Songa-Fuku made it a very special day for us.

We trekked the two-hour drive from Bujumbura early this morning, slowed by rain and heavy fog. But as we neared the Songa area the fog began to lift and the sun peeked from the thick clouds overhead. It could not have been more perfect. Our project manager took us by fot to each tap stand that the Foundation has funded over the past two years. We got to speak with many of the locals and gather first hand what a difference the clean water has made in their life. The most recent project was for the Batwa people of Burundi, a tribe that is only about 5% of the population and the poorest of the poor. Subsistence farming at it's barest bones, living off what little land they have and known to others as "the dirty people".

But the water has changed their life, and interview after interview revealed to us that they are no longer suffering from many of the diseases that plagued them. The worms they got in their stomachs from drinking water of the same creeks their cattle and goats went to are no longer sending them to the hospital or even worse taking their life. Kids can now attend school because their day isn't spent fetching water from the nearest source. For many, they can go out their front door and be within 15-20 yards of a fresh water tap.

There is so much to write and tell, but I will keep it short. The two villages hosted a big welcome celebration for us complete with Burundian drummers, dancers, and the head government administration for the area (similar to a mayor of a US city). We have some great video - and pictures - of the welcome and the performances. Afterward we traveled to the home of Gilbert's mother. I'm fairly confident he has the largest family of anyone I know with his 30+ nephews and nieces. One of his sisters has nine kids!

We're now settled for the evening in the city of Bururi at the foothills of a national forest. They tell us there are gorillas and other large jungle animals once you venture in to the thick tree line, but Albert and I are okay with just taking in the view from our hotel! Unfortunately we can't post pictures because of the internet connection, but hope to get them up this weekend!