As the patients painfully made their way into hospital assisted by the night nurses, a small child called 'Emma' (Emmanuel) darted back to where the doctor-in-charge was admitting the patients. She was writing brief notes on their record cards before assigning them to a bed to receive immediate treatment from one of the staff. Emma was ruining the system! 'Wasn't this child admitted just now and sent to a bed?' 'Yes, that's him again! There certainly doesn't seem to be too much wrong with him!' The doctor had noted that he had some kind of head injury, but judging by his alertness and activity the bandage must be covering a superficial wound.

This was a few days after opening our new 30-bed hospital in the centre of Bujumbura and already Medecin Du Mond had discovered us - a new place to which they could bring warwounded civilians, especially if, there was not enough room in the government hospitals. On this occasion they brought 25 patients, but we already had 10 beds occupied. We had been donated the equipment from a 1950's sixty-bed American army field hospital so a further 5 canvas beds were retrieved from the warehouse.

These patients had two week old injuries, more or less untreated, so they were mostly suffering from severe infection. Tonight they required somewhere safe to sleep, pain-killers and antibiotics. Tomorrow the surgery would begin. 'Tomorrow' was a busy day! Quite apart from the usual throng of outpatients with malaria, scabies, dysentery, coughs and colds the team of doctors and nurses cleaned infected wounds and began surgery.

Examination of Emma revealed a hole in his skull with brain tissue exposed. He had a bullet in his brain! The six most serious cases (apart from one who was too weak to move) were taken in our ambulance to our surgical unit a short distance away. These six all had bullet wounds and/or open fractures. Due to the sanctions being imposed on Burundi by its neighbours, all the medical equipment and surgical instruments we had ordered last year had still not arrived. Fractures that would have been treated by external fixation had to be dealt with in other ways. A functioning X-ray machine was still being installed.

We managed, and most of the patients have now gone home. Nearly all of them came without anyone to look after them and feed them etc., and also completely naked. We gave them clothes and we trust that they experienced the love of God through the prayers and care which they received.

The primary aim of African Revival Ministries (which run these two health facilities, among a number of other activities in several Central African countries) is to bring the good news of Jesus. In Burundi it is to bring this message to Hutus and Tutsis alike and to demonstrate God's love in the way treatment is given: to show through the mixed team of carers and their interaction, that reconciliation is possible whatever has been suffered in the past. (Some of our staff have amazing personal testimonies of God's grace in the midst of terrible atrocities.) Rohero Surgical Unit has been running for a year and Jabe Hospital for six months. Funding for the hospital has been promised for a further year, and we believe the Lord will continue to supply the needs of our Surgical Unit. We want to buy both properties as they are currently rented with no long-term security of tenure.

We are pressing ahead with plans to extend our provision of health care in Burundi - firstly with 4 or 5 dispensaries in and around Bujumbura, and then with eight Rural Health Centres in eight of the 15 provinces of Burundi. Many of the existing government facilities have had to close or are unable to function effectively and the cost of health care makes it difficult to obtain for much of the population of this very poor country.

It is an exciting and challenging vision, and one which we believe was birthed in the heart of God.

For address of African Revival Ministries click here.