Many have heard us talk about Mt. Hope and you may remember it is where we plan to live in Burundi. Well, I want to tell you the wonderful story of how God gave Sister Connection Mt. Hope.

I have heard it said off of Psalm 50, He owns a cattle on a thousand hills, and He owns the hills also. Well, in the middle of the small country of Burundi, Africa there is a mountain and it was owned by the government of Burundi. A great and beautiful mountain that looks over the entire valley and as far as the eye can see. Others tried to buy the land from the government, but the answer was always no.

In the province where this mountain is located there was a Muslim governor and he had been paying close attention to the organization Sister Connection. He noticed how in his governing area there were now widows that had roofs over their heads, clothes in place of rags and their children were even attending the local schools. This didn’t just catch the governors eye, but it gripped his heart also. You see, he too was an orphan and knew the struggles his widowed mother went through and he knew the pains and difficulties of an orphan, the very downtrodden ones that Sister Connection was helping raise from the pit of despair.

He decided to give Sister Connection land. The Sister Connection U.S. director, Denise, and the Burundi director, Joy went to see what land they had been gifted. When they pulled up Denise said, “what are we doing here?” She was told, this is the land. She said, ‘this isn’t just land, this is a mountain!” She and Joy didn’t have any idea what they were going to do with a mountain, but it was clear, this was a gift only God could orchestrate on behalf of the least of these in Burundi.

I remember working for Sister Connection at the time and Denise came back to the U.S. and told me this miraculous story and about this mountain. It was fun to dream and think, what in the world is God going to do with this land? Maybe gatherings for the widows and orphans, maybe a place for them to come and be trained, maybe a place where Bible studies can be held. The name was given to the mountain, Mt. Hope. It fits, I love it.

It was an empty mountain and I remember the first building being constructed, it is named the House of Joy. I just love walking into that building, and seeing smiles on widows faces. I remember having a sincere time of prayer that building, the board of Sister Connection was there as maybe 40 widows were on their knees and we prayed over them. I remember sitting by the windows of that building and feeling the mountain breeze as I watched widows in worship to God…this was their mountain I knew it. Oh it is God’s, but it was given for them. I remember hearing Stephanie’s testimony in that building as she said, “I used to dig through the trash to try and find food for me and my children, and now….look, I am dressed like a queen.” There’s is no way you could see her and not smile.

There was no electricity or water on Mt. Hope and the leadership had no idea how we would get either. I remember being in country for camps and the widows walking to Mt. Hope because they wanted to pray for water. I stood at the top of the mountain and watched 1,000+ widows march up that mountain with tenacity. Then, I watched the widows pray. I was praying too but I was also in complete shock and awe at how these women prayed. I was convinced water was going burst out of that ground any moment.

Today, Mt. Hope has a dormitory so widows and orphans can come stay and learn to sew, new gardening techniques, and so much more. There’s a classroom where someone will come in and teach about something like first aid, then those who were trained go out to their local areas and teach others. There are chickens and goats and coffee, pineapple, mangos, and even a moringa greenhouse now.

I consider it a deep blessing to have had the opportunity to see the growth and development of Mt. Hope. I am extremely humbled that my family will be the first occupants in the new guest house. And I am most excited to continue seeing the hand of God as He uses this mountain for His glory as He continues pouring out His love to the widows and orphans of Sister Connection and Burundi.

Psalm 72:2-4

2 May he judge your people with righteousness,
    and your poor with justice!
³ Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,
    and the hills, in righteousness!
⁴ May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
    give deliverance to the children of the needy,
    and crush the oppressor!