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Mennonite Central Committee

Relief, development and peace in the name of Christ

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Mennonite Central Committee

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches, shares God's love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. ​

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  3. On assignment: MCC agricultural worker
Burundi

On assignment: MCC agricultural worker

September 27, 2021

Name: Vanessa Bielema

Hometown: Grass Valley, California (Crossroads Church)

Assignment: Serving with MCC partner Help Channel Burundi (HCB) in a conservation agriculture project. My husband Craig, our daughter Wren and I live in Bujumbura, Burundi, one of the most food-insecure countries in the world. I accompany the HCB team in planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Vanessa meets with farmers during a field visit. Vanessa Bielema meets with farmers in her work with MCC partner Help Channel Burundi. Help Channel Burdundi photo/Inès Inarukundo

Typical day: Varies from visits to farmers’ fields to hours in the office helping to write and edit  reports or form survey tools to get the right data to give a fuller picture of the impacts of our work.

Joys: Being part of the HCB team, particularly when we come together to solve a problem or to do project planning. Serving as a family. The majority of the farmers that we work with are women, and many come to meetings or events with a small child tied on their backs. When our daughter, 3, is with me, her presence helps them see that I too am a mom, with the same cares as they have for our families and communities.

Vanessa's daughter, Wren, crouches near a small child in Burundi.

Wren Bielema, daughter of MCC workers Craig and Vanessa Bielema, greets Ingabire Lynthia Lienna during a farmers' group meeting for an MCC-supported agriculture project. Help Channel Burundi photo/Inès Inarukundo

Challenge: Burundi is a place that is scarred deeply by its history of division, violence and fear. While I find it such an amazing blessing to serve with a committed team of Burundians working to bring healing and provision to their country, I  often feel that I comprehend so little of the experiences of those around me.

A verse I hold on to: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NRSV) The Bible is so full of images and stories about gardens, farming and livestock. Seeing how much God values the work of stewarding the earth and working the soil brings a profound dignity to the farmers we work with and reminds me how honored I am to serve them. But the need can seem overwhelming. I have begun to think of Jeremiah 29:11 as a prayer and promise for our participants. Our unfathomable God knows each one, and for each one has a plan.


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Learn about current MCC service opportunities, go to mcc.org/serve, linkedin.com/mccpeace or contact your nearest MCC office

 

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