I'm back! It's Wednesday, I know, but I just now got easy internet access. Last Thursday, we left Tanzania and returned to Burundi, settling for a few days at the LWF field office in Ruyigi, a VERY small town in eastern Burundi.

Friday: We visited a basket weaving cooperative in Cendajuru, a mountain village located between Ruyigi and the Tanzanian border. Many of the women are returned refugees who learned their weaving skills through TCRS in the camps and are making these baskets from natural and recycled materials. I worked alongside them for a few moments- but my basket-weaving skills are on par with my knitting skills (ie below zero), so they will not be recruiting me to the co-op anytime soon! These women have now resettled in Burundi - some in their villages of origin and others in villages near the Tanzanian border. They seemed to be enjoying their work immensely and are now working on marketing the baskets outside of Burundi. I bought quite a few to bring home - some as gifts, some to sell. I'll try to post pictures tomorrow, so you can take a look. I've got a few ideas on how to market them, but welcome any contributions.

The remainder of Friday and Saturday were spent visiting various villages where the residents are marginalized- one village consisted of expellees - Burundians who had been living peacefully (but not legally) in Tanzania. The government suddenly and forcibly removed them to Burundi; they were working in their fields one minute and the next they were returning to Burundi on foot, leaving all their possessions behind. We visited a school where there are two teachers for 165 students- the lead teacher is literally living in the back of the classroom due to lack of resources. LWF is currently assisting this school to get desks for the students (they're currently on the floor with just the teacher and a chalkboard)..

It's difficult to summarize what I've seen and experienced here. In some ways I feel like I've been here forever, but there have been so many different and intense experiences that it's also flown by. What I've sensed most profoundly is the need for a place to call home, to be settled. After talking with so many different groups (refugees in camps, those on their way to the US, those in limbo, returnees, displaced villagers and those who never left their homes), it's clear that the ones living in uncertainty had the most distress. Seems obvious, I know, but it reiterates that helping people create a home (whether in the US or returned to their communities of origin) is critical. Lacking that sense of home and community is what makes it difficult for me to be here, though I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. So, for those of you working so hard (my co-workers at home :) to provide that for refugees, keep doing it. For the rest of us...don't take it for granted. That is one important lesson I will take from here..

Thanks again for the comments..they are much appreciated! I have felt very safe during my time here (no rebels lurking in the bushes, as far as I know) and have been working too hard to get into any trouble :)