Ugh - not riding this year after all

My return to Burundi will have to wait for 2023 as some family commitment/conflicts as well as a mid-May work trip to Poland have gotten in the way!

Simon and a few others are indeed riding at the end of May this year and if you search for Tour du Burundi on Facebook you will find plenty of details (or just email me!).

Keep well-

Mark

Going Back to Burundi - 2022 Tour du Burundi IS HAPPENING!!

For the first time since 2016 due to safety concerns (and Covid the last two years), the GLO Tour du Burundi fundraiser will return to Burundi in May 2022!  

I am definitely going back as the 2017 ride in Rwanda was beautiful, it just lacked the connection to the people and the projects that we are riding to fund.  If you have an interest in spending a life changing week in Burundi with me and a few other crazies in leotards cycling around a beautiful country, get in touch with me for details.  

If you cannot ride though, there are many ways to participate and/or support and your involvement physically, supportively or just plain financially will be a great addition to towards a better future for Burundi!

Watch this blog for more info as we get started in 2022 on preparations.

Merry Christmas!

Mark

2021 Tour du Burundi postponed due to COVID

A bit of bad news as due to Covid restrictions, it was decided this week that the June Tour du Burundi 2021 will be postponed a year for most of the riders - though if travel restrictions are eased - a few of us may try and squeeze it in the last week of August/first week of September.

Argh.......

2021 Tour du Burundi - WE'RE GOING BACK!!!

For the first time since 2016 due to safety concerns (and Covid the last two years), the GLO Tour du Burundi fundraiser will return to Burundi in May 2021!  

I am definitely going back as the 2017 ride in Rwanda was beautiful, it just lacked the connection to the people and the projects that we are riding to fund.  If you have an interest in spending a life changing week in Burundi with me and a few other crazies in leotards cycling around a beautiful country, get in touch with me for details.  

If you cannot ride though, there are many ways to participate and/or support and your involvement physically, supportively or just plain financially will be a great addition to towards a better future for Burundi!

Watch this blog for more info as we get started in 2021 on preparations.

Merry Christmas!

Mark

Where's the Money Going??!! Some good project news.....

Burundi and the need for funding for the GLO Projects there will not stop anytime soon, so in light of the Biking for Burundi fundraiser coming to a close, I wanted to share some recent updates from Simon Guillebaud's Blog herein to give you a taste of some good recent news from GLO project partners to provide an idea of what your donations are doing in Burundi.  Please read on......

BUILDING A HOSPITAL VIA PARTNERS TRUST INTERNATIONAL

On Friday's there was a ground breaking ceremony in Bugarama that was the end of the beginning of a long journey. Building a much needed hospital was/is our plan, with GLO local partner Partners Trust International. Three years ago GLO was granted land, then the grant was retracted, then more land was given.  The saga seemed never-ending and was hotly contested.  On New Year's Eve, the Minister for the Environment, who was about to provide the last signature in the tortuous process, was murdered. Would it ever happen? Well, the answer is now a definitive 'Yes!' We are very grateful to the Government for giving a staggering 4 hectares in a country where land is at such a premium. In the years to come, we trust countless lives will be saved and impacted.

GITEGA INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY'S 1ST GRADUATING CLASS

ON Saturday and Sunday Simon and Lizzie had two days of beautiful and moving celebration marking the first graduating class of the Gitega International Academy.   Gitega International Academy is the first English-speaking boarding school in the country.  Many of the nation’s key leaders’ and influencers’ children attend.  Via GLO's partner Youth for Christ, it has exploded over the last five years, and I (Simon) say with confidence it’s the nicest campus in the country. The stories of maturing students’ transformed lives were touching to listen to. The first graduation took place during a massive televised event with 1,000 guests from across Burundi and around the world. And on Sunday, it was pure celebration of all that God had done over the last 17 years. Freddy, my Burundian soulmate who I met on my first day in Burundi, who never wore shoes or underwear until he was 14-years-old, is now a household name in the country.  He’s been used by God to build four schools, three orphanages, and more.  He is now handing over (a very rare thing over here) the leadership of the thriving ministry to his faithful co-worker, Euphrate.  He launched his book ‘Where Cow Grass Grows' (Available on Amazon) which tells his inspiring life-story.

And a little bonus in the mix on Saturday was that Lizzie and I were both awarded MBEs in the Queen's birthday honours list for services to Burundi. I'm so grateful to Lizzie for journeying with him through all the craziness and challenges of life out here, and we're happy to receive the honour on behalf of all the precious sacrificial brothers and sisters we have the privilege of working alongside in Burundi. All for God's glory!

Your donations are making a difference in Burundi now and building for the future as well.  

Thanks for your support.

Mark

The Cycling Has Stopped, The Need in Burundi is as Great as Ever!

International Headlines from the past three weeks:

• Instability, Abuse Force Thousands of Burundians to Flee Country

• Situations in Burundi remains dire, says Amnesty International

• Expired and fake drugs seized in Bujumbura

• Burundi Paralyzed by Fuel Shortages as Leaders Blame Lack of Dollars

Obviously while my pain from the Biking for Burundi Cycling Tour has stopped, Burundi remains mired in a mess created by its President (some might say) with no clear path towards change at hand.

Thus, please if you have not already donated, give something as any sized donation goes a long ways in Burundi and Great Lakes Outreach is delivering the funds where they are needed to make a difference.

Day 7 - a "sprint" to the finish (Thank Goodness We Are DONE!!!!!)

Kigali never looked so good!!!  We cruised home after some early work today, ripping off the last 15km in a wonderful snake line of 13 at a good 25-29kmh clip except when we hit a small (of course!) last climb to Scripture Union HQ in Kigali.  Today was the fastest pace of the week and in light of it - my heart rate averaged only 128bpm.  The body is amazing how it adjusts to what you are doing as I have never had such a ride in Spain!!  This was over 137km at an average rate of 24.8kmh no less!!  Bizarre!!

Final totals for the 7 days were 794.2km, 14,378m of climbing and the most mind (errrr - ass) numbing statistic of all.............37 hours and 45 minutes of MOVING TIME on the bike!!!  Ugh!!!

Our legs had little time to fully rest after the ride as we were hosted by the British Ambassador to Rwanda at the British Embassy (called something else officially - but same function!).  Some great steak on a stick there along with ample supply of Heineken made for a great evening finish to a tough week.  THANK YOU UK!!!

As always a crowd of the curious for the curious looking

Some final day fun!!

Makes you want to just curl up and lie!

Huge shout out to Rakiki, our "guide" for the week and one of the original 5 members of Africa is Rising, Team Rwanda Cycling Team (finished 2nd in 2012 Tour de Rwanda)

Day 5 - a trip up & down (& up & down, & up & down) the coast

Very very tough day on the bike.  The route was beautiful as we rode southwest along the coastline of Lake Kivu, however, the road was just non-stop up and down, up and down, etc......  More so, the ups were a lot longer and most reaching 8-10% (even 12-13%!!) gradients.  Then at 92km mark we had a 8km climb followed by another 2km just when we thought it was over.  Tough. Tough.  Tomorrow will be worse so back to back combo a big challenge.  Arghhhhhhh, will the legs take this???

Luckily for my roommates, I do not snore (well, kind of not)

Amply apply that sunscreen Simon!!

Gorgeous country!

How I felt the whole week!!!!

Always friends along the way to cheer you up!

Lake Kivu - wonderful way to re-energize the body after a day on the bike

Day 6 - The Most Brutal Day of Biking Ever for Me!!

Where to start?!   The initial 10km climb right out of bed or the twin 10k climbs that followed shortly thereafter?!   Gradients hit 13%.   Not fun!   Add to that 40km start another 1,500m climb over 100km.  Ugh.  Hated the final 30km even though it was somewhat flat.  Body was done.  I was exhausted and sick to the stomach from a combination of electrolyte tabs, jerky, peanuts, gels and bananas.  Blech!!!

We rode from SW Rwanda near the lake due East through the rain forest, arriving in Huye

That said, when we entered the rain forest at about 40km, it was exhilarating.  Just jaw dropping nature at its finest.  Right now I am flat out on my bed, forgetting about the various throbbing pains by eating cherry cola gummies that I found in Istanbul airport.  Ahhhh.   

Hard to say if today was toughest day ever on a bike, as I did pace myself conservatively.  It was certainly my most painful though.  Nearly 8 hours in the saddle after 5 previous similar days.....just painful to sit on the saddle and painful to get up and adjust.  Searing pain when I would get up to adjust in fact.  Right now I have zero interest in seeing my bike tomorrow morning. ZERO!!!!

Good Morning Day 6!!!! (ugh I want to go back to sleep!!!)

No nervous tension here about Day 6

Hard to describe how beautiful the rain forest is

Trust me - it is gorgeous!!

Simon's message to Olive Tree School re their Beach Run for Burundi

 Shout Out to Olive Tree School for their organizing a Beach Run to Raise Money for Biking for Burundi!

Peddling away in the final hour of the day - whew!!

Day 4 - Bosco and what wonderful things from children

This is from Tuesday........

Amazing jolt of energy to wake up to a message like this:

Yesterday my son explained to me that he will run coming Friday at school..... this is for the children at the poorest place on the world..... there is a good man who lives there to help the children..... and we will help him raising money.......

This started off our breakfast discussion, drawing cheers from the table.  This young man of 7 goes to my daughter's school The Olive Tree School, who will be having a sponsored beach run to raise money for Biking for Burundi.  What an outstanding effort on their part - HUGE thanks from down here!!

Also.....

Hey - it is ALL about Burundi as that is THE why we are here riding.  Each night after dinner we are sharing personal stories.  One of our support team members, Mutebutsi Jean Bosco, leader of GLO supported project J-Life in Burundi, shared how much pain he is feeling in his heart for his country and people while here.  He sees clearly in Rwanda how far better off the people here are than in Burundi now and knows there was not such a big divide 20 years ago.  Bosco appreciates the global support and awareness we are all trying to build for Burundi and asks for continued prayer.  

Please remember Burundi far beyond this "Biking" experience.  

Burundi cannot be left as it is by the world!

A few photos from the Day 4 ride:

Team Photo during a rest stop

Some relax time in the evening - I wonder how much that Island would cost!?

What the heck is that white man doing in lycra outside my house??

Oh yeah - we did ride today didn't we......Day 4....An "easy" day though that is relative to the week. Some strong breeze usually from the left side. Just more and more beautiful Rwanda, culminating in a final decent to Lake Kibu, into which we dove and swam post-ride! Ahhhhh - fantastic water temp....great help for the legs I expect. Tough day tomorrow but we have a few hours now to relax.