Missionary Simon Guillebaud Reflects on Faith Amidst Civil War in Burundi

In his book Dangerously Alive, missionary Simon Guillebaud recounts his experiences moving to Burundi in 1998 at age 25. Amidst a brutal civil war and the aftermath of regional genocide, Guillebaud worked as an evangelist for Scripture Union. He describes his time in the country as a period of both physical and spiritual warfare, noting that he often faced shelling and skirmishes while establishing Christian ministries. Despite the danger, he expresses that he maintained a deep sense of peace by remaining within what he calls the heart of God’s will.

Guillebaud shares several accounts of what he characterizes as miraculous events that occurred as peace returned to the region. He tells the story of a rebel soldier who recovered from near-death and later became a Christian president, as well as the healing of a woman named Mary, who had been blind, paralyzed, and unable to speak. He also recounts the story of a woman named Victoria, who he says was healed after being kidnapped and cursed by witchdoctors. Guillebaud uses these experiences to challenge Western Christians to prioritize eternal matters over material comfort.