Second Term Updates – Niger

Yesterday we experienced the work of God through former missionaries first-hand as we worshipped in Baneira about an hour and a half from Niamey in a small village church that was started by a local man. He had been saved under the ministry of missionaries sent out from the states. This church has since started several other churches in the area. These people have only had the Bible in their language for about a year. Missionary Tim Wright imparted the Word yesterday, working through Genesis, teaching these villagers of how God created all things. This is news to them, and they seemed eager to receive it. On most Sundays there are over 200 people crowded in and around a building meant for only about 75. What a blessing to see their hunger for God’s Word.

Rainy season has arrived. Most of the unpaved roads (which is a good portion of them) are a quagmire if not a pond at times. This is only the beginning, though. The season can last into September, and most hope it does.

We signed a rental agreement last week and are in the process of making repairs before we move in. While the work is being done on our house, we are taking the time to go get our car. We fly to Bamako tonight and hope to drive back here to Niamey some time this week. All depends on what needs done to our car to make it road-worthy, and how long it takes to get the paperwork done. We have a missionary friend in Bamako who has started the paperwork process for us. While there, we will be spending some time with former co-workers from ICA – a special treat. As far as we can determine, we hope to be traveling back here on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. For most of the trip, we will be traversing paved roads. We appreciate your prayers for that trip. We know that God has been answering your prayers; we sense His direction in decisions we are making.

“Satan attacks, hopes we will falter;
But we have all the power through the Father of Lights
And in that power of God’s Spirit and might,
The victory is ours in the Lord.
So take up the sword and put on the armor,
Watching, always praying pressing on toward the mark
Standing firm, standing firm on the Rock.”

The words to this chorus written by a friend and co-laborer of ours have been running through our minds for the past month as we prepared for and finally arrived here in Niger. It seemed that in the last few weeks we were home, Satan tried to discourage us in many ways. Once we were finally on our way, late and/or missed connections again made us feel weary. At times we thought “Wow, why are we not getting upset?” It was then that God reminded us of your prayers. We want you to know that you have carried us once again. Thank you for ministering to us in this way.

As we spent this afternoon of July 4th celebrating with others at the American club (games and a cookout – no fireworks), we had the opportunity to meet lots of missionary kids. These MK’s are our mission field, both the ones we will teach directly and others with whom we will interact. We’re glad to be here where God has placed us and are looking forward to the year ahead.

Our next big obstacle is finding a place to live. After looking at 4 possible houses today, we understand why veteran missionaries to Niamey have warned us of this daunting task. While some take huge amounts of work and money up front to be liveable, others have monthly rents out of our price range. We looked at one that might work only to find ourselves on a waiting list of possible renters. Please pray that God will lead us to the right house for us within the next week so that we can make necessary repairs and move in before our responsibilities start at Sahel Academy in August.

If this is the first e-mail you’ve received from us since before we left ICA and Ivory coast, I apologize. It seems that the e-mails sent by satellite while on the road may not have gone out as expected.

After a frustrating 2-day trip, we arrived at a very nice hotel in Bamako around 8:00 Sunday evening. Our various missions planned for us to take 2 days to recoup followed by 2 days of ‘debriefing’ etc. Since this may be the last time some of us are together, we are taking advantage of every minute. Yesterday we joined together in our last praise and worship service as ‘ICA’ during which several shared precious promises that God had revealed to them from His Word in the last week. I was especially blessed by some of our students who shared. What a week of life application we have all experienced!

Now, for all of us, the questions begin. Not just where do we go from here, but why were we here in the first place only to evacuate again 11 weeks after school began. All of us agreed with one staff member who shared that, even though we may never know the ‘why’, we knew that we had been faithful in what God had lead us to do.

We aren’t the only ones to have come out of Ivory Coast. As we sit and talk with other missionaries and hear of their amazing ‘escapes’, we realize how ‘busy’ God has been, and once again we are awed at His faithfulness. This must be a small taste of what we will experience in heaven as we praise and worship God by relating how faithful He has been.

We hope to fly out tomorrow around midnight, although at this point the embassy is still negotiating ticket prices. We have been very blessed by their help, by the love that has been shown to us by the missionary community here in Bamako, and by all the prayers offered up on our behalf by all of you. We can’t wait to see you and share in person what God has done once again.