Easter 2007

He is risen; He is risen, indeed. We hope you experienced a joyous Resurrection morn, just as we did here in Niger. The English-speaking community in Niamey met at sunrise at our mission’s elementary french school ampitheatre on a rise overlooking the Niger River. Although a lot of those meeting together were missionaries, not all were; we also celebrated Easter with US embassy personnel, peace corp workers, military, and others from English-speaking countries around the world who are living here. Just as in America, Easter is the time of year to pay homage to the risen Lord.

Boubacar (the weekend guard you’ve been praying for) who watched another film about the Bible this week, asked to go to church with us this morning. Since the service was in English, he didn’t comprehend a lot. However, missionary friends of ours who work with the Tuareg, asked him to go on to the Easter service at the Tamasheq (language of the Taureg) church. We’re praying that he is finding answers and friends who can better show him the meaning of the cross. (His uncle died of a large tumor this past week; maybe it is causing Boubacar to think more seriously about eternity.)

It is the hot time of year with temperatures most afternoons 110+ and the humidity climbing. (Niamey is the hottest capital city in the world.) It’s the lazy time of year; not much work is planned for the middle of the afternoon. It’s also the hungry time for many when last year’s crops are disappearing and there is no moisture for new crops. This will continue until some time in June when the rains come, bringing much-anticipated moisture to water the ground and to cool things off – slightly. The crops will grow, bringing relief from the hunger.

We are enjoying a change of pace last week and this next week as we have a 2-week break from school. I am building a simple pulpit and some benches for the new church in Baneira, while Lois works in the air-conditioned computer lab at Sahel Academy doing maintenance-type things to the school network.

We say it often, but we mean it every time we say it: thank you for your faithful prayers. We could not be here without you. God bless you on this Easter Sunday.