HAVING TEA

I mentioned in ‘Vacation Pictures’ about a story I’d tell someday. This happened while Linda & I were vacationing for 2 weeks in Niamey. We were going to go shopping for cushion material, but first we had to stop at the small shop around the corner to finish buying for the co-op, take the receipts to the office for verification, and then drop off the purchases at the Guest House. While at both the office and at the Guest House we got distracted visiting this person and that person as different ones came in. It was nearly 11:30 when we finally left the guest house and decided to return to the house where we were staying. Then we thought maybe we should try to find Mariama and her sister Ruth, who might be living close to the GH. So we went to check out one area, which is a plot without a house, with squatters or maybe guards of the plot. We walked in and greeted the ladies invited us to sit down. The lady of the hut brought a heavy fluffy blanket for us to sit on and some water to drink. We finally mentioned that we were looking for M & R. Would they happen to know them and where they live? Why of course they did. One of the ladies is the sister of M & R’s uncle’s wife who works for us as a night guard at Galmi. Small world. But first they invited us to have some tea and then they’d take us. So we agreed. The lady left and came back with two French loaves (baguettes) and when she started to make the tea we knew we were in for a long stay before we’d be able to depart. In some ways, looking back, I think somehow we should have really tried to excuse ourselves, but we didn’t. Two rounds of sweet and bitter green tea and 1 ½ hours later (1 p.m.) we all left to go to M & R’s in the truck. It wasn’t too far away, just down around 2 corners.

Mariama and Ruth were so surprised and pleased to see us. I was really excited to see them too, because I didn’t know how we were going to find them. I had been praying that God would bring us together. And He did! They welcomed us into their hut, again sitting on a fluffy heavy blanket, we began another long visit. They other ladies went next door and visited someone then left. Mariama made some lunch –rice and beans with onions and spice. We talked and talked with Ruth; got her caught up on the Galmi news.

We met Mariama’s husband who’s been a musician for the last 3 years. There’s a group of 7 Fulani and 3 Tamajeq singers and players of instruments. They have made a tour in Europe last year and cut a CD with 10 pieces. It’s really a good production. We got to see pictures of them in their traditional dress for singers. He also embroiders, as do M & R, the typical Fulani style. After the lunch of rice and beans, they began making tea. Nibbling on peanuts we began the tea ‘ceremony’. It lasted another 1½ to 2 hours. We had the complete 3 rounds.

I have known Mariama & Ruth for 20 years, since Ruth was born. Their father was our compound guard for those 20 years. He’s now back in Tchinta with his family. His children would often come over to my place on Saturday morning. I’d try to help them with reading and writing skills. Ruth has done well and is completing the 10th grade. That’s quite commendable.

MORE PICTURES

Dinner at my place, from left to right: Vee, Yoko, Linda, Gen, Silke, Heather.

Shepherd carrying two newborn goats, on the ridge of the dam.

Huang Di leading the ladies up the embankment (Cali is up on with me, of course).

Leading the donkeys into the water to fill up the jugs. Camels, loaded with millet, stay at the edge to drink.

FUN TIMES

I’d like to share some fun times I've done recently, as I am able to squeeze time in between work. In October some friends came to Niger for a visit. Linda & I went to Maradi to catch up with them and bring them to Galmi. Vee & Heather, twins, spent nearly a month visiting and helping out wherever they saw a need. It had been 4 years since Vee left Galmi after serving 16 years as Galmi Guest House Hostess and Missionary Care. In Maradi we enjoyed eating out with other friends. At Galmi we shared meals together, made Christmas cards, played games, prayed together, came out to the bush for a visit, and many other things.

The last Saturday here five of us went for a walk at the dam that’s just east of Galmi. Of course we had to take the dogs with us. They were ever so anxious and excited when we let them out of the car. But we had them stay with us until we got off the ridge and to the edge of the water. Then they went wild with excitement as they went romping and swimming through the water trying to chase the birds. It’s such a refreshing place to take a walk and enjoy the sound of the water and watch the people bringing their animals down to water.

Just when we’re ready to get in the car and return the dogs decide to go for one last swim. You know how it is with kids –“just one more time, please”. But they didn’t ask they just went. We almost thought they might not come back. They jumped in the water and started swimming out and out and out and out. Finally we got their attention to turn around and they slowly made their way back to us. Oh how they loved that water! We’ll have to do that again someday soon.

A TYPICAL MONDAY

Mondays always seem to come early, especially when I have tried to sleep in on the weekend, 5:30 is early. This Monday, I decided I needed to get up earlier than usually as people were departing at 6. So a got my cup of tea and read my Bible and had my prayer time. This week the morning compound prayer is at my house which begins at 6:45 to 7:15. The van to take the 10 people to Niamey didn’t arrive until 6:30. They got packed up and in leaving around 6:50. We saw off 2 short termers, a retired pediatrician and a seminary student doing a pastoral internship, 1 vacationer, a family of 4 visiting from Japan, Yoko who escorted them, and 1 couple going to get their resident papers in Niamey. The compound is now very quiet with 15 of us spread out. Another gal joined me for prayer after their departure. I finish getting ready for work, putting on a Nigerien outfit, including head scarf; eat breakfast and am on my way to work before 8. It takes me 1 minute to get to the office on my bike at the far end of the compound. The PDI team meets for devotions together. Presently we’re going through a book on Christian doctrine with lots of verses to look up.

After that we review the previous day’s activity, what happened and what needs to happen. Then we plan the day’s activities, which villages we’re going to and what we’ll be doing. Usually that’s already planned, but just reviewed in case of changes that may have occurred. After that we have a teaching time. This week I started an introductory study on Chronological Bible Storying, which we do for about 1 hour. We’re reading the chapter together and discussing what we learn from it. This is done in French (material) and Hausa (discussion). Ten o’clock is break, for those who take a break, or keep working and doing preparations for the afternoon. We quit in the morning at 11.

The next 3 hours before going to the village at 2 p.m. are filled with various activities: going to the admin office to do some business; following up on the guest house work; reading and answering emails; going to the maintenance dept giving them some job to do – repair in my house; greeting an out-of-town visitor who’s come to the hospital; eat my lunch and take a napJ.

We arrived in the village late this week, because 15 minutes down the road we remembered we forgot the under-five health cards and Vitamin A. Two of the team members are dropped off in one village and 3 of us go on to the next. This day I stayed at the health post and met up with the Trained Birthing Attendants. Two weeks ago Monday, when we arrived we learned that one of the TBAs had just died. So that changed all plans. Marie and I went to the compound and stayed there until they had buried her. We greeted all the various groups: older women, older men, younger women. So this day as we had talked months ago about them working with an assistant, they didn’t have to be told or encouraged to consider our suggestion. They had made all sorts of excuses then. But now, they could see for themselves that with R’s passing away, they each need to have an assistant (a future replacement). They already selected a replacement for R who came. So I had 7 ladies that day all in earnest to apply themselves to caring for women and children in the village. We reviewed the lesson on Malaria: the symptoms, cause, treatment, and prevention. These are older women, grandmas, I’m working with. Instead of asking what the symptoms are for Malaria, I asked them to describe how they felt when they had Malaria. Each of them gave a good response and we covered all the various symptoms. We also reviewed eye infections as this time of the year with lots of flies, eye infections are rampant. At 6 we make our way to pick up the others and head back home arriving after 7.

I’m greeted by 2 frisky dogs as I park the vehicle in the shed. It’s great to feel missed and loved. I get Cali fed, find something in the fridge for myself, maybe take a walk with the dogs, take a shower, check emails, read, maybe listen to the worldspace radio and try to go to bed before 10.

That’s a typical Monday.

Vacation Pictures

What did I do on vacation? I played tourist one day and went out on the Niger River looking for hippos. We were 14 in a canoe, with 2 on the stick and 1 on the engine which didn't want to stay started.



















Well we found them. At first we thought they were rocks jutting out of the water, but then we really saw hippos jut out and spray a bit of water. We did get pretty close, got our pictures and left! I wasn't quick enough to get the 3 of them together.

Besides that adventure, lots of time was spent at the pool, visiting friends in town, having tea (I'll tell you that story some time), shopping, cross-stitching, watching videos, & breaking equipment (don't ask about that one).

Fuel-saving Mudstoves

I was hoping to answer the question about mudstoves right away. But now it’s a month later. I’ve been away in Niamey, vacationing in the big city. My team is on vacation for the month, so I took 2 weeks. This last week I have been back at Galmi, thinking I’d get ready for their return, but that hasn’t been the case.

As I am team leader for the Galmi missionaries, I have been busy with people. We have reorganized some of the responsibilities which have changed lots of things for me. I am now the manager of the Galmi guest house and housing placement. That’s a big responsibility but I’m also sharing it with another who actually does a lot of the foot work and managing of the 2 employees. I do the paperwork. J So I have been figuring things out for the last 2 ½ days. I think I have it. So if you want to make reservations for your visit to Galmi just contact me!

Now about mudstoves: it’s made of mud and it’s a stove so the women cook on it. Sounds simple and it is. They typical cook with the pot on three stones. But this allows the wind to blow the fire all over and prevents the pot from getting hot fast enough. Children can and do easily get burnt from being too close while mother is cooking. So to make a mudstove you put down the three stones, put the pot on top, then start building a mud wall around the pot keeping the wall 1 inch away from the pot and building the wall up to the top of the pot. Make a door for the wood and 2 windows for the smoke to get out. Half the amount of wood is used, the food is cooked in half the amount of time and children are kept safe from fires and burns.

Eager Learners

We have been finishing up teaching on mother/child care in several of our villages. In this particular one it’s been exciting because the women have had lots of hands on experience. When we taught about mudstoves and did a demonstration with them, they got busy and have nearly 2 mudstoves in each of their 6 homes! We taught on weaning children and did a food demonstration. They taught the women and the women practiced it some. Then we went on to the last section of our teaching which is on caring for pregnant women and doing clean and safe deliveries.
Here again some of them have had hands-on experience for themselves. Three of the six women were pregnant. Two have delivered already. One of the traditions we have been trying to reverse is that women have been taught they must wait until the ‘milk comes in’ and then the milk has to be tested. In the meantime the baby and the mother suffer. Sometimes causing death. More and more women are learning and seeing the difference in the babies when the start nursing them the day of delivery.
That’s what one of our TBAs (trained birthing attendant) said. Her baby wasn’t vomiting or having diarrhea. She was ‘clean’. The mother is all smiles. Here are a few pictures of the teaching session on breast feeding. These pictures were taken by a real photographer.

A TYPICAL SATURDAY

This Saturday I woke up early to the alarm as there was a friend’s baby’s naming ceremony. Normally on the eighth day the new born is treated to a great ceremony usually beginning at 7 a.m. Lots of family and friends will come. The men sit in the courtyard and the women gather in the patio of the house. The pastor chooses the Scripture based on the name the parents have chosen. Most Christians give their children Bible names. When the name has been given, the pastor takes the baby and prays for him/her and the family. Then the food is served, rice or corn mush and sauce, on big platters for everyone to enjoy together. The women go inside the house and greet the mother and give a gift. For the Hausa women they keep track of all the monetary gifts given. When the “giver” has a baby the mother will double the amount of the gift that she received. This goes on to a certain point and then drops back to a reasonable amount. Hmm, very interesting.

Back home around 8 a.m. I greet my gardener and mention that we’re going to plant seeds in the garden today. He’s been working on 4 plots (4 feet by 12 feet) that I had him dig out to a depth of 18 inches. He filled them with dry grassy stuff, dirt, grassy stuff, and dirt then planted beans. Once the beans were 12 inches tall he dug them under, added manure and worked everything in the improved soil. So we planted one plot of corn, and one row of green beans. Then on mounds we planted cucumbers and cantaloupe.

It was also bread baking day. So with my trusty mixer I made some nice high protein brown bread. It’s good to time the bread to be out of the oven to enjoy for lunch, which I did and Cali too. She enjoys the crust, actually she’d enjoy any part of the bread.

The weekends are great for taking naps, catching up with sleep missed during the week. Our internet was down for the day, so I avoided the computer (always good to have a forced break from it). We have a lovely swimming pool that’s so refreshing to dip into. Others come and we enjoy chatting and bird watching. We have some new ones in town, Gray-headed Kingfishers. One of my friends husband found and brought home a Marsh Owl. We have lots of pigeons, doves, weaver birds, Senegal rollers, and other unidentified ones too. They like to come to the pool for a sip. Cali does too. She likes to sit at the edge with one or both paws in the pool and lap up some water. After the swim and a shower I went to my tailor with some material to make a needed outfit. It’s a simple top and will cost only $3.

Silke invited me over for a video in the evening; I offered to make a pizza. I have lots of pizza sauce in the freezer, so it’s easy to throw together a pizza. I have some green peppers and mushrooms frozen, put that together with canned chicken hot dogsJ, and pineapple. Pretty tasty!!! We sat down with the pizza to watch the video and there’s a power cut. We enjoy the pizza by candlelight and wait patiently for 30 minutes for the power to come back on. Last evenings video was “Fried Green Tomatoes”. Jacquie pops in and finishes watching with us. There you have a typical Saturday.

April 23

Last Sunday Linda, Maimouna & I went to Gidan Roumji, 2 hours east, to the Maradi Region EERN Women’s Conference. The conference went from Friday to Monday. We have the annual national Women’s Conference as well but Maradi has started to host one in their region so that it could benefit a lot more women. There were 315 women who attended and most of them were from Maradi. That’s quite amazing. The women always enjoy being together with other believers and not having to work.

They were already singing when we arrived around 9 A.M. Each church group presents 1 to 2 songs, and there were at least 6 church groups. They also take offerings during these times of singing. You bring your offering up, dancing, and put it in the bowl. There was also the offering for the widows with lots of dancing around and around in a big circle. The way we were situated outside was very conducive for this.

There was a skit put on by some men, acting out how some women they live not depending on the Lord or living a life pleasing to God. The message was obvious to all. Just before noon the speaker got up and spoke on Ps 68:11 “The Lord has announced the Word. The women who proclaim the Good Tidings are a great host.” Good message encouraging us to take the Word to the world and be a part of the great host. (That’s what I got out of it at least).

After that was lunch –rice and a delicious sauce with lots of vegetables. I brought two cakes –banana and carrot, to share with the Galmi women who were attending, they were 25 in number. Then we just lounged around and relaxed and talked. With the temperatures in the 110, there wasn’t much more one wanted to do, besides drink lots of water.

As some of you may know, this was my birthday. So I decided to view the day as a big party with over 300 women in attendance, lots of singing, dancing, gift giving, eating, sharing & talking. I really appreciated that they all participated so well. It was best that they thought they were there for the Women’s conference. What fun!!!

April Heat

The heat is on and it's been on for over a month. This is how some get replenished:

Some got refreshed through baptism yesterday. The compound swimming pool is the venue for this event. It was pretty special to see 16 youth and 4 adults (who were from Magaria) make a public testimony of their faith in Jesus Christ on Easter Day. This is one of the women I have worked with in Magaria.

Easter: Linda had Yoko, Genevieve, and me over for brunch at 1 p.m. She made a lovely cinnamon roll ring and omelets. We had our English worship service at 5:30 outside which included a puppet show: possum and rat shared their experience at the site of the tomb. They testified to the resurrection of Jesus! He is not in the tomb.

After that we had a potluck with yummy food. Today is a holiday for us --Easter Monday. It's nice to have the extra time off to catch up on little things and do special things.

Today we had quite the experience going to Maradi to view the Total Eclipse of the Sun. Marie, Maimouna, Yoko, Moumouni, and I depart from Galmi at 6:30 arriving at 9 a.m. We had tea and carrot cake with Ruth and Lois. At about 9:30 the eclipse started. We took are trusty little solar shades and went outside to take a peek. As it was going to be an hour before the total coverage we went back inside and carried on with our meeting. We sang our new song about washing hands, face, eyes, and feet, to the tune of Row, Row, Row your boat. It's a simple little ditty that the children and women will enjoy. Then we had some skits to share that hopefully make people aware of their values and how that affects their lives. That was fun to see what each group has come up with. We talked about different difficulties we have with the villages. Struggles are similar.

In between each item we'd slip outside to check on the progress.
I shared a lesson on team building using the animal characters to show the types of behavior that are not conducive to team building. We evaluated what we thought of each other. I didn't spend anytime on positive behavior, that will have to be done at another time.

There it happened: the Total Eclipse of the Sun. I'm not sure what those other rings are in the picture.

As it was occurring the weather go cold; I had goose bumps. It was a bit breezy and strange. People were outside on the streets as usual. Then they were sending children inside as they had been told to do on the radio.

That's as dark as it got; like at dusk just before it's totally dark. That was at 10:30 a.m. It's truly amazing to observe God's handiwork. It's a great reminder that everything God made and the way it was made was very intentional. Creation is not something random at all.

After the moon started to move off the sun, we went back and finished up our meeting. We enjoyed a meal of rice & beans, with lamb. Then everyone was free to do whatever until we'd depart for Galmi at 4:30. We made it back safe and sound at 7:00 p.m. The rest of the day was hazy; even though we were driving in the west we did not see the sunset due to the haze. Hope tomorrow is a sun shiny day --both inside and out, and for you and me! Many blessings.

Total Eclipse of the Sun

Tomorrow I'll be heading to Maradi with my team (five of us) to view the eclipse. Maradi is in the 100% strip. That means there should be darkness, which is estimated to be for 2.5 minutes. I'm excited about taking the team there and hope it will be a good time of being together doing something mostly none work-related. Team-building. Although we are going to meet up with the other team in Maradi who are involved in community development like we are. We'll have an exchange time, sharing recent happenings, new things we're doing, and I'll be doing a lesson on team building. This will probably be for 1-2 hours, after the viewing of the eclipse. Then we'll have free time for visiting and shopping. The drive to Maradi is about 2 1/2 hours and we hope to be back before dark which is around 7 p.m.

Pictures, Part II

Camel riding in Tchinta:

Lake Tabalak which is long, like 10 kms.

Darren with my friends in Magaria:

My friends in Lawaye, eating mangoes! Yummy, yummy.

Jamilou and Ouma, my daughter!

February, part I

This month has been full with Darren, my nephew, visiting me. First I went to Niamey to meet him at the airport on February 10. We spent a few days in the city visiting the National Museum, the open market and the supermarket, taking him to my routine places I visit and do my shopping. He didn’t get much of a Niger cultural exposures going to the American Recreation Center where we bought Nachos, Hamburgers, and Dr. Pepper. (Got me another case of 24, to split with Linda). On Monday, 13 Feb, we hired& filled a taxi along with a Swiss student nurse, who’s here for 6 months, with all our baggage and the co-op purchase and the ice chest of 10 pounds of fresh strawberries!

Darren has spent some of his time helping install some new computers and troubleshooting computer problems for others. He’s been a great asset for us. I’ve enjoyed having him hang out at my place, eat lunches and dinners with me, and set up my new laptop he brought. He’s taken lots and lots of pictures. I keep giving him suggestions of what to take as I’ll get a CD of the 1000+ pictures. Stuff I never get around to taking. My own photographer!

We made a weekend trip to Tchintabaraden, 30kms north of Galmi, on the edge of the desert (but still not desert). Bruce and Robin Walton live there with their 8 children ministering to the Tamajeq people. Sunday is market day, so after the church service we walked through the market. Darren bought all the necessary apparatus for making the Tamajeq green tea. (Maybe I can use these things when I’m on Home Assignment). Later he got to try some in the bush where we rode camels. The church is a small group of believers who meet under a millet stalk shelter. We sang in Hausa & Tamajeq. The sermon was in Tamajaq and translated in Hausa for us, and then I translated it to English of Ruth, a pediatrician from Rhode Island. Bruce translated from Tamajeq to English for Darren.

In the afternoon we drove 20kms out to an encampment where Bruce keeps his 5 camels. From there they had to go look for them and bring in the 3 males so we could have a ride. Ruth, Darren, and I were led around for a little bit. Then Darren, Bruce, and one of the older sons went riding. I followed on foot with the camera. The weekend was relaxing, being out of our usual environment and with a large family where we really enjoyed being together.

Pictures to come.

Happy New Year

It’s nearly a month since Christmas –my, how time flies! Much has happened this month. First we celebrated the New Year again with a joint Worship Service in Magaria. It’s good to be together since both groups are rather small.

As New Year’s was on Sunday, that meant we had Monday off. Silke, a German doctor, and I have a tradition now of making New Year’s Cookies together. I have raisins in mine and she fills hers with jelly. At 10 a.m., we invited everyone over to help us eat them. At 11:30 the plane arrived with 4 doctors. So they all came over for round two.


From January 11 to 17, I was in Niamey for our annual Spiritual Life Conference. Our speaker serves with Navigators in French speaking Canada and Africa. The theme was Discipleship and Disciple-Making. Stuff I have heard many times before, but really do need to think of how am I disciple-making anyway?


PDI ministry: We’re focusing on the importance of baby-weighting through awareness building meetings with the men and the women in our villages. We took two women and two men from the Magaria health community to help us do some skits. As they have had success in the community being involved in baby-weighing. This simple act of weighing a baby or child every month and marking it on the growth card really makes a difference in their health. The mothers are encouraged and persevere in care and they are also instructed what to do if the children isn’t gaining weight or is sick.


Puppies: They are each in their new homes in the village. It was sad for me to see them go but it had to happen. Two weeks ago, Linda and I took two of the puppies to their new owners. The next day another two. The third and fourth day they came and picked them up, except for one. Spark, the last to go, got to stay one more week. He really enjoyed having his mom all to himself. They both got into wrestling, Cali did so in such a gentle way. Now it’s just Cali and me. And it will be that way for a long while.