Note: Photos of individuals are not shown in the interest of protecting their privacy.

 

 

Friday Foto #100

June 27, 2008

Isn't it beautiful?? (You non-Canadians don't have to agree with me if you don't want to!)

After 26 hours of travel, I arrived safely in Ottawa on Wednesday, and all of my luggage arrived with me. I am here for the General Assembly of The Christian and Missionary Alliance of Canada, after which I'll be continuing West. The Rockies are calling!

This will be the last Friday foto for this round. I hope to pick them up again next year when I return to Africa, and in the meantime, I plan to send out some sporadic updates.

Thank you once again for your financial support and prayers over the years. Don't stop now!

I hope to see many of you in the months ahead.

 

Friday Foto #99

June 20, 2008

This will be my last "Friday foto" from this side of the ocean until next year--next Friday I'll be in Canada. I moved out of my house last week and am spending my final days of this term doing my good-bye visits.

I spent the last two days in my favourite village. It was hard to say good-bye to my friends there. One of the hardest was this dear granny who loves to tease, and has given me more than one nickname. She told me I can't leave. But when I told her I haven't seen my parents for two years, she agreed that I should go, but said she's coming with me.

Then her sister-in-law asked me to pray for them before leaving, which I happily did. They asked me to greet my friends and family in Canada, then said, "Don't forget us. And keep praying for us." Will you join me in praying that the Light of the world will bless my Fulani friends and enable them to understand the way of salvation?

Thank you!

 

Friday Foto #98

June 13, 2008

On a recent village visit, a group of young gals treated me to a show of dancing. These same girls gather around to hear a Bible story every time I spend the night in their village, and a couple of them have impressed me with the details they remember.

Because of the gifts and prayers of faithful supporters over the past four years, these gals are beginning to understand how they can know God. One of those supporters was my cousin Carol. Many members of my family are gathering today for her funeral. While I can't be with them, I do join them in celebrating the life of someone who lived with a song in her heart and a desire for God to be glorified.

I am thankful for Carol and many others who have prayed for the Fulani people. Please keep praying that God will draw many of them to himself, to be part of that countless multitude before God's throne celebrating his salvation. Carol will be there! And so will I! And I expect to be dancing there with my Fulani friends.

 

Friday Foto #97

June 6, 2008

It's time to update you on the growing C&MA Niger team. This is our all-Canadian crew, taken this past weekend.

I want to draw your attention to the family in the front row, Paul and Chantelle McIver and their children Bennett and Arielle, who arrived last Saturday. Praise the Lord for sending us more workers. Please pray for them as they settle in here, get their house set up, and adjust to the culture and climate of Niger. Pray that God will give them His love for the people here and a fruitful ministry.

Nearly all of us will be travelling this summer, between holidays, studies and home assignment. Pray for God's protection in all our comings and goings.

Thanks!

 

Friday Foto #96

May 30, 2008

My time in Niger is winding down and in three and a half weeks I head to Canada for a one-year home assignment. So that means I'm busy sorting, packing and throwing away, on top of village trips, preparing messages for church visits, etc. Such fun!

I hope to move out of my house in a couple weeks, giving me some time after that to finish up some final things around the house. No, my moving day will not look like the one pictured! I think we'll do it with a little less risk!

Thanks for your prayers for me over the last four years that I've been in Niger. Please pray that I'll finish this term well and make good use of my time in these next few weeks.

Thanks!

 

 

 

Friday Foto #95

May 23, 2008

Fulani culture centres around animals, and they start 'em young! This little cowboy isn't even a year old.

Last week I told you about 100 goats that we have lent to the village. Sadly, two of them have already died, and a number of others are unwell.

When I was leaving the village yesterday afternoon, three of my friends asked me to pray for the health of their animals, and to ask my friends in Canada to do the same. "When your friends have prayed for us before, God has answered. They've prayed when we were sick, and we got better. So please pray for our animals." I prayed before leaving and told them I'd pass on their request to you.

They carried on talking about how good it is that I pray, and that I know God. They said they think about the stories I tell from God's Word and they see that they are true. (Don't read too much into that--I don't believe they have enough understanding of Scripture yet to follow Jesus, but at least they want to hear more, which is very encouraging.) They expressed their appreciation of our team's gift of goats, and of helping them with wells.

Please keep praying for these people. Ask God to make their animals well and to reveal himself to them. Pray that many villagers will turn to Jesus.

 

Friday Foto #94

May 16, 2008

A truckload of 100 goats, the most hardy and productive breed in Niger, was delivered to my favourite village the other day, causing a lot of excitement.

We are lending them to twenty-five women, chosen by the village. Each woman received three young females and a male, and will keep them until they have young and the kids are weaned. The goats will then be passed on to the next group of women.

This wonderful tradition of helping those in need improve their family's health (with the milk) and increase their income (through the sale of milk, butter and cheese) is rooted in Fulani culture and is used throughout West Africa.

Thank you to those of you who have given to my work fund that paid for this project.

Please pray that these goats will make a difference in the lives of village women and children, and that this expression of love will draw people to the Good Shepherd.

 

Friday Foto #93

May 9, 2008

In the village I visit every week, there are two community gardens, areas fenced off to keep animals out, in which several people have plots where they grow lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc. And in each garden, they dig a new well every year. That's because every year during the rainy season, the wells cave in.

So our team has decided to help them make two of their wells permanent by paying for the cement and rebar reinforcements. They're supplying the sand and gravel and man power. One of the wells is nearly complete, with lots of water, and cement all the way down. And they're making good progress on the second one, pictured here.

I'm really pleased with the way the men of the village are working together to get these wells done before the rains arrive. Try to imagine digging a well with a spade and pick-axe, in 45-degree heat (113 F), seeing the dirt taken out one bucket-full at a time!

Please pray that these wells will be a blessing to the village, enabling the people to grow better gardens and thus improve their families' health. Pray that our gesture of love will enable them to see the love of God and make them thirst for living water.

Thank you!

 

Friday Foto #92

May 2, 2008

Ken started working for me the day I moved into my house nearly four years ago. I recently "fired" him so that a colleague could hire him and thus he won't be without work when I leave for home assignment in two months.

Ken is a kind and friendly man, and a good worker with a fun sense of humour, but has shown no interest in the gospel. I saw him a couple days ago and was surprised that he asked me for a cassette of the story of Jesus (I have the sound track of the "Jesus" film on cassette in his language). I happily gave him one.

Please pray that Ken will listen to the cassette and be drawn to the Lord Jesus. Ask the Lord to open the eyes of his heart such that he will understand and choose to follow the way of salvation.

Thank you for your continued prayers for the Fulani people.

 

Friday Foto #91

April 25, 2008

We haven't had any rain yet this year in the city, but it hit in the village the other night. I had just finished pitching my tent as the sun set Wednesday evening, when the wind came up and clouds started rolling in. As darkness fell, the first rain of the year came with it.

I sat in my friends' hut for the next hour or more listening to the pelting rain, crashing thunder and whipping wind. When the rain slowed to a drizzle, I took my flashlight and went out to check on my tent. It wasn't there! Even though it had been pegged down, tied to a heavy piece of wood, and my belongings were in it, it simply disappeared! I flashed my light around the village and found it about 50 feet away, still intact, still tied to the wood, nothing damaged, and very little water inside. I really don't know how it made the move, but I was happy to find my home. And yes, I spent the night in my relocated tent. My village friends were teasing me that I was becoming a nomad (which the Fulani historically are), and laughing about my tent being a helicopter flying across town.

The rain provided a great spot for the village children to cool down in the heat of Thursday afternoon. And when I say "heat," I mean "HEAT." My colleague's thermometer climbed to 55 C this week (130 F), at which point it exploded. So who knows how hot it really is these days?!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas . . .

 

Friday Foto #90

April 18, 2008

This is Joseph, son of my colleagues Tim and Brenda Tjosvold. He is in grade 4 at Sahel Academy, the local school for missionaries' children. Last year I asked you to pray for the staff needs at the school, and the Lord provided for every position. Once again, as we look ahead to the next school year, there are still a number of positions yet to be filled. These include: grade 1-2 teacher; junior high math teacher; senior high math teacher; grade 9-10 English teacher; senior high science teacher; computer teacher for all levels.

Please join me in praying that all these vacancies will be filled and that the ministry of Sahel Academy will not be hindered by a lack of personnel.

If you, or someone you know, may be interested in one of these positions, let me know and I can get you in touch with the right people.

Check out Sahel Academy's website at: www.sahelacademy.com

 

Friday Foto #89

April 11, 2008

Sometimes hanging around with the Fulani people is just plain old fun. As I have learned their culture and language, they have thanked me for "walking the Fulani road."

Thank you for sharing the journey with me!

"The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Foto #88

April 4, 2008

It's been awhile since I updated you on Adam the teacher. He's home for spring break and we had a good visit this week.

In the past, you have prayed for his health. The last time he was home, he was very ill again. His family was pressuring him to go to the witch doctor, believing that someone must have put a curse on him. But he said he believes that only God can heal him, and he called me instead and asked that my colleagues and I pray for him, which we did. Praise the Lord that his health has been much better since then. Please keep praying that he will be strong and healthy.

This week he asked me to explain the connection between the Passover and Easter. In answering his question, I referred to many of the Bible stories that we studied together last summer, and I was pleased with the detail he remembers. He says that he and his friends in the village frequently talk about the Bible stories. Please pray that God will continue to work in Adam's heart, drawing him to Himself.

 

Friday Foto #87

March 28, 2008

I am continuing to visit Bob and his family every Wednesday morning when we do a simple Bible study in the book of Luke.

This week Bob told me that there's not enough grass for their cattle and they're losing weight. He planted some melons in his garden and birds ate the seed. We've had a lot of strong wind this week, and it's blown all the flowers off his mango trees (which means no mangos). You may remember that last fall Bob's family got four bundles of grain from their field (they usually get 80-100). Add to this that I am heading to Canada in three months, and Bob, who works for me part time, will be out of work.

Ironically, this week's study was in Luke 12, where Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat or wear. He tells us to look at the birds which are fed by God and the flowers which are clothed by God, and to seek God's kingdom and these things will be given to us as well. When I finished reading, Bob said, "This word is easy to understand, but hard to hold on to."

Please pray that God will honour His word by providing for Bob and his family in such a way that they will know that He has met their needs. Pray too that He will give them the faith to trust Him.

 

Friday Foto #86

March 21, 2008

Remember Esther? She's one of the women whose religious leader forbid Bible stories to be told in their village. I visit her and her friend every week and they frequently ask me what story I'm telling to others that week, and thus they're hearing Bible stories anyway!

This week I was there on a holiday--their prophet's birthday. She was telling me how it is celebrated, and then said she knew this week was also a holiday for followers of Jesus. I briefly explained Easter.

"How does one follow Jesus' religion?" she asked.

I told her that following Jesus is different than simply following a religion. It's a relationship with God, giving yourself to Him, rather than following a list of do's and don'ts. "Yes," she said, "religion is like slavery." She then proceeded to explain more about what is required of her by her religion.

Please pray that God will free Esther from slavery to religion and bring her into a joyful relationship with Himself.

And let's celebrate God's gift of a Saviour. He is risen indeed!

 

Friday Foto #85

March 14, 2008

Here's my new look! This is a traditional Fulani outfit, complete with coins and necklaces. When I put it on, my friends paraded me through the village as a one-item fashion show, to the laughter and cheers of everyone around. I laughed when one of them declared I needed to have my picture taken (they're used to seeing me wandering around with my camera!). I handed over my camera and a couple lessons later we got this picture.

My Western clothes are pretty faded and in various stages of disrepair. I'm heading to Canada at the end of June for a year of home assignment and am wondering what I'm going to wear! So if anyone wants to enter me in one of those makeover contests, feel free!!

 

 

 

 

Friday Foto #84

March 7, 2008

I had some good visit time this week with Adam and Isobel. I told them the story of Jesus driving a large number of demons from a man into a herd of pigs. They told me that demons continue to torment people today. "God teaches us through stories," Adam said. "Something that happened 2000 years ago can teach us today." So I'm really encouraged that he's accepting the stories of Jesus as being from God.

Isobel isn't feeling well. She has headaches and tummy troubles that have gone on for some time. I am starting to believe that her problems could be spiritual as well as physical. Please pray that God will heal her and draw her to himself.

I told Adam and Isobel that many of my friends in Canada are praying for them. They asked me to thank you. Please keep praying that God will make himself known to these beautiful people and that they will know the joy of walking with their Creator.

 

Friday Foto #83

February 29, 2008

The Alliance Fulani team in Niger doubled last Sunday with the arrival of Kristi Hopf from Calgary.

Kristi will be doing bookkeeping for our team, which she has already started into. Once she gets rolling on that, she will start into the study of Fulfulde, the language of the Fulani people.

Please pray for Kristi's adjustment to the culture and the climate of Niger (hot season is knocking at the door and it won't be long until we're enduring temperatures in excess of 50 C--or 122 F). Pray too that God will give her his love for the Fulani, an ear for their language, and a fruitful ministry among them.

 

Friday Foto #82

February 22, 2008

In Niger we don't hear a lot about heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. The trick here is to live to the age of five. I have seen varying statistics, but most say that around 20-25% of children die before their fifth birthday.

We're hoping to help change that statistic, at least in one little corner of the country. Yesterday my colleagues, Tim and Brenda, and I had a good day of training with the committee of our Community Health Education program. Next week we will begin training the workers who will visit each home in the village passing on what they learn about hygiene, disease prevention and other topics.

This is new to us, and we're learning as we go. Please pray that God will guide every step of this program and that He will use it to bring about physical and spiritual transformation in this very poor country.

 

 

 

Friday Foto #81

February 15, 2008

I'd like you to meet Fay and Isobel, the two women with whom I spend most of my time when I visit in the village. They are the ones who feed me and put up with my slow Fulfulde, answering my questions and explaining all sorts of things about their culture. And we also share a lot of laughs.

In their early 40s, Fay and Isobel are both childless, which is very difficult and shameful for them.

In Luke chapter 1, we read the story of Elizabeth, who was also barren. She experienced two miracles. First, she became pregnant and had a son (1:24). Then, she recognized that Jesus is Lord--even before he was born (1:43). Will you join me in praying that Fay and Isobel will experience the same two miracles?

 

Friday Foto #80

February 8, 2008

Some days it feels like my job is "Mission Impossible." To borrow Jesus' words, it's kinda like trying to get a camel through the eye of a needle! And I wonder what it will take for my Fulani friends to understand who Jesus is and choose to follow him.

I love Jesus' answer when his disciples asked him who can possibly be saved. "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:27).

By my own efforts, it's impossible for Fulani to come to Jesus. But not with God! He can draw them to truth, so that they enter the kingdom through faith in him. My job is to do the work he gives me; the results rest with him. Please pray that many Fulani men and women will enter the kingdom of God.

 

Friday Foto #79

February 1, 2008

I just got home from spending three days visiting four different villages with a team from Edmonton. We did some teaching about malaria prevention, especially the use of mosquito nets. We were warmly received by villages who had prepared for our coming by putting up various structures for us in which to do our teaching, like this "community hall"--a wall of grass mats to break the wind, set up in the shade of a large tree.

After our teaching in each village, we distributed mosquito nets, giving away a total of about 1000 of them. We didn't entirely "give" them away, but sold them for a fraction of their cost (they cost nearly $10 each, and we sold them for about 25 cents). Our Fulani friends recommended doing it this way in order to add value to the nets in the eyes of the recipients, and increase the likelihood of the nets being used and taken care of.

Thank you for your ongoing prayers. Please keep praying that our community health program will bring lasting change to some very poor villages.

 

Friday Foto #78

January 25, 2008

Adam is the president of the co-operative of Fulani villages with which we're working. He's probably the strongest advocate of our Community Health Education program, and is one of the sharpest members of the committee. Please keep praying that this program will bring spiritual and physical transformation to Fulani communities.

Adam and his wife Isobel are one of the two couples who host me when I visit their village nearly every week. They are very patient with my slow Fulfulde, and have given me much insight into their culture. And Adam's quick sense of humour keeps us laughing.

From time to time, we have discussions about God, in which he willingly participates, saying it is a good thing to know about God. Please pray that the Father will draw Adam to Himself, and that this influential man will bring the Light of the world to his people.

 

Friday Foto #77

January 18, 2008

Thank you for your prayers for us this week as we travelled with a team from Canada to four different villages where we introduced our Community Health Education program and did some teaching about nutrition. We were very pleased by the welcome we received in the villages and the interaction during the lessons. This little boy didn't want to miss out, so sat in the tree under which we were doing our teaching! Please keep praying that this program will bring transformation to Fulani villages.

There is something else I want to tell you about as well. Last Tuesday night (Jan 8) a vehicle hit a land mine in Niamey and the driver was killed. It happened less than a mile from my colleagues' house and they were wakened by the blast. Another unexploded mine was found nearby, but the Regional Security Officer of the American Embassy said this is believed to be an isolated incident and that life should carry on as normal.

There has been trouble brewing in northern Niger for nearly a year now, and there are some concerns that it could be arriving in the city. I personally do not feel in any danger, nor am I worried. However, I do ask you to pray for peace in Niger. Pray that Niger's children will grow up without the threat of war.

 

Friday Foto #76

January 11, 2008

Yesterday a team from Edmonton arrived here in Niamey. We will be visiting four Fulani villages this week to do teaching on nutrition as we launch our Community Health Education program.

One of the villages we'll be going to is home to this little guy, who happens to be the husband my village friends have chosen for me. Please pray that this program will make a difference in the health of villagers and that my "husband" and other children will grow up to be healthy and strong. Pray that God will use our ministry in these villages to bring about both physical and spiritual transformation.

 

 

 

 

Friday Foto #75

January 4, 2008

Happy New Year!

I thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas season, celebrating Christ's birth with missionary friends. Several of us went to a game park for a few days. It was good to get out of the city and to see some of Africa's animals in the wild, including this DLT (Deer-Like Thing--our name for a number of unknown animals in the deer/antelope family!).

January is shaping up to be a busy month, with two teams coming from Edmonton, plus a number of other activities.

Please pray that God will guide us and be glorified in all these activities.

Thank you once again for your interest in my ministry, your financial gifts and your prayers.

 

Friday Foto #74

December 21, 2007

This week the Muslim world celebrated Tabaski, also known as the sheep feast, the holiday commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son (who they believe was Ishmael rather than Isaac). In Niamey the occasion is a town BBQ, with rams roasting around bonfires on every street.

As I was watching my Fulani friends butcher their lambs, my thoughts turned to Christmas when we celebrate the coming of the Lamb of God. Please pray that many of them will understand and accept Jesus' sacrifice on their behalf, and that they will come to know Emmanuel, "God with us."

May you also meet Emmanuel this Christmas. "Oh come, let us adore Him!" And let us celebrate that God is with us!

I plan to be away for a few days, so there won't be a Friday foto next week.

Merry Christmas to you all!

 

Friday Foto #73

December 14, 2007

Do you remember the group of women who asked me to tell them Bible stories, but the imam in their town refused to let them go ahead with it? Esther is one of those women. I still stop by and see her frequently on the way to Bob's house where I do tell Bible stories (she is actually Bob's mother-in-law).

This week I again stopped at Esther's house to greet her and her neighbour. We sat outside the house and talked about nothing in particular for awhile and then they said, "Let's go in the house so we can talk." They then asked me what I was going to talk about at Bob's house. This wasn't the first time they've done that. So, even though a formal story group isn't happening, Esther and her friend are still hearing some of God's word. And they ask lots of questions. Please pray for these women.

This week Esther was not feeling well and I was able to pray for her in Jesus' name. Will you join me in praying that the Lord will heal her? Please pray for her physical and spiritual health.

 

Friday Foto #72

December 7, 2007

I had another good visit to the village this week. After a break of several weeks, we returned to Bible stories, and we reviewed the first few that I had told the group. I'm thinking that next week will be review as well, and then we'll continue with new stories, starting with the Christmas story. Please pray that our evening story times will continue.

Back to Wednesday night. After everyone else left, Fay and I sat under the stars talking. We talked a bit more about the Old Testament stories and how they show us that people are in trouble because of sin. I told her that the next story is about the Saviour that God sent to us.

"Is that the Prophet Jesus?" she asked.

"Yes, it is."

"I want to know more about him," she said, "so that I can believe."

Please pray for Fay. Thank the Lord for the interest she has in spiritual things and specifically for her desire to learn of Jesus. Pray that she will understand and put her faith in Jesus. Please pray also for her husband Ruga, who is currently traveling to Mecca. Pray that he'll return from his trip dissatisfied with religion and seeking truth.

 

Friday Foto #71

November 30, 2007

This sign on Niamey's main boulevard is a constant reminder of the predominant religion in Niger. The sign says, "Our God: Allah, Our prophet: Mohamed, Our book: the holy Koran."

Officially, Niger is a secular state, allowing freedom of religion, but around 97% of the population follows the religion of Islam. While many are Muslims in name only, there is still a strong social pressure against conversion to another religion. Please pray that freedom of religion will continue in Niger.

In John 7:37 we read, "On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.'" In other words, Jesus knew that religious activity does not satisfy the thirst of the human soul--the Jews had been feasting for a week, yet Jesus knew of their thirst and invited them to come to him, the only one who can truly satisfy. Please pray that many Fulani people, who are currently committed to religious activity, will come to Jesus, the source of living water, and have their spiritual thirst satisfied.

 

Friday Foto #70

November 23, 2007

Remember Adam, the young teacher in the village? He was home this summer and we went through the key Bible stories explaining the way to salvation. I think he understands it in his head, and can correctly answer my questions. One day he told me that he knows that Jesus is God in a man's body, and that he is God's chosen prophet. But I'm not sure yet that this belief has made it to his heart. Please continue to pray that Adam will know the joy of having his sin forgiven and shame removed.

He has started his second year of teaching in the village. And he has taken with him copies of the Bible stories we went over together (in Fulfulde). He has already told the Fulani community there that he has important stories to tell them in the evenings, and they are interested in hearing them. Please pray for Adam as he tells Bible stories to Fulani villagers, that both he and they will fall in love with Jesus through hearing the truth.

Please pray too for Adam's health. He is frequently ill and has been home the last couple weeks recovering from typhoid. He is getting pressure from his family to stop seeking help at a clinic, and to return to traditional medicine. Please pray that God will once and for all step in and heal Adam completely so that his family and friends will see the power of the living God.

 

Friday Foto #69

November 16, 2007

You may recall several weeks ago that a couple of my teammates and I took a course on Community Health Education (CHE). The good news is that we are starting to put into practise what we learned.

Pictured here are my colleague Tim and myself with the CHE committee of our pilot project village. We spent the last two days training the committee and discussing challenges they want to address in the development of their community.

We asked some questions about health and got them talking. I was shocked to find out that in this village of around 400 people, 13 children under the age of five died in the last year, and over 40 within a five kilometre radius. They said there isn't a family that is untouched by the death of a child.

These children died of diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia, all of which are preventable. Please pray that, as we work with this village, we will see the child mortality rate drastically reduced. Pray also for the committtee, that each member will work for the better of the group and that together we will see the village transformed physically, socially and spiritually.

 

Friday Foto #68

November 9, 2007

It's been a busy week with the eye glasses team here from Calgary. We've visited three different villages so far and distributed lots of glasses. I have learned to do simple vision tests and to give people the glasses they need. It's been especially fun for me going to villages I visit often and giving glasses to several of my Fulani friends.

The highlight for me was putting a pair of glasses on an old man who's had poor vision for years. A huge smile crossed his face and he exclaimed over and over, "I can see! I can see!" It was a beautiful moment.

Please keep praying for the Fulani people, that God will give them the gift of spiritual vision so that they may see Jesus.

And put those used glasses in the Lion's Club drob box at your optometrist's office--they may just find their way out here to give the gift of clear eyesight to someone who would otherwise never have it.

 

Friday Foto #67

November 2, 2007

These days we are hosting a team from Calgary who are here to distribute eye glasses. We started off slowly yesterday with a clinic for our friends and their families. Today we're heading to a Fulani neighbourhood in Niamey, and then we will be in three different villages all next week (camping overnight in two of them).

Thank the Lord for those who have come to share their gifts in this way. Please pray that the Lord will keep us all healthy with the stamina we need. And pray that this practical demonstration of God's love will be a blessing to many.

 

 

Friday Foto #66

October 26, 2007

I enjoyed my travels over the last two weeks but it's good to be home in Niamey and back to visiting my Fulani friends.

I am continuing to meet with Bob and his brother Owen and their wives, and we are doing a simple Bible study in the book of Luke. Please pray that they will understand the message of salvation and decide to follow Jesus.

Bob and his family have finished harvesting their millet crop. They got 4 bundles of millet. They usually get 80-100, and up to 120 on a good year. This year they got only 4!! Add to that the fact that two of their four calves died because their mothers didn't have enough milk (and the other two don't look far behind).

Bob is the first to tell me of a failed crop, but I expect there will be many more. Obviously my teammates and I won't be able to feed everybody we know, but nor can we sit back and do nothing. We need God's wisdom. Please pray for us as we decide who to help and how to help. Pray that God will provide for the hungry people of Niger.

 

Friday Foto #65

October 19, 2007

Greetings from Bamako, Mali, where I have been at a conference for workers among the Fulani across West Africa.

This week's conference was excellent, with a variety of speakers addressing relevant and challenging topics. Allow me to share some thoughts from one speaker who talked about you.

David is a former Muslim who has been in Christian ministry for several years. He spoke of his gratitude for a prayer movement that has grown in the last twenty-five years, Christians praying for the Muslim world. He then went on to share a deep concern. In his travels around the world he has been troubled to see much apathy, and even anger, among Christians toward Muslims. He reminded us that Islam is the problem, but Muslims are not. This is an important distinction. While Islam is a tool of the enemy, Muslims are beautiful people, created in God's image, and Jesus loves them enough to die for them.

Here's where you come into the picture. Will you fall into the trap of not caring for (or even hating) millions and millions of people because of the problems caused by their religion? Or will you let your heart be broken by the lostness of their souls, and intercede on their behalf so that they may meet the Saviour? Thank you to those of you who have chosen the latter option and are guarding against the former. Keep praying!

 

Friday Foto #64

October 12, 2007

Greetings from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso!

Here is the great group of people that God has put together to make up the CMA Niger team. Thank you for praying for our retreat this week.

We had an excellent time. There was great hilarity when we went 10-pin bowling (there's no bowling alley in all of Niger, so we took advantage of the one here). We had uplifting times of worship and prayer, and we thoroughly enjoyed our guests Francis and Lise Pearson. And we also made good use of the hotel pool where we were staying. It was truly a time of physical and spiritual refreshing.

The rest of the team went back to Niamey Thursday. I am hanging out in Ouaga for the weekend before continuing on to Bamako, Mali on Monday for a Fulani workers conference. Please pray that I will gain from the conference all that God has for me there, and that I will be able to apply what I learn to my ministry among the Western Fulani of Niger.

Thank you for your faithful prayers for God's work among the Fulani.

 

Friday Foto #63

October 5, 2007

It's time for our annual team retreat. We're heading out today for Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, about a six-hour drive from here, for a few days of fun, rest, prayer, and messages from God's word. Our guests for the retreat are Francis and Lise Pearson from Quebec.

Please pray for our retreat, that God will continue to unite us and give us more love for each other. Pray for Francis as he leads us into God's word. Pray that God will meet us there and that we'll be refreshed and ready to dive back into the work he has for us here in Niger.

We'll be sharing the road with vehicles loaded like this one, not to mention donkey carts, herds of cattle, broken-down trucks, and assorted other things. So please pray for our safety on the road. My teammates will be coming back to Niamey next Thursday, and I'll be flying from Ouaga to Bamako, Mali, for a conference for Fulani workers.

There may or may not be Friday fotos for the next two weeks--that will depend on internet connections where I am. So don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for awhile.

 

Friday Foto #62

September 28, 2007

I am grateful for an excellent and encouraging visit this week with the "bosses" from Canada. On Wednesday I got to take them out to the village where they received a warm welcome from several of my Fulani friends.

With harvest time approaching, the road to the village is much like a tunnel through the fields of millet, with the plants towering above the vehicle.

We asked the folks in the village how their crops are doing. They said they were off to a good start, but it hasn't rained for nearly three weeks and things are pretty dry. "We need another rain," they told us. "If rain doesn't come, the plants will die before the grain ripens."

Please pray with me that there will be one or two more good rains this season and that the harvest will be plentiful. May the Lord hear us as he heard Elijah (see James 5:17-18).

 

Friday Foto #61

September 21, 2007

Several weeks ago I asked you to pray for Mia, the tailor's daughter in the village I visit almost every week. I am happy to report she is well and regaining her strength.

Mia is 22 years old, married and lives in another village. When she became seriously ill, her husband sent her home to be with her parents. No one said it, but I got the feeling he sent her home to die. She didn't even have the strength to raise her head from the pillow the first time I visited her.

The week after I prayed for her in Jesus' name, there was a noticable improvement in her condition. Since then she has continued to get stronger and stronger. People noticed that the change came when I began to pray for her. Her parents have thanked me many times for praying.

And I want to thank you for praying. Praise the Lord for healing Mia! Please pray that this miracle will draw people to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Friday Foto #60

September 14, 2007

Ramadan began this week. It's the holy month of fasting for Muslims worldwide. From sunrise to sunset every day they do not eat or drink, and many don't even swallow their saliva. They extend their prayer time, and listen to their holy book being read at the mosque (in Arabic, which very few people here even understand!). They believe that these activities earn them credit with God, cancelling out their sins.

Please pray with me for my Fulani friends who are seriously seeking God in these days. Ask God to give them dreams and visions, revealing himself to those who are honestly seeking truth.

Please pray also for my colleagues and me during this month as this tends to be a spiritually oppressive time.

 

Friday Foto #59

September 7, 2007

This week two of my colleagues and I are taking a course called CHE--Community Health Education. The goal of the program is physical and spiritual transformation of communities. It's designed to help a community identify its needs and take steps toward finding solutions on their own. We are simply facilitators, desiring to start something that will continue on its own long after we are gone.

What excites me is the flexibility of the CHE program and the way it can fit so well with the telling of Bible stories that is already happening.

The village that I visit most often has already chosen a CHE committee and they are ready to get started. They've just been waiting for me to take this course so that I can guide them through the next steps.

Please pray for my teammates and me, that we will do this well and start something that will make a real difference in many lives here in the world's poorest country.

 

Friday Foto #58

August 31, 2007

The other day in the village I was served a cup of sour milk. It started off seriously, solidly sour. My hostess added a bit of water and took after it with a whisk, turning it into a thick, foamy liquid. I could only manage about three sips. With each one, my taste buds screamed in protest, and I worked hard to keep my entire body from shuddering and my face from betraying me!

Awhile later it was snack time again. A man pulled out a plastic jug labelled 10W30 engine oil, from which he poured a thick golden liquid into a small bowl. He assured me the jug had been thoroughly washed before being filled with honey. He passed the bowl to the person beside him who stuck a finger into the honey, licked it off, and passed on the bowl. Around and around the circle the bowl went. When it came to me, I too plunged my finger into the sweet treat and tried not to think about the germs we were happily sharing.

I think my image of a "land flowing with milk and honey" is forever ruined!

 

Friday Foto #57

August 24, 2007

Remember the imam who has forbidden Bible stories to be told in his village? I don't have his photo, but this is his mosque.

His proclamation was disappointing, but it's not the end of the story. Please join me in praying that he'll change his mind. Either that or his prohibition will somehow backfire.

In the meantime, God is doing some neat things. Hannah, the woman who had offered to host the story time in her home came with me Wednesday morning to Bob's place, 3 km up the riverbed, where I've been telling stories for the last several months. I think that Bob and his brother are very close to becoming followers of Jesus. Bob's brother wasn't there this week. So instead of starting any new material, I reviewed some of the previous stories. And Hannah kept asking for the next story. I told stories one after the other for three hours straight! Praise the Lord for Hannah's thirst! Pray that she will have the opportunity to hear more and that she will come to understand the good news of the Saviour.

I left Bob's place for another village about an hour away. Garth, the head 'cowboy' in Bob's area, rode with me. He knows I'm telling stories at Bob's house and said he wants to hear them too. I haven't got time to go everywhere, and the idea is for me to train others, so I told him I'd ask Bob to come to his house and tell the stories to his family. The next day I asked Bob if he would be willing to do this, if we go over the stories together first. He agreed! And this is not forbidden, since Garth actually lives in the next village. Please pray for Bob, first that he will be transformed by God's word, and then that he will correctly tell the Bible stories to Garth and his family.

 

Friday Foto #56

August 17, 2007

I have to tell you the quote of the week. Remember Adam, the young teacher with whom I have been meeting weekly for the last couple months? We are continuing to get together to discuss the central story of the Bible.

The last time we met, I told him the Christmas story. When I was done telling the story, he said, "Is that all? I feel like I was just watching a great movie and the power went off!"

His comment is quite funny when you consider where he lives--in a hut like this one, with no electricity, let alone a TV or DVD player!

Praise the Lord for Adam's interest in the Word! Please pray that as we study Jesus' life and ministry, Adam will fall in love with the Saviour and come to know him personally.

Thank you for your prayers for the Fulani. God is answering!

 

Friday Foto #55

August 10, 2007

Tiffany is one of my "chickies," my affectionate name for the group of Fulani women who live down the street. These gals very patiently, and with much laughter, walked me through the process of learning their language (not that I've finished the process, but I've come a long way!). And yes, that bucket on Tiffany's head is full of water, and rarely will she lose even a drop of it!

Tiffany is not well, and has spent most of the last month in bed with tummy troubles and headaches. The other day I prayed for her healing in Jesus' name. Will you join me in praying for her that the Lord will restore her strength? (By the way, the tailor's daughter for whom we have been praying, continues to gain strength. Praise the Lord!)

Please pray as well for all the chickies. I am trotting around the countryside every week telling Bible stories in other places, but have yet to generate any interest in them among my friends down the street. Please pray that the Lord will reveal himself to these women and they will want to hear stories from his word.

Last week I told you that another group of women had received the chief's permission to have a Bible story group in their village. I arrived Wednesday morning as planned, and two women told me we can't have the group after all. The imam (Muslim leader) refused, and has forbidden Bible stories in the village. Sounds like there was quite the heated discussion over it. Please pray that God will work in such a way that the women who want to hear the word of God will be able to do so.

Thank you for your ongoing prayers for the Fulani, and for your financial gifts that keep me out here telling stories.

 

Friday Foto #54

August 3, 2007

For the last six months I've been telling Bible stories at the home of Bob and his brother Owen, walking them through highlights of the Old Testament and the life of Jesus. This week we reviewed what we've seen, and they correctly observed that Jesus suffered and died in the place of sinners.

I told them they need to decide whether or not they will follow Jesus. Bob's answer: "We'll talk about it next week."

I don't think they understand the concept of repentance. After all, they've been taught that saying daily prayers, in a language they don't even understand, is what God requires of us. Please pray that God will give them both the gift of faith, and that they will understand what it means to repent and to accept God's gift of forgiveness and new life. Pray also for me, as I need the Lord's help in how to explain this to them, and what Scripture passages to use.

And some good news. Remember the women I told you about last week who want to get together a group to hear Bible stories? It sounds like they've got the chief's permission, and we're planning to start on Wednesday morning. Please pray for this gathering.

 

Friday Foto #53

July 27, 2007

Saturday I went to the baby-naming party for my guard Bob's new daughter. These take place on the baby's eighth day. Part of the ritual is that one of the village grannies shaves the baby's head with a bare razor blade, which gives me the shivers every time I watch it!

I confess I was tired and didn't want to go to the party, but dragged myself there out of a sense of obligation.

I was sitting in Bob's brother's hut with several other women, one of them being my night guard Ken's wife. She said, "Tell us a story." It just so happened that when I was on my way out the door that morning, I saw my folder of Bible stories sitting on the table, and threw it in my bag. And there I was being asked for a story. I told the story of creation. "Tell us another one," Ken's wife said. I told of the Fall. They were surprised to learn that white women also have pain in childbirth! Then Mme Ken said, "Tell us about Jesus." I told the Christmas story. Then they got talking about whether or not Jesus really died (they are taught that he didn't). They asked me if he died or not, and I said yes. Then another woman said, "Then tell us that story." So I did.

The two women most interested in the stories (Ken's wife and another) both live in the village I actually pass through on Wednesday mornings on my way to Bob's place. They are talking about having me stop and tell stories in their village as well, but need to talk to others and get permission before getting a group together. Thank the Lord for this interest in his word, and please pray that this group will come together.

Also, please pray for next Wednesday's story at Bob's place. This is the week when I will be summing up what we've seen in the Old Testament that points to Jesus and answering the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Pray for my preparation, that I will put the story together in a way that they will understand, and that my Fulfulde will flow well so that language errors don't get in the way of them understanding. And pray for those who will hear the story, that they will understand and desire to follow Jesus.

 

Friday Foto #52

July 20, 2007

There's no "Toys 'R' Us" store around here. And, even if there were, no one could afford to shop in it anyway! So children make their own toys.

This little guy is showing off the car he made from dried millet stalks. The wheels, which actually turn, are cut from dead flip-flop sandals.

Approximately half of Niger's population is under the age of fifteen. "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me'" (Matthew 19:14). That includes the Fulani children of Niger. Please pray for them.

And please keep praying for the tailor's daughter whose health has taken a turn for the worse again.

 

Friday Foto #51

July 13, 2007

When I arrived in the village this week I was informed that they'd picked out a husband for me. I was a bit nervous about that until I found out that my man is the tailor's very handsome nine-day-old grandson!

Not only does the tailor have two new grandchildren this week, but his daughter is doing much better. Praise the Lord. She is walking and talking and her face is so much brighter than it was last week. Please keep praying for her complete healing. People told me they thought she would die, but they don't think so anymore!

Because of last week's no-show for story time, we switched the day this week, and the change will stay. There were 35-40 people gathered for Wednesday night's story, including several children and the village elders. After the question time, in which several people participated, the men all went off to the mosque to pray. A dozen girls hung around and we went over the story again.

The gal who seemed most interested in the story is Fay's younger sister Jane, who was able to correctly answer most of my questions.

Praise the Lord for this exciting progress. Pray that people will continue to desire to hear Bible stories and that God will draw them to himself through his Word.

Thank you!

 

Friday Foto #50

July 6, 2007

A couple things to report on this week.

First off, I went to the village again Monday. The Bible story didn't happen. It was market day and those who weren't at the market were working in their fields. When evening came around, the usual crowd didn't gather, and those who were there were falling asleep. We'll try again next week on a different day, and see if it works better. Please pray about this.

I saw the tailor's daughter. She was sitting up and eating, two things which she hasn't done for a month. Praise the Lord for this improvement! But she's still skin and bone, and very weak. I prayed for her again, and her father kept saying, "Amen! Amen! Amen!" Please keep praying that God will restore her to complete health.

Next is Adam. He's the teacher you met several months ago who was out in a village for the school year. He's back in the city for the summer. He's been reading the Bible and wants to discuss it. For the last three weeks we've met Thursday afternoons to discuss what he's reading. Thank the Lord for Adam's interest in the Scriptures and pray that he will understand what he's reading and enter into a personal relationship with his creator.

Thank you again for your prayers as we work together to push back the darkness and introduce Fulani people to the Light of the world.

 

Friday Foto #49

June 29, 2007

Bible story #2 happened in the village Monday evening, with pretty much the same group of people as the first week. Thanks for your prayers for these stories to continue and to speak to people's hearts.

The tailor was right. He said they wouldn't forget the story, and they didn't. One man wasn't there last week because he was travelling, but the people told me they'd tell him the story. I asked him if he heard it, and he repeated it to me, only missing a couple details. I was impressed! Praise the Lord for this!

I heard that the tailor's daughter is seriously ill, so went to visit their home on Tuesday morning. He told me she'd been to a doctor repeatedly and had a number of shots and other medications, but it's done nothing for her. She is bed-ridden and wasting away.

I told him I'm not a doctor and I have no medicine, but I would like to pray for her in Jesus' name. He agreed. I prayed, just a short and simple prayer (that's all I'm capable of in Fulfulde!). Fulani men don't show much emotion, but I thought I saw tears in this father's eyes as he thanked me for praying for his daughter. Will you join me in praying for this young woman? Ask God to show his power to the village by healing her completely.

Thank you!

 

Friday Foto #48

June 22, 2007

ent over the story again, with them telling it together. I was very pleased that the group was a mix of men and women, ranging from teenagers to older people. I was particularly encouraged by Moses, a young guy who was obviously listening because he was able to answer most of the questions. Please pray for him, that his interest in God's Word will continue.

I was excited Tuesday morning to hear bits of Monday night's story coming from a group of women while they pounded grain. That's the idea--that people will pass the stories on to their friends. The village tailor told me that he liked the story and that I'll see next time I come that they won't have forgotten it.

Please pray that Bible stories will be a regular Monday night event in the village, and that people will recognize truth and desire to hear more.

Thank you for your prayers and your financial support that keeps me out here, giving me this immense privilege of bringing God's word to a Muslim village in the middle of Africa that may otherwise never hear the story of salvation.

 

Friday Foto #47

June 15, 2007

Last week it was the tent. This week it's the "Canary Castle," the nickname I've given to the place I'm house sitting for the next six weeks. It's a rough job, but someone's got to do it!

I'll keep this note short. I have air conditioning and a pool to enjoy. I feel it is my obligation as a good house sitter to make frequent use of both in order to ensure everything is in good working order!!

As the Apostle Paul said, "I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything" (Phil 4:12, New Living Translation). What a life!

 

 

 

Friday Foto #46

June 8, 2007

This is my home away from home in Ruga's village, where I usually spend a night every week or two. I'm heading out there this morning and will be sleeping in this palace tonight.

Pease pray that God will visit the village of Teppe and bring blessing there. One way to help you pray follows an acronym based on the word BLESS:

B - body. Pray for people's physical health and nutrition. While there is enough food in Teppe for everyone to have full tummies, their diet is not very well balanced. People have worms and diarrea and an assortment of other ailments.

L - labour. Pray for their work. They are currently planting this year's crops. Ask the Lord to bring sufficient rain that the crops will be good, and also pray that locusts and other harmful insects will not eat the crops. Ask God to bless their herds, that cows, sheep and goats will give birth to healthy young. The people of Teppe also make various mats, calabash bowls, and woven bowl covers to be sold in the market. Pray that these products will bring a good price.

E - emotions. Pray for the emotional health and well-being of the people in Teppe.

S - social. Pray for their social relations, their families and extended families. Pray that God will keep marriages together (divorce and immorality are quite common among the Fulani).

S - spiritual. Pray for their spiritual condition. Ask God to reveal himself to the people of Teppe, giving them understanding of spiritual truth and bringing them to salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your prayers for the Fulani.

 

Friday Foto #45

June 1, 2007

Many of you are wondering what's happening with the story telling in Ruga's village. So am I!

I was there last week. Several of the women were away at a get-together in another town. It was a bit like being at a church the weekend of a ladies retreat. A few old women were there, as well as all the men and the children.

I was welcomed as always. Ruga's brother Larry did his usual self-appointed chore of pounding in my tent pegs. Somebody else brought me a bucket of bath water. But the poor guys weren't real strong in the food department. I arrived around noon, got lunch at 7:30 p.m. and supper at 9! However, Ruga did surprise me the next morning by making me an omelet for breakfast.

I talked to Ruga about telling stories. I didn't get any details of a town meeting (or even if there was one), but he said it was no problem, I can tell stories as soon as the women get back.

The women are home now and I'm planning on a couple days in the village this coming week. It's been three months now since Ruga's wife told me she wants to hear stories from God's book. Please pray that it will soon work out for her (and the rest of the family) to hear them. Pray that God will visit their village and many will desire to hear the way of salvation.

Newsflash**In an email last night from the Canadian embassy office here, I learned that Niger's parliament voted the government out of office yesterday over a scandal involving the embezzlement of education funds and money mismanagement that has led to what looks like a rebellion brewing in the north of the country. The situation is calm here in Niamey, but the embassy is encouraging us to be "vigilent." Please pray for continued peace in Niger, and that a new government willl be put in place without violence.

Thanks for being on the team.

 

Friday Foto #44

May 25, 2007

For three months now, I have been going to my guard Bob's house on Wednesday mornings to tell Bible stories to his family. It's been a bit up and down with different people coming and going. Some have told me they're very interested and will come every week, and then I've never seen them again. I found out they stopped coming because I don't bring gifts. It seems to have settled into a core group of Bob and his brother and about five women.

This week I told the story of Jesus' baptism, and I believe that the Holy Spirit is working in Bob. When I got to the part where John the Baptist says he's not the Christ but one "who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me," Bob said, "That's God!"

Then when John called Jesus the "Lamb of God" Bob said, "Lambs are sacrificed because of sin."

We talked about that a few weeks ago. We looked at the ten commandments and saw that no one was capable of keeping them all, and we'd already seen that sin separates us from God. Then we looked at the temple and the sacrificial system, and the blood of animals covering human sin. But I was quite surprised that Bob put it all together just from the simple phrase that Jesus is the "Lamb of God." I believe it's because the Spirit is revealing truth to him.

Thanks for your prayers for Bob and his family. Keep it up! Ask God to keep revealing truth so that Bob and the others will enter into a relationship with him.

 

Friday Foto #43

May 18, 2007

This is Elise, daughter of my colleagues Ace and Cecilia Cheung. She's ready to start kindergarten in August at Sahel Academy (the local school for missionaries' children). The trouble is, there's no teacher for her class.

In fact, there are still quite a few holes in Sahel's line-up for this coming school year, which include:

- principal (1 year only)

- high school math teacher

- grade 7/8 English teacher

- elementary teacher

- kindergarten teacher

- PE teacher

- art teacher

Please join me in praying that all these vacancies will be filled and that the ministry of Sahel Academy will not be hindered by a lack of personnel.

If you, or someone you know, may be interested in a plugging one of these holes, let me know and I can get you in touch with the right people.

Check out the new Sahel Academy website at: www.sahelacademy.com

 

Friday Foto #42

May 11, 2007

When I open my gate every morning, this is the view that greets me. Yes, a new mosque has recently opened up across the street. I am very glad that they don't yet have loud speakers. I can live with a man shouting the call to prayer with a big voice five times each day, but loud speakers would be very hard to endure!

I want to draw your attention to the writing on the mosque wall, recently scratched there with charcoal. It's simply a telephone number and a name. The name is Issa, the Arabic version of Jesus (a name I hear occasionally, since Jesus is recognized here as a prophet).

No, I am not trying to read anything significant into this "writing on the wall." I just wanted to share with you the chuckle I get as I drive off and see Jesus' phone number written on the wall of the mosque!

 

Friday Foto #41

May 4, 2007

So, how did it go telling a story in the village with Ruga's family, you ask? It didn't!

I went Monday afternoon as planned. I wandered around the village greeting people, and a couple little boys invited me to join them for their lesson at the mosque. Fourteen boys, the oldest I'd guess to be about 10, are studying Arabic and were sitting and chanting what they've memorized. It is rote memorization of sounds only--they have no understanding of what they're saying. Then came prayer time and the imam led them in a memorized prayer. Again, it's foreign words only, and no expression of the heart. Please pray for these little guys, that God will interrupt their lives and bring them to himself.

Evening came and I was sitting outside Ruga and Fay's hut. The usual collection of people tottled over to visit. They ate (men and women separately), and went off to pray. Some came back, some didn't. I politely waited for Ruga to take the lead and tell me the time had come for the story. But he just sat there dozing off. Others got up and said goodnight. I too was struggling to stay awake. At around 10 o'clock Ruga finally called me into the hut, along with his wife and another woman.

He was rather apologetic and said there wouldn't be a story. Why? He had told some people I was coming to tell stories from God's book, and they objected. My heart sunk.

But then he continued. The reason they objected is that Ruga hadn't told everybody I was coming. "You can't invite just a few people," they told him. "You're not the only one who has ears! Everybody in town has ears and we all want to hear the stories. Everybody has to be invited!" They decided the stories couldn't happen until the whole village and surrounding community knows about it. Ruga told me they will all meet and decide a time when I should come. So now I guess I wait until I hear from them.

Praise the Lord that the village wants to hear Bible stories! Pray that this will, in fact, happen.

 

Friday Foto #40

April 27, 2007

For several weeks we have been praying for Ruga and Fay in the village I visit most often. Fay wanted me to come and tell Bible stories, but Ruga was travelling so we decided to await his return before making any plans. He's finally back. And he agreed to me coming every week to tell stories to their family. Praise the Lord for this response!

Ruga said the evenings are best because people aren't working. So it looks like I'll be camping in the village every Monday night and telling bedtime stories. (I wish all of you could have this much fun at work!)

Meet Sam. He lives a ways down the path from Ruga's house, but is frequently there visiting (as are several other young men). He is one of the few Fulani I know who can read. Last year I gave him a copy of the book of Luke and he told me a few months later that he will never get tired of the story. He definitely has an interest in spiritual things.

The other day in the village Sam asked me when I am coming to tell Bible stories. So I expect to see him at Ruga's house this Monday evening.

Please pray for this meeting. Pray that the people of God's choosing will come, and that they will return every week. Pray for Ruga and Fay and Sam, as well as the others who will be there, that the Lord will open their eyes to truth and draw them to himself. And pray too for my ability in Fulfulde, that my language errors won't get in the way of people hearing and understanding God's word.

God is working in response to your prayers. Keep it up!

 

Friday Foto #39

April 20, 2007

Millet is the staple of the Fulani diet. Some wealthy people buy up lots of millet when it is plentiful (as it is right now), and then when the supplies run low, they sell it at three or four times what they paid for it. People can't afford it, but they are given "credit" at exhorbitant interest. The system isn't fair and people cannot get caught up.

One solution to the problem is "grain banks." One of the villages I visit has asked for my help in getting a grain bank started. So I've been doing some research. The idea is that the village has its own grain that it distributes as people need it. When the harvest is done, they pay back to the grain bank what they received, with a small amount of interest (enough to cover the cost of managing the bank and a small profit so the bank can grow).

So far I've received info or other help from four different Christian groups--a neat picture of the body of Christ working together, even for a small project. I've got a storage place for the millet arranged and hope to start filling it this week.

Please pray that we'll do this right from the beginning (I've heard of a lot of flopped grain bank projects!). Praise the Lord for the help I'm receiving and pray that this grain bank will work and make a big difference in the lives of some needy people.

In other news, my guard Ken had his surgery Tuesday. I haven't seen him, but I hear all is well. Thanks for praying for him--please continue to pray that he will recover well.

 

Friday Foto #38

April 13, 2007

These days I'm feeling a bit like the candle sitting on my bookshelf. Last week it stretched to its full height of twelve inches. This week it bends sharply just above the candle holder and hangs its weary head six inches below the shelf!

It is hot! The other day, my thermometer had the nerve to announce a high of 52 degrees Celsius in the sun (that would be 126 for those of you who think better in Fahrenheit). Whichever scale you choose, it’s just too hot.

I suppose this is what one should expect living next to the Sahara Desert. After all, the Lonely Planet traveler’s guide warns that Niger has two seasons: "hot" and "hotter than hell." I think they exaggerate, but not much!

This week I pulled out my last line of defense against the heat. I have two red rubber hot water bottles. Every morning I drop them in the freezer. Every night I wrap them in towels and snuggle up.

Enough whining! But please do pray that my teammates and I will have the stamina to keep doing what God's called us here to do.

Thank you for praying for my guard Ken. Keep it up. He still hasn't had his surgery. Now they're saying it will be this coming Monday. "We'll see," he told me with a sceptical chuckle. I told him my friends are praying for him and he thanked me.

Thank you for sharing in my ministry here through your prayers and financial support.

 

Friday Foto #37

April 6, 2007

Meet Ken. He is the night guard at my house. He is a kind man and a good worker, who has worked for me since the day I moved in. He's also helped me a lot with my Fulfulde.

Ken needs surgery for a hernia. Three weeks ago he arranged for the time off and went to his appointment. That night he was back at work. He didn't have his surgery because workers at the clinic were on strike.

He went back a few days later. He was told he needed another blood test. So he had that. He stopped at the clinic on his way home from work nearly every morning for the next two weeks. At last he was scheduled for surgery early Wednesday morning. The surgery was cancelled again because of another strike.

Now they're telling him it will be Monday. He's getting pretty tired of this run-around. Not to mention he's in pain!

I have his permission to write to you asking you to pray. Will you join me in praying that Ken will, in fact, have his surgery Monday? Pray that it will go well with no complication or infection. Pray that God will intervene and that Ken will see God's hand in his life. Thanks!

Happy Easter to you all! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!

 

Friday Foto #36

March 30, 2007

Canada isn't the only country with a mounted police force. Here are two members of the "Royal Nigerien Mounted Police"! (And you will notice that turbans are accepted!)

Join me in thanking the Lord that Niger is a peaceful and stable country with a relatively low crime rate. Please pray that it will continue this way.

 

 

 

 

Friday Foto #35

March 23, 2007

Back in November I wrote about a clay stove I had made with two of my colleagues. We are happy with the way it turned out, and each of us have helped some of our African friends make their own.

Several weeks ago, I made stoves with my friends Fay and Isobel (the ones we're praying for to have children). They use them all the time and tell me they burn considerably less wood than cooking over the open fire.

Some women from another village asked about the stoves. My friends were hesitant to go on their own, so we went together this week. The village was prepared for our visit and had mixed up plenty of clay--enough for two stoves.

Fay, Isobel and I are pictured here making the first one. (Isobel's husband had my camera and was having a great time telling us to look up and smile every minute or so!!). Some of the villagers helped us and watched what we were doing. Then they made the second stove while we watched and cheered them on. I have a feeling the next time I visit that village I'll see a lot of clay stoves. I hope so!

And I hope that this "good deed" will lead people to praise my Father in heaven (see Matthew 5:16). Let's pray to that end.

 

Friday Foto #34

March 16, 2007

Meet Ruga and Fay. You've met them before. They are one of two couples who host me when I visit their village. I've been praying for a natural opening to suggest I come regularly to the village to tell Bible stories. The answer came this week.

I was visiting with Fay and she told me about the village "crazy lady" who from time to time screams and falls down like she's dead. I've seen it once, and apparently she did it again the other day. "She has demons," Fay told me.

Fay continued, telling me that many Fulani have demons and that they are very afraid of the demons and of death. They go to the sorcerer and pay lots of money for his help. He often "prescribes" the sacrifice of a chicken, sheep or goat. The people can't afford it, but they do it anyway, looking for relief from their fear. "Sometimes it helps, and sometimes it doesn't," she concluded.

That opened the door for me to tell Fay that God wants to free people from their fear and from demons. He doesn't want us to be afraid. I told her that if they agree to the idea, I would like to come every week and tell their family stories from God's book that explain the way of God.

"I know that you know the way of God," she told me. "I want you to come and tell the stories." She said she will talk with some of the others about it, but Ruga is away for a few weeks, so we will wait for his return before making any plans.

Please pray for Ruga and Fay and their large extended family. Praise God for this response from Fay, and pray that they will invite me to tell them the stories that will lead to freedom from fear and death. Pray especially for Ruga, that God will reveal himself to him and give him a thirst for truth.

Keep praying! God is working.

 

Friday Foto #33

March 9, 2007

Thank you for praying for my guard Bob and his family. For the last month, I have been going to his village on Wednesday mornings to tell Bible stories. (It's not really a village at all, but a collection of four huts 3 km from a larger village up a dry riverbed. So I get to go 4-wheelin'!)

Bob is the only man there, along with seven or eight women and some children. Praise the Lord that they understand my Fulfulde (!!!) and they keep inviting me back. It's so much fun telling these stories to people who don't know them.

I am particularly encouraged by Hannah. She follows the stories carefully and is by far the most capable of telling them back to me when I'm done. This week she referred back to one of the previous stories to explain something about sin. I was impressed.

"Thank you for coming," Hannah told me. "You tell us stories that 'open' our knowledge, and knowledge is good. Come back and tell us more."

Please pray that this will continue to be a weekly event. Pray that Hannah and the others will understand not just the words, but the meaning of the stories, and that they will come to know the God who wrote them. Pray that Bob's family will become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Friday Foto #32

March 2, 2007

I just got home from the airport where I said goodbye to our latest medical team from Canada. They were such an encouragement to our team, seeing over 800 patients and helping us love the nomadic people of Niger.

This probably doesn't look like the local clinic in your town. But this is the brand new structure built for our visit in the village of Boborgou where, amidst the dust and straw, three doctors and two nurses saw a steady stream of people. The villagers welcomed us warmly, and sent us off with gifts of squash, a live chicken and a bag of millet cakes.

Thank you for praying for us in these hectic days of travelling, hosting clinics and camping in villages.

 

Friday Foto #31

February 23, 2007

When I go to the village that I visit most often, the local imam (Muslim teacher/"pastor") usually comes to greet me. He has given me gifts of butter and milk, thanking me for coming and befriending his village.

As I was packing up my tent to leave the last time I was there, he was walking by and stopped to chat. "Miriam, your feet show your love," he said.

I understood all his words, but wasn't sure of the meaning, so I asked him to repeat himself. One of my friends jumped in to explain what he meant. "He means that your coming here shows that you love us."

"Yes," the imam agreed. "Where you don't like, you don't go. Your feet come here often. That shows us that you love us."

I thought of the apostle Paul's words in Romans 10:15. "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" My feet aren't looking so good these days, with the cracks and dirt of dry season. But I am grateful that God can use them to show people I love them. Please pray for opportunities to share with them the good news of salvation that I have come to bring. Pray especially for the imam, that God will reveal Himself to this spiritual leader. Pray that he will become a teacher of God's gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

This week I will be travelling again with another medical team, arriving this evening from Moose Jaw, SK (with one member from Gatineau, QC). Please pray for our ministry as we hold clinics in two different villages.

God is working through your prayers. So keep it up! Thanks!

 

Friday Foto #30

February 16, 2007

This little guy represents about 6 million children in Niger.

In 2006, the UN once again placed Niger in the #1 spot on its list of "Least Livable Countries."

Here are a few statistics to support that conclusion: - Life expectancy is 44.6 years. (Only 2% of the population is age 65 or over.) - Only 22% of Niger's children are in school. - Less than 50% of the population have consistant access to clean drinking water. - There is only one doctor for every 34,000 people. - One in five children will die before reaching the age of 5. - 40% of children under the age of 5 are underweight. - 85% of the population live on $2 US/day or less. - 26% of children are not immunized against tuberculosis and measles.

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me'" (Matthew 19:14). That includes the Fulani children of Niger. Please pray for them.

 

Friday Foto #29

February 9, 2007

"Miriam, you're really Fulani now!"

And what did I do to deserve that comment, you ask? I bought two cows.

And what am I going to do with two cows? I'm glad you asked. Let me explain!

The Fulani have a wonderful cultural practise of lending animals to those who are in financial need. The recipient keeps and cares for the cow until it has a calf. If the calf is female, the recipient keeps the calf and the cow is returned to its owner. If the calf is male, the recipient keeps the calf and also keeps the cow for a second year. After the second calf is born, the cow is returned to its owner.

So my two cows, which I hope will be the first of many, have become loaner cows, and are already in the possession of two widows with children. The idea is to help them establish a herd, and thus a means of improving their children's diet (with milk) and giving them an income (from the sale of milk and butter). Apparently several development agencies across West Africa have adopted this Fulani custom of helping people with the loan of animals.

Please pray that these animals will demonstrate God's love and that they will be a real help to the recipient families.

*Update* Thanks for praying for me as I went to visit Bob's family on Wednesday morning. There were seven adults there and a couple children. The welcome was warm, and I told the story of creation. I was encouraged by one woman who was able to answer the review questions. I've got an invitation to go back next week for another story, and they told me that more people will come to hear it. Praise the Lord for this start! Please keep praying for Bob and his family.

 

Friday Foto #28

February 2, 2007

During our final clinic last week, I met Robert, the "health agent" in the village of Dolewo. He helped me with the distribution of vitamins and worm pills, and we had quite a bit of time to sit and visit.

He asked me for a Bible (he reads French). I didn't have one, but have since given one to someone who will deliver it to him. But I did tell him a Bible story--a summary of the gospel in 25 minutes. It took more like two hours because we were interrupted frequently, but he kept reminding me where we'd left off and asked me to continue. He has heard the gospel before through a church in the town where he studied.

I was able to give him some Bible story books in Fulfulde. He's never read Fulfulde before (since there is very little printed in the language), but was able to sound out words and figure out the few letters that are not in French. He got excited and said, "If I read some every night, in a month I'll know these stories, and I'll be able to read them to the kids!" It turns out that a group of teenage boys hang out with Robert in the evenings, and he wants to tell them the stories as he learns them.

Robert was pleased when I told him I'll ask my friends to pray for him in Jesus' name. Please pray: 1) that he will read the Bible stories (and the Bible when he receives it) and that he will understand what he reads 2) that he will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour and friend, and that he will share what he learns with others 3) for an exam that he needs to take for his work. He's had a 3-month basic medical training. He then took an exam which he failed, and will take again. Pray that he will pass this time, and that this will give him more respect among the villagers, enabling him to teach them on both health and spiritual matters. 4) that he will be able to quit smoking. He realizes it is bad for him and says he wants to quit. Pray that he'll have the strength to carry through on this desire.

*Newsflash* Remember Bob, the guard at my house? He asked me in the fall to tell him Bible stories, and I asked him if I could come to his village and tell them to his whole family. The elder was away for several weeks and Bob waited for his permission. The elder returned and asked what is the purpose of the stories. I said they help us know how to follow God. Bob took the message back to the village. I've been travelling most of January, so I barely saw Bob. But yesterday he told me the elder agreed to my coming. We arranged for me to visit his village for the first Bible story this coming Wednesday, February 7. Praise the Lord for this opportunity! Please pray for me, that I will be able to tell the story in proper Fulfulde and that the Lord will speak to people's hearts. Pray that God will give Bob's family a thirst for truth. Ask God to enable me to "gently instruct [Bob's family], in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive" (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

Thanks again for being on the team!

 

Friday Foto #27

January 26, 2007

Thanks for praying us through our medical marathon. In the past two and a half weeks, we have had medical/dental clinics in four different villages. The first week was with a team from Edmonton, and the second week was a combined effort with teams from Edmonton and Texas. We've got lots of stories to tell, but I'll limit myself to one.

We spent three nights this week in the Fulani village of Sounga. We did a clinic there last year as well, and our Baptist colleagues have visited the village a few times since. My job during the clinic was translating for the pharmacy, explaining to people how many pills to take and when to take them. The situation was complicated by the fact that half of the people who came to the clinic aren't Fulani and don't speak Fulfulde! So I explained the medications in Fulfulde to my helper Mark, who then explained it all again in Zarma.

Mark is the chief's son, and was a pleasure to work with. He caught on quickly, and also helped me with my pronunciation and gave me some new words.

The last night that we were in Sounga, Mark came by to visit with three of us Canadians. He thanked us for coming, saying that we honoured his father (the chief) by coming, and that I honoured him by having him work with me. He then said, "Some people don't want to get dirty. But you people love and hug our children, even if you get dirty." He then picked up my water bottle and hugged and kissed it as a demonstration of our team's love to the village children! "You don't have big heads," he continued, "but you love the elders and little ones alike."

Mark then switched topics and talked about having seen the Jesus film the previous evening. "You need to teach me more," he said, "so that when I understand I can follow Jesus. And then, when I understand, I will teach others, and many Fulani will follow Jesus. Right now I'm like a blind man," he continued. "A blind man can't see the road. But you will teach us and I will see and follow Jesus and lead others on his road too."

Wow!! Praise the Lord for Mark's response to our team. Please pray for him, that the seed of truth planted in his heart will grow and take root. Pray that Mark will, in fact, follow Jesus and lead others to do so as well.

Keep praying! God is working.

 

Friday Foto #26

January 19, 2007

Our medical marathon continues. Monday to Wednesday we were in the Fulani village of Lambounti. In preparation for our coming, the villagers had put up straw shelters for doctors' consultations and an enclosure which housed the pharmacy and dental department. The chief welcomed us and the reception was warm. I was especially thrilled with this welcome, since these are "my" people--it was guys from the village I visit that went with me to organize the prep for this trip. In all the village clinics I've participated in, I've never seen one better organized and run more smoothly.

We saw several hundred patients, some of whom were seriously ill. And a dentist yanked out lots of rotten teeth in the shade of a large tree. My primary job for the three days was to translate for him and his assistant, as well as cuddling some babies whose mothers were receiving dental care.

We showed the Jesus film both evenings we were there and many people came to watch. Pray that they would recognize truth and be drawn to Jesus.

Thursday our dentist worked on missionary teeth in the city. I am very happy to report that pulling teeth isn't all he does well. He replaced a broken filling I've had since August, so I'm a happy camper.

Tonight part of the team returns to Canada and others come (from Edmonton and from Texas). We set out for the next village Saturday morning. We are planning on two clinics this week in different villages, each of them for three days. Please keep praying for us, for the stamina to keep up this pace. A few of the team have had some tummy troubles and colds, and some haven't slept well. Ask the Lord to strengthen us and to use us to bring his light and love into the villages we'll visit.

Thanks for your prayers.

 

Friday Foto #25

January 12, 2007

We are currently hosting a group from Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton. We got back last night from our first of four three-day trips to villages. It wasn't without hiccups and challenges, but overall we can say it was a great success.

Doctors and nurses were able to see in the neighbourhood of 300 patients. The one that grabbed our hearts most was this little girl who had fallen into a fire thirteen days before our arrival and had serious burns over most of the front of her body. Nurses painstakingly cleaned her up and dressed her wounds. She was then evacuated to the hospital in Niamey in the back of a military truck with a huge gun on its roof. Please pray for this little girl, that she will recover completely from this horrible burn. Pray that through this tragedy many people will see the love of Jesus.

The village welcomed us very warmly. Some of the team were treated to camel rides. The widow of the former chief invited us women for tea. And the village threw a party for us with traditional singing and dancing. Thank the Lord for this reception.

The highlight of the trip is what happened in Dylan's life. Dylan works for us as a guard at our office/guesthouse, and came along on this trip as a translator. He was obviously struck by what he saw and heard, and was full of questions. On the way home yesterday he prayed to accept Jesus Christ as his Saviour. We pulled over our caravan of four vehicles for a brief praise and prayer meeting en route. Please pray for Dylan. Praise the Lord for new life in him, and pray for his protection from the enemy. He is concerned about how his wife will react to this news. Pray that the Holy Spirit will be working in her and that she will join her husband on this journey of faith.

Tomorrow morning we set out again for the next village clinic. Thank you for your prayers in these hectic weeks.

 

Friday Foto #24

January 5, 2007

Happy New Year!

The last time I wrote I mentioned that I was going away. Someone responded that they hoped I was going to a beach. Well . . . I did see a lot of sand. The only thing missing was water. Yep, I went with some friends to the Sahara Desert.

Enjoyed seeing dancing camels at a festival, climbing sand dunes, eating freshly-picked oranges at an oasis, and sleeping under the stars. It was -2 C (about 29 F) the night we slept on a sand dune. We were joking that we don't even go camping in Canada when it's that cold, and there we were half frozen in the middle of Africa!

The break was good. Now it's on to other things. On Tuesday I went to the airport to meet Franny, an intern from Rocky Mountain College in Calgary who is here until April. Please pray for Franny and her time here, that she will meet God and fall in love with the Fulani people. Pray that God will work in her and through her these months in Niger.

This coming week (Jan 7-10) our team, along with some guests, will be having a "think tank" on development in Niger, brainstorming and planning for ways that we can make a difference in the lives of hurting and needy people. Please pray that this will be time well spent, and that God will guide our discussion.

We go from the think tank directly into two weeks of travelling with volunteer medical teams, where we will be holding clinics in four different villages. Please pray for this ministry as well. There are a great many details to be worked out. Pray for safety and effectiveness as we seek to bring God's love to people who have little or no access to medical care.

Thanks again for being on the team. May you know God's peace and blessing in 2007.

 

Friday Foto #23

December 22, 2006

I just got back from three fantastic days in the village.

At first glance, the village didn't look a lot like Christmas. No decorations. No Christmas trees. No special baking. None of the things that look like Christmas in our thinking.

But, looking around me I decided it really did look a lot like Christmas--the first Christmas 2000 years ago. Chickens and goats strutting along the paths, donkeys braying, children playing in the sand, women cooking over the open fire, men carving tools. Just add a bunch of visitors coming for a census, and you'd have the scene in Bethlehem.

It's "winter" here and the nights are down to a cool 15 C. The cloudless night sky was brilliant with stars. Maybe Jesus was born on such a night.

I'd like you to meet Adam (not the teacher you've met before--this is a different Adam). This is Isobel's husband (she's one of the ones we're praying for that she'll have a baby). Adam escorted me to my tent with his flashlight the first night I was there. We stopped to look up at the stars, and I told him that seeing a beautiful sky like that makes my heart praise God.

"You have a clean heart!" he said.

"Yes, I do," I agreed. "It's not clean because of my religion or my work. But it's clean because God cleaned it. And when he looks at me, he sees a person with a clean heart."

The next evening I was sitting in Adam and Isobel's hut visiting. Adam told me a Fulani fable, then asked, "What is your story of how people can be saved from Satan?" This is the kind of question that missionaries dream of!!! So I told him that because God wanted to restore the relationship with people that sin took away, he himself came to earth as a person who showed us how to live. He was killed. He could have stopped it, but he chose to die. Because he never sinned, he was able to be a sacrifice that pleased God. If a person believes in him, God cleans that person's heart and saves him from Satan. "And that's why we celebrate Christmas," I concluded. "Because that's when God came to earth."

"That's a good story," Adam said, "a very good story."

Please pray for Adam. Pray that he will desire a clean heart, and that he will understand how he can have one. Pray that he will meet Jesus, Emmanuel--"God with us."

May you also meet Emmanuel this Christmas, whether for the first time or the 101st time. And let us celebrate that God is with us!

I plan to be away for a few days next week, so there won't be a Friday foto for a couple weeks.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

Friday Foto #22

December 15, 2006

I figure it's about time to introduce you to the man of the family. Meet Jay. You've met his three wives (Kathy, Anna and Ruth), two of his fourteen children (Bobby and Jeff), and his sister (Helen).

Jay is very welcoming to me (in a proper, gentlemanly way). When he sees me walking down the street, he will holler over, "Hello Miriam, friend of the Fulani!" He has told me more than once that he likes it that I spend time with his wives. Last spring when I was treating a serious wound on his sister's foot, he thanked me for my care. I told him many of my friends were praying for her in Jesus' name, and he said, "Your prayers are good."

He also said, "I've noticed that you followers of Jesus are honest. You're not hypocrites. If you say you're going to do something, you do it." I was grateful that that's the image he has of Jesus' followers. May I never do anything to change that!

Please pray for Jay. Thank the Lord that he has a positive attitude toward Christians. Pray that he will want to know more about who Jesus is. And pray for me, that I will be a good example of what a follower of Jesus should look like.

Thanks for being on the team!

 

Friday Foto #21

December 8, 2006

Here is my car once again visiting its home away from home--Niger's answer to Canadian Tire!

I am thankful for my car, and for those of you who gave so that I could buy it. It's been a good vehicle for the most part, but eight years of the potholes and washboard of African roads have taken their toll. It still looks good, and the engine runs like a top, but the poor suspension system is another story!

I've replaced shock absorbers and struts and bushings and tie rods and parts whose names I don't know. The biggest problem is that most of these parts are not available here, and so it seems nearly everyone coming from Canada gets the 'privilege' of bringing me yet another part. It's getting wearisome (not to mention costing a small fortune!). It's to the point where the friendly mechanic in this picture only bills me after every third or fourth visit. More than once he's told me it was more effort than it was worth to write up a bill. Another time he didn't charge me because, "You have season's tickets here!" Join me in thanking the Lord for his provision of a vehicle and a mechanic who works wonders!

My plan is to try to baby this vehicle along for another year and a half and then sell it when I leave for home assignment. Please pray that it will last that long! I hope to get a more rugged vehicle next time (likely a Toyota Hilux, for which the parts are available here) that should do better on the terrible village roads.

 

Friday Foto #20

December 1, 2006

Meet my friend Kathy, holding her little granddaughter (and she is younger than I am--Kathy, that is!!). She's a woman who loves to laugh and tease, and she's been a great asset to me in my language and culture learning, patiently slowing down and teaching me words to help me understand what she's saying. I thank the Lord for her!

You've already met Kathy's two co-wives--Anna and Ruth. Yes, it's true, three women share one man, and these three do so with an unusual amount of peace and friendship between them. I keep being told that they are the exception to the rule for polygamous families. Another Fulani woman confided in me that, "polygamy hurts the heart."

In case you're wondering how it works, they each have their own hut, and their husband makes the rounds between them. The gals decide amongst themselves who does the cooking each day, and the cook is the one who has company for the night. (And they wonder why I don't want to marry a Fulani man!!!)

Will you pray for Kathy? Ask the Lord to reveal himself to her and give her a thirst for truth.

Thank you!

 

Friday Foto #19

November 24, 2006

Several weeks ago, some of my Fulani friends in the village asked me to help them improve their stoves. They are currently cooking on the open fire. Three rocks are placed in a triangle, a pot is balanced on them, and a fire lit underneath.

Their concern is the amount of wood that is burned cooking this way. As you might guess, living this close to the desert, wood is a precious thing. The women have to walk far from their homes to find enough wood for their cooking.

So I started doing some research and found out about stoves made of clay, which are both affordable and reproducible. The villagers can make these by themselves. And I'm told that they use only about 1/3 the wood of cooking on the open fire.

This week a couple colleagues and I got together and played in the mud for a few hours, and look what we managed to generate! It may not look like much to you, but we're pretty happy with it. Of course, we have to wait until the clay dries before conducting the official test, but we're optimistic. Simple stoves like this could go a long way to simplify the lives of village women.

I am hoping to train a couple women in the fine art of stove making and then they can take it from there, and hopefully this will spread and make a big difference for lots of women.

And that's it for this week's report. Thanks again for your on-going prayers.

 

Friday Foto #18

November 17, 2006

When I spend a night in the village, I take my tent with me. And I always manage to attract a crowd of curious onlookers when I build my "house."

One day after rolling out my sleeping bag and getting my things settled, I unzipped my door and this is the view that greeted me!

Please pray that these folks who are so interested in my little blue "house" will be even more interested in the message of salvation that I bring.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Foto #17

November 10, 2006

This is one of the fruit & veggie stands in Niamey where I buy produce (unfortunately, it doesn't always look this good!).

On the subject of fruit, Jesus said, "I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last" (John 15:16). Will you pray that my ministry in Niger will bear eternal fruit, that of seeing Fulani men and women worshiping before the throne in heaven?

Remember Bob, the part-time guard at my house? Last week he asked me again to tell him a Bible story. As I told it, he interrupted a number of times to ask questions. In light of his obvious interest in spiritual things, I asked him if I can visit his village to tell these stories to his whole family. He said he would ask them and get back to me. Yesterday he told me that "the old one" is travelling and he is awaiting his return to ask permission for me to come. Please pray for a favourable response from this village elder and an open door to tell Bible stories to Bob and his whole family. Pray that this will bring lasting fruit.

As I conclude my formal language study this month and seek the Lord for his guidance in the next steps, I am looking for people who will commit to praying more specifically for the Fulani and my ministry among them. Will you commit to praying weekly or daily for the Fulani? If so, please let me know and I will send you more specific prayer requests to be updated about once a month.

Thank you once again for your financial and prayer support. Don't stop now!!!

 

Friday Foto #16

November 3, 2006

Ruth is one of Anna's two co-wives. Of the Fulani women I visit in my neighbourhood, she is the most serious about her religion. She's also the most educated. She speaks French and is studying Arabic so she can read the Koran (the Muslim holy book). She is learning Arabic phonetically, so she can see it written and sound it out. However, she is not learning what the words actually mean, so her reading becomes ritual chanting of words she doesn't understand.

The other day I was in Ruth's yard visiting. She came out of her house briefly to greet me, but then went back in to return to her study of the Koran. She is working so hard for God's approval. Please pray that she will understand that God's approval is a gift of grace, and not a result of human striving to be holy. Ask God to reveal himself to her and show her the truth of salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

Friday Foto #15

October 27, 2006

A few months ago Anna's son Bobby showed me a sore on his leg. I thought, "ouch!" and forgot all about it. Last week he told me the sore hadn't healed and showed it to me again. Not only had it not healed, but it had grown and there were some smaller sores around it.

So, once again, under the supervision of my team-mate Dr. Ace, I am playing nurse. Every morning I go and wash the wound (the poor lad winces when the saline solution hits the open sores!), slap on some antibiotic cream and bandage it up. (He also winces when I pull off the old bandage, complaining that soon there will be no hair left on his leg!)

Please pray that the infection will clear up completely and that Bobby's leg will heal well without complication. Pray too that Bobby and his family will see God's love in me as I care for his leg.

(Just to make a connection for you, many of you will remember Helen, whose badly cut foot I looked after for a couple months after it was run over by a car last spring. Bobby is Helen's nephew and lives across the street.)

In other news, my team and I are all attending a seminar this week on church-planting movements. We're learning some very valuable stuff that we will hopefully soon be putting into practise. Please pray for us as we seek to implement what we're learning. Thanks!

 

Friday Foto #14

October 20, 2006

Back in August I asked you to pray for Adam. You prayed that he would find a job teaching school. He's got one! He starts next week. It's not exactly the job of his dreams, since it's in a village near the end of the world that doesn't even have a road (he'll go as far as he can by taxi van and the rest of the way on the back of a camel!), and he likely won't get paid for the first three months. But he's preparing to leave this weekend.

You prayed that Adam will have a relationship with his heavenly Father. He's not there yet, but is understanding more. He's heard the gospel several times and is very interested to talk about matters of faith. I spent some time with him yesterday and told him the story I told in the village last week. Much of it was familiar to him, but he didn't know how the different pieces were connected together.

I told him about the Old Testament temple having a heavy curtain between the place where God was and the place where the priests worked. It was there because sinful people can't be in God's presence. You should have seen Adam's eyes get big when I told him that when Jesus died, the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom, showing us that Jesus' death gives us access to God. Please continue to pray that God will open the eyes of Adam's heart. Pray that he will continue to read his Bible and seek the truth, and that he will soon come to know Jesus as his Saviour.

You also prayed for Adam's health. This continues to be an area of concern for him as he heads off to a village with no pharmacy or medical care. He is taking a several-month stock of vitamin pills and anti-malaria pills. Please pray that God will protect him physically and spiritually in the weeks and months ahead.

 

Friday Foto #13

October 13, 2006

"I love to tell the story, 'Twill be my theme in glory, To tell the old, old story, Of Jesus and His love."

This old hymn is my theme song these days. One of the things I've been doing is working on a 25-minute presentation of the story from creation to Jesus' resurrection, including a few key Old Testament stories and how their prophecies were fulfulled in Jesus Christ.

I just got back from spending three days in the village I frequently visit, where I got to tell the story five times. One of the people I told it to was Fay, who you've met before. She is Ruga's wife, and one of two barren women you've been praying for that she'll have a baby. (No answer there yet--she's joining in the fast of Ramadan which she wouldn't be doing if she were pregnant.)

Fay actually asked me to tell her the story (having overheard a bit of it as I told it to her husband and his brother earlier in the day). She listened carefully as I told it, helping me with my pronunciation in a couple places. When I was done she said, "I've never heard that story before. It's very sweet to me. I want you to tell it to me again every time you come and visit."

A little bit later she said, "I want to know more about Jesus. Do you have more stories?" I did have a Bible story book with me that I'm working on learning, which we went through together. "These stories are very, very sweet," she said.

Praise the Lord for Fay's interest in the gospel! Ask the Lord to protect the seed that's been planted and to make it grow in Fay's heart, and in the hearts of the others who heard the story. Pray that these people will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

 

Friday Foto #12

October 6, 2006

Remember my friend Anna? (friday foto #1, July 21) She's my closest Fulani friend, and her heart is sad these days.

Several days ago, a child came to my door first thing in the morning to tell me that Anna's sister had died the night before. I knew she had been ill, but I didn't know it was that serious.

That day I attended my first Fulani funeral. All the women gathered at Anna's mother's hut at the edge of the city and just sat together. There was some talking, but it was all hushed, lacking the usual animation. A few of them covered their faces and cried from time to time, but not the loud wailing of other people groups.

In the meantime, the men went and prepared the body for burial, under the supervision of the imam (Muslim leader). The body is washed and wrapped in white cloth. Then the men all go to the cemetary and bury the body on the right side, facing east, with head to the south and feet to the north (and thus the expression, "He kicked the north" meaning someone died). The men all came to Anna's mother's hut after the burial. The imam chanted some bits (I assume from the Koran), and prayed and that was it. Everyone went home around 12:30.

Anna is understandably very sad, and she thanked me for coming. There is much fear of death among these people, and rightfully so--death is a fearful enemy for those who do not know Jesus. While the imam was praying, I was also praying in Jesus' name, that He will bring light into the darkness, hope into the hopelessness, truth into the lies, comfort into the pain, etc. Will you join me in praying for Anna and her family?

 

Friday Foto #11

September 29, 2006

We are having a wonderful team retreat. Thanks for praying.

My neighbour says hi!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Foto #10

September 22, 2006

This is the wonderful gang of Canucks with whom I am privileged to work--The Christian and Missionary Alliance team of Niger, half of whom just arrived this summer.

From left to right: Tim and Brenda (team leaders); Sophie and Daniel (newly arrived from Montreal); Sandra; Lisa; Cecilia and Ace (newly arrived from Edmonton). Plus four other children aren't pictured because they were in school when this was taken.

Our team retreat is this coming week, September 25-29. We will be welcoming guests from Canada, including Doug and Judy Wiebe, our speakers for the week.

Thank the Lord for sending workers to his harvest field, and ask him for more. Please pray for us as we pray, worship, learn and play together, getting to know one another better and exploring how we can better work together as a team. Pray for safe travel for our guests. Pray that God will use Doug and Judy as they speak to us and that our days together will help to prepare us for what lies ahead.

 

Friday Foto #9

September 15, 2006

"Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Jesus Christ, Matthew 7:14)

Please pray that these little buddies, and many more Fulani children will find the narrow road and walk it faithfully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Foto #8

September 8, 2006

I’d like you to meet Ruga. That’s not really his name, but it’s what everyone calls him. Ruga is actually his title—it’s the word for the head cattleman in an area, a respected position. And I’m guessing he’s also the oldest man in town, adding to his respect. He’s not actually very old at all. He’s 63, more or less—his identity card gives his date of birth as "around 1943."

Ruga lives in a village where I often go to visit and spend the night. He has two wives, one of whom is Fay (from "Friday Foto" #4) for whom I asked you to pray that she will have a child.

It seems that Ruga is the self-declared president of my hospitality committee. Even when I’m sitting in someone else’s hut visiting, he will often send me a bowl of milk (warm, of course!) or a glass of tea. Every day that I’m there, he rides off on his bicycle to a larger town a couple kilometres away where bread is available, and he buys me a scrambled egg sandwich.

The last time I visited in his village, I asked Ruga to tell me a story. I sat under the big mango tree learning Fulani history from this village elder. I told him that I would also like to tell him stories--stories that come from "God's book." He says he wants to hear them. I am hoping to start with the story of creation the next time I am there.

Please pray for Ruga. Thank the Lord for his warm hospitality and care. Pray that he will be genuinely interested in hearing Bible stories, that he'll recognize them as truth, and invite others to hear them as well.

Thanks for being on the team.

 

Friday Foto #7

September 1, 2006

This is why you pray for my safety and that of my teammates as we travel Niger's roads!

Keep it up! Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Foto #6

August 25, 2006

Bob works for me part-time as a guard. (Do I really need a guard? That's another discussion. Needed or not, it's the norm for foreigners living here to hire guards, and it does provide jobs for people who would otherwise be unemployed.)

Many of you will remember that I wrote about Bob last fall when his wife died. They had been married about a year and she was eight months pregnant. He is now engaged to be married again, though I don't know when the marriage will take place.

Lately I've been learning some Bible stories in Fulfulde. I need to practise them and work on my pronunciation. I asked Bob to listen to a story a few weeks ago. He listened attentively to the account of creation and the fall. He answered the accompanying questions and told me he likes stories. The next week he asked me if I had another story to tell.

Of the people I've practised my stories on so far, Bob is the most interested. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will convince Bob of the truth of these Bible stories, and give him a thirst to know God. Pray that he will understand the truth of who Jesus is.

 

Friday Foto #5

August 18, 2006

This is Jeff, the three-year-old son of my friend Anna (who was my first "friday foto"). He's a lovely child who I can count on for a hug when I visit his mother.

The other day I sat and watched Jeff play in the sand with two of his sisters (his father has three wives, so he has no shortage of siblings!). They don't need a sandbox because their whole yard is sand. And because of the goats with which they share the sand, it's more like living in a litterbox than a sandbox. The children were building a road--"the road to Canada" they told me. As I watched them laugh and play, I could see the beauty of God's image in their shining eyes, and tears brimmed in mine as I thought of them growing up not knowing the Saviour.

Jeff and the other children on his street often sing "Jesus loves me, Jesus looks after me, we will follow him," which they learned at a kids club over a year ago. But they don't understand what they're singing. Please pray that these precious youngsters will meet Jesus, and that they truly will follow him into the abundant life that he came to bring.

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me'" (Matthew 19:14). That includes the Fulani children of Niger. Thank you for praying for them.

 

Friday Foto #4

August 11, 2006

I have made a few visits to a village about an hour from my house, where I have become friends with Fay and Isobel. On one of my visits to their village, they gave me a clay water pot as a symbol of friendship.

Both of these women are married to influential village leaders. Their husbands have also welcomed me warmly, telling me I need to come more often and stay longer. I hope to do that.

Fay and Isobel are both around 40 years old, both have been married for a number of years, and both are childless. And both have told me that they long for a child and asked me if I have any medicine that will give them a baby. I told them I have no such medicine, but that I will pray for them in Jesus' name. Will you join me in praying that the God who opened the wombs of Hannah, Sarah and Elizabeth in the Scriptures will do the same for Fay and Isobel? Pray that, like Elizabeth, they would have miraculous pregnancies that would enable them to see the lordship of Jesus Christ (see Luke 1:43).

I hope to begin telling Bible stories in their village. Please pray that I will have the opportunity to do so and that God will reveal himself to the people in this village.

Thanks for praying.

 

Friday Foto #3

August 4, 2006

"The world is to be Evangelized by the Church on her knees." (A.B. Simpson, founder of The Christian and Missionary Alliance)

Adam is a young Fulani man who recently completed a teacher's training course (he's showing off his certificate in the photo), and is looking for work. For the past several years, he has lived close to, and has befriended, a string of evangelical missionaries, one of whom gave him a Bible that he is reading.

I visited him the other day and he asked where in the Bible he could find a formula to recite for when he has a bad dream (his religion provides such things).

I tried to explain using an illustration. If a small child is being bullied by older kids, which would he prefer: 1) to recite 'Those names can't hurt me; those names can't hurt me!' or 2) to run to his father for protection? Adam correctly answered that the child would rather run to his father. Likewise, I explained, God hasn't given us formulas to recite. Rather, he has provided for us to have a relationship with him, and he invites us to run to him for protection from the enemy of our souls.

Will you pray for Adam? Pray that he will understand and enter into a relationship with his heavenly Father. And pray that he will find a teaching job for this coming school year. Pray also for his health, since he has frequent bouts of malaria.

Thank you for spending time on your knees, and thus helping to build the Church among the Fulani people of Niger.

 

Friday Foto #2

July 28, 2006

Meet Helen. She's the one whose foot was torn open when it was run over by a car back in February. I went daily for three weeks to wash the foot and change the dressing, then every other day for another month or so.

Her foot is now healed! She's walking without a limp.

I told her that many people in Canada asked about her, and that they had been praying for her in Jesus' name. She seemed surprised, and said that the prayers are good.

So, thanks for praying! God answered.

 

Friday Foto #1

July 21, 2006

"The planted Word will dry up like carelessly strewn seed if it is not watered with tears of intercession." (Frances J. Roberts)

Meet Anna, my closest Fulani friend. The other day she asked me if I saw Neill Foster while I was home (she met him when he visited here last November). When I told her that he died in May, she offered her condolences and said, "May God forgive him."

I told her that God already forgave him, and I know that he is with God in heaven. She seemed surprised at my certainty. I told her that Neill followed Jesus and Jesus is the way to God. So I know that he is with God now, and that I will see him again one day.

Anna doesn't yet have certainty that she will go to heaven at her death. A small seed has been sewn. Will you water it with your intercession?