At the Musee de Niger

"Who are all these guys sticking these leather boxes in my face?" While many of our group surveyed and handled the display of fabric on a sidewalk in the Musee, I stood to the side, feeling very uncomfortable. I had paid 1,000 CFA to be admitted into the Musee to see some of Niger's exotic animals, only to be surrounded and hounded by numerous salesmen. Fortunately, it was Mike to the rescue.

Mike and I managed to sneak away, and wandered off to see the beloved hippos, the funny monkeys, some impressive lions and the unusual uranium museum. All very interesting. We also saw the remnants of probably the only tree in the Sahara, that some British adventurer had managed to drive over and kill. This was all fascinating, and such a welcome relief from the box merchants.

I then accompanied my host into a shaded restaurant area where we enjoyed some soft drinks. However, one of the sales dudes hovered near the exit, waiting for my departure. Previously, I had hopelessly undernegotiated with him the price of one of the larger boxes, leaving our potential transaction hanging. When the moment seemed right, he pounced into my personal space and sold me the box at the price I had offered. I was happy with my great deal.

Later at our compound, I began admiring my purchase while comparing it with another box I had procured earlier in the day for the same price. Somehow, the box from the Musee was smaller than the one I had bought previously. "Wait a minute... it's smaller... I just hate being taken." So much for a great deal.

Just another day at the Musee de Niger.

The David Depositions

Hello everyone! This is David Ong. And this post is about the highlight of the trip for me. No, it was not the street markets of Paris, or the sand dunes of Niger, or even (Gasp!) the wonderful cooking of LaRae Schmidt. As amazing as all those things were, what made my trip memorable was the Youth of the Spiritual Life Conference 2007.

My primary job at the SLC was to help out as a youth leader with the teens and work with the youth speaker, Pastor Nathen and his wife Kelci. And to be honest, I had the best job at the conference. I think I was a little worried at the beginning because this was my first official time being one of the "Youth Leaders" and also because they were all Missionary Kids. That was the most intimidating factor, I think now as I look back. Since I hadn't spent a whole lot of time with kids who actually grew up in the mission field, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I would have these subconscious thoughts of "Oh no. What if they ask me what I think about the 27th chapter of Leviticus?? What if they ask me to quote the book of Leviticus?? Or what if I have to give a devotional about the differing views of the Baptist and Methodist church on pre-destination???" Although it was all in my head, I was still relieved when I found out that I had to do none of the above. There were 25 kids from Grade 9-12 and they were all awesome! And even better, they were normal! (Well most of them acted that way at least.☺)

During that week we learned together, played all kinds of games everywhere, made new friends and hung with old friends, had a bonfire on a plateau, sang songs, got into car accidents (only some of us), had good talks, listened to David's awesome iPod, ate delicious food, put together and performed a drime, played more games, listened to really good sessions from Pastor Nathen, had spontaneous line-dances, and we stacked cups. Oh yes, if nothing else, we stacked those cups. In short, it was pretty fantastic.

Quick insert about the stacking cups. If you haven't heard about Stacking Cups, not only are you completely out of the loop and missing out on the fastest growing sport in America, you are also not alone. Basically what stacking cups are, they are special aerodynamic cups that are stacked and arranged in certain formations and patterns. Once you've learned the patterns, you practice until you can do them in as little time as possible. The whole thing may sound a little strange, but it actually does some good. It improves hand-eye coordination, helps build dexterity and it forces you to use both parts of your brain. And if you are the slightest bit competitive or even if you are a lot competitive, it gets very addicting.

We brought over four sets of stacking cups with timing pads to use at the conference and we were going to leave them there. I held a stacking cup session for the youth and by the end of the SLC they were all hooked. Even some of the younger kids were getting into it. There were line-ups to use a set and we had a blackboard where you could write down your time, but we had to set up a qualifying time to get on the board because we had so many people on it. It was pretty intense actually. Special mention for a brother and sister who were incredibly competitive. Kimberly and Brandon. Both had really cool English accents. When I first taught everyone how to stack, they were among the first to catch on to it. One would get a good time and then the other one would rush over, grab a set and work at it until they beat that time, and then the first one would do likewise and they were just like that the whole week. I would always have the best time of course, being the teacher and they would fight over second and third. Towards the end of the week though, all three of us were duking it out for first place. And it was a toss-up, as to which of us was the most competitive. Everyone would always keep up with the board to see who the current leader was because it was constantly changing. But when the conference came to a close and the dust settled on the final times... it was Kimberly, then Brandon, then me... in third place. Sigh....oh well. And that's the end of a quick insert.

Anyways, going back to the fantastic week, I really was blessed and impacted by the youth I got to spend time with. It's a little weird calling them "the youth" or "the kids", I guess that's because they're my friends. I was absolutely unhappy when the end of the week came because I had just gotten to make a whole bunch of new friends and then I had to leave. It's a lot like the end of a summer camp, except that they live on a different continent instead of a different town. And that part made the good-byes just a little bit harder. But knowing that we will get to spend a lot of time together further on down the road also helps.

Closing Statement?

The highlight of my trip was the 25 Godly-Awesome-Crazy-Talented-Mature-Encouraging-Very Hyper-Funny-Artistic-Refreshing-Competitive-Musical-Sensitive-Absurd-Classy-Bossy-Athletic-Impulsive-Profound-Intelligent-Talkative-Ambitious-Outdoorsy-Cheerful-Unforgetable friends that I made at the Spiritual Life Conference 2007.

Michelle

I can tell you that I loved every minute of this trip with this amazing team and visiting such dear people as the Schmidts but I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our team leader, Michelle.

Your love for the Schmidts, your vision for their ministry as well as ours, your desire to obey God and to follow Him in this endeavor even though you felt you were way over your head - we all love and appreciate you Michelle. May the Lord continue to lead and encourage you.

- Barb

Musings... the sequel

What can I say about the markets? "Onslaught " is a word that comes to mind. I was filtering my experience with a newly acquired sinus infection so my patience ran a little thin. This onslaught came from the children and adults crowding around us as we tried to get out of the car, some begging, some trying to sell us anything. Then as we move away from the car more people approach trying to sell their wares and ask for money. It was hard to see such poverty and needs. Often you would see someone with crutches with a twisted foot or a blind person or someone crawling, begging.

One image stands out for me. We were driving to the airport and in the middle of this busy street there was small cemented area where there was a woman sitting (she had lost her right leg from her knee down) and she had a child with her and she was begging - appealing to the people in the cars. In all of this it was very difficult to not acknowledge their situation and to keep on moving. We were told that to stop and give money would bring 100 people in a matter of minutes and there could be a riot.

Back to the market - the vendors start calling out from their stands and some people are still following trying to sell you their necklaces and then when you finally want to think of buying something you have to be ready for the barter. Never pay what they ask. It is a dance of words and resolve. Some in the team are built for bartering but for those of us hungry, tired and sick you just want to get the goods and get back into the land rover whatever the price!

Niger musings

As I begin my second week back in Saskatoon, I marvel at the way we can travel to and experience a small part of Africa and then return within 31 hours and be forever changed. Every day I am processing, thinking, praying.

Church on Sunday was such a joy for me. I felt more alive to Him in worship that I have in a long time. Perhaps it was the fact that we were meeting with believers and singing a language I understood or maybe it was my gratitude for the Lord's goodness and faithfulness to me and us as a team for "going ahead and preparing the way", for His presence with us and for His love we received from Mike, LaRae, Ariana and Mitchell.
The trip was wonderful for me as I was able to travel with my daughter, Heather who said, "I feel like I've been plunked into the middle of a National Geographic Magazine". Also, my time was enhanced by the fact that my fluent French helped me communicate with most Nigeriens even though French is not their first language.

I enjoyed working with Laurie and my grades 1 to 3 group at the mission conference. We had 13 lovely, energetic, inquisitive children whose home countries include, Niger, Nigeria, New Zealand, the USA and Switzerland. When we asked them for prayer requests their answers were for health (no malaria please) and to be able to get along with their families and not fight in the hot season. LaRae said that her house reaches a balmy 39 degrees celcius in the hot season and that's when the outside temperatures are 45 degrees!
More to come...

- Barb

Teaching missionaries' kids in Niamey

Mary and Lucille Lowes had the opportunity to babysit the children from the missionaries' families at the Spiritual Life Conference in Niamey. We admired the insight of the 0 - 3 year olds about the life in Niger and their knowledge about the Bible lessons. We had a lot of fun playing with the cars and trucks and reading many story books. We were greatly blessed by God to allow us to get to know Sally, a native of Niamey. She was a real inspiration to all of us!

Isaac and Marvin team-taught the grades 4 to 6 class of 16 students during the week of the Spiritual Life Conference. We taught the three themes of Compassion, Gratefulness and Forgiveness, teaching via Bible Stories, crafts, real life stories and sharing. It was a good learning and sharing experience for us, as well as for the students, and the responses indicated that they understood the concepts and were eager for more, as when a student asked me, " Could we have another story today?" They enjoyed crafts, when they worked more in small groups at tables at the back of the classroom. (Each day we had to wipe dust off the tables and chairs - so much fine sand blowing around each day!)

We thank God for each person who prayed for us and supported the team in Niger.

- Mary

The little ones of Niger

In Niamey, my job was to attend to the little people aged 0 to 3 years so the parents could relax & enjoy the conference..we had two African babies & four little white guys..they were reluctant to stay with us in the beginning, but when the parents came to pick them up, they didn't want to leave us, or the toys..it was an experience I will long remember..their soft little cries at the door, looking for daddy to pick them up, smiles through tears as we "bribed " them with treats & huge story books! I loved sitting on the floor with them & watch the interest on their little faces as the stories unfolded.

One of the children there was the son of an African lady named Sali..she also helped with the care we gave..at first, she was shy about speaking English, but Mary & I got her talking up a storm by the time we left..she shared a lot about her life, her trials, family & God in her life. We plan to stay in touch via email.

Although the room we had to care for these children was more than I dreamed it would be, I could not fathom that just outside the compound, were the worst conditions anyone could imagine...two different worlds, just steps from one another..it was hard to turn my mind off at night.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to go on such a mission..to really visit the work of the missionaries here, who deal with this way of life every day!

- Lucille

Helping with Sunday School and kids' club in Madaoua

Our first week in Madaoua was spent together with Mike & LaRae Schmidt, in LaRae's Sunday School class, and in their children's club. About 75% of the students are from the Muslim faith. Mike & LaRae combine spiritual teaching with educational teaching and games along with the French books that were brought from a class in Saskatoon. God's love is amazing and we saw that love in Mike, LaRae, Mitchell and Ariana's eyes when reaching out to the lives of Madaoua.

We enjoyed interacting with our hosts, Mike and LaRae, Mitchell and Ariana. We shared, we prayed, we bonded; getting to know each other. It was a blessed time of sharing and praying together. (Let's continue to pray, for them and their work in Niger.) May God be praised in all things.

- Mary

Getting an education in Madaoua

Isaac and I had the privilege to visit a Nigerien school along with Mike Schmidt. We were astonished to see the extreme poverty in the schools of Madaoua. The bright students sit in the front rows with the least challenged in the back. A class of 70 students sat literally in the dark with the main ray of hope being the students in the front row where instruction was more clearly visible. The Nigerien national school literacy rate is just under 20%.

Exams determine after the sixth and the tenth grade whether the students are eligible to continue studies to grade thirteen. Traditionally bribes have been paid to have teachers to pass students through these exams. Sometimes the exams are marked externally with three percent passing in the Madaoua district.

We also had the privilege to see a Kindergarten classroom. For us this was a highlight because we have grandchildren in kindergarten and grade one in Saskatoon and California. We were pleasantly surprised to see wooden puzzles, geometric shapes and many interesting things to help with the students' learning.

- Mary

Train up a child

As a parent it is my greatest desire to see my children come to love God and want to serve Him with their lives. I know that for missionaries, that desire is no different. Their children are being raised away from a culture that perhaps many of them were raised in. It was a thrill to meet
missionaries in Niger whose parents were also serving God on the mission field and now they carry the torch.

Mitchell and Ariana are truly some of the most special kids I know- and I know ALOT of kids!! I have had the pleasure of knowing them since they were babies but have only had the chance to see them when they are on furlough. That is why it was so special to see them in Niger, the country they truly call home.

I am always impressed with how mature and kind they are. The whole time our team was with them they never said one unkind word to each other. They honored their parents in every
situation and exhibited an attitude of gratitude for things that were done for them. They are inquisitive and incredibly articulate and one gets the feeling you are talking with someone
much older every time you have a conversation with them. They were willing to help with anything we asked and never once did hear them complain when they were squished like sardines into a vehicle!

I love these kids and God taught me a lot through them while we were in their home. He showed me that it is possible to raise kids who, at such a young age, know that what their parents are
doing is something they can be a part of. They showed me that it is possible to be close to your parents and your siblings, and that in this isolated environment there is much love and laughter. They showed me what it is to take pleasure in simple things like watching a football game with
another fanatic, learn some watercolor techniques from a grandma or sit and talk with friends on a bed for hours on end.

I will commit to pray for them as they continue to honor their parents and as they make decisions regarding their high school years. God truly shines through them!

- Michelle

Mr. Popularity

Everywhere I go publicly in Niger, a throng of people follows me in the street. I venture into the marketplace and instantly several men surround me. People are ecstatic to greet me and to shake my hand. It is so wonderful to be popular

What a difference in Canada where you are largely ignored. It is just not the same walking down the street back home. The anonymity is a constant reminder that North American people generally do not consider you to be noteworthy.

I was amazed at the reception I received in the market pictured here. As you can see, I really stood out in a crowd. The most poignant moment for me in this obscure rural market was when a group of children stood outside my truck door as I got into the vehicle to leave. I rolled down the window and extended my hand. The children then clamoured to shake my hand and I shook as many of theirs as I could as the truck pulled away.

Although I felt a bit like a politician must feel, my heart ached for these poor children in Niger, who longed for anything new, including being able to see and to touch a non-descript middle aged white guy.

Sai an jima

In Hausa that means 'Good bye until we meet again'.

We spent our last evening in Niger on a patio overlooking the Niger River sharing a meal with our friends. Hanging just below the constant hum of laughter and easy conversation was a feeling of camaraderie, of brother and sisterhood... a longing to preserve the moment, and sorrow that comes at the completion of an adventure shared. Later that evening as we embraced in farewell and tears came, we sensed unspoken promises... promises to remember and to share what we have been so blessed to witness here.

Now begins the process of sifting and absorbing, which will look different for each one of us. It is a continuation of this journey. My prayer is that I will not forget the face of God in Niger. I have
seen Him in the suffering of people constantly at war with a harsh environment and in bondage to spiritual blindness. I have seen Him in the tired, discouraged faces of missionaries who give up everything and work tirelessly while facing loneliness and disappointment. I have seen Him in joy due to blessings... a water pump is placed in a remote village, a girls' soccer team is encouraged, a literacy club is born, a genuine friendship evolves and opens a window to share Jesus' love.

That is my hope and prayer.

- Laurie

Out of Africa

Hello, faithful readers. Sorry about the delay in entries. Following the conference in Niamey, we had no further access to the internet and no one on our team had to opportunity to check emails from back home. We hope to post many new blogs now that we are home. Everyone on the team has fascinating stories to relate and pictures to share with you.

Hope you are all well. We will be busy adjusting to a different time zone yet again and to western Canada weather (minus 31 degrees - ouch! That is a 60 degree change for us). Thanks for praying for us. We will be bringing you updates and summaries of our trip from various team members. Talk to you a little later!

We've been to Sahel and back

The next question is: "Do you write your own material?" Team members will recognize this title as a quote from the recent "fun night" at the Niamey SIM conference.

The conference is winding down. Grade 4, 5 and 6 students are getting really tired of being presented with yet another craft from yours truly. I think that makes about 7 or 8 crafts in the past few days.

A highlight of our week here was the children and adult joint worship service on Wednesday morning. The kids were involved in a number of presentations, including a medley of worship songs led by Mrs. S, and a song by the teen class.

The benediction for the service was performed by Mrs. Simes' rhythmic gymnastics class. The leader had procured some sticks from the bush to attach to the colored ribbon used in the dance. It was a beautiful sight, beholding the children's worship of God through the colorful designs created by them, which in turn moved the rest of the audience and enhanced their worship of God.

Rating the Saskatoon Stars - Epilogue

(When I was a young boy, I always wondered what an epilogue was whenever I watched Kojak, Streets of San Francisco, The Fugitive, or whatever.) Your reply: "Who cares?" ... Well, now we present you with "Epiblog!"

To sum up our rating blogs, we have no idea who is the greatest, except for the one who makes themself least in the kingdom of God. My observation of having spent a couple of weeks in close contact with this team, is that no one on the team desires to be considered the best. Maybe we are all the best. Or maybe none of us are.

I hope that in reading recent entries that you recognized my feeble attempt at tongue in cheekedness. I merely hope that faithful readers of the blog and faithful supporters of the team would be able to learn a bit of what our team was experiencing in our united effort to serve God here in Niger.

I think the real heroes of our Emmanuel Baptist Niger team are Ariana Schmidt, Mitchell Schmidt, LaRae Schmidt and Mike Schmidt. Besides doing a wonderful job of hosting a twelve member team at their house and guest house, and feeding them all daily, they have encouraged us all. The Schmidts are incredible people, experiencing hardship and deprivation every day, and never complaining about it.

The faithfulness of this family in being a strong witness in their community is amazing. It is a tough community with whom to share God's love, but Mike and LaRae and their children are up to the task. If they were not in Madaoua, there would be no one to make an impact for Christ with the Hausa and Toureg peoples.

It has been a privilege and an eye opener for our team to see a little of the Schmidts' life in Niger. Please pray regularly for them and keep giving resources for their ministry in Madaoua.

Rating the Stars (star?) (from Saskatoon)(Calgary?) - Part VI

Brace yourself; this is the sixth and final entry in this long (and pointless?) odyssey.

All I will say about Marvin Luther is that he made the rest of the team look good. (If you think that this is a self-aggrandizing statement, just think about it a little bit longer, and you will get it)

Thank you for reading. Please stay tuned for the epilogue.

Rating the Stars (from Saskatoon) - Part V

The next instalment! (You may be relieved that we are actually getting to the end of this)

Drum roll, please. Numbers ten and eleven go to Heather Barr and Brooklyn Simes. Why them at these numbers? Well, you know how you can't actually tell young people that they are the best, so that it won't go to their heads. For those of you who know Heather and Brooklyn, you know they are the best.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with both Heather and Brooklyn in dramas we performed at the conference here in Niamey. It is so cool for a 51 year old budding thespian to take acting advice from a couple of 15 year old veterans. I learned a lot this week.

It has also been great just getting to know them better. I ended up dining with the teens most of the time, since the adults on the team kind of squeezed me out of sitting at their table (not actually so; when there was one space too few at the adults' table, I volunteered every time to sit with the "kids".) The teens are caring people and help look out for the adults to ensure that they are doing well during this tour.

Both Brooklyn and Heather are sweet and talented young women. They fit into the youth sponsor subteam so well at the conference.

I also admire the two girls for accompanying their mothers on such a trip. It must not always be easy coping with the doting of a mother (and possibly vice versa.)

There you have it. These super kids could also be at the top, as they are just so special.

One more edition to go. Please read on.

Making a difference

Just a brief anecdote.

The other day a missionary mother peeked into my classroom and thanked me for working with her children, two of which were in Ike's and my class. Later, I heard from a co-team member that a couple of days later, this mother had mentioned to my colleague that her son had been very unhappy with returning to Niger and the Sahel school here in Niamey several months ago.

Happily, her son has been touched by God's blessing this week, from Ike's teaching in class and from making some new friends among the other MKs. This has been a real boon for his family, who were experiencing stress and worry over him, and the negative effect on their family life here, resulting from his previous unhappiness.

Thank you for giving generously to our team and for praying for us and our ministry here in Niger. Your giving and prayers are really making a difference here.

Rating the Stars (from Saskatoon) - Part IV

I am sure you can't wait to read the fourth instalment (yeah, right), but here it goes anyway.

Undoubtedly, Barbara Barr (what a great name), Laurie Priestley and Jan Smith are great choices as numbers seven, eight and nine in this infamous ranking system. These humble three young women would likely not rate themselves so high, but I am sure that you can see that they could easily be number one on this list.

Barb is sensational. She almost literally carried the team during our two days of touring and adjusting to jet lag in Paris. She managed to get each one of the team boarded quickly on a metro train, and then instantly stormed us off the train when she realized it was the wrong one. As she is such a great leader, we followed her blindly, on and off.

Barb is a great encouragement to me. Months before the departure date for our team, she was so ill. But, she persevered as people prayed for her. With God's help and her own determination, she made it and now is such a blessing to the team and to all the people in Niger with whom she is in contact. I am especially greatful for Barb's making sure that David and I are up for the day.

Laurie Priestly brings her sweetness and nursing skills to our team. She is so good at working with kids and was especially moved by how much more that our home church could be doing to help the Schmidt family in Niger. Laurie was especially helpful to me with my various injuries following the camel riding fiasco. She is very gifted and I am so glad that she is part of this team.

Jan Smith is a bundle of energy. She skilfully led soccer camps in Madaoua and kept the missionary kids in Niamey running between classroom sessions, in addition to her regular teaching sessions. Like Laurie, Jan's smiling face and pleasant demeanor is so valuable to the team.

Both Laurie and Jan work with the younger classes and bring their work ethic and pleasantness to help God bless these kids. Laurie and Jan have also shown other talents, such as their superb magic routine during our team's production of Nigerien Idol. I know their act had me spellbound. (Really!)

Please pray for all of these three beautiful women, as they really miss their families back home. (I am sure that their families also really miss them.)

Stay tuned for Part V. It gets even better. (Is this possible?)

Rating the Stars (from Saskatoon) - Part III

DISCLAIMER: (The views expressed in this blog are not necessarily the views of the rest of the Niger team, but for some reason, the writer feels the need to share his opinions with you. [Aren't you glad?])

You have seen the writer's picks for numbers 1 and 2; now for the next pick(s). That right, I said picks. Number 2, in addition to number 3, number 4 and number 5 (that makes a 4-way tie, if you follow me), belong to the beloved senior members of our team. This edition's winners (listed alphabetically [based on surnames]) include Isaac Friesen, Maria Friesen, Lucille Lowes and Audrey Spate. Where do you begin in describing these gems?

Audrey is amazing. Not only is she a septegenarian (spelling?), she has been teaching kids and others for the past 60 years. Impressive. Mrs. Spate does not let her gender or age prevent her from living life to the fullest. She ascended onto a camel when others younger than her did not or could not (ouch!). She also took the great leap over the edge of the sand dunes and slid well down the sandy slope where she adeptly caught the football several times when it was passed to her.

Audrey tells this writer that she regularly wrestled her sons until she could no longer easily pin them. She has no problem with tackling today's kids and the issues they face. Audrey explains the gospel to kids in such a simple but sophisticated manner, that it is easily understood, but still makes them think. It was not a great leap to rate Audrey with the other number threes.

(Likely you have caught on by now that each and every numerical rating of this series is interchangeable, or actually meaningless when assessing the value of each member of the team.)

Lucille is a real treasure. She takes great joy in introducing herself as the mother of the team's leader, Michelle, and the grandmother of the talented, sweet young team member, Brooklyn. I admire Lucille for her artistic skills. During the art portion of the conference for the missionary kids, she is so knowledgeable about drawing and painting and is able to transfer this experience to all of her students, regardless of age (although she attempted to impart her knowledge in art to a certain adult member of the team, this writer regrets to say that she was less than successful with him.)

Lucille also imparts to the team both wisdom and her joyful attitude. She always looks on the bright side of things and never complains about anything. Even when a certain adult team member screwed up the pickup time arrangements with the airport shuttle, Lucille declared: "At least we know how fast we can get ready, if we have to.") She is a real gem to have for a friend.

Mary Friesen (how do solve a problem like Maria?) is really special. Contrary to the song's lyrics, there is no problem with her (and if there is, her husband, Ike, must have solved it already). Mary radiates God's joy all the time. I don't think I have ever seen her frown. When we were making the tough trip from Niamey to Madaoua the day after we arrived in Niger, a donkey was slowly making its way across the highway in front of us. While the writer was cynically thinking "Dumb ass", Mary melted the writer's heart with her soft toned remark: "Little donkey, where did you come from?"

Mary has been looking after the nursery kids at the Spiritual Life Conference, which enables newer mothers and fathers to attend the sessions for spiritual and emotional refreshment. She regularly checks with other team members to see how they are doing, and is willing to provide sympathy, as needed.

Ike is an enigma to this writer. How can one person be so talented, so intelligent, so loving and so humble, all rolled up into one? Although a veteran of many years of teaching kids in Canada, and internationally, Ike has been quite willing to carry tables and chairs, and to look after "problem" kids (whatever that means). While this writer was always finishing his dessert at mealtime, Ike was consistently in the kitchen, working assiduously at the sink, or with a dish towel.

This writer has benefitted greatly from Ike's selfless friendship during this trip. When the writer survived the fall from the top of a camel and was later experiencing various soreness, Ike prayed with the injured fellow and helped to apply medication to hard to reach spots between the shoulder blades. It has also been a great pleasure to work with Ike in team teaching the Niamey kids. Ike has a hundred and one stories, and he skilfully weaves them into his teaching so that the students soak it all up, and end up thanking their teacher regularly for his interest in them.

There you have it. These four people are precious and add so much to our team. Collectively, they have to rank at least in the top three. This writer has a notion that no other team member would disagree with the assessments set out in this edition.

Please keep reading for more ratings. We invite your comments.

Dining at the rec centre in the American Embassy

Following our morning session of teaching MKs about forgiveness and arranging crafts with construction paper and stickers from Wal-Mart, our team squeezed into a rental van and dined out. We traveled the road between various government buildings and embassies, and entered the American one, through a closely guarded gate. We were served a delicious buffet of fajitas, rice and salad. One of our team managed to get into an exciting race with the local tortoise.

It was interesting to observe AFM, the local telecast of Armed Forces Network, who picked up the American Network feed of the college football national championship game, and merely added their own commercials. The game that was broadcast today occurred the previous night at 2:00 AM.

My heart went out to the missionaries, ex-pats and military personnel who are far from home. It is not easy keeping abreast of happenings in your home country when you do not have access to the media, and even when you do, the time difference is not conducive to viewing.

Please pray our people on the other side of the globe. It is lonely for them, and frustrating that they feel so isolated from events back home. Please appreciate the sacrifice they make every day and write to them if you can.

Rating the Stars (from Saskatoon) - Part II

DISCLAIMER: (The views offered in this blog are not necessarily [and likely are not even necessary] of the views of members of the Niger team. There you have it.)

For all you avid readers waiting with bated breath (whatever that expression means), here is the second installment in the Rating of the Saskatoon Stars. Our second recipient is none other than David Ong.

Why David Ong, you ask? Very good question. (For an answer, we refer you to Dave's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ong.)

Actually, Dave is an incredible team member. Apart from becoming disassociated from the group in a chilly market in Paris, and causing the rest of the team to shudder for several minutes in the frigid Paris weather, Dave is a valued member of the Niger team.

Although you might accuse this writer of being totally biased in this choice, due to being Dave's beloved roommate, Dave's talents are obvious. He is gifted in music, singing, drama, eating, playing silly games with missionary children, nearly inciting a soccer riot among the street kids in Madaoua, and playing his roommate's MP3 cell phone.

Seriously, Dave's love of Christ is evident in his attitude and his willingness to be involved in every aspect of our team's ministry. He directs the various drama groups and also acts in the performances. He provides music and diligently practises his ukelele at night. Dave occupies young children outside the main group, when a teacher needs to have the full attention of the rest of the children (see picture of said child in a previous blog, Rolling around in the Nigerien sand).

Dave has been seen dancing with Nigerien children as they sing and chant their favourite songs in the Hausa language. He relates well to people of all ages, and keeps his roommate amused.

Dave states that he can hardly wait until his next visit to Niger. I know that he will go far, and be a great success in whatever he does. He is mature beyond his eighteen years.


Please stayed tuned for our third installment, coming soon. Also please note that Dave has not subscribed to the opinions expressed here.

Rating the Stars (from Saskatoon) - Part I

DISCLAIMER: (The views offered in this blog are not necessarily [and probably aren't] the views of the entire team or any of the team.)

Here it is - the first entry of Rating the Stars. For my number one star of the Niger team, I just have to go with our fearless, tireless leader, Mrs. Michelle Simes.

I am just captivated by the energy of this woman. She has been described by a senior leader of her church as a "whirlwind". Michelle dosn't miss (mish) much. In my experience she is always on top of everything, not only being super-organized herself, but adept at organizing everyone else in her sphere (just ask her family).

Flattery aside, I am very impressed with the way God uses Michelle's gifts. It is just a spiritual pleasure to participate in one of her worship sessions. She is literally punching the air in belting out "Amazing Love." The kids here at the conference in Niamey and at the day camp in Madaoua, have been captivated by the energy Michelle adds to these wonderful praise songs.

Because of God working through Michelle, these children in need are richly blessed by God. I thank God for Michelle unselfishly sharing her gifts with the children of Niger and with her team from Saskatoon. We are all the better for it.

Stay tuned for Part II, and please leave your comments on the blog.

DISCLAIMER: (The subject of this blog, Mrs. Simes, has not read this blog, and most likely would not sanction any of the views offered in this blog.) (Just so you know.)

Rating the Stars (from Saskatoon) - Introduction

In my opinion, everyone on the Emmanuel Baptist team currently in Niger is a star. But, I want to rate them, to give you some idea of their activities and to discuss their impact here in Africa.

Please stayed tuned in the next few days for my ratings. Please use the COMMENTS portion of the blog to agree or disagree with my assessments.

Thanks for your interest in our team.

Compound interest

In Niamey our group is safely nestled in an SIM guest house, with showers (usually hot) and shared accommodations with a roommate. The guest house is within the safe confines of a walled compound. When our teaching sessions begin at the local school called the Sahel Academy, we make a five-minute walk to the compound surrounding the school and its adjacent buildings.

To enter the Sahel compound, we must past through an iron gate guarded by one or more local security officers. We feel protected within the walls, which were erected by the American Embassy following the horrors of 9/11. While we teach the children, apart from the daily heat (which is quite comfortable this time of year), it doesn't really seem like we are in Africa. But the five-minute walk tells us otherwise.

Between us and Sahel there are crudely constructed huts and Nigerien children in rags. The irony is not lost on us. While local Nigerien citizens suffer in horrible poverty, fatigued Christian workers rest and recuperate within the compound. In addition, just beyond the SIM compound is the approach to the bridge over the Niger River.

Crossing the bridge exposes one to odd sights, such as vehicles narrowly dodging bicycles and donkey carts piled full of wood. Women cross the river carrying large loads on their heads. Motorcycles compete with trucks that hold human cargo, and with old SUVs and rusted cars. Next to the bridge, women are doing their laundry in the shallow water at the river's edge.

What can you do? Giving food or money to one Nigerien will almost instantly draw a crowd of one hundred or so, looking for more. There is such need here, you just don't know where to begin. We, in the comfortable parts of the world, must all work together in a concerted, well organized effort to reduce poverty and famine here, and make Niger a much better place to live.

We encourage you to visit Niger, if you get the opportunity. You will never be the same.

Seasoned travelers

While wandering around between buildings and various sessions at the site of the conference here in Niamey, I have met some interesting people. I got to know Bert from Mississippi, Chris from New Zealand, Brigit from Switzerland, Richard from England and Tim from ... well, you get the idea. These are fascinating people, having traveled to Niger from various parts of the globe. And they have one thing in common. They all forgot to return home.

Bert and his wife have been in Niger for the past twenty years. Chris comes from a Hell's Angels background. Brigit is stationed here in the capitol, Richard has previously worked in Lebanon and Tim resides at the easternmost point of southeast Niger, near Lake Chad, about a twenty hour drive from Niamey.

These people amaze me. They are braving 45 degree heat in the summer months, all kinds of inconvenience and discomfort and the extreme difficulty of contacting their families back home. Their commitment to their jobs in Niger is mind boggling. These people are, indeed, serious about Niger and about their call by God to help Nigeriens to a better life, to experience God's love for them.

Mike and his amazing disappearing wheel act

At the end of our first day of working with missionaries' children on day 0ne of the Spiritual Life Conference, we were rewarded with a trip out of Niamey to the "plateau". This area is just above some cliffs on the north bank of the Niger River. This is a beautiful spot, and well worth the drive. Well, at least for some of us.

While some of our team members and I were riding along the narrow two-lane highway, all of a sudden the Land Cruiser driven by our host, just ahead of us, began veering badly to the right, raising sparks and a huge cloud of dust. Our driver pulled to the opposite edge of the road as we observed the right rear wheel of the crippled vehicle racing by itself across the road into the bush to our left.

The youth in the Land Cruiser were, understandably, visibly shaken, as was the driver. For some unknown reason, the wheel studs had all been completely sheered off. As we surveyed the damage and someone retrieved the errant wheel, we noticed that the brake drum was missing. While many of our group searched for the drum back where the Cruiser lost the wheel, it was eventually found behind a shrub, adjacent to where the vehicle came to its final resting place.

We were all relieved that the Cruiser did not veer into the ditch and possibly roll. We saw the horrible streak scored into pavement where the inside of the wheel had scraped along.

Thank you for praying for us and our safety. Your prayers obviously make a difference.

Drive, drive, drive... WILD GIRAFFES... Drive, drive

Today was the long return journey to Niamey from Madaoua. Our hosts were up to the task of driving us, as we left the friendly confines of our compound at 6:15 without stopping for lunch (or for answering nature's call). (I am sorry - too much information). After sampling sandwiches, chips in a can, popcorn, nuts, cookies and pumpkin loaf (again, too much info), we rejoiced at making such great time on the cratered East-West Highway.

We kept our host driver awake by getting him to regale us with wonderful stories of the storied Nebraska Cornhuskers college football program from the past 35 years (this actually worked!) We managed to avoid bursting through the makeshift rope barricades at various toll booths by actually reducing our speed occasionally. After 6 hours of moderate discomfort, we happened upon an exciting site - a large building by the road! It was not just any building. Inside we found a local guide who could take us to see West Africa's last wild herd of giraffes.

It was exciting to ride in a rented van over a few kilometres of dusty rough road, past the termite mounds (you should see our group pictures taken with the mounds). Our guide suddenly hung out the truck window, his eyes scouring the countryside. A few minutes later, he ascended to the roof rack where he eventually spotted some giraffe tracks. After a few more turns among the scattered trees, we finally found our giraffe herd.

They were beautiful, all seven of them, including three young ones. They moved from tree to tree, grazing on the top branches. Our crazy group of shutterbugs snapped pictures incessantly, with our fearless leader, Mrs. S, wandering so close to the animals that our guide began to panic. As our team watched, we were mesmerized by the graceful beauty of these amazing creatures.

After about twenty minutes of beholding the lovely giraffes, we crammed back into our vehicles and resumed our trip to Niamey. "Hey driver; tell me all about the Huskers' 1983 season."

Soccer Camp in Madaoua, Niger

What a great opportunity to share with the kids here ... we ran two sessions of soccer on January 2 and January 4. Twenty-five Jr and Sr High girls from the school team took part. They have been together as a team and practicing since November. They only have one ball and all of them play with bare feet. The field they play on is the same as the rest of the terrain around here ... sand on top of a rock bed. It is a challenge to run on (for us Canadians anyway!).

So, the process was as follows: I would relate to Mike what I wanted the girls to do, he would translate for their coach, and she would tell the girls. It was somewhat cumbersome, but seemed to work ... sometimes we had to go through it several times in order to communicate the activity or drill ... in the end, the girls seemed to have a lot of fun with it! We did a lot of small-sided games or activities that allowed each girl to have her own ball or, at the very least, be able to touch the ball a lot. We handed out jerseys for the girls to wear in order for us to be able to identify them. A crowd gathered on both days ... kept all my helpers occupied!

At the end of it all we handed out handmade medals, each with the girl's name and jersey number on it, as well as a Canadian flag pin. When their coach asked what to do with the jerseys, we told her the girls could keep them ... they all cheered! Finally, we took a team picture and many of the girls came to thank us personally. After the girls dispersed, we were able to give the coach four balls, a goalkeeper jersey and gloves. This has been a special memory to cherish. Thank you to Mike for translating ... this couldn't have happened without you. Many thanks to Tim Halstrom and Eastside Soccer for donating all the soccer equipment.

- Jan

Watching the Cotton Bowl in Madaoua

On New Year's Day, three serious University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football fans here in Madaoua (well, two were extremely serious, and the third was faking it a little) greatly anticipated watching the Cotton Bowl college football game on a computer monitor later that evening. The bowl game pitted the Huskers against the Auburn Tigers, and we would receive the telecast via our host's Sling Box, set up at his parents' house back in the States.

Alas, 5:50 PM rolled around, and there was no football to see. Unsure of the reason for the problem, we tried contacting the source in America, to no avail. We also could not locate any form of broadcast, either video or by radio, over the net. Our last resort became checking with my daughter in Saskatoon.

My lovely, technologically proficient daughter set up a makeshift transmission, with her web cam focused on her widescreen television, but with no sound. The jerky picture was less than satisfying, with incomplete passes almost impossible to discern. But, we boys watched anyway, to the bitter end, as the Huskers were just not quite able to pull out a victory. This was disappointing indeed for these dedicated college football fans.

Speaking about dedicated, on a previous occasion in the pre-Sling Box era, my host and his son wanted to see the Huskers play, and so travelled to Niamey, a tough seven hour trip along Niger's East-West highway, that is dotted with some brutal potholes. Upon reaching the capitol city, they were told that the system was down and there was no game to behold. After expectantly watching a blue screen for the next three hours, the disappointed Nebraska fans made the sad return trip home.

However, their diligence did not go unrewarded. Upon hearing about this episode, a University of Nebraska official arranged for the Niger residents to attend a soldout Cornhuskers football game the next time they were back in the USA on home assignment. How appropriate.

Gord and the onion field

... I mean, gourd and the onion field. Actually, I mean Bill and the onion field.

Our host's friend, Bill (a variation of his Hausa name), a local Toureg man, showed the Canadien men his onion field today. The onions looked impressive, carefully spaced in their own paddy at one end of Bill's garden. Other paddies (not really paddies, but I am trying to paint a picture for you) featured luscious cabbage plants, tomato plants with some fruit (or is it a vegetable?) beginning to form, tiny little bits of lettuce pushing its way through the surface, and corn around the perimeter of Bill's market garden.

Bill showed us his well, a five foot by five foot by five foot excavation at one corner of the garden, with a metal pipe showing a few inches from the floor of the hole. Remarkably, the water rises to within a few feet of the top of the pipe, making irrigation easily accessible for Bill.

To care for his garden on this parcel of land that he rents, Bill bicycles from Madaoua several miles over a rough road, carrying his water pump on his bike. As he waters the garden, the little dikes are rearranged to divert water into the various patches of the vegetables (or fruits, as the case may be). On days off from school, Bill's seven year old son helps with the weeding, usually an all day process.

Oh yes, before I forget, there are the gourds. These grow in a field adjacent to Bill's garden. They grow to a substantial size, posing a great challenge for our host's son and our youngest male team member to hoist over their heads. The gourds are not suitable for eating, but make great containers, once they dry while sitting in the field.

Bill sells his onions to merchants who arrange to export the onions to Benin, Togo and possibly to parts of Europe. To what can we attribute Bill's successful farming and gardening enterprise? To hard work and savvy, for sure. But there is another important factor.

Our host was able to help set up Bill with a start up loan to purchase seed and the water pump.
After a couple of years, the loan should be paid in full. The problem with setting up such a loan program is that one needs to establish trust between the Nigerien farmer and his loan provider, to ensure that the prospective farmer does not sell the materials and skip town.

It is good to see this example of providing some subsidization and training to Nigeriens to become self sufficient. Without our host and his family living here in Madaoua, this would not be possible.

Another one bites the dust

Since we've been in Madaoua, days have started off windy and ended fairly calm. Today the Lord provided for us in a special way ... He gave us a calm morning to allow for a trip to the sand dunes. Mike arranged for a driver of another 4-wheel drive (the town welder) to help us all to get there as the Land Rover couldn't accomodate all of us (13 of us in all). Before setting out on this excursion, gas was needed for the rented vehicle. Since there is no station in town, it has to be bought on the black market. Mike never puts this kind of fuel in his vehicle due to the fact that it isn't pure ... never sure what else has been in the container. All fueled up and ready to go, we're on our way.

The trip from start to finish was pretty much like off-roading - rockin' and rollin' the whole way ... some were feeling fairly queasy and were wishing they had brought Gravol or Pepto-Bismol along! A trip that was to take about 45 minutes took about 2 hours due to the fact that the town of Karafon was in full swing with its market and the location of things had changed somewhat ... the truth is we were kind of lost for a period of time. But, eventually we found what we were looking for ... waves and waves of beautiful, fine sand. As soon as we stepped down out of the vehicles, we were drawn to remove our shoes. What a wonderful feeling!

Up we climbed to the top of the hill to find some steep cliff-like dunes. Look out ... here come the crazy canucks! 1-2-3 cowabunga!!! We would run and jump over the edge in pairs and groups and by ourselves. Marv, once again, did a spectacular dive and roll! Audrey joined us and had a blast. Going down was easy ... coming up again was quite the workout. Stair-master has nothing on this form of excerise! We brought the football along for a game of vertical catch.

Even out in the middle of nowhere, we attracted a crowd of nationals. It is amazing how they are interested in us and what we are doing. Marv, Mitchell, and David played catch with some of the boys who came to watch ... Marv taught them how to throw a football properly and said they caught on really quickly. The women and small children were naturally attracted to our female contingent and proved to be extremely friendly. Alas, all good things must end and we had to head back to Madaoua.

The trip was every bit as bumpy as the ride out but this time it was a lot shorter. We did stop at the market in Karafon which was an awesome sight to behold. Mike led us around and once again we attracted a crowd who followed us around. Maybe it was because there were 5 of us females following him around and he's only allowed to have 4 wives (he said Brooklyn would have to be his "slave wife")!!!

- Jan

Agoraphobia

No fear of the marketplace here. Unless you are not comfortable with being part of a small conspicuous group of white people meandering through the tiny walkways between various "stores" in a Nigerien marketplace. Unless you don't enjoy an entourage of young Nigerien children constantly asking you for money or to have you take their picture and then show it to them on your digital display. Unless you wander so far off the main street into the marketplace that you have to think really hard and long to find your way back out. Other than that, no fear!

La classe francaise

This afternoon, our team participated in our hostess' weekly kids club/french class. It was thrilling to see the smiling faces and enthusiasm of the local children and to hear their lovely voices.

We played some table games with the kids, including Memory and Old Maid. Then our hostess led the children in some lively action songs, with the kids continuing to sing by themselves when their song leader had to step out momentarily. Our team got to help with a craft time and a scavenger hunt. Some french language instruction followed.

The club has been limited to twenty-four students to allow their teachers to give some individual attention to developing improved literacy among the children. Our team was able to bring to Niger some previously owned french language children's reading books.

Thank you to all of you in Saskatoon who provided the french reading materials for these eager children. You have participated in a meaningful project here.

How the mighty have fallen ...

... well, at least how the overweight and out of shape fell, this morning.

Our team was all excited about journeying out into the country to for camel riding, courtesy of a Toureg family. The Toureg are a nomadic people who graze their livestock north of Madaoua for about eight months of the year. During the winter, they migrate south to the fields just outside of Madaoua, where local farmers pay the nomads to set up temporary residence on their fields, to provide instant fertilizer for four months.

This morning our host's Toureg friends saddled a pair of camels for us to ride. When others in the group hesitated to step forward to ride, the team's former "cowboy" offered to go first. Jettisoning his sandles, and climbing up on the saddle, with the camel sitting on the ground, he braced himself for the camel to rise.

In a couple of moments, the recent Calgarian suddenly found himself landing on his back on the ground with a sickening thud. As his teammates shuddered at the thought that this dude had really hurt himself, he rose up suddenly to try again. However, the saddle that was designed for Nigeriens much slimmer and lighter than he, had cracked under his weight (part of the reason he was thrown off when the camel thrust its weight forward).

This unexpected excitement aside, eight other team members successfully mounted and rode the dromedaries. It was thrilling for them to ride and for the rest of us to watch their faces. We are grateful to our Toureg friends for allowing us this experience and for their friendliness in letting us see a little bit of their culture.

Get henna

On our day of respite, our female team members are favored with a relaxing morning of receiving intricate henna designs on their feet, ankles and hands, courtesy of some local artists. While the careful designing goes on, a friend of our hosts prepares a feast of rice and vegetables, a traditional dish most of us eat with our hands. It is delightful and delicious. Once the women are finished, our team's young man receives his henna designs on each shoulder. Careful, a young man sporting henna is announcing his intention to get married!

Bonjour. Sannu. Ca va... Who is that great white slob anyway?

After seven straight days with insufficient rest and sleep, we have some down time today. I take the opportunity to sleep late, but in doing so, I miss the departure to the market, a few blocks away. Our hostess assures me that I can walk there on my own, and find the others from our team. No problem... Right.

Outside the gate I must photograph the small herd of Brahma cattle that has congregated in the street. Suddenly, my film has run out. As I change films in my Canon Rebel XS (the brilliant guy who sold me the camera said that the last two names of the camera both describe me - rebel and excess), a group of children surround me. I manage to disperse them somewhat by offering to take their picture ("Go back a bit; a little more; a little more"; then you turn and run).

As I wandered out to the Madaoua portion of the East-West Highway (sort of a Trans-Niger Highway, actually built with Canadian funds, and most recently resurfaced with Belgian funding), I work my way down past various shops along the way. I shake a hand that extends to me from a parked vehicle and I get honked at a couple of times when I have to venture onto the highway to get around various vehicles and other obstructions at the side of the road.

Various Nigeriens greet me with "Ca va", "Bonjour" and "How are you?" I keep responding: "Sannu, sannu" which is "Hello" in Hausa, the local language. I realize that I must pose a striking figure: overweight, middle-aged white guy with baggy pants, limping along in sandals that keep catching in the loose sand, squinting through glasses clogged with dust, and looking like he has no clue where he is headed.

Narrowly surviving a collision with a motorcycle that wiped out a few feet from me, I take a couple of wrong turns, but manage to retrace my steps. Two well dressed men on a motor bike stop to assist me, but I am not communicating well in french today (as usual). "A gauche! A gauche!" I then realize that I need to make a couple of lefts to reach the market, my ultimate goal in this quest.

I wind up on another corner on a paved street with a small roundabout in the centre of the intersection. I pause to photograph the traffic circle and its occupants: a bicycle and a cow. Upon realizing that I am likely no closer to the market place than when I left the compound, I head back. Once home, I just finish latching the gate when the rest of my team return from the marketplace. I did enjoy the dusty walk by myself and was satisfied that I had most likely provided some unexpected entertainment for the residents of Madaoua today.

For Allah so loved the world...

Don't be alarmed; "Allah" is the Arabic term for "God". So explains Femi, our translator from Nigeria. Femi comes from the north of Nigeria, which is adjacent to the south of Niger. He is fluent in Hausa and in English, his first language. During our day camp on New Year's Day in Madaoua, our team member, Mrs. A, tells the story of Jesus dying for the sins of every person so that they can go to heaven if they ask Jesus to become part of their lives. Femi translates the story into Hausa, the local language of the approximately 100 Nigerien children who attend the day camp.

The day camp begins small, but as the afternoon progresses, word spreads to other children in Madaoua that there is an event going on in the white persons' compound, and the number of children swells. A woman from the local church tells the story of the wordless book (similar to the story told by Mrs. A) and the children get to make colorful bracelets with the same colors as the wordless book, by which they can remember the story.

Our team leader, Mrs. S, leads the children in some action songs in English, and Femi explains the songs in Hausa. The children enjoy doing the actions and later participate in some three-legged races. It is an active afternoon for our team, but these children get to hear about Christ possibly for the first and last time.

In referring to Christ, Femi uses the term for "Messiah", as the children would not understand the name "Jesus". I admire Femi, as he has left his home in Nigeria to work as a Christian missionary to the Hausa people in a poor part of Niger. You could pray for Femi and for his spouse, Comfort, who is expecting their second child.

Happy New Year?

I cried a lot on the first morning of 2007. My heart was bleeding over the extreme poverty and suffering of the ill and unfortunate of Niger. First, our team visited CREN, le Centre de Rehabilitation et Education Nutritionelle. We met several new mothers with their newborn babies strapped to their backs with cloth. I wept for these young mothers and the struggles they would face in ensuring adequate nutrition for their children. But that was only the beginning of my grief ...

As we entered the obstetrics ward of the adjacent Galmi Hospital (located about a half hour from Madaoua), a friend offered us vaseline to smell. This was designed to adjust our sense of smell before entering. As you step inside, the terrific stench of the ward just hits you. (Remember, this is where they are caring for newborns and their mothers recovering from childbirth) As bad as the smell was for us, the outside temperature for us was only about 25 degrees. Our friends related to us that when it reaches 45 degrees in the summer, the stench hits you like a wall.

Inside the ward, many young undernourished mothers clung to tiny babies. Some of the mothers looked to be young girls. The sheets and blankets were filthy; flies were everywhere. I felt like a phony with my new jeans and shirt, and digital camera.

It seemed like our visit did some good. We passed out some baby booties and hats, as well as some bags of toothpaste and deodorant. We got to hold babies and smile at moms and grandmas. It was neat to shake hands with the new mothers as we left and to receive smiles and thank yous from them. But clearly, it was not enough.

The Galmi Hospital is a shambles. It has deteriorated horribly and nothing is clean there. The operating room is an even worse facility than the barebones one seen on the deserted island in Lost.

Fortunately, a rebuilding process has begun. Some of the structure will be demolished and replaced, and the rest of the facility will be refurbished. About $350,000 is needed.

Just a thought for the New Year. While you are arranging to maximize your 2006 RRSP contribution, if you have any excess funds, you could give them to help renew the Galmi Hospital in Niger. Giving money to this project would be a very tangible way to help create a facility that would certainly improve health care in this impoverished area of our world.

If you want to do even more, try to get your family and friends to give also. You can find donation information on the SIM website and you can designate for the Galmi Hospital. For every $100 you give, you can deduct $40 for income tax purposes. I know that God will bless you for giving. And you will have the satisfaction that you have made a difference.

I guess I'll have the foie chevre

During the first day of the two-day Muslim celebration in Madaoua at this time of year, most of our team went visiting with our host. We stopped at the house of M, whom I had met the previous day. M's family had slaughtered four rams and stretched the carcasses out on sharpened poles adjacent to a handbuilt fire. These dressed goat rams would be eaten on the second day. But on this day, M's family would eat the insides ...

"Have a taste of this" M said to me, as he fished out a chunk of pale grey goat innards from a steel pot hanging over an open fire, with a heavy steam pervading the atmosphere. The contents of the pot were less than appealing, with assorted grey tripe-like substances floating in a thick brine. I decided to be brave and take one for the team.

As I grasped the morsel for a taste, I realized that this was not unsafe to eat, because the ram had just been butchered, and the morsel was probably a piece of goat liver (foie chevre?) It tasted fine. I had been concerned because M had told me that he usually got sick this time of year from eating the rams (likely due to the carcass not being cooked thoroughly in the hot climate).

M then invited us into his residence where we were offered various dishes of macaroni, fritter and guinea fowl prepared in two separate sauces. All was delicious. For "dessert" M presented a steel container of a thick milky substance. Although it was prepared with unfiltered water, my host assured me that I could safely handle a couple of drops, which I did, with no apparent adverse effects.

For me, it was a great experience to visit a Muslim Nigerien family's home, to benefit from their hospitality and to sample their traditional foods.