Serving In Sahel

Are you ready for a West African geography lesson? If you travel southwest of Niger, you will come to one of the smaller African countries called Burkina Faso. As our Christmas break started, 4 other teachers and I made the 8 hour trek to Ouagadougou (pronounced Waugadogoo) to pick up a couple of photocopiers for the school, do some shopping and enjoy a lot of laughs. There were certainly some entertaining sites to see as we drove along the highway. On one van a guy was actually sitting on a motorcycle that was on top of the van. One of the highlights was shopping at the artisan village... I am so impressed with the creativity of the people of West Africa They can recycle, reuse and turn something ordinary, like plastic bags, into something beautiful. What better way to end the day than with a yummy dessert! We had a great time of fun and fellowship. We praise the Lord for safe travels over very bumpy roads. Thank you so much for your prayers and support over this

This year as we travelled to the orphanage each Wednesday, we have had the privilege of going to Remar's new home. We have to walk up their long driveway as the sand is too deep and the vans tend to get stuck.  Each week our secondary students do such a great job of sharing Bible stories with the kids. Since it was our last visit before Christmas break, they told the Christmas story. Then it was time to make a craft... angels!! They had a great time making each one unique and special, just like each of them. After our angels crafts, it was time for a snack. Cookies and juice always hit the spot. Treat bags were passed out to all the kids at the end of our time together. I think they were most excited about the candy they received. I will miss seeing these faces. When school starts up again in January, another teacher and I will be heading up our God's Girls club for grades 4 and 5. We will have about 21 girls each Wednesday. Prayers will be appreciated as we stu

It's Field Day at Sahel Academy, a day of running, jumping and cheering. Our students are divided up into teams... there was the Red Scorpions, the orange team- Tigers, the blue rocket cows, and the green leprechauns. The newly appointed US ambassador came to begin our day with the speech for the students. Coach Winsor gave our secondary students a few reminders as they are about to begin their race. Students, staff and parents were all waiting at the finish line cheering on our runners as they finished their races. It was a great day of fun and fellowship under the hot sun and blue sky.

Friends....does a person immediately come to your mind when you hear that word? I am so thankful for the friends that the Lord has blessed me with. Each new place, brings new faces and friendships. This week my friend and co-worker, Kathy Miller, celebrated  her 60th birthday... We celebrated in style by driving 2 hours outside the city to a hotel by Park W, a wildlife park bordering three countries, Niger, Benin and Barkina Faso. The rooms were quite nice. The highlight of our stay was a lovely waterfall behind the hotel. On the morning of Kathy's birthday, we headed out before the sun rose to explore Park W. What a beautiful morning it was to enjoy the scenery that our God created. We saw a huge herd of water buffalo... wart hogs, monkeys, deer-like creatures, and birds of every size and shape. It was a lovely way to celebrate the birthday of a good friend. Thank you, my friend,  for reading my blog and following along on my journey here in Niger.

October break comes at just the right time....the first quarter of the school year is done and the temperature is on the rise...the perfect time for a rest. My plans for rest were quickly changed to plans for a trip when it became clear that it would be cheaper for the school to send someone to pick up our stranded textbooks in Ireland than it would be to ship them to Niger. So, off to Ireland I go... My first stop on the way there and back was Istanbul, Turkey, where I had an overnight layover. The layover provided me an opportunity to see some of this ancient city. The Blue Mosque was quite a site, so much bigger than any of the mosques in Niger.  Shopping in the Grand Bazaar was an interesting experience....colourful venues and lots of people filled every aisle. After landing in Dublin, I hopped in my little Nissan and drove (on the opposite side of the road) up to Belfast to Somerton House Bed & Breakfast, a lovely spot with very kind and helpful owners. In B

  This week I thought I would show you the reason why we are here.....the students.   We are here for the families of these missionary kids....to provide them with a great education so they will be prepared to return to their home country for home assignment or when they graduate. All the staff here at Sahel come as missionaries, supported by individuals and churches from their home countries. I am so thankful for the prayer and financial support that I have received so far. What a blessing you all have been! Thank you for having a part in the education of these precious lives. For those of you who would like more information on how to donate and support my work here, you can visit the Teach Beyond website, www.teachbeyond.org . Go to donate and follow the directions for donating. You can give a one time gift or choose to give monthly. Each donation is tax deductible. Any amount will help me reach my goal of being fully supported. Thank you for your help. Pl

Exciting things happened at the Remar orphanage this summer. The girl's home that was being built just outside the city limits, was completed and the girls, Pastor Paul and his family moved in. Thanks to the many who donated the home has gardens, goats, and chickens. It is Pastor Paul's hope that it will be self-sustaining. So we will travel to the boy's home this year to visit with the kids. Bubbles are a hit everywhere, I love hearing their laughter as they blow huge bubbles. They are always quick to say, "Look, Auntie"...in French, of course.   Our secondary students did an amazing job planning our time at the orphanage with introductions, games and an object lesson telling about God's love for us. Everyone made a bracelet as a reminder of that promise.   Most cows eat grass, but here in Niger....well, they eat what they can find. I guess you could say they are our waste management crew.