Serving In Sahel

They say the older you get the faster time flies....I agree. This school year has certainly flown by. It seems like yesterday that I arrived in Niger and now ten months later, school is done. We began our last week of school with an elementary pool party on a cloudy, windy, dusty, "cool" day. The students had a great time swimming in water that felt like a bathtub. Yes, I got in too. Before our closing assembly, the students participated in one last soccer game ... while staff and students cheered them on. The finale of the week was graduation, which took place outside in the school's courtyard. It was a lovely evening celebrating the success of our seniors and encouraging them on as they begin their next new adventure. So ends another school year....there's still some work to be done this week to finish up this year and prepare for the coming school year. Then a flight  home to see family and friends and get some rest and relaxation in.

As another school year draws to a close, what better way to celebrate than with a staff party! We had a yummy Mexican feast! After supper, we played a game to see how well we knew each other and enjoyed some delicious desserts. Mike and I practiced our acting skills with a skit about a news broadcast detailing the year's highlights. We ended the evening by presenting Jenny, our administrative assistant, and Joel, one of our French teachers, a gift as they celebrate their wedding later on this month. What a blessing it has been to work with these folks this year! I am so thankful for their commitment to nurture the next generation for Christ. It will be hard to say good-bye to those who are off to begin a new adventure as our time together has been sweet.