Serving In Sahel

I come from a country where Christmas is overwhelming celebrated.....every store is decorated and  every commercial announces the holiday. And I now live in a place where Christmas is underwhelming celebrated. Very few stores have decorations, no commercials advertise the must haves for the season. The Christmas rush has changed to a Christmas stroll. Although the busyness of the season is still here... the message of Christmas is proclaimed loudly through concerts and celebrations at our school for we have much to celebrate- Immanuel has come! There have been staff parties and get-togethers with lots of Christmas goodies. But through it all there has been one important thing missing- my family. I have to say that the sting of homesickness is just a bit sharper this year. Holidays are always hard for those who are away from home. I have amazing friends here who have welcomed me into their family during these special days. I am blessed. Have a very Merry Ch...

Last night at NEWS (Niamey English Worship Service), our Sahel students presented "A Christmas Celebration". The evening began with our MuSticks dancing and acting out a lovely Christmas song. Our grade 3-5 choir did a great job on their songs. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of our cute K-2 choir. We are so excited to have a music teacher this year. What a blessing Kathie Golde is. She took care of the music and I took care of the speaking parts. We had a reader's theater of the wise men, a Christmas poem and verses were read. It was a wonderful evening of celebrating the Lord's birth.

This happened last weekend, but it has taken me until tonight to blog about it. Mostly because of forgetting to download the pictures and then there is the time factor. If only there were more hours in the day, but I think our Wise Creator knew exactly what He was doing because we all need time to rest, retreat and regroup. And that's what last Thursday was for us as a staff.  We travelled to a conference center about 20 minutes outside the city, away from the noise and distractions, to enjoy some time together and some quiet time with the Father. Of course, we had fun team building games, this one involved M&M's (a lovely treat here). Even in the desert I am amazed at the beauty of God's creation. I am so glad He created things in colour.

Here's the first of many updates to pass along as construction has started on our new elementary wing. These pictures were taken before school started and before the 20+ workers arrived who have been digging the foundation. No big rigs here, all that you see has been done by hand and by shovel. The cement for the bricks is mixed by hand. No cement trucks here, well perhaps I might have seen one on the streets of Niamey. The workers have been making bricks for about a month now and have a good supply on hand. It is exciting to think that in a few months, the shape of the building will begin to be seen. Please pray for the staff here at Sahel as three of our teachers have had to or will be leaving the country for a time for medical reasons. We are already short-staffed this year and are so thankful for those who are willing to fill in while others are away. Pray for strength, healing and a quick recovery.

For us Canadians, this weekend is all about turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie (yup, those are my favourites part of Thanksgiving dinner), but here in Niamey this weekend was all about NUTS....our annual softball tournament. This year our school supplied two teams of students....the Raging Suns and the Scorching Suns. Both teams played well. I even got to be the first base umpire at one of the games, you just never know what you'll be asked to do in a day. The Scorching Suns made it to the finals and at the end of the game, got second place. Way to go, Suns! What's a ball game without food? The juniors and seniors did a great job providing yummy treats for the spectators. Happy Thanksgiving from across the ocean!

The plans have been drawn up and approved...., the bricks are being made....., and the elementary students are excited to see the construction begin. So Steve S., the SIM Niger director, Joel, one of our kindergarten students, and I dug in for the first ceremonial dirt turning. Joel wanted to keep going so we did it twice. One of the local Nigerien pastors came to pray for the construction, that all would go smoothly as the building begins. Lord willing, the new elementary building will be ready for use next August, just in time for the next school year. To God be the glory, great things He has done. I will keep posted as the construction continues.

So what does one do for fun in a country that has no movie theatres or shopping malls? Our Senior class provided some entertainment last night in the form of Donkey Basketball, a Chili Cookoff  and a Pie Auction as their first fundraiser of the year. Many delicious looking pies were on display for the auction. My friend Beth and I beat out the competition for a decadent chocolate truffle pie that we shared.   The donkeys were enjoying a snack as they waited for the rain to stop and the basketball game to begin. Unfortunately, the rains continued and the game had to be cancelled. Even with the rain there was still a great turn out for the event. The evening closed with one of us getting a pie in the face. Throughout the week students, staff and parents could buy a vote for who they thought should get a pie in the face. Some of the students that I thought were so sweet proudly announce that they had voted for me to get the pie in the face on ...

Well, after some lovely vacation time on the Gentle Island with family and friends, it's back to Niger I go for year #3. I kept forgetting to take pictures during our first week of school, so here we are on week #2.  The summer rains have left our campus nice and green. A lovely site that we get enjoy until the temperatures are turned up. We have 167 students this year from K-12 representing many different countries. The mornings fly by for me here at school as this year I am teaching grade 6 and 7 science class along with a little principalling/directoring on the side. I get to spend my lunch time with these cuties. There is never a dull amount as I monitor our noon time meal. Another school year is off and running....here we go!

June is a tough month here at Sahel Academy. Not only do we say good-bye to our seniors, but we also bid farewell to staff members who are off on another adventure or going on home assignment. Good-byes never get easier, no matter how often they are said. As this school year ended, we said a heartbreaking good-bye to one of our students, who finished his course and now has his reward. Last week, I moved into my new-to-me office. Mike, our secondary principal, will be on home assignment for the first semester of our school year. So I will be the head principal, I am so thankful for the staff I'll have to support me. When Mike comes back in January, I will move up to the director's position. Lots of changes coming, lots of prayer needed, lots of nervousness happening, and lots of peace has been given by the One who controls all things. Prayers are appreciated as we still need middle school Math and Science teachers for August. Suitcase is packed. Let the summer vacation b...

  A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of visiting two of the local Christian schools in Niamey. I went with my friend and school parent, Lucia, who works at SIM Ed, training the local teachers in various schools throughout the city. Our first stop was Cimi (which means truth in Zarma), it is sponsored by YWAM. After greetings and singing some fun action songs, the students ventured outside for some fun relay races. After a tour of their expanding facilities... and a quick stop for a snack- hot sweet donuts. We were off to the next school, Cornerstone. We arrived just in time to see the kindergarten students drawing on their slates. They were pretty excited to show us their artistic abilities. It was such a fun morning visiting these schools. The teachers there are my heroes, using minimal supplies and resources, they do their very best to teach Niger's future generation. 

This semester I have traded my Wednesday afternoon orphanage visits to co-lead with fellow staff member Cindy Sustar, God's Girls, a Bible study with our grade 4 and 5 girls. Each week we do a lesson in our Bible study book, Tween, that teaches the girls life skills that will enable them to reflect the love of the One who saved them to those around them.                                         Crafts and snacks follow our Bible study..... I am so very blessed to spend my Wednesday afternoons with these girls. They make me smile a lot and laugh often. My prayer for them is that they will continue to be God's girls for a very long time.