Serving In Sahel

On the way back from our conference in Germany, we had a rather long layover in Istanbul where after a bit of sleep at the hotel, we went to see the sights of the city.   Evidence of Egyptian and Roman influence can be seen throughout the city. There was one spot where you can actually see where the Roman chariot races took place. Oh, the stories that place could tell.    We toured the famous Blue Mosque which was built over a 7 and a half year span in the early 1600s by a 19 year old Sultan of the Ottomans.     After covering our heads with a scarf and taking off our shoes, we entered the mosque. It is truly a work of art.....stained glass windows and beautiful blue tiles everywhere you looked. There are 21,000 of them...I wonder how many times they lost count while counting them. Before leaving, we paused to pray for the Light to shine in the hearts of those entering this place and for the Christian schools and churches in Turkey to continue to spread the Tru

Last week, several co-workers and I travelled to Kandern, Germany for the International Christian Educators Conference. Black Forest Academy warmly welcomed over 300 educators from all over the world.   It was so great to meet with other leaders and discuss school issues. Each session was helpful and informative. But I have to say one of the highlights for me was the worship time. To say it was a blessing is an understatement, the songs we sang are still echoing in my head.   We had a great time walking around the village and visiting the grocery store to purchase German chocolate for the trip home.     I so enjoyed the cool fresh air and nature walks that we could take in. When I heard the church bells ringing in the village, I thought.....wow, I forgot how lovely those sound. And then it was time to head back to Niger....via Istanbul. Those pics will be coming soon in the next blog post.