Let me apologize for the lack of updates! The 13th was Field Day! It was very successful. It's always great to watch students work hard at something and have it pay off. I hope to post some pictures of it later.
The day after field day, I headed up to Ouallam to stay with a couple on the Zarma team. Ouallam is a village about 2 hours out of Niamey by dirt road. It was a great experience. I was there from Saturday until Thursday. It was 6 days of fun, fellowship, and lots of new discoveries. I took 500+ pictures. I was truly astounded by God's creation several time
The day after I got back I went out camping with some of the single girls on a plateau over looking the river. Again, words could not describe the beauty of the sunset over the river or the vast star speckled sky. My pictures simply did not do it justice. I barely slept that night, both because of my own insecurity, and because I did not want to miss a moment of the beauty before me. I watched Orion arch slowly across the sky and caught many a shooting star skipping across the blackness through the thin screened roof of the tent. We also went hippo 'hunting' in the morning. We managed to safely see a family of hippos. They are responsible for more human deaths than any other animal in Africa. It was so relaxing to sit on the river in our little wooden boat and watch the water lilies float down stream. God is amazing. =)
After getting back from that adventure, I wanted to update, but the internet had other plans. It has not been working for several days, but HUZZAH! It is back!
So that was a quick recap of my last couple of weeks. I really learned a lot in Ouallam. It's been one of the highlights of my time in Niger thus far. I got to tag along with an amazing, Godly couple. The Bolls do so much! They are answering the President's request to teach the people about HIV/AIDS and public health. They have been trying to do this for awhile, but recently had a real break through. They went to the King of Ouallam and asked for his help. He was more than willing, having had a vision that his people be educated on these matters. We were invited to follow the King to the village of Banne 25 kilometers off the main road, where he would be meeting with 28 of his chiefs. Teresa got to show them her presentation and handed out business cards so the chiefs could contact her to have the presentation done in their village. She got several texts that night! We did the same thing the next day, but were interrupted half way through to go to a school and present to teachers and parents.
What's even more amazing that just getting this information out to the people, is the faith integrated in the presentation. Several of the chiefs were imams too, but they enjoyed the presentation and agreed with it. What a great way to introduce the gospel and get people talking.
Also, during my time in Ouallam, I really learned a lot about the state of things in Niger. In the city it seems easy to cover up the truth, but out in the villages it's clearer to see that things aren't always as people tell you. And what's worse is I can't really talk about it. But trust me when I say that I will. When the time is right, I will.
Niger is not even on the world's radar. No one cares and it drives me crazy. Just because you do not see Niger in headlines on the front page does not mean that things are not happening here. Open up your eyes and look beyond the obvious. But, why should they matter to us? They don't affect our lives at all.
Right after I got back from Ouallam, I just felt so depressed. The reality of living in Niger really hit me and sunk in. I'm talking about the living conditions of the people of course. You can't even imagine. You can't comprehend how little they have.
Then I remember this passage from Matthew 25:45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'" The people of Niger are the very least of these. They have nothing that we don't. Whether they live or die, will not make a speck of difference in our lives. But these are the people that Christ said to care for. How we treat them reflects how we treat Christ himself. It's a sobering fact. Loving God and loving people is what we are supposed to do. Those are the most important commandments as Christ himself told. Do we love people only when it is convenient? I think this is the case very often. The same is true with loving God. Sometimes it's easy to sing His praises; sometimes there is no risk involved. But, when times are hard and things do not go our way; when we could be in danger for loving God, we are so quick to abandon everything.
Loving the least of these has no earthly reward. How could coming to Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, sitting on dirty mats, and talking with lonely children and women ever give me anything of value? It won't. Niger will not repay my time and money. These people have nothing of earthly value to offer me. That's ok. That's not why I'm here. I'm here to love the least of these as Christ would, with selflessness, denying them nothing of myself and expecting nothing in return.
I think loving the least of these is an act of selflessness. When you give to people who have nothing, you really can't expect to get anything back. Hm... if you think about it, it's the same as Christ did on the cross. What are we to Him? Nothing! We have nothing compared to the almighty. Yet, He loved us, the least of these. He gave all of Himself knowing that even if we follow Him our whole lives, there is no way we could truly repay Him.
I will do my best to love the least of these in Niger and wherever the Lord may take me. I'm not saying that I'm good at this. Lord knows, I am far, far from perfect. I'm just so thankful that He has opened my eyes to it and I want to show others what the Lord has revealed to me.
Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving! I'm so thankful for all your prayers and support! It means more to me than you could know!
