Sunset at the Dunes

In January, Karen's parents came for a 3 week visit. We had a great time and it was so good to see them. One evening we went out with our other relatives here in Niger to some nearby sand dunes. The kids had great fun sliding down the sides and buried Annika up to her neck in the sand. We stayed long enough to watch the sun go down and have a campfire under the stars. It is a memory of Africa we will never forget.

Wodaabe Wedding Dance

Yesterday some Woodabe friends of ours invited us to watch them do a traditional Wodaabe wedding dance. In this dance, it is the men who get all dressed up, decorate their faces and do the singing and dancing. It was an amazing experience to watch. We all sat on mats on the sand, watching as the men did their elaborate preparations and then danced. The women sat and worked on their hand sewing. We were made so welcome and enjoyed it very much!

Christmas Party!

This week we had the opportunity to share Christ and His love to the children at the orphanage we regularly visit. Together with the Sahel Academy student team, we planned a fun afternoon of games, crafts, snack, gifts and a telling of the Christmas story. For these children, it is the only Christmas party they will attend. Since 99% of Niger is muslim, Chistmas is not celebrated here very much. In anticipation of coming to Niger and working in the orphanage, Annika had chosen last year on her 9th birthday to make little gift bags for the children. Annika and Levi were able to hand those out at the Christmas party and the children were so thankful. All the students brought cookies and juice for the party, which is a real treat that the kids at the orphanage hardly ever get. Pray for these children, that they will know God's love for them and how special they are.

Niger Wins!

Annika, Chris, and Dr. Matt.

The Stadt (stadium) and Levi with friend Rene.

Watching a soccer match can be a representation of life. Watching a soccer match requires patience, sometimes long suffering, and joy regardless of the outcome. Soccer, like life involves people and relationships. On a recent Saturday, patience and joy were practiced while watching Niger defeat Ivory Coast 1-0. Levi invited a French speaking African to come with us. I invited a fellow missionary doctor. Two additional friends came with us. Through the courtesy of our friend's camera lense, the soccer match was documented. Please enjoy the images and experiences with us.

Niger wins!

Trip to Three Sisters Mountains

On a recent Saturday, Chris and a few students went hiking to the three sisters. The three sisters are three mountains that are begging to be climbed. So climb them they did. Caves were explored, mountain peaks conquered, and panoramic views were photographed. Please enjoy our visual experiences of the students, the sahel background, and of the mountains.

Science Class

Chris' 10th grade science class has been studying the Respiratory System and spent time this week dissecting sheep lungs and hearts. These parts were obtained right from the local market, where they are considered a delicacy. The kids took advantage of the time to really ham it up and hopefully learn something at the same time.

Field Trip

For the past few weeks, Levi's class at Sahel has been studying transportation. Their first field trip on this subject was out to the road near the school to count the modes of transportation they saw going by. They saw people walking, camels with huge loads, donkey carts, moto's with anywhere from 3-4 people riding on it, packed bush taxis and more bicycles than they could count. Their second field trip was to SIM Air's airplane hangar. SIM Air exists to help take missionaries out to their remote stations, thereby saving them days of travel time. They also help to transport needed supplies for the missionaries, such as medical supplies, food, and other items. SIM Air also helps with medical evacuations for missionaries so they can get the medical help they need that is not available out in the bush.

Levi and his class had a great time sitting in the cockpit of the 2 SIM Air planes, trying on the headphones and talking to a real missionary pilot. I know this is a memory that Levi will never forget as he grows up. Pray for the missionary pilots, for their safety and for the missionaries that they serve.