Prayers and Answers

It is such a blessing to have brothers and sisters in Christ here at Galmi that we can pray with.  And it is so encouraging for us to hear from those at home who love us - to hear that they are remembering us in their prayers.  

God keeps His promises.  And He promises that He will hear our prayers.  We don’t always understand why things turn out the way they do, but that doesn’t mean that God hasn’t heard.  He knows what is best for His children and He so desires for us to talk to Him.  Thank you to all of you who are praying for us.  Your prayers mean so much to us - more than you can understand.

There have been many answered prayers here this week:

~ Travelers have returned home safely

~ People who were injured in accidents have started to recover

~ Flight permits for Chad went through as time wound down

~ People at the hospital here heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ

~ A bag shipped by bus that seemed to disappear was later found

~ The power came back on in time for the ladies Bible study

We will leave for Chad soon.  Please pray for safety and smooth transitions and for Gracie to have stamina.  And pray that God will open our ears and eyes to whatever He wants to teach us or show us while we are there.

Mother and daughter (as you might have guessed).  The daughter had a 23 pound ovarian tumor removed last week.

The outskirts of town.

Gracie and a new friend selling cakes at the irrigation canal.

Gathering onions.  

A beaming mother and her child (receiving care for a burn).

Our transport to Chad.

The gully makes a great sandbox in the dry season.

Playmates (one of whom is enjoying it less than the others :)

Aminatou

You can pray for Aminatou.

And for so many other women.

 It is so difficult for many of us to even imagine the rigors of life for the average woman here.   The inner surfaces of their thumbs bear large callouses and nodules from pounding grain with a wooden implement.  The soles of their feet are thick, hard, cracked, and dry from long walks in the hot sand and dirt.  They carry large loads on their heads and children on their backs.  Of course, they first carry those children in their bellies.  And their bellies often carry that load many times over.

Aminatou came in today at the end of her sixth pregnancy (which may seem like a lot, but here, 12 is a lot).    Of the 5 children she had delivered, only 3 are alive.  And the one she hoped to deliver today did not survive.  She arrived at the hospital bleeding severely.  An urgent Cesarean section was delayed only while we waited for a blood transfusion to start (her hematocrit was 9%, which is quite low).   During the surgery she went into shock as her blood pressure became dangerously low, and she lost consciousness.  We prayed before the surgery started and we did everything we could during the surgery.  Her placenta had bled severely and her uterus came dangerously close to rupturing.  At the end she was still oozing blood and all we could do from a medical standpoint was close her abdomen.  We prayed again and asked God to continue to care for this woman whom He created in His image.

Her baby, as you might suspect, had died before she arrived to the hospital.

Aminatou was still alive by late afternoon.  She will hear the Gospel while she is here, and we pray that she will see it in our lives.  We pray that while she is here she will receive the hope that is found in Jesus Christ alone.

The material things we take for granted are not granted to most people here.  And access to the good news of God's grace, which may seem so commonplace to us, is not so readily available here.

Please pray for Aminatou.  Please pray for the women who live and die here.  Please pray for the men and women and children who need to hear about Jesus and need to see His love.

Please pray that God will help you to pray faithfully.  And pray that He will show you how He wants you to be involved.

Let the Little Children Come

And tonight they did!

Ten little children came to our house for story time.  It was such a blessing to us that we could love these children, welcoming them into our home and sharing stories from the book Mark wrote, just like Jesus loved the little children and let them come to him despite the disciples attempts to shoo them.

We all marveled at how Jesus used a little boy's lunch (5 loaves and 2 fish) to feed a crowd of 5,000.  The kids particularly enjoyed the snack of pita bread and goldfish crackers that we used to illustrate how Jesus broke bread, gave thanks, and provided food to all the people.

It is our prayer that these little ones grow to know how much Jesus loves them and Jesus has provided for them, too!  We hope to continue sharing stories with these children over the next few weeks leading up to E@ster.  Please join us in praying for these precious little ones.

The pictures were actually from last week's story time where we joined Karen as she taught the children in her home.  Karen and her husband, John, left today.  They will be missed from our Galmi community -- but Lord willing they shall return periodically to continue working in the hospital, day school and local (hur(h.

Gracie has enjoyed time with these new friends as you can see here:

Recent Gracie milestones include:

• Initiated and said 5 word sentence upon seeing milk pitcher:  "I 'wan' milk in cup."
• Saying her own blessing, she knows most of "God is Great."
• Interceding: lists names of friends and family during all prayer times (mealtime, nighttime, etc.).
• Walking backwards.
• Racing: she likes to say, "Daddy run" and then trots behind him.
• Climbing, any and every thing.
• Singing: "Jeezus wuvs me," "An-mals" (Arky Arky), "Winku winku...in da -ky" (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
• Playing with baby doll, pretending that she eats, sits, prays and even 'rock-a-byes' complete with "baby will fall," which is her favorite part to act out.

We are so thankful for this litte child and glad she comes to us...most of the time!

DD&G

Cinnamon Buns

Ah, Wednesday, what are treat you are in Galmi!  

Today we once again enjoyed fresh homemade cinnamon buns thanks to the Z family.  

Mrs. Z serving warm cinnamon buns.

Dr. Z serving cold juice.

This weekly refreshment time is sweet in so many ways:

Sweet eats,

Sweet fellowship,

Sweet meat?!?

Yes, this is the meat moto.  

This local butcher makes a compound "house" call every Wednesday morning selling freshly slaughtered beef by the kilo.

All four of us (D,D,M&S) have taken a turn using the communal meat grinder in the guest house to transform these slabs into ground beef.  Here's Stephanie hard at work:

We are steadily learning tricks to tenderize the meat (letting it sit in fridge a couple days before grinding, sending meat through the grinder twice, pressure cooking, etc.).  The latest we've heard (and may try this go round) is marinating the meat in papaya skin or with papaya seeds.  Feel free to pass-a-long any other meat tenderizing tricks that you know!

Gracie continues to explore her surroundings.  

Most recently she has discovered that "bubbles" can be found most mornings...

Yesterday she even helped wash a bit herself:

The ladies are great with kids (they have mothered many of their own) and really seemed to enjoy the amusement G and Haawa (pig-tailed cutie above) brought to the morning's chores.

Enjoying a refreshing tomato while washing.

Yummy yogurt smile

Realizing just how richly blessed we are on this leap day!

DD&G

What is the World Coming to?

What is the World Coming to?

The Indy 500? A Lady Gaga meat dress concert? The Niger Traditional Wrestling National Championships?  Something much better (or worse)?

There is good news and bad news.  

Maybe the good news first, since it is really, really good:  Jesus is going to do what He set out to do.  As you might suspect, nothing can stop the One who created all things and by Whom all things hold together.  God the Father was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Jesus’ death for us on the cross (Colossians 1).  So, Jesus has a plan that is going to happen, all the way through. 

In Matthew 24, Jesus was talking to His disciples about signs of the end of the age.  He told them about some pretty scary things happening in the world (and even to them).  And then He hits them with a climax (which may have seemed a bit hard to swallow since He had just described a famished, quaking, world at war where false prophets abound, the love of many grows cold, and His followers are handed over to be persecuted and killed.)   He says that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.  

Pretty bold statement to make.  When I think about how it can be intimidating to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with friends and neighbors in my world of relative peace, it is hard to imagine the gospel being preached to all nations (ethne) in the setting that Jesus described.  But He said it will happen.  And if you look through history at times and places where the gospel has been suppressed and the church has been persecuted, it hasn’t stopped God.  (Check out growth of the church in China in the last 50 years).

Jesus said that all nations would hear and then the end will come.  So He basically is saying that the end won’t come until all nations have heard.  There may be mixed feelings out there about desiring the coming of the end.  But with Jesus‘ promises that He will come to reign giving us a hope that we can cling to, I am really looking forward to the end (but I’m still a bit taken aback by many of the scary-sounding things that will happen between now and then).   Since none of us know when the end will come (later in Matthew 24), we can’t really sit and watch the countdown.  But God has given us an amazing opportunity to jump in and be a part of what we know God will accomplish between now and then.

Jesus was chosen before the creation of the world to redeem us, and through Him we have faith and hope in God (1 Peter 1).  Once time began, and Abram showed up on the scene, God chose to bless all peoples on earth through him (Genesis 12).  Through Abram (Abraham) came Jesus, and through Jesus came redemption to those who believe.  And Jesus said that all nations (peoples) will hear the gospel of the kingdom.  And then the end.  So, the stage is set, the plan is in place, and it’s gonna happen before this thing is over.  Good news, eh?

The bad news?  So many of us are missing out on the blessings of being a part of God’s  plan.  We are so involved in so many things that will pass away.  But all around us moves the ongoing, unstoppable, eternity-reaching plan of God to bless all peoples with the gospel of His kingdom.  The end of this world will come, after God’s purpose is fulfilled.  The end will also come to the time that each of us has been given to be in the world joining God in His plan.

So, the good news is really, really good.  And the bad news can become good news, if we ask God to show us how we can get involved.  It’s his plan; He is going to make it happen (He’s not letting the absence of witnesses in some places keep Him from revealing Himself in people’s dreams).  We just get the privilege of being a part of His plan (here and for eternity).  He wants us to be a part.  That’s why Jesus explained things further to His disciples in Matthew 25.  And gave them the “Great Commission” in Matthew 28.  And before He went to be with His Father, read what He prayed for His disciples and all believers in John 17:13-26.  (Really, take the time to read it - great stuff about God loving us, unity, Christ in us).

So, how to get involved?  

1. Pray - God wants to talk to you.  He wants you to know Him and to know how He is working in your life and in all peoples.
2. Read the Bible.  The plan is laid out in there.
3. Read The Surge by Pete Briscoe.  Full of insight, inspiration, and practical ways that you and your church can start now.
4. Attend the Perspectives course (perspectives.org)
5. Revel in the fact that we serve a God whose plan won’t be stopped, no matter what.

What is the world coming to?  The end that God has ordained.  Don’t miss out on your part in God’s plan for the world.

At the end of a busy day

Local school

School yard

Harvest Fields

Another full week and weekend for us here in Galmi!

We have enjoyed hosting several folks in our home and have been blessed with not only good food but also great fellowship.  Visitors included the Fulani and Hausa men with whom Dean has been praying (see previous post) as well as several family/couples/singles serving alongside us here.

Pizza night with the M family....

was one of our favorites!

Other adventures in baking have included fresh pumpkin from which we've enjoyed Chocolate Pumpkin Tea Bread, pumpkin pancakes, and Pumpkin-Carrot-Date-Walnut bread.  Also we've mastered the preparation of fresh coconut...

from the cracking and hulling...

 to the shredding and baking...

now we are ready to spice up our granola and other baked goods!

Plus we've been the recipients of some tasty treats from the Carrigans...check out their blog for pictures.  Warning -- they will make your mouth water!

Creative play continues to be sprinkled throughout our days here:

Tire swing

(Note our "new" housing in the background.  Hoping to move in soon...)

Girls with the dump truck...

load'em up!

And why not take a dip to wash off all that dirt?

Actually the laundry basins were empty...but G still likes to climb in and out of them.

Saturday, we decided to take advantage of the "cool" morning and ventured off the compound for a stroll through the adjacent farm land.  Green fields were a refreshing change of scenery after spending our days in red dirt.

 People were harvesting onions, peas, millet -- we even saw a few cotton plants.  

Pile of purple (sweet) onions with well and village in the background.

These children happily responded to our Hausa greetings and posed for a photo.  

It’s nice to at least know how to say “Good morning.  How was your sleep?  How is work?  How is the tiredness?”  This is the standard flow of greetings here.  Folks particularly enjoy it when Gracie chimes in with her broken Hausa phrases.

A little baby show-and-tell.

Can you find all 3 babies?

Not everyone was enthusiastic...

this shy little cutie just starred at us as we passed.

A little over a mile from the compound, we came to a local well where a small crowd was drawing up water.  

Some were filling large plastic jugs that they carry home and use for cooking and washing.  Others were watering their livestock which varied from sheep and goats to cattle...

like this big guy!

Intimidating?  Nah!  Just look at Gracie...

taking him in stride as if he's no big-horned deal!

For people here, drawing water from the well is a daily task, a necessity for life.  On the walk home we reflected on how blessed we are.  We take for granted that we can walk to the sink and turn on the faucet -- our water needs immediately met -- while so many others must walk a mile or more to a well, draw up water, fill jugs and return home...repeating this task day after day after day.

As we observe life and culture here, we recognize areas where the Good News really resonates with people here.  Such as, the truth about He who provides living water from which we never thirst again (John 4:7-14)!  Please join us as we pray for the people here...

His harvest fields are ripe.

Matthew 9:37-38

Trusting the Lord of the Harvest,

DD&G