Visitors!

Some of the group at an EERN Bible School

We may have just had the most encouraging (and busiest) beginning of the year on record in our time in the Sahel. We had 9 visitors from supporting churches and our RL come to visit us. They did wonderfully taking in so much bumpy travel, camel rides, church news and visits, and some attempted locust appetizers. They walked around with us to give candy canes to the local neighbors - telling them about Jesus' righteousness, shed blood and Jesus as the Good Shepherd. They traveled through a large part of the country seeing many of the church outreaches in person. Thank you to many of you who worked to support and send them. Thank you to the Network of churches that have a quarterly teleconference who made the trip details possible. Thank you to the open hearts and minds of the visitors. It was a great encouragement to the church here and to us.

In addition to taking an interest in the church partners, the visitors took such a great interest in our children! They asked countless questions and listened to long answers. They climbed on top of walls (even in skirts) to participate in activities our children love to do at our home. They were willing to hold hands, answer questions and never be parted with our touchiest of children. And our children never wanted them to leave. Thank you for giving that great gift to us and to our children - it means so much to us!

We make a great crew!

La Maestra's brother and father were on the trip and spent up to about a week at the end of the trip at our home with us. They pitched in to help cover us the sewage that we had to have buried in our yard that week! They gave La Maestra a break on first grade and fourth grade math (which may be a bigger job than the sewage job!) They pitched in in all possible ways. It was a nice week and we were especially excited that my brother was able to make it to the Sahel for the first time. It was certainly a highlight of our 2019!

How did the trip help me? It has been fun to look back at how Niger looked to us when we first arrived. I am reminded of things that we wrote about in blogs early on - especially how our ministry to our neighbors may be at its greatest during our language learning days. I am sure that another trip will go in the future, maybe you are next to join us in Niger!

-- La Maestra