Messages
from
Niger
Nigerien Log
Friday, January 16, 2004
Greetings from Zinder
Yesterday we traveled from Niamey to Maradi. It was a long 10 hour trip by Toyota Rover through desert country. It was hot, but it was not dusty. It was a fascinating ride, we saw hundreds of camels, goats, skinny cattle with very long horns, and small donkeys. It was interesting to see the changes in the types of structures; mostly mud with thatched roofs. We saw one nomadic tribe, Toureg, in tents. The road was quite smooth until the last two hours of the 10 hour trip. We often rode along side the road through the sand rather than on the road itself. There was a variety of scrubby vegetation in the sand. We stopped for lunch at a roadside "cafe" and ordered omelet, thinking it was the safest item on the menu for us. The granola bars we packed were a treat with bottled water. We stopped at a Mission Hospital and met the Nigerien hospital director and his wife, both,doctors. They welcomed us graciously and it was a welcomed break for us. As medical personnel they have a great concern for the prevention and treatment of AIDS. We were able to share the Talking Bible with them and the vision of World Missions to distribute this with the AIDS prevention message included. The Talking Bible is a self contained recorded New Testament. It is just being completed in the Hausa language. We are privileged to have a copy to introduce it as a tool. The World Health Organization has contacted the World Missions Office to use the Talking Bible and include an AIDS message of fidelity and abstinence.
We ended the journey at Barbara Kapinga, RCA Mission Teacher, and enjoyed a good dinner with her. We spent the night at a Mission guest house and left at 8:30 this morning for the five hour trip to Zinder. The trip was much like yesterday, but we could tell it was getting even drier and drier. We were excited to see two camel caravans!l
We stopped at Aguie and visited the Bible School there. The school is for local pastors and evangelists to extend their studies. They want to add an elementary school for the Bible students' children. The broader community also expressed interest in supporting such a school. We are here to focus on advancing Christian Education in Niger. The various poverties are many. We believe that quality Christian Education will help address many issues and the opportunities are now available.
When we arrived in Zinder we had a late lunch with the Labos and are staying in their home. Tomorrow we will tour the site of the proposed Zinder School. We feel your love and prayers. The weather is hot but we love it!
In Christ,
Ted and Eleanor