Messages
from
Niger
Vonk's Nigerien Log
September 5, 2007
We have heard it in French, Hausa, Jarma, and English; now we greet you in Spanish, Hi!
The session in Niamey ended with a happy note of achievement. It was a joy for us to present the crosses from Ted’s cousins, Howard and Bernice, and the 23rd Psalm bracelets from our church cell group. The closing ceremony was meaningful as the participants gratefully received their certificates: we wished them well, and sorrowfully said our farewells. It was an intensive five weeks in Niger , filled with wonderful new relationships, many hardships, and great adventures. Five nations were represented in our classroom sessions Niger , Benin , Chad , Togo , and Burkina Faso . We are encouraged with the broad interest and thrust of Christian Education in West Africa .
Our night flight from Niamey to Paris went well. We settled into our hotel by mid-morning, exhausted, but otherwise okay. We enjoyed a few days of R&R in the Paris area. When we went to get train tickets to Barcelona we found every train for the next few days to be fully booked, except for two places on the train leaving that night. We hurried and made the night train leaving Paris at 8:P.M. and arriving in Barcelona at 9:A.M. the following morning. We managed some sleep on the train and arrived quite refreshed to a beautiful day in Barcelona . Our hotel reservations were for the next day so we took a nearby hotel – which we love. We have cancelled our previous reservations and are enjoying the neat hotel only blocks from the Mediterranean Sea and the heart of the activities. Yesterday we walked the beach, we found great pieces of sea glass on the beach, and had a leisurely stroll on the waterfront. It is such a change from the Sahel Sahara dunes we experienced! Last night we had a wonderful dinner, Ted enjoyed a really good steak and I had fried potatoes with a delicious mayonnaise and tomato sauce. We ate near a window, relaxing as we enjoyed our food and watched the people.
Today we plan some “tourist” sightseeing and tomorrow we meet with the Sundarams. We have fallen in love with the city of Barcelona and enjoy the sights and history around us.
On Saturday we board the ship to cruise the Mediterranean making interesting stops along the route. We are blessed.
Greetings to all,
Love in Christ,
Ted and Eleanor
Eleanor with Mme Chaibou Habsatou Harouna.
The women teachers enjoying break time.
Mme Abourahamane Aminatou and Aboubacar Abdourahmane .