Track & Field Day

Students from Sahel split into four different teams for this year's Track & Field Day. They invited home-schoolers from Niger and surrounding countries to participate, and they were added to the teams. At 7:30 Friday morning the teams marched into the stadium carrying their banners and chanting cheers they had made up. At the end of the day, all the points they had accumulated were added up and one team came out this winner. This year, Rufus, one of the senior boys in the dorm, was captain of the winning team "Big Red". There was also a Black Panther team (which I was silently rooting for since that's the mascot of my hometown) but they didn't fare as well.

For the last few weeks I have been helping with PE/Track practice. I worked mostly with shot-put, but also lent a hand with sprints and relays. On the day of the meet, I ran the shot-put and the hula-hoop toss (for grades K-4). Also available were regular track meet events: running, high jump, long jump, and discuss. The elementary students had some replacement competition so they could still be involved like the 3-legged race, sack races, and golf ball races (put the ball on a spoon and run). I slept very well on Friday night.

We have also been blessed by Operation Blessing. We are now the proud recipients of 100 cans of peas. Not the little family sized cans you buy once a week at the grocery store. We're talking the big cans of peas! We piled them all up in my spare room because the pantry doesn't have enough space. Now I am subject to hundreds of bad pea jokes.
"Hey, Cindy, this spoon is resting in peas (peace)" - Joshua
"Hey, Cindy, Merry Christmas, let's pray for whirled peas" - Angela
"Hey, Cindy, I hear you have a pea room" - all of campus

Aren't they just funny? (to be said with dripping sarcasm)

Photos

Last remaining giraffe herd in West Africa. You can literally walk right up to them. They are incredibly beautiful. Check out this article

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33753490/ns/world_news-world_environment//


This week is Field Day for the students. There is little opportunity to participate in athletic events here so we have to make our own. Teams are compiled of students from K-12 and some homeschoolers join us. Friday is the big day at the Stade (stadium...yes, we use the Niamey Stadium) when Sahel will converge upon the field to try their hand at all the track and field events. Pray for a cool day!

Cool Stuff

Book of the Day: Loser by Jerry Spinelli

It is actually written for jr. high kids, but I find it one of the most insightful books I’ve read in a long time. The kid in the story is definitely a “loser,” but the book addresses how we value people and what makes people worth anything at all. In the end, our value is found in Christ. Each of us is made in the image of God and we must be respect that image in everyone around us! It’s a good read. Go buy your copy today!

All the Single Ladies

God has been so good in giving me a group of single women who are serving in Niger. We try to get together every other Thursday and sometimes go out for Sunday night dinner. Last week we just hung out and prayed for each other. How awesome that I get to hang out with such God-centered people.

Niger

What an incredible land! The cool season is starting and I’ve slept a few nights without the A/C on…tonight will not be one of those nights. I wish you could see this city. It operates like a village in the bush, but with a million people. One two lane bridge crosses the river. We passed a long line of camels hauling hay yesterday. A camel is fairly narrow but I am always surprised at how they can carry some very wide loads. One load of hay was the width of the van. We could not easily pass the camel because it’s impossible for three vehicles of that width cross at one time. I want to get a picture of one but the Tauregs (the group of people with the camels) get pretty uptight if you take a photo…so you have to be sneaky.

International Market

Vendors from all over West Africa converged on Niamey this week for an artisan fair. We walked through the exhibits and found stuff from all over! It is amazing how much is available here. I bought an African outfit from Senagal, cloth from Burkina Faso, and some carved figurines from Togo. I got to practice some French while I was there. I really need to work on it!

French class

Next week I will be attending class with my students. Monsieur Hama (one of the African French teachers) has agreed to let me join his French class. Six of my students in English class will be my classmates. I guess there is no time like the present to let all walls down and show them I’m not perfect either. Hopefully I don’t fail.

Newsletter

I’m trying to get my newsletter out but we are having some computer formatting issues. I apologize for that. Hopefully we can remedy the situation and get that thing out soon! Thanks for your patience.

Why

I'm beginning to understand how this earth is not my home. We are truly just sojourners. People who stay somewhere temporarily. I'm finding that to be content in all circumstances also applies to all places and situations. What is it that God has lead me here for? Do I need to know? I guess not. I do need to be content however. I know I am in His will because of the peace he has given so I shall continue in this way until a new truth is made known. I trust Him, this God who uses both children and military leaders for his purpose. His will is perfect and His ways are true. But the best part is this: He has my safety, protection, design, and life in His priority. What a wonderfully loving God we serve!