December 26, 2007

I just woke up not long ago and have been spending some time with god, and thinking. I have seen so much need here. Physical and spiritual. It sometimes seems so dark, and I easily become overwhelmed when I look at the state of the Nigerien people through my own human eyes. I love these peole and this country so much. I want to do so much for them, everything for them, but the time that God has given me here is running out, and I have no promis of ever returning. But god stays here. It is even hard for me to trust God with them. It seems impossible. Buthe created them, heknows them, he loves them, he sent jesus to die on the cross for them. I know that he will show the zarma that they can stop sacrificing sheep, that a sacrifice has already been made for them. And as hard as it is... he is showing me that their spiritual need is vastly more inportant then their despairing physical need.

I have SEEN, really seen what Jesus meant when he said that the harvest is plentiful, bu the works are few. The harvest is so so so plentiful here! I've seen the amazing ministry that Brandy and Kanesa have here. They don't have to worry about their husband or children, their one focus is to furthur God's kingdom in Niger. I really feel led to be a journeyman or do some other type of missions for a year or 2 while I am single. God can use someone who is single in ways that he can't with someone who is married or has children.

This morning we went to see a medical clinic that is being built outside Kollo with funds that have been raised through a mission's agency. The doctors and most of the nurses will be American or German. This place was huge! It's going to be so nice. We walked through and prayed for the zerma that will one day be treated there. I also learned that Yakuba is the main person who is responsible for it getting there. I wish I could meet the Yakuba!! :)

Then we went to meet with and visit with a family of believers who live on the property. They aren't Zarma, but are another peole group called the Tuareg. The father works as guard of the clinic. One of their children was really sick while we werer there. This family made me happy because the father was actually holding and caring for his son. That doesn't happen in Nigerien culture, but does with a man that follows Jesus!! They were just such a sweet and peaceful family, a stark contrast to the loudness and drama of the Zerma I had been experiencing all week. I never want to forget the beautiful smile of the woman there.

We arrived back at home with bad news waiting. Melissa came over and told ust hat Ouomu's blood pressure a her clinic appointment was around 150/90. I'm not a nursing student yet, but I know that a blood pressure that high is not a good thing, espcially during pregnancy. I felt so helpless, because I knew how to take blood pressure, but we didn't have a cuff or stethoscope. we were trying to find the best culturally acceptable way to get Ouomu to the maternity clinic inm Niamey, because she dind't have money to go herself. They ended up deciding that Shad and Melissa could pay for it because Ouomu is their housekeeper. So it was planned for us all to go to Niamey tommorow.

After eating lunch, we headed to a bush village. I though that we were never going to make it there! On the way Brandy and Kanesa told me that this village is very dark and still practice a lot of their traditional African rituals. So yeah, I was a little scared. The feeling there was pretty normal, but there was a subtle tension, that I've never felt before. I told the bible story, and more adults of all ages, including men and women, listened then in any other village. They were also more interstedin asking how and why aboutthe bible stories and the songs. maybe there is such a dark presence there because the people are so desperately seeking light.

That night all the women came over again. Nilly also braided my hair. It took 2 hours and hurt os terribly. All the women kept asking if it hurt! haha, um... yeah! They said that it hurt them too still hwen they get theirs braided. I was sitting there after getting my hair braided when there was a lot of banging on the gate. I heard Bube say something about zanke, and I ran out to go outside and see them. I was so afraid that I was going to leave Kollo tommorow and never see them again! So, I was glad that they had come.

We stood outside and they held my hands and hugged my legs and said, "Amina, Amina" (my African name) and "I love you too!" And they talked to each other and played and laughed, and I just watched them and took pictures. I love these kids!