Back from Niger

Good morning! I'm back from Niger and feeling human again. This note is a little later than usual because I had so much to do when I got back and was
a little overwhelmed. Sorry about that.

I got back from Niger last Saturday evening and was very happy to put my feet on the ground. I had a great trip and I want to thank you for praying for me. When I got to Niamey, I learned my luggage was lost and I didn't get it until the day I was supposed to leave for home. So, I had a great week in Ouallum wearing 5'9" Teresa's clothes and using all of her stuff. I'm glad she's generous!

I should start by saying that I absolutely loved the time I had with the Bolls. They are good friends and I'm praying that God will allow them to finish strong in the next 4 months. The good news for the people in Niger is they are having one of the biggest harvests they have had in years. The bad news is we couldn't do a lot of what we planned because the roads were blocked off to preserve the millet crops that had to be harvested. So, we did a lot of visiting people.

One highlight was visiting the king. There is more than one king in Niger but it's a big deal to meet the king. He lives behind a gated wall with guards and attendees and only sees who he wants to see. He's over the village chiefs and he likes the Bolls. He has a degree from Sam Houston State and speaks great English. The day we visited, he had been to vote and explained a little bit about their voting. He also gave us access to the village chiefs to do the AIDS/Hygiene clinics.

One day we set-up a medical clinic out of the back of the truck and handed out medicine, vitamins and some bandages until we ran out. I've attached a picture of that day. We also taught English class a couple of times, met with village chiefs about building a latrine at the villages' schools, handed out school supplies and books to a school (picture attached) and visited several friends in Ouallum.

We did other things throughout the week but those are the highlights. The week after I left, the Bolls were very busy following up on all the classes (over 100 people) and activities we arranged with the people while I was there.

I think sometimes we go on mission trips thinking, "Okay, God, blow me away!" Sometimes He does that in very obvious ways and sometimes, He's present but it's not through signs and wonders. This was one of those trips for me. God was so obviously present but I remember one day thinking,
" Lord, I'm enjoying this but am I staying close enough to you in this? This seems like a somewhat "normal" week - just over in Africa." It was then that He said, "Jeanie, sometimes, you just need to be obedient to do the task before you. After all, that is the life I've called you to - obedience and faithful persistence. Let me be concerned with the rest." And so with that, I quit looking for that "story" and was happy to be there.

One day when Teresa and I went out, we visited with several ladies who were extremely happy to feed me peanuts at each of their houses and we prayed for a few sick babies. One had a snotty nose and was congested but that's more serious over there. We prayed for her and left. The next day the lady came out and said, "Madame, my baby is well!" And I wondered how many times I've prayed for something seemingly small and the Lord answered but I attributed it to the regular "motion" of life. I'm glad she sees that her baby is well because of the healing of the true God.

The Lord was good during this trip. It didn't go as planned (but who cares?), I didn't have my 'stuff" and I came home a day later than planned because my flight was cancelled. I spent the extra night at the guest house where they were looking for a "big snake" (those were their words) they had seen on the grounds. But, God gave me an unbelievable peace after a few friends from here started praying for me because of the flight delay and snake. He's always good, always.

I'm so glad I went to Niger and I'll leave you with this. I left Niger during the annual Hajj (trip to Mecca). That was a crazy site at the airport. 700 men in white robes in the parking lot waiting on a plane. I came home broken for the believers there. I was on my treadmill on Tuesday and after getting some discouraging news in the country, just started crying - probably due to jet lag - and because of how hard it is for believers to do life there and how hard it is for people to become believers there. They need our prayers. As I got off the treadmill, the thought occurred to me," What a day it will be when our brothers and sisters over there get to heaven! And, I can't wait to see them there!"

Thank you so much for your prayers during this trip. They were definitely needed and the Lord answered them. I'm going to go call the African lady I met on my way out of DFW who had been praying to find a church who went to Niger and enjoy celebrating God with my brothers and sisters in Christ tomorrow.

I'm praying you will have an especially blessed day in His presence tomorrow, Jeanie Foster