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The
word exotic is what comes to mind in describing
Niger. As soon as you arrive you realize
you’re in a different world. There is no
modern architecture here but rather people
and buildings from a time past. Other places
I visited like Beijing, Bangkok, Lima and
Harare all have a contemporary look and feel
that has yet to come to Niamey or Niger.
After
spending the first night in Niamey, Don Bolls
took me the two hour dirt road trip to Ouallam
where he and his wife, Teresa have lived
for 18 of their 24 years in Niger. Ouallam
is a small town of 10,000 people and about
20 cars, but rich with culture and tradition.
Most
days on my 12 day visit Don and I traveled
to different villages around Ouallam. These
roads were more like trails across a landscape
similar to West Texas except there were people
along the way carrying water or food, sometimes
on donkeys and occasionally on camels.
People
in the villages were always happy to see
us and we were there for two reasons; Jesus
and trees. We came with Neem trees, orange,
lemon, baobab, stage and mango trees. Trees
that could mean life as well as words that
could mean life.
I
have owned and operated a small tree nursery
in Oklahoma for the last 15 years which has
created witnessing opportunities to local
high school boys who have worked for me,
but never has my knowledge of trees been
so valuable. The Africans were very interested
to hear the instructions on planting trees
as Don translated into Zarma.
If
there were Christians present we would do
a Bible study and prayer as seekers would
listen. If there were no Christians present,
we would simply testify about Jesus. Even
though most of them were Muslim, they would
still listen and be respectful. Trees would
be distributed and then on to the next village
Some
of my time in Niger I spent prayer walking
in the villages and in Ouallam. This was
probably the most effective thing I did because
of the spiritual darkness that consumes this
land.
I
would like to thank the Bolls for their dedication,
hospitality and hard work. How Don finds
his way through the meandering trail without
getting lost – I’ll never know.
I
appreciated Teresa for her love for the Niger
people, her teaching on AIDS and health and
her excellent cooking.
I
hope to return to Ouallam some day. God Bless.
Paul
Speake
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