About the Niamey, Niger Project

Niger is located in West Africa and 80 percent of its land is in the Sahara Desert. Most of the country is desert plains and sand dunes, droughts are frequent. The climate is one of the hottest in the world. Its estimated population of 11 million are 98% Muslim. Niger is ranked 172 out of 173 countries in the United Nations Developemnt Program's Human Development index, and only 13.6% of its population is literate (6.6% of women). The Reformed Church in America partners with the Evangelical Church of Niger. Their focus in the region is to help with community development, theological training, literacy, medicine, and agriculture. The Mission project for this winter is to build a guest house to assist the Evangelical church's programs. It will give them a facility to house people who come in from the countryside for training in evangelism, leadership and other minstry skills. Bruce and Laurie Hawley are the missionaries responsible for the project and will be working closely with Kay and Sue. More information is available on the Reformed Church website at http://www.rca.org/.

Kay and Sue will be in Niamey from January 26, 2009- February 10, 2009.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

nervous excitement for Niger -- by Kay

My bags are all packed -- two suitcases, each just a few pounds below the 50 pound limit! if you know me, that's not surprising... but much of the weight is due to bringing supplies, and gifts for the missionaries and their children... construction paper (thanks CN nursery school!) and fingerpaints and some computer accessories. It's amazing to think that computers and e-mail are part of the culture in that far-away, impoverished country. Truly our world is becoming more and more interconnected -- and interdependent.

And yes, I'm nervous... did I bring all the necessary things? Dressing for 100 degree weather for over two weeks in a culture that doesn't allow women to show much skin with no laundry facilities... hmmm.... Yet I'm excited. I could never do this without my mission-partner Sue. Her faith-perspective and sense of adventure are amazing!

So tomorrow Scott and I will meet with Sue and her husband Gary for lunch at "Stuff 'yer face" for one last American meal. Then Scott will drive us to JFK. We'll fly Air France to Paris overnight and then the flight due south to Niamey, Niger. Faith is put into practice as we anticipate someone on the other side of the world in an airport to meet us with a sign that says "RCA"! What will our accomodations be like? I'm not sure. What will we eat? I don't know. (although goat is the main meat staple so says information from the web.) What will our days bring? I can't quite know. I do know that mission-trips such as this requires flexibility! What I do know is that I love you and will miss you all.

So much adventure ahead and so much to learn. So much love and so many prayers go with me. I've been overwhelmed by the number of people who have reached out with their care and comments. So few people travel to Africa, especially to a country like Niger, it becomes an adventure to share. And so I go, grateful for your interest, asking for your continued prayers, dependent on God, filled with faith, guided by grace and asking Christ to let whatever I can offer to be used to His glory. And I humbly ask to learn and receive as well. I anticipate coming home with a new perspective on the world.
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1 comment:

  1. Anonymous1/29/2009

    We love you and are so grateful for all you do - think of all the calories your burning!! M & P

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