Post #4 from Galmi, Niger, West Africa (see posts #1-3 below)
Drew was napping this afternoon and I heard him waking up and talking to himself. I waited to get him but jumped when I heard a blood-curdling scream. I went running into his room as he was screaming "wizard, window." I don't know who was more scared at that point -- Drew or the poor little lizard who happened to peek inside Drew's bedroom window. He talked about that "wizard" all day today.
Wednesday is Market Day in Galmi. I was escorted to the market by Eli, a 13-year-old missionary daughter, and by Robbie, a 21-year-old Galmi woman (not the same Robbie who hand washes our clothes). I went to purchase material to have a dress made for myself. When I got home, Joel looked at me and said, "Why do you smell so funny?" I don't know which odor he was talking about -- my sweat (he should be used to that by now) or the incredibly different smells that permeated the market that were now soaked into my skin. Odors came from dead animal pelts; live chickens, donkeys and goats running around; strange meats being cooked and from all the people crowded into a very small area. I sort of felt claustrophobic. With the help of my escorts, I purchased my material and a few handmade sling shots (I still haven't told Joel and Evan we have these -- I don't want to get kicked out of the SIM compound) and high-tailed it out of there. I'll definitely try the market again next week, but only for short periods.
Everyone's been asking about the boys (OK, so maybe it's only the Grandma's) so let me fill you in a little bit. The only children my boys play with are the other three children in the other missionary family -- Eli, 13; Zeb, 10; and Joel, 6). They love playing with these kids but other than that, we don't have day-to-day contact with the locals. I deparately want to take Joel to the market and to the hospital, but as of yet, he shows no interest and when asked, says he doesn't want to go. When we do come into contact with some of the local children, Joel completely ignores them after a quick wave; Evan chatters away but since they don't speak English, the conversation is pretty one-sided; and Drew, he just stares at the kids. Today I took them just outside the hospital where some vendors sell items at a "canteen." I wanted to give the kids a little more exposure to the culture and the people. Again, the same reaction. Children gathered around us, staring, but my three boys showed very little interest in talking to them. I taught the 10 or so children standing there how to give "high-fives" and the African children LOVED it! Drew was the only one of our boys who wanted to high-five the children. Joel and Evan were stand-offish. I think they are a little afraid. My guess is that if I continue to give the small bits of exposure, the boys will get used to the locals and not be so intimidated.
Short blog tonight -- it's "Movie Night" on the SIM compound so I have to go. Will write more as soon as I can. I have lots to tell about meeting children, taking their pictures, and buying b-b-q chicken from a lady who came to my door carrying it on her head!
Friday, June 15, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Ravioli, Spiders and Hospital Tour
Post #3 from Galmi, Niger, West Africa (see posts #1 and 2 below this message)
We have ALL of our suitcases! Praise the Lord! I was finally able to enjoy the pool today. Swimming in Africa – I honestly never thought we’d be doing that! Thank you for all your prayers.
Thank God for ravioli. Tonight I was so tired at dinnertime. We had been busy this afternoon unpacking our suitcases and found we have to unpack in stages because it gets so hot. We have to stop, wipe the sweat and rest for awhile – the heat just zaps all our energy. One of the first things I unpacked was a can of Ravioli. A friend of a friend (thanks Manda!) suggested I pack a can of ravioli just in case the food was really bad here and the kids wouldn’t eat anything. That can of ravioli was like an oasis in the dessert. Dinner in a can! Thank you Chef Boy-R-Dee. Now, what to do for dinner tomorrow?
Last night we had our first dinner guest. Jeannie, a long-term missionary from California, stopped by at dinnertime so we invited her to stay. This was the first meal I cooked in Niger and we had a guest to enjoy it with us! Good thing she didn’t come tonight – dinner in a can only serves so many.
As I’m writing this blog I am stamping my feet with my skirt tucked between my legs because I’m scared to death a spider will crawl up my legs! A few nights ago, in this very room, one guy had a “husband of the scorpion” white spider crawl over his foot and actually chase him when he jumped up. He happened to have his camera next to the computer and was able to snap a picture of it. This thing is almost as big as my hand! Thanks, George, for my recent sleepless nights. I’m hoping the sound of my feet will keep the spider away. That WILL work, don’t you agree?
Ben did a surgery on a patient he never thought he’d see – a MAN! It’s not often that an Ob/Gyn does surgery on a man but I guess all bladders look the same. The man had six dime-sized stones in his bladder. His family asked to take the stones home to show others – they looked just like real rocks. Ben also had to tell a 39 year-old woman she had end-stage breast cancer. He was surprised by her lack of emotion. I wonder, is this cultural or was this just the way she was?
Yesterday I took a heart-wrenching tour of the SIM hospital. As I suspected, the most difficult patients to see were the children. One little boy, probably 4 or 5 years old, had severe burns from spilling boiling water all over his face and hands. A 6-year-old girl was lying in bed with her broken leg in traction (a cast would not work for a break like this) – she will lay like this for six weeks.. These injuries happen to children in the United States too, but in the U.S. the children have distractions to take their mind off their situation. When Joel got his tonsils removed, he got ice cream, popsicles, cartoons, video games and just about anything else he wanted. These children don’t even have air conditioning or a private room.
Continuing on the tour I stood in the doorway of a hot room filled with 10 mothers and their young children, mostly babies. These babies are so sick that I would put them in danger by walking into the room. Each mother’s face looked so helpless, so distraught, so empty. The smiles are gone. Because I could not enter the room, I felt compelled to look each mother in the eye and express my sympathy. Frustrated by not knowing Hausa, their native language, I searched for a way to convey my heart. Weeping, I put both hands over my heart hoping they understood. Each mom acknowledged me with a nod.
SIM Hospital is doing everything they can with the resources available. But they need doctors! Where are the pediatricians and neonatologists? I used to work in the marketing department of a hospital. One of the responsibilities we had was to help doctors get patients. Get patients?! Here they are! In Niger.
When I visited the Obstetrics room, I met 10 women who had recently delivered babies. I love babies! And two of the mothers were lying there with twins! As I walked over to one new baby, his three-year-old brother ran screaming – he was scared to death of the white woman! All the mothers thought this was so funny.
I wonder – how am I perceived? I’m walking through the hospital but am I welcome here or am I just a “rich white woman” on a tour like Princess Diana or the Queen?
I did learn a little more about SIM’s ministry here. SIM uses their hospital as the draw, or the “platform,” for sharing the gospel. Every person in the waiting room sees the “Jesus Video,” the story of Jesus. In addition, SIM believes having the local people ministering to their own is the best testimony, so they have an evangelist from local Christian churches pray with each patient before surgery. All of the people I have met have been awesome, quality people who truly care about their work and the people here.
Back to sleep. All three kids are finally on their normal schedule and sleeping well. People tell me it takes one day to adjust for every hour of time difference. Their sleep improved on day five in Niger and it’s a five hour time difference, so I guess they’re right.
Joel got a mosquito bite. I’ve never worried about a bite before; it seems funny to worry about such a little thing. We’re all on anti-malarial medicine, so we just have to assume it will be O.K. but it does make me nervous.
One note I forgot to mention in my past blog: Before we landed in Galmi, the pilot of the single-engine plane had to buzz over the airstrip before landing just to make sure it was free of people and donkey carts. “We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto.”
AHHH! A small “husband of the scorpion” just ran past my feet and, if that wasn’t enough, a three-inch grasshopper slammed into my back. I’m done. I’m going to bed (AFTER I check the sheets for visitors). FYI, it was 102 degrees today.
We have ALL of our suitcases! Praise the Lord! I was finally able to enjoy the pool today. Swimming in Africa – I honestly never thought we’d be doing that! Thank you for all your prayers.
Thank God for ravioli. Tonight I was so tired at dinnertime. We had been busy this afternoon unpacking our suitcases and found we have to unpack in stages because it gets so hot. We have to stop, wipe the sweat and rest for awhile – the heat just zaps all our energy. One of the first things I unpacked was a can of Ravioli. A friend of a friend (thanks Manda!) suggested I pack a can of ravioli just in case the food was really bad here and the kids wouldn’t eat anything. That can of ravioli was like an oasis in the dessert. Dinner in a can! Thank you Chef Boy-R-Dee. Now, what to do for dinner tomorrow?
Last night we had our first dinner guest. Jeannie, a long-term missionary from California, stopped by at dinnertime so we invited her to stay. This was the first meal I cooked in Niger and we had a guest to enjoy it with us! Good thing she didn’t come tonight – dinner in a can only serves so many.
As I’m writing this blog I am stamping my feet with my skirt tucked between my legs because I’m scared to death a spider will crawl up my legs! A few nights ago, in this very room, one guy had a “husband of the scorpion” white spider crawl over his foot and actually chase him when he jumped up. He happened to have his camera next to the computer and was able to snap a picture of it. This thing is almost as big as my hand! Thanks, George, for my recent sleepless nights. I’m hoping the sound of my feet will keep the spider away. That WILL work, don’t you agree?
Ben did a surgery on a patient he never thought he’d see – a MAN! It’s not often that an Ob/Gyn does surgery on a man but I guess all bladders look the same. The man had six dime-sized stones in his bladder. His family asked to take the stones home to show others – they looked just like real rocks. Ben also had to tell a 39 year-old woman she had end-stage breast cancer. He was surprised by her lack of emotion. I wonder, is this cultural or was this just the way she was?
Yesterday I took a heart-wrenching tour of the SIM hospital. As I suspected, the most difficult patients to see were the children. One little boy, probably 4 or 5 years old, had severe burns from spilling boiling water all over his face and hands. A 6-year-old girl was lying in bed with her broken leg in traction (a cast would not work for a break like this) – she will lay like this for six weeks.. These injuries happen to children in the United States too, but in the U.S. the children have distractions to take their mind off their situation. When Joel got his tonsils removed, he got ice cream, popsicles, cartoons, video games and just about anything else he wanted. These children don’t even have air conditioning or a private room.
Continuing on the tour I stood in the doorway of a hot room filled with 10 mothers and their young children, mostly babies. These babies are so sick that I would put them in danger by walking into the room. Each mother’s face looked so helpless, so distraught, so empty. The smiles are gone. Because I could not enter the room, I felt compelled to look each mother in the eye and express my sympathy. Frustrated by not knowing Hausa, their native language, I searched for a way to convey my heart. Weeping, I put both hands over my heart hoping they understood. Each mom acknowledged me with a nod.
SIM Hospital is doing everything they can with the resources available. But they need doctors! Where are the pediatricians and neonatologists? I used to work in the marketing department of a hospital. One of the responsibilities we had was to help doctors get patients. Get patients?! Here they are! In Niger.
When I visited the Obstetrics room, I met 10 women who had recently delivered babies. I love babies! And two of the mothers were lying there with twins! As I walked over to one new baby, his three-year-old brother ran screaming – he was scared to death of the white woman! All the mothers thought this was so funny.
I wonder – how am I perceived? I’m walking through the hospital but am I welcome here or am I just a “rich white woman” on a tour like Princess Diana or the Queen?
I did learn a little more about SIM’s ministry here. SIM uses their hospital as the draw, or the “platform,” for sharing the gospel. Every person in the waiting room sees the “Jesus Video,” the story of Jesus. In addition, SIM believes having the local people ministering to their own is the best testimony, so they have an evangelist from local Christian churches pray with each patient before surgery. All of the people I have met have been awesome, quality people who truly care about their work and the people here.
Back to sleep. All three kids are finally on their normal schedule and sleeping well. People tell me it takes one day to adjust for every hour of time difference. Their sleep improved on day five in Niger and it’s a five hour time difference, so I guess they’re right.
Joel got a mosquito bite. I’ve never worried about a bite before; it seems funny to worry about such a little thing. We’re all on anti-malarial medicine, so we just have to assume it will be O.K. but it does make me nervous.
One note I forgot to mention in my past blog: Before we landed in Galmi, the pilot of the single-engine plane had to buzz over the airstrip before landing just to make sure it was free of people and donkey carts. “We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto.”
AHHH! A small “husband of the scorpion” just ran past my feet and, if that wasn’t enough, a three-inch grasshopper slammed into my back. I’m done. I’m going to bed (AFTER I check the sheets for visitors). FYI, it was 102 degrees today.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Paper Towels
Post #2 from Galmi, Niger, West Africa (see post #1 below this message)
Salaam elechum ("peace be with you" in Hausa).
I have been crying a lot today; I don't know why, I just keep crying. Today has actually been a good day -- I bought laundry soap (bar) and floor cleaner from in "town," had a lady come and do my laundry (what little I have) and managed to purchase bananas from a "vendor" lady with three young girls who came to my door. I also "ordered" eggs and a red onion and we fed lizards some cornflakes. Oh yeah, and...Martha Stewart, in case you're reading my blog, I just made fresh lemonade from lemons the boys picked next to our house.
Salaam elechum ("peace be with you" in Hausa).
I have been crying a lot today; I don't know why, I just keep crying. Today has actually been a good day -- I bought laundry soap (bar) and floor cleaner from in "town," had a lady come and do my laundry (what little I have) and managed to purchase bananas from a "vendor" lady with three young girls who came to my door. I also "ordered" eggs and a red onion and we fed lizards some cornflakes. Oh yeah, and...Martha Stewart, in case you're reading my blog, I just made fresh lemonade from lemons the boys picked next to our house.
My laundry looks perfect! I even had "stubborn stains" that she managed to get out for me. Maytag, watch out! Here comes Tanti Robbie (that's my helper's name). I think she's pregnant, but I cannot ask because it's not appropriate -- that's private. Even when asked, some women will deny being pregnant and then show up days later with a newborn. One of the goals of the SIM community service missionaries is to get the women to tell people they are pregnant so that they can receive prenatal care. Ben saw a baby today with a life-threatening spinal cord defect that probably could have been prevented with folic acid.
I passed through the hospital today -- choking back tears from what little I saw. This is definitely a third world country. A toddler wandering outside with only a shirt on and men and women lying outside waiting to get into the waiting room and then, the hospital beds, are just that -- beds -- no separate rooms, only cement walls and floors, and open doors and windows with extreme temperatures. I cannot believe how blessed we are in America. However, everyone I have met, adults and children, seems happy...content. They all have a "Marie Osmond" smile and greet me warmly.
When we first arrived in Niamey (the capital city 8 hours away) we purchased four small bags of groceries, no meat, and it was $128! I am shocked at how expensive everything is -- labor is cheap (Tanti Robbie makes only 50 cents per hour) but products are expensive because everything is imported. I found out yesterday that the average Nigerien makes only $250/year! I had such extreme guilt for spending so much in the grocery store and not even thinking twice about it -- we just walked through, grabbed what we needed and paid for it. The people's stares must have not only been because we look so different, but because of what we were purchasing. We found out later that only the "wealthy" people shop in a grocery store. I bought grapes and thought nothing of asking for a large bunch. When we arrived on the SIM compound, one of the missionaries looked at my grapes in envy asking where I got them. She's never had grapes here. I realize now how wonderful those grapes are and I cherish each one.
Regarding the subject of my message -- paper towels: I cannot live without my Bounty paper towels, I even packed THREE rolls in my suitcases (which of course someone in Paris is probably enjoying right now!). Well guess what was waiting for me in my house when we got here? A roll of Bounty paper towels! Can you believe it?! God provided Kit Kat bars AND the "quicker picker upper."
Sleep is still an issue with all of us. Evan won't sleep -- he's not even tired. Drew will only nap for about an hour and Joel is just plain exhausted, although he sleeps well at night. Please pray that we all start sleeping better.
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
We're Here, We're Hot
Sanu! (That's "hello" in hausa.)
We are in Galmi, Niger and I have computer access! Yahoo! No one has the "Galmi Gallops" (diarrhea) and we're eating pretty well. So much for my weight loss program. :-)
The heat is almost unbearable at times and zaps all our energy. The mornings are O.K. but by afternoon you will find me in very little clothing sprawled in the middle of our bed with a fan blowing directly on me. Yesterday Ben found me like this and after laughing said, "I guess it's better than finding you crying in the corner curled up in a fetal position." I can't curl up, it's too hot! I can't even sleep on my side -- that means my legs would be touching each other and it's way too hot for that.
Our housing is wonderful! Very spacious (three bedrooms/one bath) and clean. We live in a small community ('compound") of SIM missionaries from all over the world. There are about 10 adults here and 3 children and all have houses or apartments. The houses are basic, cement walls and floors, but well furnished and comfortable. In the compound they have a SMALL grocery store with very limited food, but one of the "staples" is Kit Kat bars! There is also a small pool which Ben and the boys have enjoyed. I could swim too, if only I had a swimsuit! That's another story ---
We have no luggage. Our flight to Paris was great, but once in Paris we were told we missed our flight to Niamey, Niger -- even though we were there 15 minutes before the plane was supposed to depart. Then, after 25 minutes standing in the Paris airport with a customer service rep trying to find us another flight (none until Tuesday), they told us to follow them quickly, "the plane is still here." Hmmm. I think that was an answer to prayer! (I feel like I'm in an episode of "The Amazing Race.")Crying, I boarded the plane. Once we landed in Niamey we discovered our luggage didn't make it and we would get it on Wednesday (please pray that this does happen!). Thank God I listened to my mom and dad -- we each had one extra outfit packed in our carry-ons, plus toothbrushes, toothpaste, the all important hairspray and a few breakfast bars. Somehow Ben had managed to pack most of his clothes in the carry-on (he said it's because they didn't fit in the big suitcases, hmmm. He even "happened to have" shorts packed in the carry-on which means he has been able to swim!
There are no bugs but we're been supplied with mosquito nets because they say it can get bad, but we haven't seen any. There are little lizards (6-12 inches long) everywhere outside. The boys actually love them; Joel wants to catch one. At first Drew was scared of them so on our first night when he wouldn't stay in bed, we told him the lizards outside would get him if he didn't stay in bed. The next morning he woke up and as he was sitting up he said, "Wizards, ouside." (wizards, outside) Then last night I tried to tell him the same thing, but he got excited and started crying said, "wizard, ouside" because he wanted to go out and see them! He gets so excited everytime he sees them climbing the walls. We have one that sits on our porch all the time.
We haven't had much contact with the nationals yet. Ben was called to the hospital for the first time this morning to do a c-section, but the baby was delivered vaginally by the time he got there. He will begin spending his days there tomorrow (Monday). The nationals love to watch us. One boy tried to get Joel's hand-held video game from him. Joel was scared a little, but managed to duck in the car. The boy wasn't being aggressive, just interested. One group of women were fascinated with Drew. The walked alongside him talking in Hausa (the native language) and smiling. Drew had a stick in his hand and one of the women took it from him and threw it on the ground. He looked very put-out. I asked a translater why she did that and she said it was because the stick was not a suitable toy for a young child. The local children don't have toys. I still don't understand why she took the stick, but she was so friendly, it didn't matter. The women all carry things on their head, just like you see in pictures and they dress very well. I am told you wear your "wealth" on you, you don't put money into housing, etc. Two of the women with Drew had babies tied to their lower backs. It's so sweet to see this, but boy does it look hot!
Did I mention on top of it being HOT here, there is NO cold water. The water on the compound is very safe to drink, but it's tapped from a very deep well and it comes out like warm bath water! One missionary suggested I run bath water early in the day so that by nighttime it would be cool for the boys. (It's not too hot to bathe in, it's just that a warm bath in the evening is NOT a welcome relief.) We have unlimited water so we make lots of ice and drink water constantly. However, even though I've been drinking tons of water, I still have chapped lips in a very humid climate. Ben says that is a sign of dehydration.
The local missionaries have had us to their houses for the last three meals (lunch, dinner, lunch). It's been so nice to not have to worry about cooking right when we got here. Tomorrow my cooking begins. When in the capital city, we went to a grocery store and bought lots of groceries that we couldn't get here -- cheese, canned vegetables, deodorant and a few diapers (once again, please pray that our luggage arrives on Wednesday!). So I do have a good supply of food.
To get from Niamey to Galmi we flew in a teeny tiny plane with only 6 seats and one propellor (spelling, Cheri?). It was a little scary at first, but was quite fun to fly in. When we arrived in Galmi, we landed right next to the SIM compound and all the missionaries came to greet us. That was awesome! Well, except for the fact that I had to hoist my butt out of the tiny plane and step onto the wing and jump down with everyone watching. I did this will all the grace of an elephant on rollerskates -- oh yes, and lucky me, one guy was taking pictures! Several nationals came running to see the plane too. Joel, Evan and Drew loved that part -- mainly just because there were kids, I don't think they realized how cool it was to be in that plane. I felt like Tattoo should be somewhere yelling, "The plane, boss, the plane."
I have to run -- no, maybe I'll walk, it's too hot to run! I'll try to write more tomorrow. Please keep checking back; I don't have access to all my email addresses, but if you'd like to write back to me, I am checking my emails. I haven't figured out how to send pictures yet. One more note: one of the missionaries in Niamey, the wife of the pilot of the tiny plane, scrapbooks on Tuesday nights with other missionaries! I asked the pilot if he'd pick me up and fly me there each week. :-)
Thanks for reading.
Carrie
We are in Galmi, Niger and I have computer access! Yahoo! No one has the "Galmi Gallops" (diarrhea) and we're eating pretty well. So much for my weight loss program. :-)
The heat is almost unbearable at times and zaps all our energy. The mornings are O.K. but by afternoon you will find me in very little clothing sprawled in the middle of our bed with a fan blowing directly on me. Yesterday Ben found me like this and after laughing said, "I guess it's better than finding you crying in the corner curled up in a fetal position." I can't curl up, it's too hot! I can't even sleep on my side -- that means my legs would be touching each other and it's way too hot for that.
Our housing is wonderful! Very spacious (three bedrooms/one bath) and clean. We live in a small community ('compound") of SIM missionaries from all over the world. There are about 10 adults here and 3 children and all have houses or apartments. The houses are basic, cement walls and floors, but well furnished and comfortable. In the compound they have a SMALL grocery store with very limited food, but one of the "staples" is Kit Kat bars! There is also a small pool which Ben and the boys have enjoyed. I could swim too, if only I had a swimsuit! That's another story ---
We have no luggage. Our flight to Paris was great, but once in Paris we were told we missed our flight to Niamey, Niger -- even though we were there 15 minutes before the plane was supposed to depart. Then, after 25 minutes standing in the Paris airport with a customer service rep trying to find us another flight (none until Tuesday), they told us to follow them quickly, "the plane is still here." Hmmm. I think that was an answer to prayer! (I feel like I'm in an episode of "The Amazing Race.")Crying, I boarded the plane. Once we landed in Niamey we discovered our luggage didn't make it and we would get it on Wednesday (please pray that this does happen!). Thank God I listened to my mom and dad -- we each had one extra outfit packed in our carry-ons, plus toothbrushes, toothpaste, the all important hairspray and a few breakfast bars. Somehow Ben had managed to pack most of his clothes in the carry-on (he said it's because they didn't fit in the big suitcases, hmmm. He even "happened to have" shorts packed in the carry-on which means he has been able to swim!
There are no bugs but we're been supplied with mosquito nets because they say it can get bad, but we haven't seen any. There are little lizards (6-12 inches long) everywhere outside. The boys actually love them; Joel wants to catch one. At first Drew was scared of them so on our first night when he wouldn't stay in bed, we told him the lizards outside would get him if he didn't stay in bed. The next morning he woke up and as he was sitting up he said, "Wizards, ouside." (wizards, outside) Then last night I tried to tell him the same thing, but he got excited and started crying said, "wizard, ouside" because he wanted to go out and see them! He gets so excited everytime he sees them climbing the walls. We have one that sits on our porch all the time.
We haven't had much contact with the nationals yet. Ben was called to the hospital for the first time this morning to do a c-section, but the baby was delivered vaginally by the time he got there. He will begin spending his days there tomorrow (Monday). The nationals love to watch us. One boy tried to get Joel's hand-held video game from him. Joel was scared a little, but managed to duck in the car. The boy wasn't being aggressive, just interested. One group of women were fascinated with Drew. The walked alongside him talking in Hausa (the native language) and smiling. Drew had a stick in his hand and one of the women took it from him and threw it on the ground. He looked very put-out. I asked a translater why she did that and she said it was because the stick was not a suitable toy for a young child. The local children don't have toys. I still don't understand why she took the stick, but she was so friendly, it didn't matter. The women all carry things on their head, just like you see in pictures and they dress very well. I am told you wear your "wealth" on you, you don't put money into housing, etc. Two of the women with Drew had babies tied to their lower backs. It's so sweet to see this, but boy does it look hot!
Did I mention on top of it being HOT here, there is NO cold water. The water on the compound is very safe to drink, but it's tapped from a very deep well and it comes out like warm bath water! One missionary suggested I run bath water early in the day so that by nighttime it would be cool for the boys. (It's not too hot to bathe in, it's just that a warm bath in the evening is NOT a welcome relief.) We have unlimited water so we make lots of ice and drink water constantly. However, even though I've been drinking tons of water, I still have chapped lips in a very humid climate. Ben says that is a sign of dehydration.
The local missionaries have had us to their houses for the last three meals (lunch, dinner, lunch). It's been so nice to not have to worry about cooking right when we got here. Tomorrow my cooking begins. When in the capital city, we went to a grocery store and bought lots of groceries that we couldn't get here -- cheese, canned vegetables, deodorant and a few diapers (once again, please pray that our luggage arrives on Wednesday!). So I do have a good supply of food.
To get from Niamey to Galmi we flew in a teeny tiny plane with only 6 seats and one propellor (spelling, Cheri?). It was a little scary at first, but was quite fun to fly in. When we arrived in Galmi, we landed right next to the SIM compound and all the missionaries came to greet us. That was awesome! Well, except for the fact that I had to hoist my butt out of the tiny plane and step onto the wing and jump down with everyone watching. I did this will all the grace of an elephant on rollerskates -- oh yes, and lucky me, one guy was taking pictures! Several nationals came running to see the plane too. Joel, Evan and Drew loved that part -- mainly just because there were kids, I don't think they realized how cool it was to be in that plane. I felt like Tattoo should be somewhere yelling, "The plane, boss, the plane."
I have to run -- no, maybe I'll walk, it's too hot to run! I'll try to write more tomorrow. Please keep checking back; I don't have access to all my email addresses, but if you'd like to write back to me, I am checking my emails. I haven't figured out how to send pictures yet. One more note: one of the missionaries in Niamey, the wife of the pilot of the tiny plane, scrapbooks on Tuesday nights with other missionaries! I asked the pilot if he'd pick me up and fly me there each week. :-)
Thanks for reading.
Carrie
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
We're Off to Niger!
The White family is off on an adventure of a lifetime! We are headed to Niger, West Africa from June 7 (that’s TOMORROW!) through July 7.
Ben has had a heart for missions ever since his first short-term missions trip to Venezuela in 1996. He knew he wanted to use his gifts for the Lord but wasn’t sure where or when. After considerable research, he discovered that Galmi Hospital in Niger is in need of an Ob/Gyn. Many countries in need of an Ob/Gyn missionary only want a female doctor because of religious beliefs. Galmi was the exception because there is such a desperate need – only one physician for every 38,500 people! After receiving confirmation from the Lord, we both knew Niger is where we are supposed to be.
This month long trip is actually a fact-finding trip – we’re going to Niger to see if it is a place our family could serve long-term in the near future.
In Niger, Ben will be working as an Ob/Gyn at a 45 year-old, 120-bed hospital in Galmi run by “Serving in Missions” (SIM). SIM partners with five different church organizations that represent over 100 congregations and is a member of the Association of Evangelical Churches and Missions in Niger.
We are all excited (albeit a little nervous) about going. Evan (3) packs his backpack weekly for “Assrica” and wants to know if they have scissors there. J Joel (6) is hoping to ride a camel and Drew (22 months), well, he’s just along for the ride.
Please keep us in your prayers this month. Specific prayer requests:
1. Pray for travel safety and arrival of family and luggage as scheduled.
2. Pray for good relationships with other missionaries and the locals.
3. Pray that all surgeries and baby deliveries go well and that the most needy patients receive the care they need.
4. Pray that language barriers would not be an issue.
5. Pray for tolerance with the weather (it’s been 1070+ with high humidity and rain) and dominion over bugs J (all three children, and Carrie, are scared of even the tiniest of bugs!).
6. Pray for open hearts of the Nigeriens.
7. Pray that if God is calling us to serve long-term, that the entire family would feel the confirmation.
Thank you in advance for being part of our prayer team! If we have computer access, we will “blog” about our trip – or you can email us.
Niger Facts:
*According to the United Nations Development Index, Niger is the second poorest country in the world.
*Niger is the largest country in West Africa.
*A landlocked country, 80 percent of the land is desert where the heat can be so intense that rain frequently vaporizes before it reaches the ground.
*Twelve percent of all infants die before their first birthday.
*Infant and child mortality rates are high due to generally poor health conditions and inadequate nutrition for most of the country's children.
*Niger's fertility rate (7.8%) is among the highest in the world.
*The life expectancy at birth in Niger is 41 years (we will look like senior citizens there!).
*Most of the population is under 17 years old.
*Literacy rate is 10.8%.Islam is embraced by 86% of the population. Only 0.07% of the people claim to be evangelical Christians.
Ben has had a heart for missions ever since his first short-term missions trip to Venezuela in 1996. He knew he wanted to use his gifts for the Lord but wasn’t sure where or when. After considerable research, he discovered that Galmi Hospital in Niger is in need of an Ob/Gyn. Many countries in need of an Ob/Gyn missionary only want a female doctor because of religious beliefs. Galmi was the exception because there is such a desperate need – only one physician for every 38,500 people! After receiving confirmation from the Lord, we both knew Niger is where we are supposed to be.
This month long trip is actually a fact-finding trip – we’re going to Niger to see if it is a place our family could serve long-term in the near future.
In Niger, Ben will be working as an Ob/Gyn at a 45 year-old, 120-bed hospital in Galmi run by “Serving in Missions” (SIM). SIM partners with five different church organizations that represent over 100 congregations and is a member of the Association of Evangelical Churches and Missions in Niger.
We are all excited (albeit a little nervous) about going. Evan (3) packs his backpack weekly for “Assrica” and wants to know if they have scissors there. J Joel (6) is hoping to ride a camel and Drew (22 months), well, he’s just along for the ride.
Please keep us in your prayers this month. Specific prayer requests:
1. Pray for travel safety and arrival of family and luggage as scheduled.
2. Pray for good relationships with other missionaries and the locals.
3. Pray that all surgeries and baby deliveries go well and that the most needy patients receive the care they need.
4. Pray that language barriers would not be an issue.
5. Pray for tolerance with the weather (it’s been 1070+ with high humidity and rain) and dominion over bugs J (all three children, and Carrie, are scared of even the tiniest of bugs!).
6. Pray for open hearts of the Nigeriens.
7. Pray that if God is calling us to serve long-term, that the entire family would feel the confirmation.
Thank you in advance for being part of our prayer team! If we have computer access, we will “blog” about our trip – or you can email us.
Niger Facts:
*According to the United Nations Development Index, Niger is the second poorest country in the world.
*Niger is the largest country in West Africa.
*A landlocked country, 80 percent of the land is desert where the heat can be so intense that rain frequently vaporizes before it reaches the ground.
*Twelve percent of all infants die before their first birthday.
*Infant and child mortality rates are high due to generally poor health conditions and inadequate nutrition for most of the country's children.
*Niger's fertility rate (7.8%) is among the highest in the world.
*The life expectancy at birth in Niger is 41 years (we will look like senior citizens there!).
*Most of the population is under 17 years old.
*Literacy rate is 10.8%.Islam is embraced by 86% of the population. Only 0.07% of the people claim to be evangelical Christians.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Evan's First Fish
Evan, 3 1/2 years old, caught his first fish today! Grandpa Heibel took him fishing and immediatly after casting with his new Spiderman fishing pole, he got his first bite. Evan wasn't too sure what to think after reeling it in and didn't want to stand too close to it for the picture. (Can you spot the little fish?) Notice Evan is wearing his new Scooby-Doo pajamas; only at Grandma's can you wear P.J.s all day long.Friday, June 1, 2007
Drew on Memorial Day
Here's Drew on Memorial Day. We didn't have anything planned for the holiday but ended up with a big party! At the last minute we called friends and family and everyone we called ended up coming. We ate like kings and then played bocce ball and "Dance, Dance Revolution." What a great way to kick-off the summer of 2007!
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