It is official!!

It is official! I spent my first night in the village here in Africa. I went to Ruga Zabi, one of the two villages that I am acquainted with, and spent the afternoon, night and early morning. I came back early so I could talk to some missionaries who were passing through, but they stopped by before I arrived back at home. I was sad, but it was an answer to prayer, whether or not I was to return to Niamey with them. (My original plan was to return on Fri, but I heard they were coming through and contemplated riding with them.) I was not sure where God was leading because I wanted to stay and visit the other village, but I also wanted to go back with them and have 5 hours to talk with them. God answered that simply by having them come so early. Staying in the village was really hard. It was my first time thinking that maybe I could not do this big thing that God has given me to do. I really missed my family, especially when the woman I was talking with could point out cousins, uncles, children, nieces, nephews and brothers and sisters all around. I would really like to be surrounded by my family like that. I almost cried twice while just sitting with them. I thought about just going back to the house and not spending the night there. "Maybe next time I will be ready for this..." I thought. Then I prayed about it and asked God for strength to get through. He answered the prayer and gave me the strength to be a stranger. It was also really hard because I do not fit in their culture. I am foreign, out of my family (their complete social structure) and just getting to know them. They are very very hospitable, making me very physically comfortable, but that did not help my heart at all. This was a big test of God's strength for me. I did not intend to test it, but it was so faithful! Man! To describe it I can't believe it. The language was difficult too. Being in a group of people that are all native speakers talking quickly and sometimes simultaneously is so hard. It made me feel pretty alone, but again, God's strength was enough to encourage me to try to listen again and I did pick up some of the words.