Welcome to Niger -- again?

"Welcome to Niger." is what my supervisor said to me when I told him of the difficulty (actually ill-fated trip) at the bus station. There are usually four busses that pass through my town per day, and I have never ever had problems getting on the exciting first four a.m. bus. Well, my teammates got up at 3 and took me to the bus station only to find out that all four of the busses that day were full. Completely full. And the following day was a holiday so there would be no busses running. This had never happened, but there is always room for a first, right? We tried another bus company to find that all three of their busses were full. Ill-fated was right. We returned back to the guest house to go back to sleep and I gave in to the fact that I was going to spend two more days in Niamey.

God always knows what he is doing, and I had a blast this morning, buying a Wednesday bus ticket and then working more on my Anthropology Focus Study. I am mostly done and it has gotten good reviews from my teammates. Tomorrow will be another work day on my report and maybe I will finish it. That would be exciting.

Please pray that I would take everything that happens and look for God's awesome will within it. Even the silly bus schedules!

Peace!

New Year's Eve #2

New Year's Eve #2
Originally uploaded by dkoepke.

January 1, 2006 12:13 am...

Last New Year's celebration was pretty special and I got to spend it with Nate. This year was very different, mainly because we're in Africa, but it was great because I still got to spend it with Nate. A few families played games and ate dessert until after midnight. It was so much fun!

Ah the holidays

I think I have figured it out a little. Well maybe not, but there are many things you learn spending Christmas in another culture. I felt the joys of Christmas in a new way for sure, and realized some parts of my culture that I really enjoyed, but have nothing to do with the real meaning of Christmas! I learned to appreciate family in a new way, cherishing clear phone calls to bind us together.

Nate and I had a wonderful time while he was visiting! What a blessing to have someone care about me so much and encourage me to follow God's awesome will for my life. He is amazing! We got to visit my villages, spend time with fellow missionaries, see the sights in Niamey, eat brochettes, go camping with some friends and ride on top of a safari truck looking for elusive animals in a game preserve. We saw elephants, a lion, crocodiles, baboons, monkeys and an "antelope chavelle" (which means horse antelope in French) Above all, though, just having time to talk face to face and pray together was what I treasured most.

That being said, I am so ready to get back out to my villages. I did not realize that so many things would take my time from my ministry. Meetings, planning and preparing for new workers and volunteers have kept me in the capital much more than I would have liked, but this month I get to be out for a whole month. I can't wait until my schedule gets more calm and I can be out for months at a time. I do have patience though, and know that in God's perfect time that will come about.

Thank you so much for participating with me in this awesome adventure! I feel so blessed by your prayers, love and friendships. Each day I wake up and feel that God created me for this work, and you are vital to each step of it!

I will try to post as often as I can from Konni and will update you on the work that is going on out there.

Praise God from whom all Blessings flow!!!