Galmi

We are at Galmi Hospital today. We flew in by SIM-AIR on a single-prop Saratoga Piper. It was fun. Heaps better than the other option of a bus ride of a whole day over roads that have detours on the detours because the bridges have been washed out with flooding. The woman who came with us, Kristine, smiled all the way, I think because she was so freaked out.

Galmi hospital was started in 1950. Missionaries from 11 different countries work with local Nigereans in this ministry that attracts people to Christ by helping with their physical needs. Walking around the hospital you can see that the need is great: especially for doctors (long or short-term). Also the rebuilding project is in need of a new project manager. The original buildings have cracked over time. The newly renovated section looks fantastic, but the rest needs completion ASAP.

Dave & Lois Freeman are doing a fantastic job here with Guesthouse management, counseling & maintenance work. They have fit in really well so quickly and I think that the day they plan to leave all the roads will be out and SIM-AIR grounded.

We hope our visit will be of great encouragement to them. I know already they appreciate the Milo, boating magazines & Turkish Delight we brought on behalf of a family member.

We head to Maradi Saturday.

Sahel Academy- Niamey

Great school for both missionary and local children. NZ teachers could fit in well here – they even have a staff room! The director of the school showed us round. They urgently need a principal (associate principal in NZ lingo) to look after the teaching programme – preferably a teacher with some school management experience. The minstry position is for 1 year starting NOW! They also need a maths teacher for the high school starting January. I would offer to come back but am kinda committed to NZ for now. The current maths teacher is finally heading home after extending his 7 month stay to 3 years.


Here is the full list of needs:

See Sahal Academy website

Christian Education Project - Niamey

Arrived early this morning (5AM), grateful for a few hours sleep. We are staying at the Centre Biblique Niamey, Niger. This morning we visited the Christian Education project. Niger teachers are attending a block course to help them to teach with a biblical worldview and in a creative way. The classes were colorful & students participative. The tutors have visited 3 years now and are beginning to hand the course over to national leaders.

Camels & stuff

We stopped over in North Africa on our way to Niger. Road a camel, visited the souk. Had an awesome time (too short).

Jersusalem

From the time I arrived in London until the time I left England I could get this song out of my head:

And did those feet in ancient time
walk upon England’s mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
on England’s pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
till we have built Jerusalem
In England’s green and pleasant Land.

When I saw green pastures or smoky factories I would begin to sing this annoying song. I thought it was a hymn. But googling it I find it was a poem by William Blake that was put to music. If you take it literally it seems to support the Glastonbury theory: that Jesus was brought up in England – that’s bizarre. But in it’s context it was more a socio-political statement about the dark side of the industrial revolution. (Wiki)

So why did we used to sing it growing up in church?
See some discussion. My favourite comment follows:

Countless school children have had to sing this as their"school song" and
many,many mourning families have included it in the funeral rites of a loved
one. It is even regarded as Britain's "unofficial national anthem" -
but what does it mean.? This is another example of us mouthing words we do
not understand just because we are too mentally lazy to find out.

Big Ben

We had one day in London: rode the tube, saw Big Ben (not chiming at the moment), Buckingham Place and the like. Ate Indian at Liverpool St Station. Feel like I am in Monopoly game.

Sweltered in the best (only?) day of the English Summer (rest of the time was wet or overcast & cold).

Tube

After 36 hours traveling by plane, train and automobile, I am now with my media naranja in Wetheringsett, near London, UK. Yay!
The tube was a bit like being on a bus in Guayaquil - packed in like sardines. I was wasted, but quite enjoyed it. It seems to be a great leveler in that there were people of all walks of life and ethnicities all together.

I was glad to finally arrive as didn't sleep too well on the planes despite taking a sleeping tablet. Watched some forgettable movies, talked to my neighbours a bit, TRIED to sleep. Weather was great in Frankfurt, but as soon as we hit the English channel we hit the clouds. The papers promise sun on the weekend, but today it is super cloudy.

Africa here we come

If I look pensive, it is because my better half is half-way around the world in the UK. She left Friday. The great news it that I'm gonna catch up to her next Friday (I leave NZ Wed):-) then we get to visit 4 NZ families serving in Niger (West Africa), so the map behind me is well positioned. I will try and blog a bit when I have e-mail access so we can tell you all about the big trip. Thank God for grandparents, they arrive today and will look after the boys - they will be in good hands.

1 year since we left

Hard to believe but it is a year since we left Ecuador (August 12th).


Wanna know why I miss it?

Read these great blogs of real life God stuff with real people in Guayaquil (ciudad de mis amores).
What a difference
Heroes
Churute
Send us out
House church baptisms
ten2b virus
or see the latest Mblog post.

Man I miss those guys.




Wanna know why I am in NZ? to reproduce myself and send more labourers into the harvest. So do you wanna join the team in Guayaquil? Let me know. Visit sim.org.nz for more opportunities.