Emptiness and Well-being

 Do you remember the moment the COVID pandemic became real to you? 

I do.

Juniors and seniors at the school where I work were preparing for their trip to Washington DC. It was Tori's senior year and I had been invited to accompany the group. Tim and I had just returned from a trip to the National Broadcasters Convention (in Nashville) and it was clear that the virus was worrying people. I figured the kids' trip would be canceled... in fact I was hoping it would be. 

It wasn't. We went to DC as planned, swinging through Hershey and Amish country on the way back north, but with the border threatening to close and the strong recommendation for all residents of Canada to return immediately and observe a strict 14 quarantine, the trip was cut short. 

THAT was the moment I realized life as we knew it had changed, at least for the immediate future. A year later, that still appears to be the case.

The day after our return to Quebec City, schools closed, eventually transitioning to online education. Mid-May, primary schools reopened giving families of elementary students the choice of sending their kids back to school following strict health and security protocols or continuing online education from home. 

Test positivity rates, case counts, hospitalizations and mortality decreased and over the summer, life seemed almost... normal. We met outdoors in a park for church and explored the north coast of the St. Lawrence River and Gulf, camping a stone's throw away from Point des Monts Lighthouse. While it was a lovely break, we were, unfortunately, unable to cross the border to see our family in Michigan. 

A new school year started with a whole host of required rules, regulations and protocols to try and protect both staffs and students from the spread of COVID as kids and personnel returned to school, masked and in stable class groups, typically referred to as a "bubble." This, of course, meant limited extracurricular options such as basketball and band. Thankfully, our school experienced only a few confirmed cases of COVID necessitating the involvement of public health authorities. This typically meant a class would switch to distance learning for a two week period, and this happened with Mary's class once. 

Post-secondary education remained mostly online. Once case counts started rapidly rising last fall, the three upper grades (including Jon's class) began alternating days : one day at school with the following one on line, thus reducing the number of older students in the building at a given time. On either side of the Christmas holiday, the entire school had a few days of distance learning, taking advantage of the holiday to create a "quarantine," with the goal of flattening the curve.

In January, an 8 p.m. curfew was instituted. As the one year anniversary of the first confinement approached, the situation seemed to maybe be improving. Certain sections began reopening over Spring Break, curfew was moved back to a bit later in the evening and plans to return the upper secondary to school 100% of the time started being discussed. 

Then cases of COVID variants arrived, first popping up but then snowballing, even as spring was arriving). We had been planning for our the return of our entire student body to in presence learning, at school, for the first time since back in October, after the Easter holiday. Thursday before Easter, the government announce another tightening of health and security measures. Instead of everyone finally at school, everyone would be distance learning, for at least that first week.

That first week has been prolonged on a week by week basis since. As I type, the hope is that May 3, students will return to school, although at the last press conference, the prime minister made it clear that the first priority was the elementary kids. About a month in to this most recent confinement (that is the word used in French), it feels a bit like a reboot of what happened last year. 

And, as I talk with some of my colleagues, that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, a symbol of hope and the need to persevere just  bit longer, now seems to have transformed into a fantastic, mythological creature that we talk about, but don't really think it exists.

In all reality, I can't personally complain (except for the current impossibility to travel back to Michigan). I am a hermit living in a family of hermits who all enjoy hermit-ing together. My kids miss their friends, but that is part and parcel of  missionary kid's life, so it isn't weird. They are used to maintaining relationships at a distance. In all reality, we are making the most of this treasure of time as as family, time that our busy preCOVID world and culture no longer seemed to prioritize. 

I know, however, that is not the case for many others.  Many are feeling empty, nothing left in the tank to give and still no end in sight. Even the idea of vaccination is tricky, at least as I listen to conversations here because the vaccine doesn't mean the masking, the distancing, the disinfecting, the whole kit and kaboodle... will necessarily stop. Distance teaching when you are responsible to manage the distance learning of your children at the same time is challenging... at best. Participating in planting a church that can only meet "on-line" is uncharted territory. 

I was reading the other morning in 2 Kings 4, the story of the widow who had emptied every possible resource and then realized that the only thing left was to sell her children into slavery. In desperation, she goes to the prophet of Elijah who asks her what remains. Her reply? "A small flask of oil." What he tells her doesn't make sense : "Collect a whole bunch of empty pots and dump that oil into them," which she could then sell to pay her debts and care for her family.

God loves. The Bible is full of stories where He gives worth to what is valueless, frees what is imprisoned, restores what is desolate and abandoned, breathes life to what is barren...

This story touched me because another thing God does is that He longs to fill with abundance what life, what this world, what sin, has emptied. 

Before leaving Niger, I taught through the first part of the book of John to the ladies' group at our church. Just a cursory recall of  that study, I see example after example of this: 

• The wedding in Cana where servants fill empty pots with water, which Jesus changes into wine.
• The Samaritan women came to the well to fill her bucket with water, but left filled with the living Water.
• 5000 plus hungry bellies filled with fish and bread.
• Blind eyes now filled with sight thanks to muddy spittle grace.

And that is just off the top of my head. I could keep on going.

God longs to take what has been emptied and fill it, with himself... 

As an assistant principal at the school, I see lots of official paperwork and a huge concern the Ministry of Education as well as the government is the importance of student and personnel well-being. There is tons of research suggesting that in this present reality, critical factors include :  

• interacting with students and colleagues focusing on authentic care and kindness, 
• prioritizing collaboration and compromise, 
• focusing less on actual academics and more on learning processes, self-discipline and healthy lifestyle choices,
• building a sense of competency and personal responsibility in learning, and
• actually making a difference.

We want to promote well-being.

Yet,

as a follower of Jesus, I know that in this beautifully broken world, trapped in a pandemic and totally emptied by sin,

the only way to truly be well 

is to continually invite God to fill all those empty places.

YES! I did it!

I REALLY don't like talking on the phone, for any reason, ever. Not even with family and close friends. I can do it, I don't sound freaked out and usually don't stumble over my words. I even leave coherent messages on answering machines. But given the choice between talking to someone in person, texting, fb messaging or email... or making a phone call - I will NEVER choose the phone call. 

My husband doesn't get that, not at all. So, sometimes I have one other avoidance option - I get him to make the necessary phone call for me!

He usually rolls his eyes and sighs big... and then does that little service for me, because he loves me!

When you add the complication of trying to make a phone call in French - well, I can become a world champion procrastinator...

Several months ago, I decided I decided it was time to start looking for ways to volunteer, outside of my church or a Christian school, in my local community - wherever that might be. It was one of those New Year's resolutions from a few years back - before we left Niger for home assignment. I had been convicted of my furloughing introvertedness:  when home from Africa (our place of service, at that time), I'd literally quarantine myself within the Christian community. I couldn't... didn't... do that for four year chunks while in Niger; I figured I had that right and I had justified it by my very real need need to rest, recharge and rebuild. 

January 2013, I realized that MY "reasonings" were hogwash - and simply excuses for me to avoid ministry and give in to my nature that is perfectly content at home, not talking to or interacting with people, except on MY terms. In fact, I was convicted that my "self-fulfillment" in that sense was nothing less than sin.

So, I made that resolution and by God's grace... and a few friends and family members who help keep me accountable... I've actually followed through and maintained this practice for a significant chunk of time - volunteering at a Pregnancy Resource Center and at a wildlife rehabilitation center while back in Michigan. 

Then we moved.

It was easy to get involved in our church, Christian school and the studio ministry - for the obvious reason: THAT was why we came to Quebec - to encourage Jesus followers here and to hopefully encourage others to become Jesus followers.

Finding ways to get involved in our communities, outside the Christian communities, however, has taken a little bit of time.

Tori gave the first accountability nudge, without even realizing it! We hadn't even been here a month, I was still unpacking boxes, and she began begging to find out if there was a wildlife rehabilitation center in our area. She loved working at the A.R.K while back in Michigan (and usually requests the possibility of a shift or two when we are back in town for vacations). We did find a place to volunteer - only they only needed help from April to September. We contacted them in October. I left my name and contact information - and hoped to hear from them the following spring.

I was content to let the volunteering stay on the back burner until April - I was starting to experience the full impact of plunging 6 kids at once into a non-maternal language school system, and homework not only felt overwhelming; we were drowning in it. But Tim kept telling me about a guy he worked with at the studio, an older gentleman that volunteered, working with kids after school to do their homework. He kept saying I'd be good at something like that. That wasn't the direction I really wanted to go. I was doing enough French homework with MY OWN kids! About that same time, a refugee family (from Congo by way of Burundi) started attending our church. The idea of helping refugees sounded a lot better than homework, and the arrival of Syrian refugees was all over the news. 

So I looked on line and found a center that coordinates volunteers, filled out the application, went in for an interview, had my police check and thought I'd see lots of opportunities to help welcome newcomers to the Belle Province. Except there were none of those opportunities listed, at least none that I found. 

So I started to sign up for one-shot opportunities, to at least dip my big toe into the water and test the temperature.

I'll never forget my first volunteer experience here in Quebec. It was helping with a 5K cross country up near the military base. All the other women who looked to be about my age got to stand around and hand out bottles of water as runners passed their table. I was recruited with the 20-something crowd (Really people? Can't you see the gray roots and wrinkles?) to run up a mountain and then stand there all morning, cheering and directing runners to follow the race/right path. I stood right next to a sign that warned of the prolific presence of black bears in the area. I was a little nervous most of the morning.

Would I do it again? Possibly... ah... probably.

Tori and I did hear back from the wildlife rehab center - and volunteered there, averaging 1-2 shifts/week throughout the rehabbing season this past spring and summer. We are both looking forward to returning next spring. It is funny how in serving and caring for animals, I get an opportunity to serve, care for and love people who are passionate about wildlife and the environment.

But I knew that would be coming to an end with the beginning of a new school year...

So, I finally decided to take a peer counseling training course, thinking I could get involved that way. The first session was offered over the summer, while we were traveling - so I registered for the one slated to begin in the fall. I received my certificate in October, and am officially signed up as a trained volunteer with the "Maison de la Famille" as a peer counselor.

But what does all that have to do with using a telephone... the subject with which I started stream-of-conscious-ing way back at the beginning of this post?

Well, I picked peer counseling because it is something done in person. No one told me, until I was already signed up and given a client to contact - that THAT FIRST CONTACT was done by phone.

Yikes!

Today - after much fear, trepidation, procrastination and finally, prayer - I made the call.

I was able to understand and be understood.

And I've set up my first actual meeting.

Score!

Not just celebrating my phone call,
but the success my football team has experienced this season as well!

Don't expect me to say that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Because it was. I feel like throwing up just thinking about it, and knowing that it will be a part of every helping relationship I have through this organization.

That, however, isn't a good enough reason for me to consider not being involved... not trying to serve this community... not taking His love into this world with every tool and talent God has given me.

*************************************************************

How are you giving back? 

Are you seeking ways to be involved, even though it may not feel natural or comfortable for you?

How are you involved with people outside of your Christian community?

photo credit: classic_film Mary Tyler Moore, The Dick Van Dyke Show, 

"Empress Carlotta's Necklace," 1961 via photopin (license)

photo credit: loungerie Salvador Dalì - White aphrodisiac telephone (1939) via photopin (license)

photo credit: puffclinty Malcolm Willis Getting the Crowd Going via photopin (license)

31 days... of dinner chez les Wrightlings... KFC {day 28}

 

Sunday was a l000000000000000ng day ~

a good day, but a long one.

On the road by 6:45, off to visit another one of our partnering churches.

Sunday School - Tim and I with the adult class;

Rebekah, Nadia and Anna with the teens and middle schoolers...

...sharing about Niger.

There is a young man, an exchange student from Ghana, attending that church this year.

The girls really enjoyed meeting someone from nearly back home.

Then sharing, testimonies, preaching for Tim in the morning service.

Before, during and after - lots of mingling, visiting with those in the church - listening and answering questions.

Next came a pizza meal with several from the church,

followed by a small meeting with members from their missions committee.

Then it was back in the car and off to Gammie and Gampy's... not to play, though.

Gampy's been sick... all week; 

Gammie has been in SE Missiour/S Illinois helping with Nana and Poppop.

We decided to pop down and help get the house picked up and cleaned.

So we spent all afternoon.

We asked Gampy if he needed anything from the grocery store.

He wanted tuna (and mayo to mix with it), and a treat for his grandkids who'd helped quite a bit around the house - especially the big girls.

(Jonathan kinda hung out with Gampy, watching his new favorite thing - 

AMERICAN FOOTBALL.

His mama is tickled pink!)

Tim ran to the store... and KFC for dinner.

We enjoyed eating with Gampy and cousin Christina,

cleaned up our dinner mess 

(or we would have defeated our stated purpose for stopping by Lansing in the first place),

and hit the road back for Midland.

It was about 9:30 when we got in.

It was a long day.

Favorite quote... or misquote?

"I've got a riddle of life flowing out of me.

Makes the lame to walk and the blind to see..."

(Just who do you think was singing that?)

Actually --- pretty profound if you think about it a bit... kinda... sorta!

Previous Posts

Squirrel Soup {day 1}

Chimichangas {day 2}

in which I start conniving... {day 3}

in which I have absolutely NO IDEA... {day 4}

when the Taco Bell cooks decide... {day 5}

 Cheese Quesadillas... {day 6}

Eggs, Bacon, Buttery Toast and Watermelon... {day 7}

Rice and Sauce... {day 8}

Grilled Cheese, Creamy Chicken Soup, Salad... a Church Program and an Ice Cream Social {day 9}

We got Brendan! {day 10}

(modified) Italian Chicken Pita {day 11} 

Borscht {day 12} 

Doughnut Saturday {day 13}
...nothing more than junk food {day 14}

Dredging the Fridge... {day 15} 
Egg Fried Rice {day 16}
Amidst much moaning and groaning {day 17}
...dinner chez Grandma Edith instead! {day 18}
Butternut squash mac and cheeze {day 19}
Black bean and butternut squash burritos {day 20}
Butterscotch pumpkin bread with chocolate pumpkin butter {day 21}
Chili, conversation, baby oranges and "really cute little girls..." {day 22}
Comfort food, otherwise known as ~ potato soup {day 23}
Cabbage fritters with a yogurt dip and a yummy fall fruit salad {day 24}
Toad in the hole and roasted squash - seriously! {day 25}
...Chez Culver's... {day 26}
Homemade lasagna... noodles and all {day 27}

Wordless Wednesday ~ Studio glimpses

Spring, 2013 ~ Our Current Prayer Letter ~

What about all the rest?

The Son is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn over all creation.

For in him all things were created:

things in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible,

whether thrones or powers

or rulers or authorities;

all things have been created through him and for him.

He is before all things,

and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and

the firstborn from among the dead,

so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, 

whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace

through his blood,

shed on the cross.

-from Colossians 1

So… what about the rest… all that stuff that remains after the best or most important or loudest or highest priority or most prominent or easiest and least resistant has been cared for and/or dealt with?

It could be those two or three dishes that somehow find their way to the sink after everything else is washed up? Or the bit of food that is left after dinner which gets portioned into Tupperware, shoved into the back of the fridge and then forgotten until it starts to either grow again or stink really, really badly? There’s also the junk that remains laying around our girls' bedroom (6 girls in one room really is recipe for a most of the time natural disaster-sort-of-mess). We daily hear: "I've cleaned up my part. THEY can do the rest."

And then we hear or read or even say words like these: "Do your best and then have faith that God will do the rest." Those words are inherently wrong or bad words to say. They do leave us uncomfortable... for we know what they also imply, in our hearts.

They can indicate that what we accomplish is the key and critical part. They can reveal that we’ve set the picture topsy-turvy and that somehow we are in focus in the foreground while God is relegated to the blurry background- maybe interesting or even possibly worse, distracting, scenery. Those words point a finger at our generally unrecognized arrogance - until it smacks us full force in the face.

What God does is never just (just as in by a narrow margin, barely, merely...):

• a less than whole or insignificant remainder,
• a picking up of the bits and pieces we decided we were too tired or disgusted or frustrated to deal with,
• less important or noteworthy or commendable,
• the bit that will later be forgotten and spoil and thrown away because no one wanted it,
• gathering those never ending pieces that otherwise convince the job can never be complete...

Easter unwaveringly proves that He is and does so much more than “the rest.” The truth is: “He is before all things and in Him all things hold together.”

3… 2… 1… and… another recording starts

...but the end of many of the following projects IS in sight!

Tim is putting all of the pieces into place for the continuation of our radio program, “L’heure de l evangile.” Radio technician and colleague Rabo Godi with Pastor Soumaila will continue to record, edit and produce this weekly Hausa/French language program which is airs on the national government station.

Drafting a studio use agreement also occupies a chunk of Tim’s time. This agreement with another missionary will ensure that there is a knowledgeable someone to maintain oversight of the studio rather than simply renting the place to work on their own individual projects.

Yesterday, he worked with the men in the photo below to record a Tamajeq radio program. It is exciting to be a part of Nigerien church (versus missionary) initiated projects and programs....

***********************************

To read the rest of this prayer letter, please head on over to our ministry web page... Make sure you are up-to-date with all of our family and project news as well. A list of current prayer requests is also included.

A Wright Christmas 2012 ~ Come walk alongside... Just be with us, for a while…

A young Muslim friend of ours was visiting one the weekend. As we conversed, she made an unforgettably convicting point:

“Most Christians I know don't know how to really evangelize. They’d rather storm the gate and fix everyone instead of taking time to walk alongside, see and try to understand the world from a different perspective…. They are always sure they have all of the answers and are afraid to consider anyone else an equal peer.”

That’s pretty serious… Ignoring, dismissing or refusing to consider even its possibility is nothing less than negligent. So we dug deep and searched...

********

Please head on over to our ministry web site, Wrights Broadcasting Truth to Niger, to read the rest of our 2012 Winter prayer letter.

Time to Home School

I've got a super exciting opportunity coming up.

At least, I think it is.

I'm a bit terrified about it, too...

...'cause it involves me getting on a small plane and flying away for 5 days.

I've NEVER done that before... Well, not since I started having kids nearly 17 years ago.

I've always at least had someone with me.



Home schooling activity (Doesn't that include just about everything, including making pancakes?)
with Elsie Mae and Mary Michelle.



Are you curious?

Let me explain.

Last January I was invited to join a team... a pool of presenters... and be willing to travel and share, based on availability, experience and knowledge about various topics related to the education of these kids of ours living this amazing life as expats... or TCKs (third culture kids).

There are many advantages - our children have opportunities that some parents could only dream of for their children - travel to far off and exotic places, exposure to varying cultures, fluency in two or more languages, freedom from much of the materialistic post-modern thought prevalent in the West, and learning to rely on and relate to each other better as a family because sometimes - lots of the time - we're all we have.

But there are also huge hurdles to overcome and challenges to address, particularly when it comes to providing a quality education for our children, discipling them to integrate and also appreciate the best of their two (or more) very different homes, and still preparing them for re-entry to life in the West when that time comes. Remember that's on top of all the normal stresses and pressures of just growing up our kids. (Please don't think I'm saying it is harder for us than for those of you God has not sent out to foreign places... both are demanding! But it is different.) After all, they are only loaned to us for a short time. It doesn't seem like that in those early weeks of pacing floors with cholicky babies, frantic flurries to the doctor when a high fever spikes and endless mornings home with little to no adult conversation. But those days seem just like yesterday and yet in less than a year, our first will be graduated and moving into that next stage.

For whatever reason, this organization felt I might have something to offer and, as I said above, unexpectedly-for-me invited me on board. Tim and I took several days to pray about it, but he's been overwhelmingly encouraging and positive... and so I said, "Yes!"

And so, this October, I'll be traveling to another W. African city for my first education conference... as a presenter. I've been given two topics: "Issues for Third Culture Kids," and "Time to Home School."

If you think about it, I'd appreciate prayer:

1. Pray that I am diligent and use well the time I have to prepare for these two presentations.
2. I've committed to go - and am now praying that the Lord will provide the necessary funds to cover the plane travel as well as my visa.
3. Pray for Tim and the kids. - This will be the first time I've left him for more than a day with the whole kit and kaboodle. He's a great daddy, and he'll have some amazing biggers to help, so I know he'll do fine... Maybe what I'm really asking is that you pray for my mama heart that will find it hard to be away from my gang.
4. Pray for God to prepare my heart for the actual flight - I'm still terrified of aviation travel. Nothing new under the sun in that respect!

Multitude Monday - 1000 Gifts ~ "But she, of her want..."

And Jesus sat over against the treasury,
and beheld
how the people cast money
into the treasury:
and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites,
which make a farthing.
And he called unto him his disciples,
and saith unto them,
Verily I say unto you,
That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast
into the treasury:
For all they did cast in of their abundance;
but she of her want
did cast in
all that she had,
even all her living.
~ Mark 12:42-44 ~

Tim, Nadia and Anna had the privilege of seeing this play out this past week in real life, a modern day version, only it was no mere re-enactment. As most of you probably recall, our last prayer letter included a plea for funding to help the Gourmantché churches in the SW corner of Niger distribute grain to their church members. Niger, the whole Sahel region of W. Africa in fact, is in the midst of a food crisis. And while rains have started and the fields of millet are starting to green, there is still not sufficient food remaining in storage to nourish the population until this year’s harvest. (Please keep praying that the rains continue, too!)

We want to shout a huge THANK YOU to all of you who’ve participated in this project. Frankly, we entered into this project never really thinking the amount we set ($9000 in less than 2 months) would actually be achieved. We know things are difficult for many in the States right now; we’ve even lost some support due to the continuing financial strain… We felt guilty simply asking. People probably think that asking comes as second nature for missionaries, but for us it remains a humbling and hard thing to do… EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. And then to have to live knowing everything we have is the result of someone else’s sacrifice, literally? Yes, this is surely one of the ways God keeps working on us.

Needless to say, we were delighted when in early June we totaled up the gifts received – and realized that over $7000 USD had been donated. Those funds were wired out and we knew that more would still be arriving, so we decided we could actually help with two grain distributions: one in July and a second one in August.

Last Monday, Tim, a friend and the girls headed to the bank, cashed a check, walked out with a lot of cash and then headed for the bush.



Nadia standing in front of the 160X50 kg bags of grain purchased for this initial distribution.

Tim was pleased to see that the pastor’s association had already figured out a plan to divide the grain among 11 different congregations in 11 different villages polka dotting that region of the Sahelien countryside.

Once the pastors shared their plan, the different representatives began stacking sacks of grain on their wagons-attached-to-donkeys for their return to their respective villages. Anna and Nadia had a brief moment of panic when one of the heavily loaded wheelbarrow-ish carts tipped backwards, lifting the donkey off the ground… Thankfully the guys quickly rushed to the poor animal’s rescue! And soon ten carts headed out in 10 different directions, carrying sustenance and tangibly showing God’s love for His people as demonstrated by one group of His people sharing their resources to care for another group of His people they’d never even met.

As Tim continued to speak with the pastor’s association, working out the details for the August distribution, he mentioned to one of the pastors that they might want to consider sharing with some of the Fulani villages and nomadic herders scattered about, living in this countryside with them. He was delighted to hear that this already was the plan, and that each local church already had their own individual plans of how they were seeking to bless, not just the members of their own congregation, but all the members of their communities.

As we’ve reflected on that, we’ve been humbled. We give a lot, living here, surrounded by so much need. But like in the passage quoted at the beginning of this letter, we always give out of our abundance – generously, perhaps, but still, it flows out of our abundance. We may give away most of the food left in the fridge… but there is always enough for the next day’s meal. We may distribute a sack of shoes and clothing to our friends living down by the Grand Marché… but we’ve never lacked for something to wear. We may help someone purchase baby Tylenol and a malaria treatment to help their sick child… but we’ve got health insurance to help when one of our own falls sick. Yes, like the rich in Mark 12, we may give much, but we’ve always given out of our abundance.

These churches are desperately poor! No electricity… No running water… Many don’t even have a village well. This intention to share? When one sack won’t even feed one family for an entire month? In their want, they are recklessly (in a good way) casting in their all, willing to contribute to others, even when they don’t know... from where any subsequent provision might come. We’ve never experience the true pangs of hunger. These people have. Yet they are willing to risk going there, to that desperate and starving place once again, all for the glory of their God and to sacrificially love their neighbors.

It continually seems like those we think we’ve come to help and teach... well, they usually end up helping and teaching us.

PRAISES:

• A more-than-we-ever-dreamed- possible-generously-abundant- response to our request for funds.
• An excellent first distribution.
• Safety for Tim and the girls as they traveled.
• We are here, at this time, in this place.

PETITIONS: 

• Preparations for the subsequent distribution.
• Safety and stability with all of the unrest in this region of the world.
• Continued bountiful rains and a plentiful harvest.

Thankful to be serving our Lord together with you,
Tim, Richelle,
Brendan, Rebekah Joy, Nadia, Anna, Victoria, Jonathan, Elsie Mae & Mary Michelle Wright

(Keep reading!

There's more after the picture, including this week's gratitude list.)

OOPS! Almost forgot… Over $11,000.00 has been collected in famine relief, through YOUR generosity!

This FBM project is FINISHED!

THANK YOU AGAIN!

If you still wish to contribute to famine relief in this part of the world, contact us. We will put you in touch with reputable sister organizations engaging in these types of relief efforts.

---------------------------------------

this week's gratitude list

(#s 2313 - 2341)

those we think we’ve come to help and teach end up helping and teaching us

seeing Mamata tear up as she read, all by herself, with no clues or help from me: "Logo mo i ga te i boobo," and the sense of those black lines dawned on her

having Zakari, Abigail, Odette and Emmanuel over for dinner, TWICE, this past week

enjoying The Princess Bride, in French!

hanging out with becoming-young-women

emails from Michigan and North Carolina that bring smiles and wishing-I-was-there-thoughts

finally initiating one of my summer projects

tootsie rolls that came in the mail

sleeping to the sound of rain on a metal roof...

and realizing that a sound that once yanked me from sleep now lulls me back to sleep with the promise of a cooler day

listening to "But I'm big, I'm not sleepy, I don't need a nap!" change to soft restful breathing as she sleeps... and then laughing at the corollary complaints of "I'm tired. I don't wanna wake 'em up!" when it is time to head to the pool

birthday packages from Gampy and Gammie

trying a new donut recipe on Saturday... and having a very special friend come join us for donuts

brownies from scratch with homemade marshmallow creme swirled through the batter and a chocolate fudgey glaze on top

fried taters with dinner

Tim being home nights after having worked most of the last 2 weeks

finally getting all those crazy questionnaires from churches filled out, AGAIN... at least until the next batch arrives

little girls with only minimal tan lines

sitting on the front terrace and staring in awe at just how much the tree has grown in 9 months

finally having the filtered water system fixed again... no more hauling water up from the office or the studio

finding boxed mac and cheese just up the hill... seriously... even though I didn't buy any

the departure of my 3-day-long migraine

savoring my favorite book ever... crying AGAIN as the story ends...

seeing big smiles when treating friends to those 50 franc ice cream cones sold from the ice cream cart guys with the noisy horns to announce their presence

a nest of margouillat eggs

being all caught up on summer grading

skype finally working again

funny videos about writing the perfect country music song

If you take a trip out to the bush church with your dad...

...you might see shepherds driving and guiding their herds where Niger looks her greenest

...and then look in the opposite direction and remember that you are on the backside of the desert and there's hardly any green at all.

You will probably see stacks of wood to be used as cook fires leaning against mud brick houses or bundled together to sell...

...as well as chickens wandering all over the place, in and out of buildings, and no one paying them any mind at all as they scavenge for fallen grains, seeds and insects.

You might watch your dad park the Landcruiser and start off down the path following some guy pushing his bicycle.

That guide is your guide, too, so you follow him and your dad...

...but stop when they enter a muddy expanse of water and your dad almost looses his balance (which really wouldn't be good with Mama's camera hanging around his neck.)

All of the sudden, it dawns on you that your dad is leaving you behind (and he's your ride home later - and you are hoping there will be cinnamon rolls at home later today)...

...so you start to take your shoes off, roll up your pants and gather your pagne in one of your hands to dip a toe into that water...

...and then bravely step forward even though mud and other things you don't want to think about are oozing up between your toes and swirling around your knees.

Having successfully navigated the water hazard, you put your shoes back on and squeak along the trail with your skirt and pants dripping every step of the way.

Once arriving at the village, you get to see the new church building currently under construction...

...and then stare in amazement...

...when you understand that the small building next door is the current church building, it is smaller than your bedroom and that dozens of

people gather there to worship every Sunday.

Then you see men working on the brand new well that

has been recently drilled for the village...

Soon the women and girls will be able to pump well here instead of walking long distances... or seeking water from places like you just walked through.

On your way back to the car to finally head home, you see a baobab tree blooming.

As you lean back and relax, closing your eyes to sleep away the trip back to Niamey, you happen to notice this taxi on the road in front of you...

...it is, in fact, hard not to notice. You hope the driver has noticed the guy riding his bike on the side of the road...

...and you hold your breath until he passes and rounds the curve, opening up into a straight section of road where your dad decides...

...he'd rather risk passing the overloaded, overcrowded "taxi"

than risk following it any longer.

After waving at the passengers staring at the annasara girls, you finally do lean back, close your eyes and doze the rest of the way home.

It was a good day... just another day in your life as an MK.