October 2003

Vol. 3. No. 5

Dear Friends and Family,

Today finds Aïchatou and I together and living in Niamey, reunited after our brief separation while I stayed in the States and she returned to Niger for her coursework. However, that may soon change. We'll still be together, but we're looking at going to Danja for several months for Aïchatou to temporarily work in the SIM’s (Serving in Mission) Leprosy and Health Center near the Dogon Gao Bible School. You see, she doesn't have anything to do right now, and I can find lots to do in the Maradi-Danja area.

Why the possible change? Well, the government has closed the University of Niamey because of student demonstrations and protests over funding and living conditions (see attachment for details). Although the medical school, whose campus is separated from the rest of the university, has not participated in the unrest, they are just as shut down as the campus with all the undergraduates. Now could be a good time to go since Aichatou needs to do a rural practicum (away from Niamey, like at Danja) as part of her studies, but with the school closed, she is unable to get permission to leave. Some, though, think that the university will soon re-open after French President Jacque Chirac completes his visit of Niger in one week (and there's no chance that unruly students will embarrass the government during his trip). So, it is a bit frustrating for her and a bit confusing for us. Do we wait for the university to re-open or do we go to Danja for her to do her rural practicum without the proper authorization and simply hope everything will work out in the end? We'll probably make a final decision next week (after Chirac leaves Niger), but we're leaning toward spending the rest of the year in Danja (assuming the school stays closed).

I was in the Maradi-Danja area for 10 days recently to follow-up on some of the things I was working on last spring before we left for the United States. (Yes, Aïchatou stayed behind in Niamey.) I was totally amazed by how green it was, certainly the most lush I have even seen Niger, after a summer of one of its best rainy seasons in years. It was great to be back, and I was surprised at how well things were advancing and how much there was to do.

Here's a brief description of some of the things that are developing:

• We are working to get a micro-credit project started at the Bible School through a Christian organization called FARMS International (www.farmsinternational.com). With this program, student will be given small loans (say, between $50-$200) to buy productive assets (like livestock or tools). Once payments have been started, the money is immediately loaned out again to another person. In addition, this program teaches tithing and participants agree to give 10 percent of their profits to the church. So, this helps participants and the local churches by building up the capacities of both. We hope to start this project in December or early next year, once we have raised the minimum amount of money for FARMS (about $5000) to come to Niger and train local church leaders to administer the program. Our hope is that these loans can help students better handle their "lean" academic years and be better prepared for full-time ministry.
• The Dogon Gao Bible School has just begun to operate with a board of directors (of which I am one). This is a very exciting development in the school's history because prior to the creation of a board, the Evangelical Church of Niger's (EERN in French) administrative council made all of the school's decisions. This meant it was just one entity of many that had to be managed, and it received little attention.We are now able to open our own checking account, refine our admissions policies (only married students can now enroll!) and, hopefully, even create some scholarships to reward high-achieving students and to help needy students. By having our own system of governance, we'll be able to streamline many cumbersome procedures that made the simplest administrative tasks and decisions time-consuming and terribly complicated. It will also be easier for us to repair and maintain the buildings (and perhaps build new ones as the school expands).
• Because of our new autonomy, the Bible School wants to better utilize its 300 hectares (700 acres) to help financially sustain the school. We are applying for funds through the Reformed Church World Service to start a goat herd at the school. We will be asking for 50 female goats and 5 males. This herd will be milked and the offspring sold to earn money for the school. We will also try to teach the students some goat husbandry and some students may be able to receive goats as payment for working at the school. Additionally, through the Food for Work program, the school planted 3,800 trees during this summer. These trees will serve to mark the school's boundaries, but they can be harvested for firewood in the future. About 80 moringa trees have been planted near the student homes and their leaves will be a nutritious and flavorful addition to local soups and stews. And, we're still going to get the irrigation project started.
• Although this isn't specifically a church project, U.S. Christians will be helping to make a powerful witness in a village just next to Dogon Gao. Phil Scalera of Village Presbyterian in Tampa, Florida, arranged for me to speak to his North Tampa Rotary Club about Niger in September. His club expressed an interest in helping fund a borehole well in Niger through the Rotary International Foundation's world service project funds. It just so happens that Garin Dogo Mai Dashe, a village of 350 people and 500 head of livestock, has not had a functioning well for 35 years (the old one collapsed). Their women now must haul water for two kilometers each day. The Bible school director and I met with the village leaders, who were enthusiastic about receiving a well. We're now getting an estimate and will then send that information to the Rotary Club, which will then handle raising the needed funds.
• The EERN's Primary School of Tibiri will receive more attention in the future. We are close to finishing the details of a student sponsorship program for the school. Recently we learned that the First Reformed Church of Rock Valley, Iowa, will donate their catechism offerings to the School, and we'll use that money to re-launch a garden project at the school (the old gardens fell in disuse after their old fences fell down and failed to keep out animals and villagers). These primary students need more fruits and vegetables in their diet and this garden will help the school. Finally, it looks like a group of northwest Iowa volunteers will come to Tibiri and renovate the school's cafeteria (and maybe their kitchens). Another volunteer couple from Battle Creek also wants to come to work on related educational activities in Niger.
• Now, if it looks like we'll spend the next few months in Niamey, my efforts will be more focused on helping the EERN with incorporating development projects throughout the denomination (and not just with the Bible school). All these projects above will still take place, but not at the same rate or intensity. Indeed, even if I'm based in Niamey while Aïchatou has classes, I'll still need to travel to the Bible School and Maradi at least once a month and stay for a week at a time.
• Finally, I'd like to inform you about Dr. Addo Mahamane's visit to the United States. Dr. Addo is the EERN's education committee chair and is responsible for developing the EERN's future Christian education efforts. He's currently the chair of the History Department at the University of Niamey (the one that is closed!), but he is in Lansing, Michigan for two months (mid-October to mid-December) to improve his English and to meet Americans and Christian organizations that have an interest in Niger. University Reformed Church in East Lansing is hosting him. His trip is part of the RCA's Mutual Mission Program to promote closer relationships between the American church and our mission partners overseas. Dr. Addo will have a few Sundays available to speak, if you would like him to come to your church. If so, contact David Dethmers at dethmers@rca.org or at (800) 968-3943 to make the arrangements.

Here are our prayer requests for this month:

• Pray for wisdom as we try to discern where God wants us these next few months while the university and Aïchatou's medical school is closed. Pray that the university problems can be resolved as soon as possible, but if not, that we can make good use of our time in other ways (like going to Danja). We're already enjoying the additional time we can spend together.
• Thank God for the good rains this year in Niger and pray that there will be a good harvest in these next few months and that there will be less hunger.
• Pray for Hannatou, the wife of EERN General Secretary Hassane Dan Karami. She has just undergone chemotherapy to fight an aggressive cancer (after first having a double mastectomy) and she has recently been fighting terrible infections because the chemo has weakened her immunity.
• Pray for those who are considering coming to Niger as volunteers in early 2004 as they now begin their planning and getting all of the required shots. Pray that God will guide them in their preparations.

In Christ,

Tom and Aichatou.

P.S. When I returned to Maradi I found three months of mail waiting for me (some sent from the United States in March of 2003), including a wonderful package from a church that included a music CD, a devotional for couples, coffee mixes, duct tape, stationery, and other useful things for Aïchatou and me. However, the return address was no longer visible and the included card failed to mention which church this was from, although it had several signatures. We want to thank whoever sent this and if you let us know who you are, we'll do so properly!

P.P.S. There are more news articles about Niger at IRIN's Web site. These articles deal with the closing of the university, literacy training in Niger and the challenge of carrying out childhood vaccinations. For those of you who enjoy "getting all the facts", you'll find these articles very informative about life in Niger and the challenges faced here. To visit IRIN's Web site, click here.