Shortly after that committee produced
their first report on how the EERN might do health ministry, we
got word that in 2005 we might host two medical volunteer groups.
I wondered if we were ready at this stage for health activities,
but I’ve come to realize that God often has a timetable
already planned even if humans aren’t quite ready.
With the Faith Reformed group equally divided between health
and repair volunteers, we decided that we would hold some community
clinics at EERN churches and facilities where we could also do
some minor repair projects. Our first-ever EERN health clinic
was held at the Boukoki II Church in Niamey. We had three EERN
doctors, plus Aïchatou and Dr. Dave and two nurses, Nancy
and one from the EERN. They held their clinic in the choir room
and saw about 50 people, mostly checking their blood pressure
and doing simple consultations. At the same time, the other two
guys, along with our assistant Usman, worked on installing lights
and some other small projects.
The following day, our group (minus one EERN doctor and one nurse)
went three hours east to Guéchémé, where
the EERN has an adult literacy school. Our health activities there
were small, but we were able to re-roof one side of a teacher’s
house. We then continued to Maradi where the medical team saw
all the women and children of the Dogon Gao Bible School while
the repair team installed a ground and did some re-wiring at the
EICSI computer school.
Our last mission before returning to Niamey was to go to Aguïe,
where the EERN has an Advanced Bible School. There, the health
team saw over 70 people from the school and the community while
the repair team fixed several doors and lights. At Aguïe,
local officials came to meet the group for lunch and they invited
the Christian community to open a clinic in the town. Indeed,
the EERN has a vacant Well Project building in Aguïe that
would make an ideal clinic, and the EERN has asked the Health
Committee to study this. Because Aguïe is only one hour away
from Danja, it may be possible for Aïchatou to work there
one or two days per week.
The Faith Reformed group wins the award for overcoming the most
minor glitches. Not only did they deal with a cancelled flight
and lost luggage, but they all got sick with stomach problems
(I think they caught a bug en route). With flat tires, undercooked
food, broken showers, restaurants that had only one item on the
menu, and lots of little things that went afoul, I give them a
lot of credit for surviving their trip! Their experience wasn’t
the typical one.
Four days after the Faith Reformed group left (all their baggage,
except for the lab did arrive before their departure), our second
team from Prairie Ridge Church came, also on Air Maroc. Although
their flights went smoothly, half of their luggage did not come
with them. Generally, this did not pose any serious problems because
we had enough things that did come and with the supplies of the
last group, we could easily distribute medicines at the clinic.
The Prairie Ridge group was all-medical, with one doctor, three
nurses, one physical and one occupational therapist. With this
group, we went into the interior just as soon as they were rested.
Our first stop was the EERN’s primary school at Tibiri
where all the boarding students were given a health check and
vision screening. They identified three girls that needed glasses
and found several boys with foreign objects stuck in their ears.
Later they went to Dogon Gao and consulted the male Bible School
students (who weren’t seen by the first group) and several
of the neighboring villagers. Afterwards, the group went to Zinder,
where we were the guests of the regional EERN president (Aïchatou’s
father). He asked that our volunteer group help open up a rural
clinic that the Nigerien government had constructed but which
had never been supplied with medicines. We donated a good quantity
of medicines to the clinic and then saw patients for two days.
The group stayed in the bush next to the clinic on those days
in a house on Aïchatou’s father’s nearby farm,
although we had a generator and water was brought out for a shower
and toilet. While we were in Zinder, we also had an audience with
the Sultan of Damagaram who asked several health issues he discussed
with the team.
As always, these volunteer groups take a lot of time and energy,
but their presence and the resources they bring allow us missionaries
and the Nigerien Church to see and do things that we don’t
always have the time or money to do. These two medical groups
have, in effect, launched the EERN’s medical ministry. We
all have a better idea of what’s possible and what God might
be calling us to do in Niger, although we also now realize how
much work there is to do.
Finally, you need a brief Marie-Florence update. She traveled
with both groups and got to spend some time with her grandparents
in Zinder. She did real well, but is not very comfortable with
strangers, preferring to be with her mother as much as possible.
However, her father was obliged to care for her during the clinics
since he was the only non-medico in the group and that went all
right. Marie is now walking like a pro at 10 months and she likes
scampering all about.
Prayer and praises
- Give thanks for the successful hosting of these volunteers
and for all that they were able to do and share with the people
here. Pray that God will continue to make His will for health
ministry in Niger clear to all and that the EERN Health Ministry
Committee will quickly draw up its next steps.
- Pray for our family’s health and that we will get some
much-needed rest.
- Pray that Tom will find some time during the upcoming hot
season to study Hausa.
God Bless,
Tom and Aïchatou
The 2005 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
316
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