December 2007

Vol. 7, No. 7

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Johnsons wish you a merry Christmas from Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Our family would like to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and a happy New Year as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We pray that 2008 will be a great year of rejoicing in your household. We’ll be in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for the holiday with Tom’s immediate family.

We have been experiencing a severe taste of winter since our last newsletter to you. Iowa has had snow and ice every week since Thanksgiving. In fact, a little less than two weeks ago, my parents’ home went without electricity for 30 hours straight, followed by another period of six hours without lights, because power lines snapped due to ice or falling trees. Some family friends weren’t affected by the storm and loaned their gasoline generator to us, so we were able to keep the lights and furnace on. I really think we are better prepared in Niger to experience power cuts than most folks are in the United States. In Niger, we use gas stoves and have some solar lighting available, not to mention that we have candles and several battery-power gadgets being charged at all times. But, with power cuts a regular event, we know how to deal with them. That doesn’t appear to be the case for many Americans!

Three weeks ago, I had to cancel a speaking trip because of bad weather. I was scheduled to speak in Oradell, New Jersey, and needed to catch a flight to Newark, leaving from Des Moines. The forecast called for freezing rain, and I decided to leave an hour early to allow for slick roads.  I drove one-half mile and turned around because ice instantly froze to my windshield and prevented me from seeing. As I followed the news on the television at home, I learned that the Des Moines airport was shut down for most of the day because two airplanes slipped off of the taxiway! If I had made it to Des Moines, I would have spent my time waiting in the terminal, as all flights were cancelled until late in the afternoon. It wouldn’t have even been possible to re-book, because the later flights were all full! That was my first free Sunday since September 2, and I really appreciated having some time off. I have been busy all other weekends speaking at supporting churches.

I did manage to fly to Castleton, New York (near Albany), without incident the following week and had a nice first visit with Emmanuel Reformed there. In late November, I drove to Kings, Illinois, and spoke at Elim Reformed. Last weekend our family was in our home church in Leighton, Iowa, where I delivered the message, the children’s sermon, and presented to the adult Sunday School. Future church visits are to Sully, Iowa; Brantford, Ontario; Bloomington, Minnesota;  and Wellsburg, Iowa. I hope to be able to reschedule with the good folks at New Life in Oradell, too.

I’m attaching some recent news stories about Niger to share with you. Not much of the news has been good: rebels have attacked in the south (and not just in the desert north); Niger’s population is growing beyond sustainability; and many Nigerien mothers die in childbirth or shortly thereafter. A crop failure in northern Nigeria is already raising food prices in Niger and drawing grain out of Niger, as its wealthier neighbor can pay more for cereals than Niger can. Keep Niger in your prayers.

Aïchatou and the girls are doing well. The pregnancy seems to be progressing normally. The girls are getting excited about opening presents, although playing in the snow hasn’t interested them too much. Playing with their cousins, however, excites them a great deal!

Prayers and praises

• Pray for safe travel as we complete the last month of speaking and presentations. After January 5, we’ll make our home for two or three weeks at the mission house of the Reformed Church in America in Orange City.
• Give praise for recent meetings between RCA and Christian Reformed Church mission personnel about collaborating in Niger. We’ve had two meetings in Grand Rapids and, without going into too much detail, it looks very positive that the two RCA and the two CRC missionaries in Niger can work together on some specific ministry items with our denominations’ blessing.
• Pray for our family’s health and Aïchatou’s pregnancy during these next few months.
• Give praise that it looks like we will reach our fund-raising goals to replace the PC(USA)’s support in the next month (or so).
• Pray that 2008 will be a year of peace and productive ministry in Niger.

In Christ,

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 319