What Do You Do With an Extra Day???

If you had an "extra day" in your life, what would you do with it?  Hmmm. . . a question loaded with possibilities???  A prompt to see if you are a "deep thinker?  A trick to see if you are generous and humble??? The correct answer would be something like, "Oh, I have been waiting for time to build that orphanage!"  Whereas an answer like "Probably sit around playing games on facebook," would win you  a loud "beeeeep," meaning you are very self-centered and don't bother "friending" me!

There is one more possible answer, though, IF you are blessed enough to be an elementary school teacher:  "Why, I would try to make all my lessons today about the number 29, or at least related to Leap Year!"   Ding, ding, ding ---- we have a winner!  So, Happy February 29th to you all!  That is just what Jenny and I did, and I might add, we were glad we only had a half-day today! 

We started the day with fancy crowns on our heads.  Every day is a better day if you are wearing a crown.  It makes you feel like a princess, or a Queen, or at its most basic, makes students look at you a little more often!  (Hey, we take what we can get!)

Princess Jenny XXIX of Niger

Queen Barbara XXIX of Niger

As a class, we are reading the book, Sign of the Beaver.  I try to have them do something different each time we read a chapter.  So --- today I read the first 29 words and the last 29 words in the book!  They had to figure out what was in the rest of the words I left out.  (We are on chapter 18, so there are lots of possibilities!)
We then divided into teams:  Team "SUN" and Team "EARTH."  Each team had to make up math problems that had the answer 29 for each one.  Tomorrow we shall trade papers and see what the answers are.  Oops, little problem:  All of them have the answer "29!"   Hmmmm . . . have to rethink that one.

Team "SUN" and Team "EARTH"

What is it about a little "friendly competition" that kids love???  After our midmorning community break for cinnamon buns (only happens on Wednesdays), each student had to do a task related to "29" --- outside paces, 29 red things to find, etc.  When completed, each made a 29-bead necklace, and received 29 M & M's from Princess Jenny.

Whew!!!  That about covered the "milking" of the number 29.  We then discussed why we have leap year, but soon found out it was "old news" to our brilliant kiddos!  Oh well, Jenny and I had fun, which makes it a "day well-spent!"

African Wedding

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and ONLY Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life."  --- John 3:16


To celebrate God's LOVE in this season of "hearts" and "cards," here is a glimpse of how "love" plays out in another culture in a far away corner of the world:


Earlier this year, there was a series of weddings among the young adults in this African community, who also have involvement with people on our compound here in Galmi. And Phil and I went to one, even though we didn't know either the bride or the groom.  (Apparently that is not a prerequisite, as during the event, little half-naked kids wandered in and out, along with other people, perhaps just curious, or hoping for a bite to eat!)  

BUT - we were among the "invited!"  How did we know that?  No "save-the-date" cards came to us, no fancy engraved invitations in the mail, no "gift registries" to consult, no blocks of hotel rooms reserved (no hotels!), and no online list of "pre-wedding activities" for us to participate in!  (Hey - the bride and groom don't even take a honeymoon, let alone sponsor "pre-wedding activities!)  Then what was it that secured us a spot at this festive event???

Yes!  BUBBLE GUM!!!  Not a package; just a wrapped piece.  Apparently the "exclusivity" of the guest list is a little loose, but we were "up" for this new experience, anyway.  However, a few weeks before the wedding, I was asked to help alter the "rotating wedding dress" for the bride, since she was marrying the brother of our Nigerien Chief of Surgery here.  I was very happy to do this because 1. it put me in closer contact with those who live here, and 2. I am secretly the CEO, president, "head honcho," and main stitcher of the little-known "Save the World Through Sewing" organization.  (Shocking!  Who would have guessed?)  In retrospect, I was glad I did this because I got to see the bride, who was absolutely beautiful, which I was not able to do at the wedding.  It was a very large event!


Phil and I donned our best  African frocks, which for me was a long skirt, top, head wrap and scarf, and for Phil, he was excited to wear his new long Hausa robe and Hausa hat.  Thus attired, and armed with quarts of water, we ambled down the road under the 95 F. sun, and into the village living area to the church.  Remember, this is Africa, where time is negotiable!

When we arrived at the church, it was hard to tell what was going on, but here are some story-telling pictures, with a little explanation in between. 

Sisters or Mommy and Daughter?

Part of the Wedding Choir?

It was hard to tell what role different groups of people were playing, but I think, these beautiful young women above were part of the choir.  Below is a picture of how crowded it was!

In most of the events, whether worship, a wedding, a baby dedication, or other,  women and men are still separated, so the women here are taking up 2/3 of the church, with the men's section to the left, by the windows.

Bride's Maids?

Women Dancing in Before the Bride

 I love the way the African women sing and dance, and it seems to occur regularly at important events, also.

The Bride and Groom
(I think it's the groom!!!)

The bride and groom do not sit together at the wedding, either!  It was very difficult to see what all was happening, being in the back and the church being very full!

Festive Head "Wraps"

In this culture, women must wrap their heads, or wear a "kalabi" (pronounced "cul`-uh-bee).  But I detect a trend towards liberality here, with "wigs" being donned sometimes as an acceptable substitute for younger women, and also, as these pictures show, very fancy coverings being displayed as "specialty wear."  I was fascinated by the "sculpted" head  coverings (pictures above and below).

The Pink Was a Nice Change

"Copper Top"

I could not get the "Duracell battery" jingle out of my mind every time I saw the woman above in her beautiful copper and brown "headpiece!"

Riding in Style

If you are a baby in Africa, this is "how you roll!"  It is very clever, really, and much less expensive than all the "carriers" you can find in the U.S.  It does bother me, though, to see the sleeping tots' heads flopped back like the one above.  The other advantage, of course, is that you can carry a baby on your back AND a load of wood on your head, or anything else, for that matter!

Taking a Break!

If you get too hot or uncomfortable or bored, or anything else, just take a break, walk outside and sit a spell!  Events (including church services) are LONG and lots of people just walk in and out, or go home and come back, etc.!  But we Americans have a different set of social proprieties, so we "stuck it out!"  BUT - see how happy these women are!  We were not so happy tending to our (self-imposed) social standards INSIDE!  I was near the door,so managed to stay relatively comfortable, but anyone of the "unlucky" gender, well . . . not so much!

"Copper Top 2"

There seemed to be a "color theme" going on here, as this beautiful woman displayed in another head cover.  (I have yet to tie anything on my head that creates a look other than a pirate or something out of "Sound of Music!"

More 'Wedding Wear"

Another Wedding Head Wrap Style

(The little girl in the picture above was so cute and had these little tiny "extensions" attached to her hair.  I wanted to post a bigger picture, but for some reason it would not upload.)


I think of all the fabulous and "fun" clothing I saw at this wedding, the wrap in the picture below was the most "jaw-dropping!"  People wear their best clothes to weddings.  I kept asking myself, "That is her BEST??!!"

I'm Speechless . . .

Such is the way of life in Galmi, Niger, a town of about 8,000 Nigeriens (not to be confused with the country of Nigeria, where people are Nigerians).  And we are privileged and blessed to be here!