African Church - Galmi Style!

A couple of weeks ago it was "ladies' day" at the two African Christian churches which most people on the compound attend in Galmi.  Although I can understand little of the languages spoken (including sometimes the English translation!), the services are colorful, spirited, and the Word is preached fervently!  My personal opinion is that photo-taking is out of place, put since many were doing it on this day, and the nature of the day seemed a little more "party-ish," I jumped at the chance to record visually more of the richness of this unique corner of the world.  I appologize for blurry and dark pictures.

Ladies Choir

I have recently learned that quality of clothing (including amount of "bling" it displays), is very important to people here, and special events call for special clothing.  One way that occurs is that women in a group will have clothing made all out of the same fabric pattern.  So all the women in the choir were dressed alike.  It makes sense; we have (or used to have ) "choir robes," or, for occasions, "themed" colors.  Why not here?

All Dressed Alike

When this choir stands to sing, it is powerful music!!!  Loud, long, rhythmic, and accompanied by drums!  It reaches your soul!

Dancing Through the Congregation

At one point in the service, the women from the choir got up and started dancing through the congregation with these silver trays in front of them.  We later found out they would hold "refreshments" (rice with sauce, eaten with fingers)  for after the service.

View Toward the Front From the Back of the Church

In the picture above, the women are seated on the left, the children in the middle, and the men on the right, with the three sections spanning the width of the church.  Even in Christian churches and events, men and women are separated.  There are two choirs - the women on the left, and on the right, the youth choir. 


The young woman in the next picture grabbed me and wanted me to take a picture of her and her baby.  Why not?  Both were beautiful!

Young Mom and Baby

On this occasion, there were other lighter pieces to the worship service.  There was a skit where a mom wanted her daughter to marry a Christian, and the father wanted her to marry a rich boy.  In addition, they had fun at our expense with "ransoms!"  A person from the congregation would get "kidnapped" and set on a chair in front of the congregation.  Then anyone who wanted that person "set free" would put money in a basket.  When enough money was raised, that captive was set free!  It was fun and funny, and the money was used to help expenses for the women's retreat in a couple of weeks.


The women from our compound were not forgotten!  We came to the front, faced the congregation, and sang "His Name is Wonderful" in English, French, and Hausa!  This also raised money in a rather unique way:  There is a tradition, that when you really like a song, a performance, a message, etc., you walk to the front and put money in a basket.  If you REALLY   REALLY  liked it, you put the money on the forehead of the presenter!  So of course, when we sang, the men from Galmi compound started sticking money on our heads as we sang!!! (More retreat funds.)  It was quite the  humorous event!


Here are some scenes from after church:

Serving the "Refreshments"

Typical Church Clothng

Baby Daoud (David)

The two boys above are sons of my classroom cleaner, whom I really like, and with whom I cannot communicate except with gestures and smiles. But her baby David and I get along well, because he is a baby and I speak "baby!"  All of her children are beautiful, as is she!


Well, that about covers our experience with African Christian church, except that, yes, there is a Sunday school for children and a youth group for teens.  And the "official" time for church is 9 to noon, but the "African time" could be "9-ish" to "noon-ish," or longer!  People come and go throughout!

Always Something Interesting Here!

OK, so I am working at the sink and hear this rackety sound, which turns out to be a pick-up towing a set of wheels so wide they have to be hand- lifted over the rocks lining the “roadway” through the compound!  From my kitchen window (my porthole to all things interesting here), I see at least 6 - maybe 8 - young, healthy, strong African men working on the process of moving a “container!”  

Jack 'er Up!

Now you need to understand that containers in the past have come maybe once every six months, bringing anything too large to transport personally, such as bicycles, sewing machines, appliances, crates of medical supplies, furniture, etc.  But since they cost more to send back than to keep, the compound has many containers around.  (Remember, Galmi was a mission station back in the 1960's!)  Some empty containers are at the shop, a few have been tucked away out of sight, some have been covered with the "mud-cement" mixture that becomes the outer surface of dwellings here, and some are just standing like sentries outside the missionaries' homes.  Gardens have been planted around them, one was made into an artist's studio, but most have just become a not-much-noticed part of the landscape one sees every day here on the compound.  There is much beautiful to look at here on our daily "comings and goings" (and I am enjoying a beautiful hibiscus on my way to school), so the containers don't get much attention.  But NOT TODAY!!!  


Apparently, the one framed by my window has a new destiny!  And it must be an important one to take so much manpower on a lovely, relaxing, Saturday morning!  Here is the process I see:
          1.  Dig out around the container - by hand
          2.  Swat gnats!
          3.  Jack up one side.
          4.  Swat more gnats.  (At least they were not bees!)
          5.  Keep jacking up and moving wheels to center.
          6.  SUCCESS!!!

          

Wheels Under!

Only TWO Wheels???

          7.  Attach tow bar to container and pick-up.

Attaching Towbar

          8.  Check for obstacles.

Obstacles?

          9.  Pull 'er out!

Bye-Bye Container

Bye-Bye Hibiscus!

Mission accomplished!  Only casualty:  one beautiful hibiscus!  The former art studio has gone to the village, and I say, "Good luck pulling it through the narrow paths that separate dwellings up there!"

But more fun than watching the removal of the container was watching Phil "interact" with all of this!  (Sorry, no pictures.  Use your imagination!)  First he is the "casual-observer-with-coffee-mug-in-hand." Then I see "consultant" as words are exchanged.   As coffee mug is set aside, he moves into "geologic field examiner," exemplified by kicking mud in a few places, and finally, we see "engineering inspector," as he steps back to watch the results of all the labor.  The final role is "historian," which should produce such amazing pictures that National Geographic will be compelled to offer us large sums of dollars, euros, British pounds, Nigerienne "cfa," or whichever type of money we happen to be dealing in that day!

So . . . as can be said of life here, "Never a dull moment!"

An Education on African Education

Last Thursday I had the privilege of visiting an elementary school in a nearby village.  It was quite an education!  For me, that is!  Apparently I was not the only one who wanted to take advantage of this opportunity, as there were 12 of us, I think.  No worries . . . 

Glory, Christina, Phil, Nancy

You're not in Africa unless you have at least 12 in your 8-passenger van!  The ride to the town of Dessa was very bumpy, to say the least, and somewhat like an "Indiana Jones" adventure ride!  We left the main highway and headed north about 30 minutes away.  Soon we could see the little "hats" on the onion storage huts, letting us know people were soon to be spotted, also!

Harvest Storage Huts Ahead

Onion Storage Huts

After winding through the narrow road between mud walls and homes, we spotted the school!  

The 3-Room School

We first visited the third grade class which occupied the concrete room with the blue windows and door.  The approximately 40 students sat at "table-desks" of two and consisted of all boys with the exception of 4 girls.  I saw very few books, but the blackboards which wound around the room were filled with beautiful French writing.  The children stood and sang the Nigerienne national anthem for us.  Each student also stood and said his name for us, but like 3rd-graders everywhere, they were quick to sit back down, and I missed most of the names.  I too-quickly generalized when my thoughts were, "Oh, they are so SWEET!!!"

Third Grade Classroom

Next we visited the 2nd-grade class in the mud - and - brick (middle) classroom:

Second Grade Classroom

No desks here!  Just little children sitting on the ground with a few supplies, slates, etc.  Their teacher (in black shawl) was very young-looking.  I saw no books.  No manipulatives. Children came to the blackboard, pointed a ruler, said something, and sat back down.  There were more girls in this classroom - maybe half girls and half boys?

And finally, we had the chance to see what a K-1 classroom looked like --- in the straw classroom:

Kindergarten/Grade 1 Class

These children also lined the perimeter of the small straw classroom.  The little girls are wearing the head coverings, and the unseen rest of the class was about as many as you see here.

Let's review:

Phil Outside The 3-Classroom School in Dessa

Straw classroom --- Grades K-1;  Mud Classroom --- Grade 2;  Concrete Classroom --- Grade 3;  A husband who will go anywhere in Africa with me --- Priceless!!!

We gave each student a pencil and a "tootsie pop" sucker, and left some for each of the three  teachers, also.  Then we followed the 3rd grade class out for a game of soccer, played with the brand new ball we brought for them:

The Teacher Gets It Organized

The Soccer Field-No Slippery, Ugly Grass Here!

Meanwhile . . . back at the ranch . . . oops, I mean back in the classroom . . .  which was left "teacherless" . . . 

Take A Picture of Me!!!

Everyone wants to get into the picture!  But they all crowd too close!  Finally I got something, but note the contrast:

How Girls Take Pictures

How Boys Take Pictures!!!

This was so funny to me!!!  

And about my earlier thought, "They are so SWEET . . . "  The only girl smiling here, had just succeeded in elbowing and shoving the boys out of the way with the toughness you might see on a football field!!!  I guess they haven't had the "Bully-Proofing" curriculum yet in Africa! 

The two men in the picture below were "school officials" -  one being parent organization president, and one being on the school board, I think.

Watching Out for the Needs of the Children

And the last picture, before my camera ran out of power:

Soccer Shoes

I was "touched" by the boy with the huge shoes.  Usually children wear basic "rubber" flip-flops, but I saw many bare feet.  The plastic shoes, molded to look like "dress shoes" or "fancy sandals" are seen frequently also.  I think these were being passed around to those with no shoes so everyone had a chance to play soccer!  

Just about EVERYTHING here is fascinating and has a "story" to go with it!

It's Good to be Ewe . . . or a Camel!

Recently a new sound was heard on the compound . . . not the "sound of music" . . .  not the cry of a new baby . . . but the sound of "baaa-aaa, baaa-aaa!"  Yes, several members of the "sheep family" had taken up residence here, however, not of their own doing, and for some, it was to be not of their own liking!  

Tethered

"Footloose and Fancy Free"

They were purchased for a special occasion.  This being the end of the year (It still looks like July!), there were several local hospital employees who were retiring, and the lucky sheep (which would ONLY be the females, or ewes) were being given to those employees as gifts.  
You might say, the ewes were Galmi's version of the famed "gold watch!" 

You might ask, "Why are the ewes lucky?"  Because the ram's contribution to the celebration was "total involvement," which of course, means they were there to be the food for the festivities.


After Phil and I returned from a Biki, we discovered the rams were about to realize their fate at the hands of several professional men and their young trainees, who knew how to get the meat from "tether to table," you might say!  So, being adventurous, and not wanting to miss unique experiences here, Phil and I stood and watched the whole thing. Fascinating!!!  There is NO part of an animal that is wasted! 


At this point, I wish to issue a warning:   IF YOU ARE MEMBERS OF "PETA," OR HAVE A WEAK STOMACH, DO NOT ENLARGE THESE PICTURES!  SOME OF THEM MIGHT DISTURB YOU!  (Actually, I decided not to put most of them into this blog.) If you prefer, scroll down past these pictures to see the camels!


After the ram meets his demise, the hide must be removed.  For this, a person creates a hole through the lower leg and blows into it, like blowing up a balloon, which is exactly what happens:

Blowing Into the Leg to Loosen the Hide

The larger picture is omitted because it is too graphic!  After the skin is loosened this way, it is removed and added to the pile.  I am not too sure what happens to the hide; it probably goes to more "professionals" for tanning, and then onto another for selling.

The people of Niger are VERY resourceful; this is what there is to eat and it is reserved ONLY for special occasions.  On a daily basis, most people do not eat meat, and if they do, it is only a small portion that is used in a dish to be shared among many.

EVERY Part of the Ram is Used!

The main parts of the rams are ready to be cooked over the open fire, which is the way all cooking is done, whether by the roadside or outside the homes.  The other parts of the ram have been separated and cleaned on the wood mats, ready to be used in other ways.  Even heads and hooves get made into soup!  (Thanks, but no thanks!)

Proud Trainee

This young boy (maybe 12 years old?) had the "least desireable" job of cleaning some of the inside parts, but he kept looking at us and grinning, seeming to say, "I am proud to be old enough to be learning the job of a man!"  He did his job well and liked being photographed.

Ready to Eat!

The retirement party was successful, and employees went home with their ewes in tow and the rams inside!  The meat was mild and delicious, although I do not personally care for lamb, ram, etc.  Phil enjoyed it and we have some in the freezer for later.


So, if animal preparation and consumption is not to your liking, "feast" your eyes only on the fun with the camels!  This being the winter holidays, many students were "home" with their parents on the compound, and so a camel ride was arranged!

Camels Arriving

Waiting Patiently for the Riders

Off They Go!

These animals are amazing to me!  They are so big, and have what we would consider to be two knees.  Watching them kneel is fascinating!  Being ON one and having it stand up is a little scary to me!

Phil Mounts Up!

We Have Lift Off!

Off They Go!

Returning From the Adventure

After the first group returned, a second group went!  It was a fun, unique experience without mishap.  And the camels survived, too!  So, if you can't be ewe, it is best to be a camel!

God Speaks "Heart"

Happy February!  To modify an often-quoted phrase, "Life is what happens when you are busy planning how to BLOG about it!"  My score as a "blogger" has plummeted drastically, and I have  been humbled once again for wondering why other missionary blogs I followed were not updated more frequently, and thinking surely I could do a much better job!!!

Since February is the "month of love," and more importantly, the month of my first-born's arrival into this world (!), I want to communicate some thoughts related to love!  First of all, be assurred we still LOVE it here!  We love the community on the compound, we love the larger SIM community and how generously they minister to others, and our hearts have touched in wonderful ways by the people of Galmi.

We had our first "Galmi church experience" recently and once again I found my heart melted by many things I saw and heard. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of this event; it just was not an appropriate time to play "tourist."

There are a couple of reasons we haven't gone to "Galmi church" until now:  First, we have a worship service on the compound every Sunday evening, and secondly, we speak neither French nor Hausa (said like "house - uh), which are the languages used in church.  But, I discovered that was not very important, because God speaks "heart!"  Language is not a barrier to my praying.  Language is not a barrier to singing familiar tunes with foreign words from a songbook. Language is not a barrier to listening and clapping to the wonderful African voices praising God.  And language is not a barrier to watching adults and absolutely adorable children as they worship our God together!

I can't wait until next Sunday!

Giraffes!

Phil and I are currently in Niamey, the capital of Niger,  at a missionary conference for 5 days.  In order to get here, we took an adventurous 8-hour ride in an SUV from Galmi.  I say "adventurous" because this is the first time we have been any distance off the compound, save for a short drive to a neighboring village to attend church.  So, of course there were new experiences, like . . . seeing other villages along the route . . . watching the environment change slightly at regular intervals . . . trying to find old beat-up wrecks to take pictures in (the best we could do was this truck, which was in pretty decent condition) . . . 

We're the same height!

The Zoolkoski Family (above), together with us, made a  full - but fun car!

seeing the "kabobs-to-go stand" along the road . . .

Anyone for hot, toasty intestines on a stick???

finding the ever-present, absolutely adorable children . . . 

These two kept holding hands, and couldn't have been more than 3 years old!

AND . . . what we were hoping to see . . . GIRAFFES!

Niger's Rare Giraffes

Africa may have as many as 100,000 giraffes, but most of them live in wildlife preserves, private sanctuaries, parks, or other protected areas not inhabited by humans.  Niger's giraffes roam freely, living in a 40 square mile area alongside subsistence farmers, competing for the same resources, fighting for survival with the people ranked at the bottom of the UN's Human Development Index.  The endangered giraffe, giraffa camelopardalis peralta, is the one found in Niger, and only Niger. It has large orange brown spots on its body that fade to white on its legs.

Giraffes are hard to "spot!"

It took a bit of “off-roading” and hiring a local “guide” to find these giraffes, but

once we did, we saw many of them, including a young giraffe trotting alongside

the “big guys!”  they seemed fairly unthreatened by our presence, but after they

stared in our direction for awhile, they ambled off gracefully.  What incredible 

animals!

"See you later!"

In case you are asking the obvious question, YES, I DID take these pictures myself, although with the blinding sun, I just did a "point and shoot," and was surprised I actually got some shots this nice!  Phil was especially impressed by how tall they were.  I guess it "takes one to know one!"