Amanda’s Musings

A couple of weeks ago I decided to start highlighting a SIM project every now and then. It’s time for another one. The first project I wrote about was the Pastor’s Bookset Project and can be found here.

Again, this project is one I’ve seen with my own eyes coming to fruition while we were in Niger. We visited Maradi which is in a place that we would think of as the middle of nowhere! There are quite a few SIM missionaries working there long-term, and quite a few Aussies. These amazing people are out there living in very difficult conditions in a hot, dry, very poor (world’s poorest) country. The main focus of this project is to assist in the physical needs area of the local people and at the same time SIM is a testimony of God’s love for them.

The missionaries that we know of are all professionally trained in the area of agriculture or horticulture etc… and do not have to be there. They are there because they believe that God loves the people of Niger and want to demonstrate this to them in a practical way.

Here’s the information from the SIM Australia website:

Maradi Integrated Development Project (MIDP)

“The hot withering Sahara wind carries tons of dust across the towns of Niger. The country was once green and productive, but as a result of long-term destructive farming practices, the country is denuded. The result is hunger and a descending spiral of poverty. This project is changing Niger. Both native plants and Australian Acacias are being researched and grown, reforesting the land and providing essential firewood, building materials, and forage for cattle. Your donation will help to continue this research and educate local farmers to care for their lands.”

A testimony about the effectiveness of this project can be found here. Information on how to give to this project can be found on the SIM Australia website.

Pics: Actual images of the MIDP project in full swing from Aussie Missionaries Peter and Sally Cunningham (family pictured - they have one more son now).

The IF theme this week is ‘Spotted’. This is an acrylic I did to practice random pattern.

The PF theme this week is ‘full’. Here’s a couple of very full cars we saw in Benin, West Africa.

This day 10 years ago we were married at the Armadale/Kelmscott Baptist church. What an amazing 10 years it’s been. Without going into boring (for you not me) details here’s a description of those 10 years (actually we went out together for 4 years before we got married and knew each other for 7 so this goes back a lot longer than 10 yrs):

Almost like I’m in Africa again. Almost but not.

In Niger.

Posing Meercat, he’s even smiling!

For all you non-Aussies. Most Koala’s I’ve met have a less sour look on their face, must have been annoyed at the crowd interrupting his dinner (he’s only awake a couple of hours a day and whenever he is the poor guy gets stared at by a crowd, if I were him I’d be timing this for after closing hours!)

This is Part 12 of my booklet on encouraging missionaries entitled ‘Curried Missionary’. The other 11 parts can be found here:

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11

This is the last part of ‘Straight From the Horses’ Mouth’, a list of quotes from missionary friends on the most encouraging thing they’ve ever been sent or done for them.
Pic: Trevor Burns and PNG guy Steve working on a laptop together

“When we were in Ethiopia, one family sent their old Beano comics to Philip every once in a while. HE AND MANY OTHERS HAD A WONDERFUL TIME WITH THEM!”

~ D & J Brown, English former missionary to Ethiopia.

“On the note of discouragement – when you send out 160 newsletters (at great expense from your support) and only 2 or 3 acknowledge receiving them.”

~ T & E Burns, Aussie missionaries in PNG.

“The latest praise music CD’s, MONETARY GIFTS THAT ESPECIALLY HELPED ME AS A FEMALE IN A MUSLIM COUNTRY E.G.; MONEY SO THAT I COULD JOIN A HOTEL POOL CLUB AND GO SWIMMING IN THE HOT SUMMER.. Funny children’s books, Christian books…”

~ J James, Aussie former missionary in Pakistan, the Philippines and Seychelles.

“We have a few friends back home that we know if we ever need anything at all that we can ask them for help whether it be prayer needs to needed items that we can’t get up this way. Their help in these ways has been so encouraging to us.”

~ S & C Henley, Aussie missionaries in PNG.

“Four years ago, we received a letter from someone on the missions committee from our church, saying that for mission’s emphasis month, they had decided to focus on one missionary per Sunday. For us, they decided to phone us and talk to us during a church service…at the same time, they asked that we send slides to the church so that while we talked, they could watch the slides. It was wonderful. WE FELT SO SPECIAL.”

Gonna try this new colour of the day thing from here. Today’s colour is Reds, purples or pinks so here goes: