Ten years ago this month we were starting our year of teaching at Sahel Academy in Niger. Ten years. Time really does just whiz by when you’re busy. I’m sure that most of us have a time in their life that they would regard as life changing. It could be a tiny moment or a big one but its that thing that changed the course of their life. Our year in Africa was a year-long moment for us.
They say that Africa gets into your blood and for us thats very true. We recently had a family over for lunch who are from Nigeria, as soon as she walked in she said that she felt at home. Why? Because we have African ‘things’ on every wall in our house. There’s the fulani hat I mentioned the other day, instruments from Niger, a few tablecloths from Benin, baskets, wall hangings and boxes. I have two paintings on my wall that I did after returning from Niger and we have photos around the place too.
It was only a year. It was ten years ago and yet we are still surrounded by Africa. I have other things up too from PNG, Peru and Mexico which are all places we’ve traveled to for missions or to visit but my African bits n pieces have much deeper significance for me.
I can’t help but wonder why, after all, these are just things so I’ve been thinking about that a bit more and here’s what I’ve come up with:
1. Connections – we made some very good friends while in Niger. There are moments and memories that only those friends share with us.
2. We went to Niger to see how we would handle living in a difficult and very different environment. We not only survived but we loved it. It was hot, dry and at times boring (no entertainment and 10yrs ago very very limited internet access) but we have wonderful memories of it all.
3. The kids – We taught at a school of around 60 kids from Kindy to yr 12 and loved it. Neither of us were trained teachers and it was a struggle at times (I taught yr 11 History and yrs 1-12 art) but a great learning curve.
4. A promise – when we were there I remember talking to the kids and they mentioned that they would get a new teacher every year (often short-termers coming for that school year) and it made them feel like they didn’t want to get close to anyone. They said that often after the teacher returned to their own country they wouldn’t hear from them again. I promised them that I would write to them and keep in touch. This was why I started a blog in the first place, a few of them had Xanga blogs and I wanted to be able to comment etc.. I wrote snail mail letters to a few of them, sent a few parcels and now, due to the wonders of facebook have contact with even more of them. Of course most of them are no longer kids, in fact many have graduated from uni (college), married or had babies. A few of them are now missionaries themselves and some are the same age that we were when we were in Niger. Seeing my African stuff reminds me of them.
5. A continued interest – I (and my hubby) am drawn to Niger. We’ve had connections to Peru and Papua New Guinea as well but nothing grabs my attention as much as a news article on Niger. I’m fairly sure we’ll return there one day, whether it be to visit, for short-term missions or long-term.
So, I’ll continue to have African stuff around our house as I think of those in Niger. Here are a few blogs of those who are still there or have been there:
Chats With Cindy
Hannatu’s Happenings
Life In Niger
Niamey Wrights
Inotice
The Black Board
Partnering With Parents
There are more than this but this will do for now.
