A visit to Teppe amongst other things

   

Rog and I got to visit a Fulani village last week. We are so thankful for our teammates, Frédérick and Patricia, who took care of our kids so that we could go. This was not just any trip, but a trip to distribute goats. Yep...goats. Our team has the privilege (through YOUR donations!) to loan goats to 80 women this year. It is a program to help feed and increase the income in these families. These women are loaned goats and trained on how to take care of them. Once these goats have kids, the adult goats are given to other needy women in the area and the first women get to keep the kids to raise for milk. They will use the milk to feed their families and sell any that is leftover. It was quite the adventure to see the distribution unfold before our eyes. The whole village was very organized, and as it is about the 5^th year our team has done this, they had it down to a science. The goats were vaccinated before they were distributed and the people were incredibly thankful. We are so thankful to be a part of what is going on here!

a goat having a drink

a couple of people were prepping the vaccines, which they were trained to give

first distribution...40 women waiting patiently for their turn to pick up their goats

giving the vaccine

I would say almost half of the women had a baby on their backs! And these goats were strong, wanting to head off wherever...these women are stronger though and I am so impressed at all they do to raise their families with next to nothing

another baby on another back

Teppe is a very traditionally Fulani village, and this woman is dressed in a very typical Fulani dress

we, however, were not...though we were trying to fit in, we obviously stuck out :) 

just a lonely boy sitting in the goat poo...yes, we live in this country...I pray that  I would never have a hardened heart, that seeing things like this (poster child for World Vision) would break my heart always, and that we would seek to do what God would have us do to help them

So, that was our trip to Teppe.  Here are a few other pictures from day to day life... as I am posting this, I realize that the first picture (a picture of our kids) is a huge contrast to the above...we are so thankful for our children and we do not take for granted that they get 3 meals a day, more than enough toys than they can handle, and access to amazing education and medical care. It truly is a struggle to live in one of the poorest countries in the world and have so much in comparison to those around us. Lord, help us to be generous with all that you have entrusted to us, to give sacrificially and to never think that we are entitled!

Jaelyn trying to teach Nathan how to read

this little baby is SO cute!! almost 2 months old...her hair is super soft

Malik's first birthday! On the right is Joëlle, Nathan's teacher

How to move a CT scanner from our front yard!! It was pretty scary to watch, there was VERY little space in the gate for this truck to get in, but they did it!

How do you move a donated hospital bed you ask?! Same way as you move a donated CT scanner :) The University Hospital in Niamey is very happy, and so are we! We can freely park in our yard now!

We got mail! Such a pleasant surprise to get snail mail from our church family! THANK YOU SOUTHGATE!!! We love you and miss you all as well!!!