Niger: Day Five

Ryan and I woke up feeling much better--almost back to normal, which was a huge praise! Thank you for all your prayers!

We headed to the ferry, where I was able to see Fati. It was always nice to have to wait for the ferry because it meant I was able to spend more time with my new friend. While we were standing around waiting, another little girl came up to Fati. Fati got something that was hidden on her tray of cola nuts and went over to this girl. It turns out that Fati was putting some makeup on this girl. It was really more like black paint or something, but Fati put a couple dots on this girl's forehead and then was painting some of it in her eyebrows. It was really neat to watch because it reminded me of how girls their age might enjoy playing and putting makeup on one another here in America.














I was able to give Fati a package of Pop Tarts by slipping it onto her tray when there weren't any other kids around. She seemed very thankful and after awhile, she sat down to hide it better on her tray so no one would find it when they were picking out cola nuts. Fati then walked off for a few minutes to sell someone some cola nuts and when she came back, she gave me a plastic bag that had three coconut slices in it. This was again such a sweet gift. I really felt bad and hoped she didn't feel like she had to give me something in return, but Cephas assured me that she didn't. These gifts from Fati meant so much to me. It reminds me of Mark 12:41-44, where Jesus told the story of the widow's offering:

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."

Now of course Fati's gift to me is not the same as the widow's gift to Jesus, but there was certainly a similar sacrifice involved, which made it all that much more meaningful. Brad was with us again that day, and I asked him after we left the ferry if it was alright for me to eat the coconut. Unfortunately, he said I couldn't. Because they were slices of coconut (as opposed to a whole one), they had been exposed to the water there, which would make me really sick. So, I gave one slice to each of our translators, which they were excited about since their bodies are accustomed to the water there.

As we stood there, Fati had her tray on her head, and so I asked her if I could try putting it on my head. I was able to do it, but man, I sure felt like I had to be so still and make very slow movements. She thought it was pretty funny. They make it look so easy there. They do it so often and are able to move around without any problems. You may notice in the picture above where Fati is putting the makeup on the other girl that they both had their trays on their heads. I was surprised at how heavy that tray was, and Cephas told me that people often carry up to 30 pounds that way. I can't even imagine!

As always, I was sad to leave Fati for the morning, but I was excited to get to see her later that afternoon on our way home.

Worship in the village was wonderful, and it became evident throughout the day how we were all becoming more comfortable with one another. As we walked around the village, we were able to share the gospel with several more groups of people. It was neat because sometimes the same people would follow us around and hear us tell the stories two or three times.

After evangelizing in the village, we all gathered at the Brazilians’ home and hung out for a little bit. Ryan even got a brief lesson from Issa (our translator) on how to play a jimbay (drum). He and Dr. Martin also got a lesson in Songhai dancing from one of the men who had started coming to hear the lessons that week. Anyway, my husband, as I’ve mentioned many times before, is seriously so good at everything he does. Playing a jimbay and Songhai dancing are no exceptions. He did such a great job! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of Ryan dancing, but I did get some videos of both him playing a jimbay and him dancing.

There were often children who gathered outside of the doors that enclosed the Brazilian's property. I was able to get this really cute picture of them when the door was opened at one point.

Our time with the Brazilians and new believers was really fun, but we eventually had to pile back into the bus to start our three hour trip back home. Fati was working at the ferry when we got there. I knew she worked there all day each day, but I was always a little worried that for some reason she wouldn't be there. Sweet Fati bought me another bag of ice water that afternoon, and I gave her my bag of trail mix.

While at the ferry, I also took a picture of two really cute, young children. The little boy looked so happy just walking along with his mom. Both kids were so precious!














On our way home, that day, we stopped at another market to look at some jimbays and swords. Ryan was so cute and excited to see both of them.

That night, our routine was slightly different. We all headed over to the Wombles' house earlier than normal for dinner. This was so we could go with our translators to Wednesday night church, which was such a neat experience. The service was held in this area that was up against two buildings, so these buildings made up two of the walls, and the other two were open to the outside. There was a roof overhead, but the night air was able to flow through. There was a prayer time going on at a nearby mosque, so there was a regular hum of one of the Muslims crying out in prayer over the loud speaker. We began the service with prayer. The pastor, who was from Ghana and spoke English, assigned us topics to pray about and would give us a few minutes to pray on our own. Everyone prayed on their own out loud, and it was really cool to hear all those prayers going up to God in different languages, knowing that He hears them all. We all sat in lawn chairs as the pastor preached. The service was to start at 7 that night, but people trickled in for the next hour or so. The concept of time is so different in Niger, which we learned starting our first day there. People aren't really as concerned about schedules, which may be largely due to the fact that there are so many circumstances that you can't control and may keep you from staying on schedule.

Anyway, the pastor did a great job. He taught his lesson in English, and then one of the translators who was working with the Hurst team translated it all into Zerma. Afterward, we all said our goodbyes and headed back to the guesthouse.

There was quite a bit of work to do each night to prepare for the next day--mainly disinfecting all the water bottles and jugs and preparing lots of ice. Everyone worked to get it all done, so it didn't take too long, which was good because I think we were all pretty tired by that point.

Niger: Day Four

On the night of our third day in Niger, Ryan and I started to have some stomach problems, but when we woke up the next morning, it had definitely gotten worse. Several others were starting to feel sick as well. Brad got us some Cipro, an antibiotic, which we started taking that morning.

We missed the first ferry of the morning due to road construction. That meant we had to wait another hour for the next one to come again. I never minded waiting at the ferry because it meant I was able to spend more time with Fati. I wanted to make the most of my time with her, but it was difficult when I felt so bad.

Just like the two days before, when we arrived at the village, we all gathered together for worship and prayer. Ryan and I then joined our group in walking through the streets of the village to share the good news about God. Let me take just a second here to say that we are so blessed to live in a place where we can hear about Jesus just about any time we want. It’s on TV, the radio, we can listen to sermons online, books and not to mention the ability to read God’s word whenever we please. We live in a place where most people have heard about God and yet they are bored with it. There are so many people in this world, though, who would absolutely love to hear about God, to hear that there is hope, that Jesus came to bring us eternal life, that if we just believe that Jesus is Lord and that He died for our sins, that we can spend forever in heaven. It’s such wonderful news, and yet I so very often keep it contained inside instead of sharing this gift with those around me.

Anyway, we didn’t get to share the gospel as much that day because we arrived at the village later than normal. We headed back to the Brazilian’s home and I laid down inside while we waited for the rest to return. On the way home, we hung out with the kids while we waited for the ferry. It was always fun to spend time with the children in Niger, but it was also difficult because they were constantly hoping we were going to give them something. Keep in mind that these people are extremely poor and have very little. They associate us with money. They were often begging for stuff, which just broke my heart. I mean, to see these small children holding out their open hands, then reaching their hand up to their mouth and then grabbing their stomach. It’s so hard.

We had been instructed, though, that we couldn't just hand people stuff. One of the reasons was because it could cause a riot. A girl on the Hurst team experienced this firsthand. The children had been begging her for stuff and finally she just gave them a completely empty fruit cup, so basically a piece of trash. These two boys started fighting over it and were trying to strangle each other.

Another reason we weren’t to give them anything was because we were there to give people the gift of life—to tell them about God and show them how to know Him. This gift is obviously so much more important than any material thing we could offer, and we didn’t want them to miss that.

Their physical needs are very real, but in order to give to them in that way, it would be much better through an organization, such as Compassion, or something that can give on a much larger scale.

So all of these children were begging us for stuff while we waited for the ferry, and then something remarkable happened. Fati came over and gave me a bag of ice water, which she had bought for me. This little girl didn’t have much, and she sure didn’t get to taste much (if any) cold water herself, but yet she so unselfishly spent her money to buy some for me. It absolutely broke my heart and even still brings tears to my eyes. Before we left that day, I was able to slip Fati a granola bar without any of the other children seeing. I had Bilo translate to Fati that her gift touched my heart, and she told him that my gift touched her heart too.

I was so humbled as we drove back to Niamey. I couldn’t believe the thoughtfulness and unselfishness of this sweet girl. I was so thankful to God for her and for that gift, especially on a day when I wasn’t feeling well.

By that night, Ryan and I were feeling considerably better. We even managed to play some Bo Bo, where Ryan and I both spent some time in the King’s seat.

Piper: "Don't Waste Your Pulpit"

Niger: Day Three

On our second night in Niger, Ryan and I discussed what my role would look like while we were in the village. Specifically, whether or not I should evangelize in the village. We just didn't know what it would look like if there were men in the audience. It wasn't a concern whether it would be acceptable biblically (since I would just be taking a part of sharing the gospel with the other men on the team, including my husband--not teaching), but more what would be best culturally speaking. Because Niger is an Islamic culture, we know that men there are not accustomed to listening to women.

Our method of evangelism was storying, which entails going through the biblical storyline from Creation to New Creation.

Part one covered the Old Testament, part two covered Christ's birth to crucifixion, which was the section that we were to share, and part three covered Christ's resurrection and application. We decided that Ryan should be prepared to tell our entire section, and we would look for an opportunity for me to share.

Everything on the morning of Day Three went just like the morning events of Day Two minus the flat tire. We were also missing Jared, who had gotten sick. We left the guesthouse at 6:30 that morning and picked up our translators, Cephas, Issa and Bilo on our way out of town. We made it to the ferry, where we saw the same beautiful girl selling cola nuts. I asked her what her name was ("Matu nu maha?"), and she told me "Fati."

When we arrived at the village, we were warmly greeted by the Brazilian missionaries as well as by the Songhai believers who were already gathering. We prayed, worshipped and prayed again. The groups who were evangelizing in the village then headed out. The translator for our group the rest of the week was Isa. We walked through the village looking for people gathered together. Isa would ask them if it was OK if we told them a story, and if they said yes, then we would start. During our first time, we storied to a group of women and children. Eric did the first part, Ryan did the second part and Bob did the last part. The women were somewhat distracted and just kept pounding their millet (a grain they must pound out before eating it).

After we finished and were walking to find another group of people, Ryan mentioned to Isa that the women weren't paying much attention to the stories. Isa said it was probably because women in this culture are not supposed to listen to men (other than their husband). Ryan suggested that I do his part, and Isa thought that was exactly what we needed to do. So from there on out, I did Ryan's part unless there were men present. It was kind of neat because each time, you could tell the women were surprised to hear me speak. They often would stop what they were doing to listen. God definitely affirmed me through this, especially since I wasn't sure how I would be able to contribute on the trip.

The Songhai people are very hospitable. Often when we storied, they brought out chairs and mats for us to sit on. They were also concerned with making sure we were able to sit in the shade. (The temperature, by the way, was about 110 degrees each day.) Brad said it's also common for them to offer their best food. Keep in mind that these people live on $250/year (for a family of ten), and yet they desired to share their best with us. It's so convicting to think about how often I withhold my best (time, money, gifts) from God, who has given me everything.

We shared the gospel four times that day before heading back to Niamey. On the ferry ride back, Cephas helped me talk to Fati, and I learned she was 12 years old. She even asked if we would be back the next day. I kept trying to take her picture, but she was so shy (unlike the majority of the kids there) and would rarely look at the camera and smile at the same time.



While waiting for the ferry, we also met a kid named Wahab (pictured at right). He was really nice and was eager to learn our names as well. The children didn't have much difficulty saying "Kelli," but they all kept saying "Bryan" instead of "Ryan." We would say "Rrrrrrr" and they would repeat. We would say "Rrrrrrr......yan" and they would repeat. We would then say "Ryan," and they would say "Bryan." It was really funny.

The rest of the night we just played Bo Bo and ate dinner with the Hurst team at the Wombles' house.

Here are a few pictures I took of the Brazilians' home.

The outside of their home


A close-up of the mud bricks they use to build the walls around their property


The inside of their home. You'll notice a bunch of fuzzy white dots. I initially thought it was dirt on my camera lens but then realized that it's actually all the dirt in the air.


Their roof from the inside

Niger: Day Two

*Please bear with me in the length of this post. I think they'll get much shorter as I go, but there's so much to describe in the beginning.

Ryan didn't get much sleep the night before (only about two hours) because he was up revising the lessons he was to teach. This audience of new Songhai believers was so different from any Ryan had taught before. First, everything would be done through a translator, meaning Ryan would say a couple sentences and then stop while they were translated into Zerma. He was warned that it may be difficult not to lose his place in the lesson while waiting. Second, many of them were illiterate. Third, these people all had a background in the Muslim faith. Given the history of so many baptized believers turning back to Islam, it was so important to teach them to persevere in the faith.

I'm getting ahead of myself, so I'll start from the beginning. I'll begin by saying that this day was our sixth anniversary. I would never have thought we would spend an anniversary in Niger, but there was absolutely no other place we would have rather been.

Anyway, we all piled into this small bus at 6:30 in the morning and headed out to one of the villages. Before leaving Niamey, we picked up our translators, and then headed out of town. The plan was to drive for about an hour before arriving at the ferry, which we would ride to cross the Niger River. It was important to try and be at the ferry by 8 because it only ran every hour on the hour. On the way to the ferry, however, we got a flat tire. It didn't take too long to fix it, and we made it to the ferry in time.

Our first ferry ride was a little nerve-wracking just because there was Niger military standing guard with machine guns. We didn't know how they would react to us being there. On the ferry, we got out of the bus and saw this girl selling cola nuts (they're pure caffeine and apparently taste horrible). There were lots of children, but this girl stood out simply because she was so beautiful and her face looked so much older than her body seemed. We also got to watch some women coming to fetch water from the river.


Once we crossed the river, we continued our trek. Along the way, we picked up a man, who is the only believer in his village, so that he could sit in on the worship and teaching. Let me also mention that this was the bumpiest road I'd ever been on. They're in the process of paving the road and are hoping to complete it before the rainy season hits.

Just a sidenote--I'm leaving out the name of the village we went to as well as the names of people to protect the believers.

Some missionaries from Brazil live in the village we went to. Each day, we would meet at their home, which consisted of a large open area, two homes and a wall around the perimeter. Both the homes and the wall were made of these mud bricks.

There were seven Songhai believers who were there to be discipled through the teaching of each of the Southern guys. We all introduced ourselves and then gathered on some benches under the trees for worship. Worship each day consisted of someone playing the guitar and a couple of people playing jimbays (drums). The first song we sang was "This is the Day that the Lord Hath Made". We've sung that song many times before, but it never sounded as beautiful as it did in this West African village. The song was being sung in four languages (English, Zerma, French and Portuguese).

The next song we sang was all in Zerma, so we had no clue what was being said, but we mimicked all the movements that were being done. Watch the video to get a glimpse of what it's like to worship in Niger and to see what we were doing. After we finished, Cephas, one of the translators, told us what they were singing.



There is no one that is like Jesus
There is no one that is like Jesus
There is no one that is like Jesus
There is no one that is like Him

I walked and walked, but no one, no one
I searched and searched, but no one, no one
I turned around, but no one, no one
There is no one that is like Him

There was something that was really touching about seeing everyone act out the song and then learning afterward what it all meant. Anyway, worship was wonderful and was one of my favorite parts of each day.

After that, Ryan, Cephas and I stayed behind with the Songhai believers while the others from our team went out into the village to evangelize. Ryan taught two lessons--one on God's Holy Word and the other on the Assurance of Salvation. He was the first one of the group to teach, so he didn't quite know what to expect. He began by learning everyone's names, which was helpful in asking a question to a specific person. It was really neat to see Ryan teach in this environment. I imagine it wasn't too different from what it was like when Jesus or the apostles taught the early church. What I mean by that is that I can picture them sitting under some trees, dirty and hot, but being cleansed by the Holy Spirit as they were washed through the teaching of God's word.

Ryan did an exceptional job teaching, and we were both very impressed with the maturity that God has already granted these new believers. One of my favorite things Ryan said had to do with how Satan spoke through the serpent in the garden. He then said something like, "And Satan still speaks today...he speaks through Mohammed." I was so excited but couldn't believe he had just said that to all of these people who just turned from Muslim backgrounds. It was crucial to point out, though, seeing as how so many turn back to Islam.

We later found out that it was an answer to prayer that these believers would even worship and be together. Apparently the Brazilians have really been working with these new believers to break down walls of prejudice that exist between people of different villages, as well as between gender. The fact that the men allowed a Songhai woman to worship with them was huge. This was a huge step toward loving one another as Christ loves us.

Here's a picture of Ryan and Cephas.

Everyone came back from evangelizing, and we all then loaded onto the bus to head back to Niamey. The drive was good, and on the way back, we saw that same beautiful girl on the ferry. We stopped at a couple of markets on the way back as well. At the first one, we were immediately swarmed by kids as soon as we stepped off the bus. There were so many of them, and for that reason, it was often difficult to even move. At one point, Ryan and I kind of got trapped (not in a scary way--just the kids were so excited). Dr. Martin managed to slip away somehow because he wanted to get a picture of us being swarmed. He was able to get a few pictures, but then the kids all ran to him because they were excited about his camera. He didn't intend for it, but it was a great diversion so we were able to walk again.

The Songhai children are so precious. They were so excited to shake our hands, to feel our skin, to have their pictures taken and to see their own faces afterward on the digital screen. Many of them were begging for food or money, which was heartbreaking. We weren't supposed to give them anything for two reasons: it could literally start a riot or lots of fighting and also because we wanted them to know we were offering something better--eternal life.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing, playing Bo Bo and feasting on another wonderful dinner at the Wombles. What an incredible way to spend our anniversary!

Niger: Day One

*This slide show is of pictures taken throughout our time in Niger (not just on Day One). I'll post a few pictures pertaining to each day as I go.

We arrived in Niamey, Niger, at about 3 in the morning on Saturday, April 5. We were herded through customs, where there wasn't much organization. There weren't really any lines--it was just everyone pushing their way through. We carried everything we needed in our backpacks, but the team did check a couple of bags (mainly for toiletries). I was impressed that the bags made it to Niger when we did. We then met Brad Womble, the IMB missionary who would be helping us throughout the week.

We loaded onto a bus and headed to the guesthouse (pictured right), where we would be staying. We didn't know what the sleeping arrangements would be, so Ryan and I were so excited to find out we would have our own bedroom and bathroom. It was about 4 in the morning by the time we got ready for bed. We were exhausted (especially after getting very little sleep since we left Louisville at 10:30 on Thursday morning, April 3) and were so thankful that Brad said we would be able to sleep in. We were to meet for lunch at 12:30. Ryan and I slept really well and were eager to start our time in Niger.

We went over to the Wombles' house for lunch and then had our orientation. There we learned more about Niger and the Songhai people. Here are a few things Brad and Sally told us that really stood out:

•Average life expectancy: 27 years
•3 out of 5 kids die before the age of 5
•Highest infant mortality rate in the world
•Second poorest country in the world (behind Sierra Leone)
•Average annual income for a family of 10: $250
•Literacy rate among Songhai: 15%
•The Muslim/Animistic faith accounts for 99.8% of the Songhai people
•Out of 100 people baptized to the Christian faith, 93% turn back to Islam
•Malaria kills someone every 15 minutes

We were warned to be cautious about what we touched after being with the people because at any given time, we could have Yellow Fever, Malaria, Meningitis and Leprosy on our hands.

The Wombles also told us about how "pink eye" is perceived among the Songhai, which of course interested me. They call "pink eye" "Apollo" because they believe that it is caused by moondust falling in their eyes. They believe the moondust was stirred up by the Americans walking on the moon. To treat it, they believe they must crush red peppers to form a paste and then rub it in their eyes.

Brad also mentioned an experience with a family where two of their kids looked very ill and the other two kids were healthy and eating. Brad asked what was wrong with the two sick-looking kids, and they told him that they had determined they only had enough food to feed two of their kids. They had chosen two kids to live and were letting the other two starve to death.

We concluded the orientation with a prayer session. I was already broken-hearted for these people I hadn't even met yet. We were confident that God was going to do big things in the week to come.

That night (as we did every night while we were there) we met at the Wombles' house for dinner. A mission team from Hurst, Texas, was also there at the same time. Our two teams would do ministry in different places during the day, but we all met together at night. On their team was a girl named Heather, who is a chef at a restaurant in Fort Worth. We were blessed to have Heather cook a wonderful meal for us each night. Ryan was able to play some basketball with Brady, the Wombles' son. It was pretty cute because Ryan was showing Brady how to juggle the ball. (By juggle, I mean soccer-style--keeping the ball in the air by kicking it repeatedly.)

We concluded our night with some Bo Bo, which is a card game that Dr. Martin introduced to us while waiting at the Casablanca airport. Basically, four people can play. One starts out as King, one as Queen, one as Jack and one as Peasant. After each hand, you switch positions based on how well you did during the previous hand. Dr. Martin, of course, started out as King, but he was quickly dethroned. I think by the time we left Casablanca, he was residing in the Peasant seat. In this picture, note that Ryan is King, I am Queen (but taking the picture), Bob was Jack and poor Dr. Martin was Peasant. :) Anyway, all throughout the week, there was much smack talk about who was King.

It was a great day, and we were all very excited to head out to the village and proclaim the name of Jesus.

Strange Shaking

Last night, Ryan awoke to the sound of everything shaking. It was mainly the sound of our windows rattling. I vaguely remember Ryan asking me what was going on. In my sleep I was trying to tell him it was just a train going by (not that we live close to a train track), but apparently what came out of my mouth was something about the gutters. Anyway, the shaking only lasted about 30 seconds. It was about 5:30 in the morning, and neither of us were terribly coherent. Ryan woke this morning to find out that the shaking was caused by an earthquake. That's right, an earthquake.

There was apparently an earthquake measuring a 5.2 that occurred in Illinois, and a 4.5 aftershock reached Kentucky and even all the way down to Atlanta. The strongest earthquake on record with an epicenter in Illinois occurred in 1968 and measured a 5.3. I guess I can cross this off the list of things I thought I would never experience.

Our First Mission Trip, Part I: Casablanca

As many of you know, Ryan and I recently went on a 10-day mission trip through Southern Seminary to Niger, West Africa. This was the first mission trip that either of us had been on, and we are so thankful that we were able to experience it together.

There were 11 of us who went, and I was the only girl. (There was another girl who signed up to go, but she dropped out fairly early into the process.) I was anxious about going to the other side of the world with a bunch of guys, but everything worked out fine. While we were there, the guys discipled a handful of new believers by teaching foundational truths from the Scriptures, and the rest of the time was spent sharing the Gospel with people in the village we went to.

Niger is reportedly the poorest (or second poorest) country in the world. Physically influenced by the French, the people of the Songhai tribe, more importantly, have been enslaved to sin, blinded by Satan, and have rejected Christ. The people of Niger are dominated by Islam and animism. You can learn more about the West Africa Region, and specifically about the Songhai people.

Below are some prayer requests that Ryan sent out in an email before our trip:

•"The Lord would soften the hearts of the people with whom we will share the Gospel (that they may see Jesus and believe and repent)
•The Lord would grow the faith of the believers in Niger (that they may be found faithful, even in the face of persecution)
•The Lord would use us to encourage the missionaries on the field
•In all that we say, think, and do, Christ would be glorified
•Strengthened faith, for greater belief in the One who is Lord over all people
•(For Kelli) Confidence as the only girl on the team, that the Lord would use her in ministry
•(For Ryan) Illumination and faithfulness to teach the Word to the believers (I’m teaching on our first day in Niger, which may have the added challenge of recovering from travel. My first lesson is on God’s Holy Word, and we’ll be looking at Genesis 1-3; my second lesson is on Assurance of Salvation, and we’ll be studying the early chapters of Hebrews)
•Our marriage would rightly exalt Christ and his church (especially in a place where men have multiple wives, whom they also abuse physically)
•Trust in the Lord in response to demonic attack"

I listed all of these prayer requests because God answered every single one of them, and we are so grateful to those of you who were praying for us. We certainly felt covered in prayer.

On the way to Niger, we had a 12 hour layover in Casablanca. By the time we arrived in Casablanca, we had already been traveling for almost 24 hours (1.5 hour drive to Cincinnati, flight to New York and then flight to Casablanca), so we were pretty exhausted.

Because our layover was so long, the airline put us up in a hotel so that we could shower, rest and eat. After doing all of the above, we headed out on a tour of the city. We were all excited about the opportunity to see Casablanca, but it wasn't quite what we had expected. The coast was pretty, though there wasn't really any beach where we were, and there were some really beautiful houses. Much of the city, though, was dirty (as in lots of trash everywhere) and very low income. It was strange to me to see opulent houses right next to run-down subsidized housing projects.

Mohammed, the guy driving us around, claimed that this was the hotel was where Churchill, Eisenhower and some other big names gathered to plan D-Day. It was known as the Casablanca Conference. (Some of you history buffs may be able to verify that.)

It was nice to see another part of the world, but we had all had our fill of Casablanca by the time it was ready to leave. We were all eager to finally arrive in Niger.

Meeting our Niece

Last weekend, Ryan and I headed to Nashville. Ryan's mom was also able to fly in from Texas. It was our first time to meet our niece, Isabel, and though we weren't there too long, we were also able to be at Aby's third birthday party, which was fun. It's amazing how quickly kids grow up. We saw Joshua and Aby 3 months ago, but they both seemed so much bigger!

One morning, we headed to the Pancake Pantry, which is one of our favorite breakfast places. Joshua and Aby both got chocolate chip pancakes and made such a mess. They were so cute covered in chocolate!

Later that day, we were able to enjoy the wonderful weather as we played outside. Ryan and Brandon played basketball, and the kids played on their toy cars. Joshua tried to get Wally to ride on his motorized jeep, but Wally wasn't having it. He was able to wiggle out of Joshua's arms before I could even snap a second picture.

Isabel was so tiny and sweet. Babies are such a gift from the Lord! We're eager to get to spend more time with her soon.

Chi-Town

Ryan and I recently made a trip to Chicago with our friends Tory, Kedra, Abigail and Nathan. I had to do some continuing education, so we all decided to make a weekend of it.

We weren't sure if we were going to be able to make it to Chicago due to bad weather, but we were able to get out of town before it hit. After we left, Louisville got one foot of snow! I can't believe we missed it! The city pretty much shut down the next day. I haven't seen that much snow since I was a small child living in Denver. Unfortunately, by the time we got back, most of it had melted.

Chicago was a blast. Getting there and back was an adventure in and of itself. I never knew Indianapolis could be such a confusing city. I think we spent 3 hours there on the way to Chicago. If you're unsure of how that's possible, just ask Tory. :)

The weather in Chicago was very cold, and it was snowing, but nothing like it was in Louisville. We had fun walking the Magnificent Mile, though we weren't able to tolerate the freezing cold too long so we ducked into shops and restaurants. Luckily, we got a fantastic deal on the Intercontinental Hotel, which is right in the middle of everything, so we didn't have to walk too far. Our hotel, by the way, was beautiful! I had to take pictures.

We also took the scenic route on the way home. We were all exhausted, but I think that those were some of the funniest moments of the trip. Praise the Lord for the gift of laughter (something we experienced a whole lot of) and precious friends!

No Mas

Glasses and contacts, that is. (At least for the next 10-15 years until we need reading glasses.)

Ryan's surgery went well--he's already 20/20 in each eye. We couldn't be more excited about both of our results. We are reminded, though, that the degradation of our vision is a result of the Fall. God created the world good. However, Adam's (and our) sin corrupted the world and our bodies and our souls. So our eyes and our lungs and our hearts fail. Yet all is made right by Jesus' obedience, death on the cross, resurrection from the dead, and ascension into Heaven. And while we're thrilled for the restoration of our vision, we most eagerly await Christ's return, when we (with all who love Him) will realize the final, full, and lasting re-creation of not only our bodies but also the whole world!

Last night, I decided to get together all of our old glasses and unused boxes of contacts. It will be fun to be rid of these, not only because of all the drawer space all of it has occupied, but to know that we can wake up each morning and see without the need of these things. It is difficult to break the habit of reaching for your glasses as soon as you wake up, or not worrying that you need to take out your contacts before you go to sleep.

Before









During









After


(By the way, Ryan was instructed to wear these sunglasses to protect his eyes until he could get home and put on the fun safety goggles.)

One Down, One to Go

LASIK, that is. It's been a little more than a month since I had LASIK, and let me tell you, I couldn't be more pleased with the results--20/15 in each eye, which is better than 20/20.

Well, tomorrow afternoon, Ryan is scheduled to have LASIK as well. Those of you with great vision probably can't appreciate this, but after wearing glasses/contacts for most of your life, it's a pretty incredible thing to be able to see without them.

We'll keep you posted about the results, but tomorrow morning will be the last time Ryan will have to wear glasses. He can't wait!

Isabel Katie Bishop

Our niece, Isabel, was born Tuesday, February 26 at 8:39 in the morning. Isabel was 7lb 10oz and 19.5in long. Both Isabel and Jill are doing well, and we're really looking forward to meeting Isabel soon! Isn't she adorable!?