Much has happened.
My fellow Short-term men and I finally finished one of the biggest projects that we have been working on for the past 5 weeks—the painting of a roof! (cheers and applause) This project was one of the longest and toughest construction projects I have ever personally worked on. The four of us that worked on the roof had to clean the roof, scrape the roof clean of rust with wire brushes, cure the roof with vinegar, paint the roof with two coats of primer, and then finally paint the roof with an additional two coats of reflective paint. I can definitely say that the work was a bonding experience. We started work on the roof at six in the morning and would work for five hours to avoid the heat of the day—a tactic we found to be useful after we discovered how hot a zinc roof can get at noon under the African sun. As working men, we sang some classic working men songs including the great “I’ve been working on the railroad,” and we even delved into Mulan’s “Let’s get down to business.” We sweated, we bled, we painted, and after five weeks of hard work, it feels great to walk past a beautifully shiny roof that will lower the interior temperature of the house of one of the long-term missionaries.
I have also had the joy of seeing my work with the HIV/AIDS clinic here begin to bear some fruit. Through a long process of research, talking with Nigeriens and doctors about HIV and the culturally acceptable ways to approach this disease, and learning about a computer program called Fuchia, I have been able to help implement a system for tracking down patients that have not been able to follow up on their appointments for HIV consultation and treatment. It is exciting to be able to contribute in any small way, and I hope that my work with this department will yield more fruit in the future.
In the last two weeks I have also gotten the chance to be back in the OR some. On one of my days in the OR, a little baby entered that was severely malnourished and dehydrated. I have seen many malnourished babies before, and this baby was as bad off as any I have ever seen. His skin hung off of his stick thin bones, and his stomach had the classic bloated look to it. The baby was probably about 4 months old and had to receive an IV in his head for lack of any visible blood vessels elsewhere. I was given the task of injecting about 150 mL of Saline solution into the babies IV. To do this meant that I basically sat and held this tiny little human for about an hour’s time. I don’t know about you, but there is something so incredible that happens when you are holding a baby that is hurting. To me there is no other creature so dependent and so weak. I can’t really describe it, but just to hold someone so precious and yet so fragile really blew my mind. I was in charge of the little person, and he was desperately weak. But I really felt in that moment I would do anything for that baby—and I don’t know that I have ever felt that way for a child before. In that moment I had this sort of hand to head to heart connection where I saw a little more clearly the Father love of God. It blew my mind that I could feel so strongly for a child that I had never seen before in my life. I couldn’t imagine what I would be feeling if that child was my child, my own son. And yet… God feels that way for me, in an even deeper truer way. Wow! Words fail.
I realize as I write this blog that I am in my final week in Galmi, Niger. It is crazy to think that in a little over a week I will be hauling my luggage through several different airports back to the US. To tell the truth it’s a little overwhelming. This morning I said goodbye to one of my closest comrades who has been with me through this adventure—Michael Chaney. Already the sadness of leaving this place is starting to get to me.
As a missionary kid, I had to say good-bye to a lot of places and a lot of different “homes”. As a result, I have come to realize how much I long for home, and how important home is. Saying good-bye to a place reminds me quickly and sharply how temporary and shifting this world is. I will never see Niger, just the way it is now. Even my return here showed me so vividly that you can never fully return to a place you have left. When I got here to Niger, many of the places were the same, but many were changed, and all of the people had changed. Many of the friends that I have made here in Niger, I may never see again—some of us live on opposite sides of the globe.
Yet, while all these facts have a definite note of sadness to them, they awaken a desire in me so strong for a place of beauty, security, and friendship, a place where relational unity never ceases or wanes, but only grows stronger, a place where my soul belongs and where I am known. As some have called it (including the Newsboys) “my true country.” Admittedly, there are many times in my life, where heaven seems a long way away, and where I feel stuck in the busyness and predictability of life, with very little thought given to my ultimate destination. But God in His goodness has used transition so much in my life, to remind me that my home is not of this world, but that someday soon I will be at home in His presence.
This thought gives me so much hope. Not only do I have hope for myself, but I also take joy in the hope that the relationships that I form with Christians now are eternal relationships—I will get to spend eternity with my brothers and sisters, even if I don’t see them for a while on earth before I meet them at home. As C.S. Lewis says, and as Michael so aptly reminded me: “Christians don’t say goodbye, they say see you later.”
As I continue to reflect on my time here in Niger, I realize how interesting of a time it has been. I have had many internal and external struggles here. I have been sick, worked hard, faced many tough spiritual battles, and even had conflict with other missionaries on the field. I want to be as transparent as possible about life here—it has had its difficulties despite the fact that my blog has mostly been about the good things that have happened here. But…my time here has been so good. I have seen God’s hand at work in every one of the conflicts that I have mentioned above. I don’t say that as a concession, or as a feel good addendum, but as reality. “God works all things together for the good of those who fear Him and are called according to His purpose.” I have seen that play out in my life, and in that truth I take a lot of comfort.
However, even if I don’t see this play out in the conflict in my life—even if I never see how conflict in my life fits into God’s grand picture, I still know that somehow I will see it. This same truth applies to my time in Niger. I came to Niger, not really knowing what to expect from my time here. I didn’t know if I would be spending most of my time getting to experience the field of medicine which I hope/hoped to be a part of in the future, or if I would be working doing lots of physical labor, or if I would have the chance to go out and witness to patients in the hospital. I didn’t know if my time here would solidly re-enforce the calling I have felt from God regarding medicine, or if it would do the opposite. The only thing that I knew was that I felt God calling me to Niger, and I was going to answer that call to the best of my ability.
Now, looking back on this trip, I still can’t say for certain why I was called to come out to Niger this summer. I have done so many amazing things here, met so many amazing people, and learned so many good lessons. Perhaps this is all reason enough for me to go to Niger. I honestly can’t say that my time here has really affected my calling towards medicine in any discernable way yet. I can’t say for sure. One thing I do know though, is that God is using all things to work together my good, and the good of those who fear Him and are called according to His purpose. What a promise!
I am going to wrap this message up by saying that this may be my last blog entry before leaving the country. I can’t say for sure—I may try and blog once more before I actually leave, and I will try and blog once again once I’ve gotten back to the States as a look back over my time here. Thanks again for all of your support and encouragement. Please keep me in your prayers. This last week is going to be a difficult week for me emotionally as I prepare to say good-bye to the friends that I have made, and people I have worked with. I also know that there is going to be some culture shock getting back to the US, even though I have only been gone for 2 months. Please pray for me in this time. Also if you would pray that in my final time here, I would be able to be used by God to touch the lives of people I have met here, and that I would be able to give from the overflow of God’s abundant life in me. Finally, if you would lift up my family in your prayers as well I would appreciate it. They are all going through transitions themselves, and could use your prayers. Thank you so much and God Bless!
