Gathering to Give Thanks

This Sunday, our family attended a Taron Godiya service at the village church in Dan Makadi.  I'd like to bring you along for the ride! 

 

Taron Godiya is Hausa for Thanksgiving Gathering.  No, it has nothing to do with the traditional American Thanksgiving holiday, although it is a time set aside to do the same thing - to thank the Lord for what He has done.  Everyone brings a special offering, most of which goes to bless the pastor, thus making it Pastor Appreciation Sunday, as well.  While the offering is usually that of money, it can be food, chickens, clothing, you name it!  After the service, everyone gathers for a meal, and enjoys a time of fellowship together.  Are you ready to take a peek?  Here we go!

I decided it was best to spare you chaotic scenes from the morning's preparations - you know, the ones with dirty dishes, crazy bed-heads, and generalized it-looks-like-a-tornado-went-through-here.  We'll start with the happy Bowden family, already on the road!  To set the stage, it's a beautiful, sunny, breezy day, with temps in the mid 80's.  Our destination is about 13 miles away...





The Bitty Bowden girls!  Anna's ready with a smile, and Grace is enjoying the silly antics of her big sister.

 

Yours truly!

The road ahead - just leaving Maradi.  This is one of the greenest areas in town, because it's close to the river.

 

We're not the only ones on the road.  All kinds (and I mean ALL kinds!) of transportation means are out and about this morning.

 

And here's the RIVER!  No, really, it IS the river.  We won't get rain here for another 6 months or so, and when we do, this will be absolutely rushing.

 

A banana tree grove!

We're now leaving the "big city" and passing through smaller villages.

 

Here's my first attempt at uploading a short video clip to give you a better view.  Hope it works!

 

After 40 minutes on bumpy sandy roads, we reach our destination. 

 

We're a few minutes early (a minor miracle - seriously!), so the Bitty Bowdens and I sit down to wait for the service to begin.

 

Isn't she sweet?!!

 

Let the worship begin!  We were excited to have our fellow Vie Abondante missionaries, also our mentors here in Maradi, Pastor Rich and Ginger Jorgenson, also attend this Taron Godiya service, along with another missionary friend from Maradi.

 

I noticed this little girl is "backing" her flip-flop, like the Nigerien women back their babies.  Cute!

 

Speaking of which, here is Gracie, snug-as-a-bug on my back...

 

Awww...look who's sitting in front of me.  I think these Nigerien babies are just adorable!

 

Jonathan was the guest speaker, and opened up with a Hausa Scripture song that he wrote from Galatians on the Fruit of the Spirit, and "Whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap."  This led into his message, which talked about how important it is for us to sow good seeds in our life, seeds that will remain and bare fruit that will last.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control...  Hey, why try to describe it when you could just hear it for yourself?!!

 

 

 

Listening to Daddy...

 

Grace is making friends with everyone who's sitting around us.

 

It's almost offering time!!!  Isaiah's getting ready, and brought a contribution of his very own money.  I had to break the tough news to him that some of those American pennies wouldn't be too useful here in Niger.  :)

 

This is no ordinary offering. There is music (lots of it, with that incredible African drumming). We all go outside and wait in line, then come in joyfully dancing, to give our offering to the Lord. It's fun!

 

You really can't get a feel for this until you've heard the music!  If you watch closely, you'll notice that Anna isn't quite sure how this is all supposed to go down.  She "helps" Jonathan by taking his money back out.  hehehe...  "Nope, Sweetheart, it's ALL supposed to go in!"

 

The service is now over, and the fellowship is about to start. 

Here we are!

 

We are so thankful for Pastor Rich, who has taught us so much about life and ministry in Niger.  He and Ginger have been here for 15 years.  We have just recently found out that Jonathan and Rich are often mistaken for each other around town - many of the people in our area can't tell them apart.  I wonder why?!

 

Next...  A shared meal!  Yep, a group of 5 or 6 adults will gather around a tray like this and share the meal.  This was the dinner the ladies of the church worked all morning to prepare for the Taron Godiya service.  It is traditional tuwo (in this case, boiled cornmeal) with a sauce.  It was quite tasty.

 

Isaiah's making sure to wash his hands!  These pots are filled with water from the village well, and were available for hand washing.

 

Did I mention we get to eat with our hands?  This is every kid's dream come true (maybe every adult's, too, if we'd only admit it to ourselves).  Here are Isaiah and Ginger sharing some tuwo.  Don't worry - the look on Isaiah's face is not that of pain...  He's just working on refining his camera smile.  Still working on that...  :)

 

What?!  It can't be time to leave already!  The morning flew by so quickly.  After visiting for a while, it was time to go, and we had a great farewell.  These kids ran alongside our car as fast and as far as they could, waving and smiling.  There's nothing quite like it to grab your heart and get you addicted to life in Niger!

 

On the road again!  What's this up ahead?

 

 Camels!  Even though we see them almost every day, we still think it's a pretty cool sight.

 

Here we are passing by a Fulani family.  They have all of their possessions packed up on their donkeys.  The Fulani travel constantly, which makes it challenging to get the gospel out to them.

  We are seeing Fulani peoples coming to Christ around us, though.  God is so good!

 

There's the river again!

We're almost home...

This week we celebrated Thanksgiving twice. 

 

First, we celebrated in our home with our missionary family here, thinking of family and loved ones half-way across the world who were also celebrating a day of thankfulness.     

  

 

And, secondly, we celebrated in a village church with our family in Christ here, thanking God for the wonderful things

He is doing in Niger.



 

How blessed we are to have so much to be thankful for.  Oh, and there's one more thing...  We're thankful for YOU!  Thank you for coming on this Taron Godiya journey with me, and thank you for joining our life-journey here in Niger.  Your prayers, love, and support touch our hearts and the hearts of those around us every day.

 

 

Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.

 

- 1 Chronicles 29:13