Safe in Maradi!

We made it safely to Maradi Saturday afternoon!

.

We've spent the last 5 days house-hunting, and have finally found a house that we feel will be a good fit for our family. It needs quite a bit of work so we won't be able to move right in, but we feel like it is a good investment. I can't wait to blog more about it and post some pictures. We probably won't be able to move in for at least two weeks. Hopefully, the painters will be able to begin getting it repainted on Saturday, but this IS Africa. Things don't always go as planned!

.

We are currently still without internet access. We are really thankful that there's a missionary family a few blocks away that is willing to let us come hook up to their wireless and check our email at their house!

.

We're all doing very well...a little homesick, to be sure, but fine other than that. Praise the Lord, we have all been in good health.

.

Our vehicle took us through some pretty rough terrain on the drive to Maradi, including some flooded out roads! We sure were thankful that we had a good Land Cruiser! And this is only the beginning! Wow... That's something to think about... Only the beginning...

We're Moving Again!

We are moving to Maradi tomorrow, first thing in the morning. It's an 8 hour trip east from Niamey. Please pray for safety as we travel! We probably won't have good internet access for our first few weeks there. As soon as we get a house, we'll apply for the internet. Can't wait! :) Thank you for all your prayers as we continue transitioning! We're getting there... Almost home.

Our New Toyota Land Cruiser!

We have had such an adventure finding the right vehicle for our family!. Jonathan, with the help of several other pastors, spent almost every day for two weeks out in vehicle lots looking for something that suited our family's needs.. It had to be a Land Cruiser, and it had to have 4-wheel drive - without that, we'd never make it through the rough desert terrain to the remote villages we are reaching out to.

.

Now, before you imagine Jonathan shopping in a lovely American-style car lot, let me set the stage!. These cars are in used condition, packed row upon row in sandy, dirty, dusty compounds (walled in yards). There are dozens of vehicles in each compound. Many are missing parts.. On a slightly smaller scale (with slightly nicer cars), an American might drive by one of these lots and mistake it for a junk yard! But it's not. It's a Nigerien car lot!

.

After the search for a vehicle had been on for a few weeks with no results, we were getting a little discouraged. .During a time of prayer, I felt the Lord say, "I'm going to bring it to you." .My mom emailed me, too, and said, "I'm praying and calling your vehicle out of hiding!"
.

Well, it seems that God did have it "hidden away" for a season, and in just the right time, He brought it out of hiding.. We didn't "find" it ourselves, it was brought to us. .Here's a bit of our adventure, beginning to end...

.

Car #1: .The first Land Cruiser that we really liked was big, white, shiny, and beautiful!. It had low mileage, too!. Since one NEVER purchases a vehicle here without first giving it a thorough checkout, we brought it to our trusted mechanic, Tony, for inspection.. Well, as it turned out, the seller of the vehicle had given it a fresh coat of paint, put brand new tires on it, and TURNED THE ODOMETER BACK!. To top things off, the engine in the thing was JUNK! .Reminds me of when Jesus said of the Pharisees, "You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones...". This vehicle looked great on the outside, but had nothing but death on the inside!. This was NOT the car for us.

.

Car #2:. Looked like a great vehicle. .As it turned out, this vehicle did NOT have 4-wheel drive.. Right price, right everything else, but we just couldn't do without that 4-wheel drive.

.

Car #3: .We ran across a vehicle that had already been sold.. The dealer told us if we paid him MORE than current buyer, he would re-sell it to us.. Eh-HEM!. Isn't there an ethical issue here?. Well, we didn't get that one either. .The seller may have been telling us it was already sold, even if it wasn't, to try to get a higher price for it.

.

After these and MANY others, we were left wondering, "WHERE is the car that God has for us?!!" .We knew that He would provide, but we were in a bit of a time-bind!. While we were scratching our heads, wondering where else we could look for a vehicle, one of our contacts came to us and said, "I have a vehicle for you to see!"

.

Praise God! .This vehicle turned out to be THE one for us!

Here is our Toyota Land Cruiser!

This Toyota Prado was a perfect fit for our family! .It had just been transported into Niger from Belgium, and we were the first people in Niger to see it. .Praise the Lord!. The terrain here is so hard on vehicles that it is best if you can get something that hasn't been driven in Niger yet. .This Land Cruiser is in excellent condition!. It's silver with black trim, quite a handsome vehicle! .It has 4-wheel drive, excellent air conditioning (yesssss), low mileage (not adjusted :), and a 5-cylinder engine.. It was a floor model before it was sold, so it has some pretty sweet extra features! .We were thrilled when Tony, our mechanic, gave it his FULL stamp of approval!

Isaiah loves beeping the horn! .It sure has his stamp of approval!

And Anna's, too!

How exciting.. God brought this car to us. .We feel like it is a gift. .It's a vessel that will be used for His work here in Niger.. Without a good vehicle, it is impossible to get the the remote villages!. We are so blessed.

Officially ours! .We have the title!
.

Making Progress!

Today is a deliciously cool day in Niger, a rather unusual, but delightful, phenomenon.. A lovely breeze is blowing through the house, and I am thoroughly enjoying the feeling of NOT felling sticky and sweaty!. Oh, life's simple joys!
.

We are excited to report that we have had some major breakthroughs on our Niamey "to-do" list.. Actually, we've checked off almost everything! . As of yesterday, we are the proud (excited!) new owners of a Toyota Prado (pictures and details to come in the next post)!. On the same day, Jonathan was also able to secure a moving truck to take all of our belongings to Maradi.. He and Pastor Ron Childs left early this morning to "escort" the truck to Maradi (i.e. - make sure all the things that we loaded onto the truck are still on the truck when it arrives in Maradi). .Jonathan will be gone for three days altogether between traveling, unloading the truck, AND (my favorite part) looking at available houses! .When the whole family moves out to Maradi sometime next week, we will (with my final approval) choose THE house that we will call home!!!. You can't tell I'm excited about this, can you?!!

.

This is, of course, THE PLAN!. But just because it's THE PLAN does not by any means mean things will all work out that way!. We are learning that these two popular sayings go a long way here:

.

Hurry up, and wait...
and
When it rains, it pours!

.

We're learning to be patient in the waiting, and to jump on board in the pouring! . Welcome to flexibility!

.
So - in the waiting, before the pouring...

Anna has been growing before our very eyes!. She continues to spread her reputation for her insatiable appetite throughout Niger!. Seriously - we're not kidding - this girl can EAT!. You almost have to see it to believe it!. She is also BUSY!. She is keeping her Mama on the run.. Not only is she busy, she has mastered the art of CLIMBING!. In two seconds flat she can be up on the couch, standing, then jumping, arms proudly waving.. Two falls in the last two days have not deterred her one bit!. Sigh...

Here she is, just one minute after a tumble on the ground.. Can you guess which side she fell on?. Do you think it mattered to her that her sandwich (in her left hand) was COVERED in sand and dirt?. Nope!. If you look at those cute, chubby little cheeks, you'll see that they are FULL!

Church on Sunday would be incomplete without hearing a little voice beside me begging, "Mummy, please can I play on da drums?!!". Isaiah had a run-in with a hot iron this week (notice that his right wrist is bandaged in this picture - also notice that it is NOT slowing his drumming down at all!).. He got a pretty bad burn, but, praise God, it seems to be healing well.. He's been a real trooper as I have treated his wound.. Please pray that no infection sets in.. Again, we are thankful that it is healing beautifully at this point!

Well, I am off to the market to purchase some groceries and supplies for our new home!. The Niger shopping experience is an entire blog in and of itself, one that I will have to tackle another day! . :)

.

Beautiful Land, Beautiful Feet!

Africa. Wow! I am here! Sometimes, I stop and tell myself, "Wake up! It's really happening! You're really here!" You would think that the heat of the day, or the bleating of goats outside my window, or the palm trees and simple mud homes visible from my bedroom would cause this reality to sink in! My children have red sand in their hair and red soil on their feet. That same red soil is indelibly ingrained in their clothing!

.

But I wouldn't trade the red brilliancy of the Nigerien land for anything. It is beautiful!

We are staying in Niamey, Niger's capital city for the month of July. This transitional phase is key because here we fill out papers required by the government, register with the American Embassy, open a bank account, purchase a Land Cruiser, and make preparations for our move to Maradi, our final destination! Maradi is about 8 hours east of Niamey, and we should be moving there in about 3 weeks.

I want to share a few quick clips from some of our time in Niger over the past 2 weeks!

.

Our first Sunday morning in Niger! We love the African services! Isaiah is playing his new African drum, a gift from our wonderful hosts, Ron and Jerry Childs. He is intently watching the drummer, trying to get the rhythm down!

.

Our sweet little Anna Delight! She's thriving in Niger!

.

And speaking of thriving, GOTTA love mango smoothies!!! Mmmm...

.

We had a sand storm blow through! It is quite the phenomenon to watch. It almost resembles a solar eclipse - the sun is darkened for a few minutes and it almost seems like it's night outside. This pictures is taken looking out from our window. 5 minutes prior to it being taken, the sky was blue, and everything was bright and sunny!

.

Here is my incredible husband, Jonathan, with Isaiah. They are both proudly sporting their new Vie Abondante (Abundant Life!) hats! Isaiah sure does love his Daddy. And so do I!!! Jonathan has been working so hard every day to get our big to-do list done! He always makes time to play with the kids and help with the house work, too. You are my hero, Honey! I love you!

.

I am very proud of the first pizza I made in Niger! It was soooo yummy, too!

.

This picture was taken at Vie Abondante's Summer Children's Camp, a program that involves over 300 children! Anna is a big hit among the Nigerien children. Everyone wants to hold her! She enjoys the attention, but is always ready to come back to Mommy!

.

This is Isaiah at the Children's Camp. I just can't keep this little guy away from drums. He ever turned his animal balloon into a great big drum stick!

.

Isaiah's first ever can of Sprite! He was just as proud as a peacock when his new friend, Tobi Childs, gave him this special treat!

.

Cows and goats come to graze on this marsh that lies in between the Childs' house (where we are staying) and the Niger River. It is quite a stunning view... Very beautiful and peaceful. Isaiah loves to watch the animals come and go!

.

Isaiah just loves spending time with Tobi. In this picture they are taking a break from lizard hunting! I just love Isaiah's smile here. It makes my heart melt, and I think, "I just LOVE this little guy!"

.
Soooo!
.
We are HERE!
.
And we are DOING WONDERFULLY!
.

Thank you for praying for us, encouraging us, loving us, and supporting us! Right now, you are here beside us, working with us to reach the unreached in Niger! And what a beautiful thing that is...

.

"How beautiful on the mountains (or in the desert!) are the feet of them who bring good news."

.

~ Isaiah 52:7 ~

.

emphasis in parenthesis mine :)

.

Thank you for walking with us!

.

.

Finding God in My Stuff

I'm sitting here thinking, "Wow! Am I really here right now? Have I really spent the last year and a half preparing for this moment?" Our bags are packed, loaded on a U-Haul, and ready for our departure first thing tomorrow morning! Yipee! Our house has been emptied out... load after load has left our home going here, there, and everywhere! Anyone who has dared to step foot in my house these past few weeks has left carrying bag after bag. I had such a hard time deciding what to keep, what to give, and what to toss. I had so many possessions!
.

In the past few weeks, I have sat in my room on more than one occasion, overwhelmed by the incredible desire to just HIDE! (If you saw my room in the state that is was, you would probably want to hide, too!!! Actually, let me help you out and post a picture!)

.

Isaiah and Anna thought it was just the greatest thing. They're probably having so much fun in this picture because this was kept off limits most of the time!

Leave it to Isaiah to find a "drum" anywhere he goes. Coolers...they make great drums!

Yep! There it is... Packing Central! Formerly known as my room! As I just said, I would sit there, pondering the changes I was facing, and just want to hide. I thought about how easy it would be to just pile it all up all around me. Maybe no one would find me for a while.

I suddenly remembered a story from the Old Testament - 1 Samuel 10, to be exact. There came a time in Israel's history when the people asked God to give them a king. Saul was chosen to be this king, but when they went to find him and make him king, he was hiding! The Bible says he was actually hiding in "the stuff." (the bags and the belongings!) Was Saul was afraid of what God was calling him to? Perhaps. Perhaps he was afraid of being king, of ruling over the nation of Israel. WOW! Can you imagine?!! God had CHOSEN him, HAND-PICKED him to perform this task. All Saul needed to do was say "yes!" In what should have been a moment of celebration in Saul's life, he was hiding.

The Lord spoke to me very clearly in that moment as I sat in my room, looking at all my stuff, feeling overwhelmed, and wanting to hide. He said, "Don't hide, Dani! Seek Me, instead!" Wow. What a word. I don't have to be like Saul, hiding from the calling that God has given me. God is saying, "Go to Niger - tell the unreached about My love! Disciple new believers! Give as it has been given to you! Bless, as you have been blessed!" If I give into fear of the unknown, I will never live in the fullness of what God has for me. I need to take that leap of faith! I need to be willing to fall down, get up again, and learn from it! I need to trust that He'll help me. I need to SEEK HIM, not shrink and hide, when I'm overwhelmed with all "the stuff" that's going on in my life.

I'm so glad this blog is about seeking and finding an incredible God - One who cares for me and wants to be a Comforter and a Helper in my time of need. I'm finding God in my stuff, and that doesn't mean looking through my bags and finding a tiny God in there, like a genie in a bottle! No! The God of the Universe comes to my aid when I seek Him.

So - tomorrow we're off! We are SOOO excited!!! We leave our house at 8 a.m., drive to JFK airport, and fly out at 7:00 p.m. We will arrive in Niger Sunday morning at about 10:30 our time. It will be 3:30 in the afternoon there. We may have limited internet connection so please bear with us! We'll be in touch with updates as soon as we can. Thank you for your love, prayer, and support. I can't say it enough - we couldn't do this without you!!!

Be encouraged - seek God in whatever stuff you're facing! He'll find you there.

Love and Blessings,

Dani

Confessions of an Itinerating Missionary

I haven't written in weeks! There is so much going on right now that I feel overwhelmed at even the thought of trying to grasp it all! Today I'm attempting to rise above the feelings that descend upon me as I try to sort out my thoughts so I can give you a glimpse into my life. Wow... Where to start?!!

.

God is so good... That's always a good place to start. God is always faithful... An even better place to start!

.

Over the last two months, we have continued to travel extensive distances on a weekly basis. We've driven long hours through rain, hail, wind, flurries, and, thankfully, some beautiful sunshine! Isaiah and Anna have actually become so accustomed to being in the car that Anna has taken to climbing into her car seat just to sit and play for a while on days that we're not on the road! We call it her second home! Or is it her first? Hmmm...

.

I just unpacked my bags that I originally packed several weeks ago. I faithfully unpacked them after each trip for several weeks, then decided it would be better to just leave them packed until I knew I'd be home for more than 3 days in a row! It worked out great!

.

I considered naming my blog (not just this entry), Confessions of an Itinerating Missionary. Now that sounds intriguing, doesn't it?!! Even I would be tempted to stop and read that!

.

Here are my first two confessions:

.

Confession #1: I thought I would hate itinerating.

.

I thought that itinerating was the long, laborious process you had to endure before you could go on the mission field.

.

The truth? I love itinerating! Sure, I wouldn't want to do it forever, but through this whole process, I have had grace - not just to endure, but to thrive! I love meeting new people, worshipping in new churches, and hearing the amazing things that God is doing in other peoples' lives! It is incredible!!! I love being taken out of my small world, my comfort zone, and being thrust into places that force me to grow and change. That leads me to Confession #2.

.

Confession #2. I don't like change.

.

And yet I do... I know, I know - I'm being inconsistent, but I think you know what I'm trying to say. I said I love it, but I hate it, but I love it - well, I love looking back and seeing how far I've come. Sometimes the coming is hard because I can't see completely where I'm going.

.

I want to share one of our really special experiences with you. When Jonathan and I walked into Lighthouse Community Fellowship Church two weeks ago, we had no idea that they were planning on introducing us to their congregation as their newest missionaries! Wow! I'm going to give you a sneak-peek at some of the pictures that may be in our next newsletter. LCFC had already purchased Niger's flag and had it hanging in their lobby to welcome us. How incredible is that!?!

Niger's Flag / With Pastors Chris and Carol Ball at LCFC

.

.

If Jonathan and I had never had this season of itineration, we would not be prepared for what God is calling us to in Niger. We need people behind us, praying for us, writing to us, keeping in touch with us, and supporting us! Niger cannot be reached simply because the Bowdens are heading over there! Niger needs the power of Jesus Christ, the Bowdens need the power of Jesus Christ, and that only comes when the Body of Christ joins together in what God is calling us to do. Jonathan and I are humbled and excited to have churches and individuals partnering with us to reach the unreached in Niger!

.

I loved seeing Niger's flag hanging in LCFC's lobby. It stirred in me the realization that there are millions of people that need to be reached - they have no hope until they hear the truth about Jesus. What an incredible privilege the Lord is giving us - the opportunity to bring that truth to them!

.

I must admit - yet one more confession from this itinerating missionary...

.

There is a part of me is very sad to leave my family and loved ones. I'm sad to take Isaiah and Anna away from their grandparents and aunts and uncles. I'm sad to sell my possessions, and live out this season of leaving. That's the part of me that doesn't like change.

.

I am so thankful that God's ways always higher than our ways! I find it amazing that He will use our brokenness (the sadness that we feel in leaving) to bring life in desert places of Niger. That's the second part of me speaking - the part that embraces change - knowing that it is for my good.

.

Please rejoice with us in God's goodness! We are 7 weeks away from our departure date, June 26, 2010. We have 75% of our monthly goal met, and 71% of our one-time expense goal met. Wow! It is incredible.

.

Please pray for us as we face transition after transition - large and small. We love the change, yet we hate it, yet we love it, yet... God is faithful and God is good, and that is all that matters! We'll have that 20/20 hindsight vision soon! And so will you! Whatever it is that you're facing, I pray that you too will have the calming reassurance that God is in control! He will use the brokenness you feel now (or have felt in the past) to bring springs of life to you and those around you - both now and in the days to come!
.

.