Christmas in Niger - Part 2

One of the best Christmas gifts we have ever received was MY DAD, Pastor Bob Burket, coming to Niger for Christmas! He didn't come alone either! He came with love, thoughts, prayers, gifts, and the blessing of our whole church family in Lawrenceville and many other friends and family in the States. For everyone who blessed us by blessing my dad, we want to say THANK YOU! Thank you for sending him to Niger! Words just can't describe how much his visit meant to us.

I have a photo-journey for you of Dad's trip!

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WELCOME TO NIGER!

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At the airport!

Dad's plane flew over our car as we drove to pick him up a the airport! You can see the plane in center-right of this photo, just above the horizon.

...heading into the airport!

Waiting to see Grandpa! His airplane just landed!

Yeah!!!! Here comes Grandpa!

There are no words to describe moments like these!

Grandpa brought M&Ms for the Isaiah and Anna at the airport!

The M&Ms, needless to say, were quite a hit!

I mean, seriously, is it LEGAL to have this much fun?!!

These guys couldn't get enough!

Here we are - TOGETHER in Niger!

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Let's hit the road! Off to Maradi, 8 hours away!

Bush stop!

We don't have rest areas here! We sure do wish there was a Burger King somewhere along the line, though!

Where am I?!!

At home in Maradi,
unpacking the things that you blessed us with!

Isaiah and Anna help Grandpa unpack the 3 suitcases of gifts and supplies from home!

I think their facial expressions say it all! Thank you for blessing us!



One happy Mommy right here! :)

A new outfit from Grammie Dawn Burket!

It's been chilly here with temperatures in the 70-80s during the day, and 40-50s at night, so we're thankful for long-sleeves!

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Ministry!

In the 5 days that Dad was here in Maradi, we ministered in several villages and hosted a 3-day Pastors' Conference at which Dad was the guest speaker.

The Village of Tamroro!

Arriving at the village church... (the church building is on the left)

Worship in Tamroro!

Jesus IS God, He changed my life!

Our family, Pastor Yahaya, his wife and three children, and Rebecca (far right), holding Amy's hand.

Children in Tamroro...

Anna must be getting a little tuckered out! It's been a long day! But a GOOD one!

These wooden logs are carved out on the inside to make a bowl of sorts. The women then pound their millet and yams in them.

The Village of Nakoki!

The "road" to Nakoki - 4-wheel drive is a MUST!

Teaching a new song in Hausa!

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These four little girls wanted to receive Jesus after hearing the gospel preached!

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Jesus said, Let the little children come unto Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

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Praying for the sick...

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The whole congregation, standing outside the church (the straw structure behind everyone).

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The children LOVE seeing themselves after their picture is taken! There is never a time when GIGGLES don't ABOUND!

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Pastors' Conference!

Here we are with all of the pastors and their wives at the Pastors' Conference! It is so exciting to have opportunities like these to invest into the leadership of the Nigerien church!

Ministering to the pastors...

Hallelujah!

This is the "nursery" where the kids played while the teachings were going on. It's just a mat on the floor in the back of the room...

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Some special family time!
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Things we don't take for granted anymore! Having the chance to walk hand-in hand with Grandpa...

Isaiah and Anna wanted to show Grandpa where they like to swim when it's hot outside!

Next...

We couldn't resist...

If one travels to Niger, one simply MUST ride a...

CAMEL!

Wahoo!

Up with Grandpa!

Mommy and Isaiah take a turn!

Rakumi - is the Hausa word for camel

Isaiah, who was nervous at first, ended up riding with everyone! He spent the most camel-time of us all, and now refers to this camel as, "Our camel..." when comparing it with others that he sees around town.

Merry Christmas from Niger!

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Back to Niamey!

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Since Dad had another week of ministry scheduled in Ghana, he had a plane to catch! Here are a couple of the sights we saw on the way to Niamey... just a few of Niger's beauties!

Watermelons! Can you believe this? Niger grows beautiful watermelon!

This trip, we dubbed, "The trip of the camels!" There were camels everywhere!

Gone are the days of worrying about hitting a deer on the PA roads!

Watch out for that CAMEL!!!

These camels were waiting outside a camel market... They're for sale!

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One last evening together before Grandpa leaves...

Grandpa's buddies... Isaiah and Anna

We ate dinner at a restaurant that overlooks the Niger River with the Childs families!

Savoring every moment together...

I loved having my Dad in Niger!

Thanks for coming, Dad!

And thank you to everyone who sent him!

I couldn't resist taking a few shots of the sunrise on our trip back to Maradi, after dropping Dad off at the airport.

"The path of righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter until the full light of day."

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Proverbs 4:18 (NIV)

May Your righteousness continue to shine forth, Lord, in the land of Niger, brighter and brighter, until there is no darkness to be found!

I can't even find words to describe how special this 1st Christmas in Niger was. It was truly a gift from God. Thank you to everyone who prayed for us, sent packages, supported my Dad, blessed us financially, and went the extra mile to make this such a special Christmas!

We love you!

Happy New Year from Niger!

Let's continue with our hand to the plow, sowing in 2011, and looking to the Lord to bring increase!

Christmas in Niger - Part 1

We had a wonderful 1st Christmas in Niger!

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The Preparations!
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The kids and I had fun making Christmas cookies which is no small task in Niger! We brought many of the ingredients with us, especially the colored sugars, cookie decorations, spices, and flavorings. All flour has to be sifted - and not to make it light and fluffy, mind you! It's a necessity to make sure there aren't any little unfriendlies in it! The powdered sugar for the frosting was homemade, and we substituted for things we couldn't find here.

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Gingerbread Men!

Mommy's little helper...

...who probably ate more dough than cookies! :)

Check out this look of longing...

Now let's do something about it!

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Frosted Sugar Cookies!

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And they tasted every bit as good as they looked!

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Jonathan's Birthday - December 18th

Jonathan's birthday was a very special day. We began the morning by going as a family, together with Rebecca and Amy, to visit little Jonathan's grave. The peace that surrounded us there was incredible and healing (see Grieving with Joy). I will be sharing more on how Rebecca and Amy are doing in an upcoming blog. Here is a picture of Jonathan with the apple pie that I made for him. We were able to Skype with his family in Maine, making the day extra special!

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Decking the Halls!

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Upon arriving in Niger, we were the blessed recipients of a beautiful artificial Christmas tree! We were delighted beyond measure to be able to have one. That, along with some decorations that I brought from home, and some others that were given to me here, made for quite a cozy, lovely Christmasy atmosphere. We loved it! It was fun for us to be able to look at these pictures and realize how far our home has come since we moved here! We have painted, cleaned, and renovated much of it since first moving in, and the difference is quite dramatic!

Our tree has artificial snow on it. With its colored lights, it's a beautiful sight to behold, especially at night. All the Nigeriens loved it, too!

Our living room! I just had the couch cusions recovered, and I am working on sewing new curtains for all of the windows. This was my favorite Christmas room!

This is a traditional African broom that I hung on my wall and spruced up with festive touches!

Our nativity set is our most prominent Christmas decoration every year!

It has been a privilege for us to celebrate this Christmas in Niger. On a daily basis, our appreciation, love, and gratitude for Jesus' coming, His death on the cross, His resurrection, and the free gift of salvation that He gives continues to grow!

On to Niamey!

We left for Niamey 2 days before Christmas. Niamey is an 8-hour drive from Maradi. We were looking forward to an awesome Christmas gift - my dad, Pastor Bob Burket, arriving in Niger on Christmas afternoon! Wahoo!

The children do exceptionally well traveling for such long distances! We are so thankful! I suppose it does help to have exciting things to watch the whole way - camel herds, long-horned cattle, goats, sheep, shepherd boys, families caravaning on their camels, and huge trucks piled twice their height with grain, furniture, animals, and people! One never knows what sights might go flying by on the Nigerien roads!
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Christmas Eve!

We had a delightful treat on Chrismtas Eve! Pastor Neal and Danette Childs took us to one of their favorite places located just outside of Niamey - a beautiful sand dune. We spent the evening enjoying the view, enjoying one another's company, and waiting for the sun to set. The setting of the sun was breathtaking!

Our little Anna...

She's off to change the world!

Isaiah...

...ready to play football on the dunes!

The Bowden Clan!

Daddy-Daughter time...

Anna loved sliding down the dune on her belly. It was absolutely adorable! The only catch was that Mommy or Daddy had to carry her back up to the top again, as it was too steep for her to climb herself. Talk about a work-out!

Isaiah and Tobi

Our Landcruser drove up the sand dune beautifully! It would be an impossible feat for most vehicles. We are so thankful for this Landcruiser!

Sunsets never cease to take my breath away.

I love the Lord's sense of beauty!

What a beautiful way to spend Christmas Eve!

Christmas Day!
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We spent a very special Christmas Day with the Childs families! Thank you Pastor Neal, Danette, Tanika, Tobi, Pastor Ron, and Jerry! Here we are sharing Christmas dinner together!

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One of my dad's flights was canceled at the last minute, leaving him stranded in Togo for an extra day. Words can't describe how happy we all were to be together again when we finally picked him up the next morning!

Welcome to Niger, Dad!

Praise God! Safe in Niger after a long trip!

Happy reunion!

These are just a few quick glimpses of our 1st Christmas in Niger! There is so much more to write! I want to share about my dad's incredible trip, as well as give an update on how Rebecca and Amy are doing.

Before I close, I want to thank each one of you who have blessed us this Christmas by calling, emailing, sending packages, and blessing us finacially! Our cup overflows, as do our hearts. Your thoughtfulness has meant the world to us! Thank you!

Thank you especially to our dear church family from Lawrenceville Baptist Church for sending Dad (Pastor Bob), along with the 3 suitcases of supplies for us! Wow! We are speechless and overwhelmed by your love and generousity! Words can't express how we feel! Thank you!

Please stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon!

Grieving with Joy

Today I am grieving with my friend, Rebecca. Grieving, yet rejoicing. Grief with joy! What a strange combination... One that I believe is only possible in the Kingdom of God.

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Rebecca has become very dear to our family. She is Vie Abondante's interpreter here in Maradi, and she also leads worship in the Maradi church. She and her two children, Jonathan and Amy, have been living with us for the past 2 months. Jonathan, 7, and Amy, 4, have become like our own in many ways. Rebecca was widowed about 3 years ago when her husband was killed in an automobile accident. The joy that shines through this amazing young woman leaves me speechless. In the face of tragedy, she looks to God as her source of strength and provision. I am humbled to call her friend.

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The night before last, we were all stunned when Rebecca's little Jonathan died suddenly. We are not sure of the cause, and we will never know for sure, as they don't have the technology here to research such things. Jonathan had been happy, healthy, busy, and boisterous in the weeks leading up to his death. We know that he suffered from sickle-cell anemia, but don't know if it had anything to do with his death.

Jonathan and Amy at our 2010 Camp Meeting in October

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Jonathan was one of the sweetest little boys I have ever met in my life. He loved to put others first. He was gentle, quiet, thoughtful, and helpful. He was a joy to be around! Jonathan could often be found patiently playing with Anna. He and Isaiah were good friends, too. My Jonathan was particularly fond of this special little boy, and as I mentioned before, had basically adopted him as his own. The three-some (My Jonathan, little Jonathan, and Isaiah) were inseparable whenever possible - running errands, going to church, and playing at the bi-weekly volleyball tournaments held at the church. Little Jonathan had never been in a "big" store before (keep the perspective in mind that big here means it has several aisles!). After being in one for the first time with my Jonathan and Isaiah, he could hardly stop talking about it for a week! He bragged to Amy about the toys he'd seen there, and about boxed-juice that Jonathan had treated the boys to.

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Jonathan wanted to be a pastor when he grew up. He loved his daddy, and missed him terribly. What joy we have to know that he has now been reunited with his father. Jonathan also loved Jesus. Again, we rejoice, knowing that he is with Him - safe, whole, full of joy, for eternity.

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In times such as these, I am so thankful for the peace of God that passes all understanding. The haven of peace that presided over us the night of Jonathan's death was incredible, even tangible. Christians throughout the nation of Niger and the world, upheld us in their prayer. In Niger, pastors, church members, family, and friends have come from all over to be with Rebecca in her time of mourning. There are moments that I stand back, watching in awe, as Rebecca smiles through her tears, and once again proclaims her faith and trust in Jesus. She told me, "I cannot question God. He knows all things, and He will preserve me."

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Please join us in praying for a continued covering of grace and strength in this difficult time, especially for Rebecca and Amy. We grieve, yet we rejoice. Little Jonathan is with Jesus, and for that we rejoice! But, oh, how we "that remain" will miss him, every moment of every day. When I think about him, I cannot help but see him, standing beside Jesus, grinning, his beautiful smile lighting his whole face, eyes glowing with joy. We'll see him again, of that we have no doubt. What incredible blessing follows those who put their trust in Jesus. We grieve with joy, we have hope in sadness, and we have peace that passes all human understanding in the midst of heart-wrenching circumstances.

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Even though I walk through valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil for You are with me...

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

~ Psalm 23:4,6 ~

Jonathan, Rebecca, and Amy - Sept 2010