Our First Week Back!

We have just finished our first term as missionaries in Niger, and after being away for nearly 2 years, we are back in the States for several months! After 4 days of intensive traveling (including a 9-hour drive in our land cruiser across the desert of Niger, 24 hours of flights and layovers, then 5 hours driving through Pennsylvania), we were one happy family when we finally arrived at our destination in Lawrenceville, Pa.

Something to smile about! :)

Isaiah and Anna were awesome little travelers! But what’s not to love, when you get to experience so many new, wonderful things all in the span of several days. Some of the highlights of Isaiah and Anna’s trip were seeing airplanes everywhere, taking off and landing in “our big plane”, riding escalators and elevators, changing terminals via buses and trains, doors that open automatically and toilets that flush on their own when you’re finished. I mean, come on, this stuff is COOL!

Still pretty bright-eyed!

But not for long... now they're out cold.
Mommy and Daddy wished they could be, too!

Watching plane after plane take off in Paris...

Escalator rides - this was a HUGE hit!



Isaiah loved the train that transported us from one terminal to another.

The best part of the flight was what was waiting at the end of it – Grammi and Grandpa!

Our whole family is savoring rainy days, hot cocoa in front of the fire, grass, running hot water, American food, beautiful countryside, and best of all, time with family and friends.

Not only does she have hot cocoa - she has MARSHMELLOWS!

No caption necessary... I think this speaks for itself! :)

Thank you for the incredible support you have been to us during our first term!

You have blessed us in so many ways - by praying for us, supporting us financially, encouraging us, keeping in touch, and sending packages, just to name a few. Thank you! We are looking forward to seeing many of you while we are here in the States.

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I Will Never Get Used to This

Sometimes there are no words that can accurately describe life in Niger. Sometimes, the joy is so great it is incomprehensible. Sometimes, the grief is so deep it is unfathomable. There is one thing that I will never get used to.
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It is the death of children.
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We have experienced the death of at least 5 children just within this last year, and that is only counting the ones that we knew well, or whose families we were close to. We knew the stats before we came: 1 out of every 5 children in Niger dies before reaching age 5. . It's one thing to read a stat. It's another thing to grieve with a family who has just lost a child. It is difficult to find a family here in Niger who has not lost a child. I have one friend who has lost 3.
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Last month, we experienced this painful loss again, when one of our Bible School student's daughter died unexpectedly. Little Rebecca was just over a year old, and was one of the prettiest little Nigerien babies I have ever seen! We had an ominous feeling when we received a phone call saying that we needed to come quickly - that there was a problem. When Jonathan returned home to retrieve our shovel, my heart sank. No! .She was gone. Like most of the deaths that occur here in Niger, the real cause will never be known. Was it the anemia that one clinic diagnosed her with? Was it the "injection" that she was reported to have received just before she died? Or was it something else altogether? We'll never know.

Little Rebecca, a few months before her death, with her mommy.

Jonathan has personally helped bury 3 out of the 5 children that have died this year. Their little bodies are washed by hand, dressed in their very best outfit, lovingly wrapped in a sheet, then placed in a grave in the Christian cemetery. The cemetery is a beautiful place - so quiet and peaceful. Whenever I stand there, I am overwhelmed by how many little mounds there are - so many children.

Two little mounds, about 3 feet long, both marked with a small pile of leaves. Most families cannot afford to have a head marker placed over the grave of their loved one.

The strength with which the Nigerien believers carry on after the loss of a little one astounds me. They are broken, yes. But they choose to look to Jesus, received strength from Him, and carry on. I have been humbled and amazed as I watch Little Rebecca's mommy choose to return and finish Bible School. She is learning to read, and is now reading portions of the Bible aloud in class. Please pray for her and her husband as they continue to deal with the death of their daughter on a daily basis. We know Little Rebecca is with Jesus. We will see her again. That gives us hope and comfort. .But still we grieve.

I will never get used to the frequent death of children in Niger. I refuse to accept it as normal. I believe, by God's grace, we will see that "1 out of 5 die before the age of 5" .ratio change in Niger! This was not God's plan! It's not the way it was meant to be. Jesus said, "The thief comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. But I .have come that they might have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

Please pray with me that the Lord would break this cycle of childhood death in the nation of Niger.

God's desire for the children of Niger is that they would have life, and have it to the FULL!!!

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Coming Soon - Dan Niger!

We are excited to announce that we are having another baby!!! .Baby Bowden is due on May 1st, and we are one excited family! Babies are suddenly "all the rage" throughout the house. Isaiah and Anna are busy mothering monkeys, elephants, cats, and baby dolls. They frequently have "a baby in MY tummy, too!" They are very excited about their new baby brother/sister. Here they are "backing" their "babies" Nigerien-Style.

What a good big brother and big sister they'll be!

To all of my faithful followers, I sincerely apologize for allowing 3 whole months go by since I last blogged. To be honest, this last month has been incredibly difficult for us. I suffered severe morning sickness that kept me nearly bedridden. I was only able to get up to perform the most menial tasks. Jonathan has been super-daddy and super-husband! I don't know what I would have done without all of his extra help. He put so much time and effort in, on top of all of this regular teaching and ministry responsibilities. He is my hero!

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I am, at last, seeing the light at the end of this long, foggy tunnel of nausea! This last week, I have felt almost .normal (well, as normal as a pregnant woman can feel - ha!). I am beginning to be able to keep fluids and solids down consistently for the first time in 4 weeks.

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We are SO EXCITED about this new little Bowden! We can't wait to meet him/her! We will be completing our first term here in Niger, then returning to the States for a several-month furlough, and the delivery of the baby. Please pray for us all, especially for me and the baby, for safely, health, strength, and grace.

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Our Nigerien friends are all very excited about the new baby, too, and have already titled it, "Dan Niger", which means, Son of Niger. I'm sure they won't mind switching that to "Diyar Niger" if it turns out to be a little Daughter of Niger! .:) All in all, this child will be loved and welcomed by many, on both sides of the ocean. What a blessing. What a heritage. Our cup overflows!
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Rebecca's Wedding

This is the day that the Lord hath made,
let us rejoice and be glad in it!
~ Psalm 118:24 ~
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Rebecca's wedding day dawned bright and clear (a wonderful blessing considering we are entering the rainy season). There was much hustle and bustle in our compound as everyone prepared themselves, and the lovely bride, for the wedding! Here she is...
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Just beautiful...
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Rebecca and her Maid of Honor waited in the car at the church for almost an hour, while choirs sang and guests arrived. No one could see the bride before her grand entrance, but there are no foyers or extra rooms to wait in before the wedding. Most of the church buildings here in Niger consist of one large room - the sanctuary.
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Amy waited in the car with her Mommy in eager anticipation.
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Little Bulus (Paul in Hausa) is one of the pastor's sons. He is wearing an outfit made from the fabric Rebecca chose for the wedding. You'll see lots of people wearing this, including our family. Bulus is a lucky little guy to have found a balloon! It must have fallen from the ceiling of the church, where some were hanging. Bulus is just a few months younger than Anna.
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Preparing the way for the bride! This is one of my favorite parts of the Nigerien wedding ceremonies. The friends of the bride enter the church before she does, spraying perfume everywhere, and sometimes throwing confetti. Solomon refers to the "fragrance" of the Bride and her Bridegroom many times throughout the Song of Solomon. Every time I experience the entrance of the bride, with the fragrance of perfume being dispersed around her, I think of Jesus, the Bridegroom, and His Bride, the Church.
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...and here comes the bride!
(Her flowers were freshly picked from our yard.)
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Everyone was straining to see Rebecca as she entered - no small feat (especially when you only a few feet tall) in a crowd of 400-500 people.
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The whole wedding party, with Rebecca and her groom, Adamou, sitting together in the center. As you can see, Amy didn't last very long! She conked out about 5 minutes into the ceremony. At these wedding ceremonies, the wedding party sits for most of the time - a good idea, really, as the ceremony usually lasts about 3 hours, and temperatures are well above 100 degrees in the church.
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The church was packed out - with up to a dozen people looking in each window, and groups of 20-30 people sitting outside within hearing distance.
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With this ring...
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I, thee wed... (this was in Hausa)
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There was a reception following the ceremony. Here they are - the newlyweds!
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Getting ready to cut the cake (my labor-of-love).
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Here we go!
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Careful now! :)
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It was a wonderful day! We all came home exhausted, but happy, and thankful for the Lord's hand in this marriage. Thank you to everyone who has blessed Rebecca by standing with her in prayer over the last year. She is grateful for your love. We are so excited to see the Lord bless her as she begins this new, exciting season!
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Congratulations, Rebecca & Adamou!
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"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day."
~ Proverbs 4:18 ~
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We're Ready for a Wedding!

We are all gearing up for a big day tomorrow! My friend, Rebecca, is getting MARRIED!!! (See her story in Grieving with Joy, and Beauty for Ashes.) She has been engaged for about five months now to a very nice young man named Adamou. We are excited for Rebecca, Adamou, and Amy as they begin this new journey of becoming a family tomorrow.
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Rebecca and Amy - sorry, I don't have a picture of Adamou yet. Guess you'll have to wait for wedding pictures tomorrow! :)

So! My job was to make Rebecca's wedding cake. I couldn't make a cake without my little kitchen-helper, Anna! She ate more frosting than anything, but it was fun to have her company - well, I had her company until she realized Mommy wouldn't let her snitch anymore goodies!

Here we are - ready, set, go!
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My first wedding cake. I am no expert, but I had fun!
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The finished product!

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We weren't the only ones to have busy preparations all day. While I worked on my labor-of-love in my kitchen, a half-dozen ladies set up kitchen, Nigerien style, out in my back yard! They made hundreds and hundreds of tiny fried cakes. The cakes were yummy! I got to sample one.
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Frying the tiny cakes...
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Kneading dough, rolling, and cutting it into the small pieces to be fried.

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We all have matching outfits ready to go, fresh from the tailor's. Here in Niger, when there is a big celebration, a certain type of fabric is chosen for the occasion, and anyone who would like to can buy some and have an outfit made. Tomorrow, all four of us will show up for the wedding, along with dozens of Nigerien friends, wearing the fabric Rebecca has chosen for her wedding. Isaiah and Anna are soooo excited about wearing their new outfits! I'm not going to show you our outfits until tomorrow. Since the wedding will probably last at least 3 hours, then the reception will go on for quite some time as well, however, I'll be doing really well if I can post pictures by tomorrow. You'll see them soon, one way or another!
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We are excited to see the Lord blessing Rebecca. She has walked a long, difficult road over the past few years, but she has faithfully continued to trust in Jesus every step of the way.
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Tomorrow, if you think of us, please pray God's richest blessing on Rebecca, Adamou, and Amy!

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Happy Birthday, Dear Anna...

Our Anna turned 2 today! We are so thankful for this bundle of energetic delight!

Here she is! Enjoying a special straw and special juice at her birthday breakfast. She's also enjoying a new dress that came in the mail from her Grammie in Maine and a new headband from her Auntie Bri.

Isaiah has been counting down to Anna's birthday for months! He was so excited that you might have thought it was his special day.

Daddy made animal balloons for everyone!

How did Mommy pull off BBQ chicken-wing pizza for supper?!!

Happy Birthday to you! Homemade brownie cupcakes...

Need I say more?

Happy 2nd Birthday, Anna Delight!
You are a joy to us, and to every person whose life you touch!

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It's Mango Season!

We all must admit that there is one great thing that comes with the hot season - MANGOES! I had never eaten fresh mangoes before coming to Niger, and I must say that they are absolutely amazing! So sweet, juicy, and perfect, especially on a hot day. Our family spent a few days this last week preparing and freezing dozens of mangoes. The mango season is short, just a few weeks long, and we want to have them all throughout the year. We thought you'd enjoy a glimpse into our day. It made for a great family activity. Everyone got involved, everyone had fun, and we all ate way too many mangoes along the way! It was great!

Are we ready?!! Yes, we are. Daddy mans the washing station along with his two little helpers.

Everyone pitched in...

Beautiful mangoes...

Now we're coring the mangoes, cutting out the sweet fruit, then discarding the tough layer of skin and the large seed.

BUT no seed was thrown out before getting a final cleaning by our clean-up crew, Isaiah and Anna.

Mmmm-mmm-good! Oh, wait, that's Campbell's.
Well, this is Mmmm-mmm-good, too!

Working away...

Isaiah takes a turn at cutting out the fruit. He only gets a butterknife, though. I love how serious about his job he is right here!

Here's Mommy! Check out the ghetto dish-towel head tie. The days are not only hot now, they're muggy, too. It was SOOO hot in the kitchen that I couldn't even see because I was so sweating so much. The kitchen towel was a perfect fix for that! I've had some people comment on my apron. It's very special to me, because my mom made it for me before we came to Niger. In gorgeous, colorful display, the design depicts African women and children dancing in celebration as it begins to rain. Quite fitting, I think. We have received rain 3 times since my last blog, and we have danced in celebration every time.

Now I think it's time for a mango smoothie!!!

Oh, just wanted to let you know, we are saving some mangoes in the freezer just for guests who come visit us in Niger!

Come on over - we're ready!