Hello from a new house. Just one of the many changes that are happening all around us right now. Sorry that we’ve been out of touch. My mom likes to say, “Never underestimate the misery that is moving.” She uses a different word for misery. In truth, moving is hard work. Even harder, perhaps, in 100+ degree heat. This Saturday will mark 3 weeks for us in our new house and it is just beginning to feel like home. We’re building kitchen counters, installing AC units, changing the plumbing and some wiring for fans, washing machines, and other appliances. Making this house work for us is a large task. The more we are here, however, the more we start to see that this is going to be an really amazing place to live.
Bigger things than that, however, are changing in our world. Our friends and coworkers, the Teagues, have been transferred to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. They left Tuesday and will arrive tonight in their new home after a long drive across the region. We are so sad to see them go, but so excited for the work they are called to in their new home. Abidjan is a large and fancy city, in West African terms, with a beach close by and lots of shopping. We hope and pray that they enjoy life in this new place.
Back here in Niamey, we are preparing for more change on the horizon. Danika, our sweet friend and roommate, is helping with famine relief for 7 weeks near the village of Gaya 4 hours to the East/ Southeast of us. She is with Amy Williams, our friend from VA, who is a nutritionist. When Danika returns to Niamey, she will be living with another American friend who is in Niger working with Samaritan’s Purse. That will leave three empty bedrooms in our house for Amber and Ashley Teague and a friend from church who is coming to be our Nanny. Amber and Ashley will return in August to continue their studies at Sahel Academy. Our new Nanny will be helping us with our boys so that I can spend more time in ministry. (More about this later). So, as of the end of August, we will be a family of 8.
When we moved to Niger, Dave and I committed to serve the Teagues in any way we could. Now we chuckle as we welcome their daughters into our home. We could have never dreamed that we would minister to the Teague family in this way, but we love them and their daughters. We are so excited and happy that they will be with us this year.
I am posting a few pictures of our new house here, but will put more in a private album on fb. Thank you for praying for us through these changes. We have also been battling sickness these past few weeks. All three of the boys have had fever and Sam has had malaria. God has been so faithful to walk with us. We know that it is he who orders our steps.