About midway through last September, I traveled to France and spent about three months in Massy, a Paris suburb. Les Cedres is a Christian language school that offers affordable housing for missionaries. Tuition is expensive, so I arranged a self-study program instead of enrolling in official classes. I also squeezed in a few sessions of reviewing notes for Zarma (a local language from Niger). Like all good French towns, Massy has a large park. From the school, the Parc Georges Brassens requires a five-minute walk that also includes crossing over the footbridge of a large highway. Though I did witness certain scenes of questionable behavior by dubious individuals, the park was generally pleasant and peaceful. It provided ample space for long, meandering conversations with God. There were ponds, trails… and domesticated beehives (I’m fairly certain domesticated bees also sting; they’re not that domesticated). Though my French certainly is not Parisien, I did feel my French brain becoming a bit more Frenchy.

During my stay, I discovered a foreign concept known as “gentle rain.” The weather in Paris turns rather wet in September and October, and such was the case when I was there. In Oklahoma, rain usually tumbles in Noahic sheets of doom, and every grandma in the South knows that walking outside in even a drizzle will cause you to catch your death of pneumonia. As I write this, I had trouble trying to find a noun for a gentle rainstorm. The best I could find is drizzle; most common English words for rain imply a heavy rain. Niger is similar. The climate is usually melt-your-face-off hot, but rainy season brings powerful storms. The local church where I attend is affected by flooding every year, and the pastor has frequently used a canoe to traverse his neighborhood. However, rain in much of Europe falls more gently so that life hardly pauses when the weather turns inclement. Indeed, I’ve been told by Europeans that if people stopped for rain, nothing would ever get done. Thus, one gloomy grey day, I decided to give it a try. I laced up my shoes and sauntered to the park in the middle of a storm. To my shock, I didn’t die of pneumonia, nor did I get struck by Noah’s ark. There were even local students walking around in the middle of the grassy lawn, ignoring the falling water, and diligently writing on paperwork that I assume was a science assignment.

In addition to language study, I listened to several online teaching sessions from multiple pastors regarding the book of Psalms. Toward the end of my time in France, I spent about two weeks visiting Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Budapest and Prague are pleasant European cities. Azerbaijan is an interesting former Soviet Union country. There are quite a few people living in India; the Taj Mahal is as beautiful as the pictures.

My visit to Jordan included a visit to an historical site with biblical connections. Petra is an ancient archeological city in Jordan. Most of Petra was built by the Nabateans in the third century BC. Second Corinthians 11:32 references Aretas, who ruled from Petra and was powerful enough to broker a political agreement with Rome. Before the Nabateans, the territory was inhabited by the Edomites, who were descendants of Esau, who was the brother Jacob. I hiked past the other tourists, climbed up a rock face, and perched myself in a crevice. It did occur to me that I’m not a seasoned climber, but fortunately, nothing catastrophic happened. I had brought my Bible along for this very reason. I opened to a passage that refers to the Edomites, 1 Kings 11. In ancient times, a common social practice dictated that kings would marry royal women from neighboring kingdoms. The hope was that local nations would be less likely to engage in war with one another if the nations were at least loosely connected along family bonds. Depending on one’s opinion, the practice seems to have often had the opposite effect, causing complications and engendering conflict. God had told the Israelites not to intermarry due to the rampant idol worship in the nearby nations. King Solomon didn’t obey. He married hundreds of noble women, and (just as God had warned) idol worship and sin found its way into Isreal through these foreign alliances. They sacrificed to their gods in God’s territory, Solomon turned from God, and God became angry. Solomon’s unfaithfulness caused the kingdom to begin to split. After Solomon’s death, there would be Israel in the north and Judah in the south. God raised up the king of Edom to punish the Israelites for their idolatry. Edom had previously suffered defeat at the hands of Israel, but then Edom allied itself with Egypt, a regional superpower. And so, Edom was ready for revenge. At least two spiritual lessons can be found here: the most dangerous sins are those that can be justified, and past conflicts have a way of returning when sin is indulged. However, outside of the spiritual lessons, it was cool to sit there in my little cave and imagine ancient Edom marching out against God’s Israelites.

Since my return, I have been teaching at the Bible school. Also, a little more than a year ago, my local pastor expressed his concerns with me that our congregation lacked Biblical knowledge, and he asked me to teach an adult Sunday school class. Adult Sunday school is rather rare here. We have been slowly working our way through Mark. We are about ready for Jesus’ crucifixion, in time for Easter.

Niger has stopped giving residency permits to American citizens, and I don’t know when (or if) that will change. They are not kicking anyone out, but if someone leaves without documentation, they wouldn’t be able to get back in. There are also several other factors, including the health of family members. And so, if leave in a few weeks, which I plan to do, my absence from Niger would be indefinite. I am still uncertain about the details. Please pray as I navigate this time.

A bridge in Budapest

Petra archeological site, Jordan

Belltower, 13th century church, bombed in World War 2, Massy

Budapest, Hungary

Petra, archeological site

Prague, Czech Republic

Petra, Jordan

Budapest at night

Christmas market, Budapest

Taj Mahal, India

Church in Budapest

Lunch with Pastor Boureima

Flame Towers; Baku, Azerbaijan

An eternal flame, Baku

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Here are links to a few videos.
[Depending on your computer settings, in order to view the video without leaving the post, you may need to hold the ‘ctrl’ button while clicking on the link.]

An organ playing at St Nicholas Church in Prague:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1deHm21MZYLfc8E1R5uFRABZPq6X1V7hl/view?usp=sharing

Hiking at Petra in Jordan:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zbgWY4uuykgiXkzo6ZlQHEqWD95GNPwD/view?usp=sharing

A message from Massy, France:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12ih8vGBiS1RGmbm9aQtkjNtUPLx5Ozio/view?usp=sharing

A message leaving Massy, France:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W8I5jZbIHfHCUnruywKi_Tvs4AcVoIxf/view?usp=sharing

I attended the Christmas service of the local church where I attend. When I sat down, a deacon leaned over and told me that I should preach “just a short sermon.” So, I walked upstairs to one of the Bible school rooms and wrote a Christmas sermon. This was my theme: God, the author of creation, wrote himself into or story.
Two songs from the Christmas evening service:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SwVIpSf3aKt-upSVLL-dombpTA2ItNm4/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/122-TIpwoQBhe5OTNz5cNxX_2ts7P-G1u/view?usp=sharing

Teaching pastoral students about the importance of Biblical honesty:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EHAT649xD-PBmsFzt5bK-nYrDCBiDKyo/view?usp=sharing

Well, the school year ended and then started again, as school years are prone to do. I took a role of substitute, covering for teachers who were traveling. During the first few weeks, I substituted for sophomore history, sophomore French, all high school English, sophomore Bible, 7th grade math, and 4th-and-5th grade French. Things are truly dire when I’m asked to teach French. Eventually, everybody returned, and I recently placed a bow on all of my teaching responsibilities. I have also been teaching Sunday school at my local church every week for the past several months.

On my last day of teaching, one of the pint-sized 5th graders asked (with squeaky voice): “Mr. Wyckoff, are you going to be our teacher next Monday, too?”
I responded (with firm teacher tone): “No.”
The squeaky voice retorted quietly: “Oh good.”
The feeling’s mutual, you ill-mannered diminutive munchkin. (I didn’t say that out loud).
I’ve come to find joy when students don’t like me.

Did you know that there is a long and fervent debate in the linguistic world regarding whether the appropriate idiomatic phrase is “hold your peace” or “hold your piece“? It’s true. Google it. The opinions are legion and heated, with many related rabbit trail arguments. Peace seems to make the most sense, but apparently, both versions exist. Ambiguity arises because the word piece takes on the allegorical connotation of “an opinion.” To hold one’s peace and to hold one’s opinions may seem to be synonymous, but… oh no. Internet denizens are adamant that being at peace and remaining silent are two different things, because an individual can be silent while also being decidedly un-at-peace. Further, piece can be a noun or a verb. I suppose that peace can also be a noun or verb. So, the pieces of thought that float around in the human brain can cause one’s peace to go to pieces; then the thinker must pick up the pieces and piece the pieces of peace peacefully back together again, ala Humpty Dumpty. Which brings up a tangential but important question: Did Humpty accidentally fall, or did someone push him? I’ve always thought that someone pushed him (because that’s what someones do), but apparently the poem doesn’t specify. I’m glad we solved those problems; someone had to do it.

I am currently in Niger but am preparing to travel to France on September 18 and will be there until December 12. I will be staying in a suburb of Paris that is quite close to France’s second largest airport. I plan to study French as well as Zarma. I will also be peacefully piecing. I am considering visiting multiple missionary friends who live nearby, including friends who live a few countries away (inter-European flights from Paris can be very affordable).

Our church is studying the Gospel of Mark. Chapter 9 [NIV, 2011] contains an insightful story:
          Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
          “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if
           you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
          “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 
          Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 
There is an interesting nuance in the setup to this moment. This is the story of the boy whom the disciples couldn’t help; but Peter, James, and John had been away with Jesus. Those three disciples probably felt “innocent” and very could have pridefully asserted that they would have made a difference. I wonder if this incident caused division within the disciples. From other stories, we know that James and John harbored desires of gaining special prestige and authority. In any case, the real meat of this encounter focuses on the dad. The boy’s father is symbolic of the everyday human. Jesus asks him a direct question, and the man speaks out of impossible circumstances. Given the heavily animistic context of northern Israel, it is entirely likely that this family had been engaged in spiritistic practices, what might be called voodoo today. The man is awash in tragedy that is the fruit of the sinful, fallen world in which he lives. He embodies the simultaneous contradiction of having no hope while hoping that Jesus can help. When pressed by Jesus, he blurts out what he knows Jesus wants to hear (“I do believe”), but then he immediately follows with an honest confession (“Help me overcome my unbelief”). Because humans live in a sinful world, belief walks arm in arm with unbelief. Christ will never turn away an open heart as Christians are holy while becoming holy.

Here are links to a few videos.
[Depending on your computer settings, in order to view the video without leaving the post, you may need to hold the ‘ctrl’ button while clicking on the link.]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17DXV-vdSJEWFo_LedaS7kCujzWO1C3UL/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xrwi3e4GBcs4VpKOd9jHekQ1dVoYQUNL/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1n5lLKgfNASTPKlNWS-2TQL_bHgMoTutV/view?usp=sharing

Here some pictures. The top banner picture is of a middle school fun day from the end of last school year.

Students and faculty at Bible school graduation

Bible school students at graduation

This young man greeted me. I did not recognize him. He was a resident at the orphanage that I visited frequently during my second term. He remembered the boxes of fruit that I brought.

The man on the right is a Bible school student. He was in my evangelism class where we discussed patience in disciple-making. He had a problem with a thief. He chose to target the thief for patient evangelism. The former thief and current Christian is the man in blue.

Recent rains flooded the house of my pastor.

A water-damaged Bible

During the flood, this fish was caught from the doorway of our church, which is not particularly near the river.

 

Nancy, my short friend, retired from missions after roughly thirty years in Africa.

A sermon illustration of the weeds strangling the crops.

I substituted for sophomore twentieth century history. We started with the roots of World War 1.

Replicating the opening of World War 1.

The year 2024 is upon us. The joy of the Christmas season is in the rearview mirror, and the hopes of the future are kindled. This will be my habitual devotional-like update. I have also attached a few videos from Niger. Thank you so much for your thoughts and support. I pray that the new year brings you spiritual blessings.

In the minds of many Christians, the timeline of Jesus’ life skips from his birth to the opening days of his recorded ministry. But of course, Jesus was about 30 when he stepped into the public light, and many events took place after the advent of the Christmas story. Luke does give a glimpse of Jesus at the age of 12 in the Temple, but that’s it – just a glimpse. The majority of Jesus’ life is essentially dark. However, the Bible presents one anecdote of Jesus’ early childhood, when he was two years old, but many readers miss it because it has been dissolved into the overarching account of Jesus’ birth. The biblical details of that story, the story of the wise men, collide with modern Christian traditions.

For as long as the stories of Jesus have existed, Christianity has collectively made certain general assumptions about a wide range of topics, and these assumptions aren’t always based on sound biblical inspection. An interesting aspect of ancient cultures around the world is that marking the day of a person’s birth was a rare undertaking, reserved for royalty or members of high society. Marking a birthday is also closely linked to the development and implementation of a calendar system. Many people in Niger, born in villages without sufficient record-keeping systems, don’t know the exact date of their birth. And so, for various reasons, celebrating a birthday is a relatively modern Western concept. As such, religions have historically not widely celebrated the birthdays of their founders. Therefore, it should be no surprise that the first Christmas celebration occurred in Rome roughly three hundred years after his birth. As I sit here and write this, I’m not exactly sure where I was going with this line of cogitation, but since I wrote it, I don’t want to erase it.

Oh yes, cultural Christianity often makes general assumptions about various topics. When church leaders eventually decided to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, quite a river of time had passed under the proverbial bridge since the event itself. As Christmas gathered a growing level of veneration, Christians felt the need to fill in perceived narrative gaps with a multitude of conjectures. For example, there was almost certainly no inn involved. The King James Version makes an unfortunate translational miscue; the line should read that there was no room in the guestroom. Since Bethlehem was the legal family town of Joseph, he and his wife almost definitely stayed with relatives. As a cultural note, most African Christians find it unfathomable to suggest that Joseph and pregnant Mary might have been forced to stay in a hotel. Furthermore, in that era, hotels and inns were in their earliest stages of development and were not particularly wholesome establishments. Another example of conjecture is the idea that Mary and Joseph were unnerved by their situation, being relegated to a dishonorable stable area. However, being from the lower economic level, Mary and Joseph probably weren’t bothered by the agrarian setting of Jesus’ birth. Indeed, the vast majority of humans at the time were intimately engaged in some aspect of agriculture. Another assumption is that there were three wise men. There were three gifts but not necessarily only three men.

Now, let’s continue with the observation that the first stage of Jesus’ life after his birth contains a collision with modern Christian tradition. The aforementioned smart men did not visit Jesus until he was about two years old. So, in all of those nativity scenes, the gift-bearers need to be placed about three feet away from the manger. I jest. Anyway, this biblical observation is not significantly brilliant, and it has been rather broadly discussed in the past few years. Matthew 2:16, in which Herod orders the execution of two-year-old boys, is not a new addition to the Bible. Also, Luke uses the word baby while Matthew uses the word child, and this distinction is rooted in Greek. Thus, the star kept hanging in the sky, and the astronomers from the East kept following it for at least two years. Mary and Joseph may or may not have moved out of the shelter area for animals, but they did stay in Bethlehem the entirety of that time. This information has always been available to any careful reader of the Bible, so it is a mystery how those numberless wise guys found themselves rubbing shoulders with the shepherds. We should take pause to remember that careful Bible observation is always infinitely important.

Lost in the traditional telling is the perseverance of the men from the East. They traveled for two years. They didn’t ride trains and stopover in every little village. They didn’t study the patterns of the star for two years and then hop on an airplane. They didn’t each drive their own air-conditioned Corollas and were simply lost on rural roads for twenty-four months. Their journey consisted of donkeys, camels, carts, and maybe the occasional horse (the Ferrari of the ancient world). It was blazing hot in the summer and frigid in the winter. I wonder if they ever discussed giving up and turning around. These are not Jewish men; they are not particularly invested in Yahweh worship.

The wise men felt compelled by a new spiritual awakening. They were emotionally and intellectually hungry, and they were searching for something majestic in the night sky. When they found the star, they faithfully followed it for as long as it took. May we follow such an example of longsuffering for this new year and for the rest of our lives.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CG1_LL0tWfOSbfWGyjPbDeuXiq9oRZ5S/view?usp=sharing
A French news broadcast concerning the Christmas celebration among Niger’s Christians

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BQjQYan9CNHCdGNlZ4wI07WgSF9L_bJI/view?usp=sharing
Children dancing for Christmas

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hgXtqsFdX3fAXF2Zm-fKQByFLksIdjMK/view?usp=sharing
A boy reciting a Christmas memory verse

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1via39Gdc0XZvxVpiovmD-x7OHkhHYPoX/view?usp=sharing
Young men singing a song for Christmas

At the end of July, a high-ranking general staged a successful military takeover of Niger. The process was rather short-lived, a few days. However, the ramifications are long-lasting. Many other countries in the region were not pleased. Two other nearby countries, which have their own forcefully installed military leaders, were very supportive. During the first few weeks, radical threats flew back and forth from both sides. The disapproving countries threatened military intervention, and Niger’s council of generals dared them to do so. Though no fatalities occurred, the potential for catastrophe was quite high. Rallies were staged in support of the takeover, but the broader population seemed mostly ambivalent and would probably tolerate whatever basically decent government that happened to win the day. Aside from a few instances of minor property destruction, the transition to military rule has been generally smooth.

On the Sunday following the coup, I was scheduled to preach at the church where I regularly attend. I considered not going, but (as I said) the overall atmosphere was one of relative calm. Nevertheless, my levels of stress were certainly elevated. I had prepared a wonderful sermon based upon Numbers 6:24 – 26 (“The Lord bless you and keep you…”). The problem is that, the positive message of this passage notwithstanding, those verses are located in the context of Israel’s wars and wanderings. And so, for the sake of historical context, I had planned to discuss a few events that are rather violent. I woke up, ate a boiled egg, strapped myself into my two-door Rav4, suspiciously eye-balled every taxi driver that I passed, bounced along the dirt roads, arrived contentedly at church, entered the building, and sat down beside the pastor – a man who has been my friend for a long time. Midway through the singing portion of the service, Pastor Boureima leaned over and showed me a message on his phone. The text had been distributed to several people throughout the city. The message called on all good Nigerien citizens to burn the houses of Europeans and Americans. Pastor Boureima asked me if I had already seen the text. I answered that I had not; and then I asked, “Do you want me to preach now?” He said, “Oh, this group is basically harmless; there’s probably nothing to worry about.” I grabbed my Bible and withdrew to a nearby storage room for a few minutes. I preached on the Lord’s Prayer that morning. 

Here is a topic that you can keep in your prayers. Throughout the world and throughout time, humans are… sinful. A teenager with a complicated situation has been visiting our church. The biological family members of this young man are professing Christians, but they disowned him for a social reason that is in no way his fault. He found limited refuge with extended relatives who are Muslim, but they don’t fully accept him because his immediate family is Christian. He lives in a state of constant rejection and frustration. Despite his banishment at the hands of his Christian parents, he is somewhat interested in the Bible. The hope of Christ has been dimly but persistently glimmering through the clutter of human cruelty. I have invited him to meet with me and discuss the Bible. Pray that he will take me up on my offer.

Once again, thank you so much for your support. I continue to teach at a local Bible school and at an international English-speaking academy. Mikey is now an active-duty member of the Army. I am thankful for your prayers and thoughts.   

Here are two links to church music.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eBy8kbV42y1XNuPdRs5JkHgs5qcpqZqx/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yZSa8hxVDCbnyOMhs2yPm4u2UNRl1yqL/view?usp=sharing

 

 

I have successfully settled into life in Niamey. I left on April Fool’s Day; thankfully, the pilot didn’t fly us to LA instead of Charlotte. I was able to spend a few restful days in various European countries as I journeyed back to Niger.

I returned to Niger at a rather odd time, when the activities of both the international academy and the Bible school were winding down. Hot season was also in full swing. I proctored several tests at the academy, taught a two-week course at the Bible school, and spent much time taking showers. I also completed an editing project for Africa’s Hope, a wing of Assemblies of God World Missions. Other than that, life has been relatively slow without Mikey. Speaking of, Mikey successfully completed Army bootcamp and is currently in training to be a radio technician. As I said, hot season was at its face-melting peak when I arrived. Texas recently seems to have tried to mimic Niger’s 112 F ̊. Niger has currently cooled off to highs of about 100 ̊. I did not send the face-melt to Texas and/or Oklahoma.

On Easter, I attended a Latin Mass at one of the many historic churches in Krakow, Poland. I don’t recall which church specifically; people in Poland call Krakow the “city of churches.” I simply found a medieval cathedral and wandered in, and I happened to do my wandering right before a service was scheduled to start. It was a very interesting experience. Along with a small crowd, I was herded by a smiley, friendly monk to occupy the choir stalls that lined the walls near the podium. The stalls (a very good name for them) seemed to have been designed for discomfort. Nobody wants slumbering singers. Since French is a Latin language, I did catch a smattering of words, along with notable biblical names. At the conclusion, we were welcomed to take Communion. Catholic Communion involves quite a bit of communion, and I had no desire to sip from a communal goblet or have a tiny morsel of bread dabbed onto my tongue by a stranger (regardless of how smiley). So, out of respect (and out of ignorance of the system), I chose not to partake. However, Covid may have changed the ritual because they divvied out individual wafers and did not use a common cup. If I had realized that earlier, I might have made a different decision. In the end, I found watching others partake in Communion to be oddly peaceful.

The Muslim world recently celebrated a day that inevitably reminds me of Christian Easter. Eid al-Adha, known in Africa as Tabaski, celebrates the day when God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Ishmael. The older Jewish story presents Isaac as the son being saved, and of course it is the Jewish telling that Christians follow. Almost all other details in the story remain the same. The fact that Abraham lived in a cultural context that venerated human sacrifices probably played some role; but in any case, Abraham demonstrated his faith in God by preparing to offer his son as a sacrifice. However, God manifested his character and stopped Abraham, and then God provided a ram for the offering. The Muslim celebration involves slowly roasting a whole ram that has been placed an ex-shaped wooden brace. In much of the African world, the butchering and roasting takes place in front of homesteads and in the broad spaces of open streets (most of which are unpaved). Another name for the holiday is ” the day of mutton” (like “turkey day”). Holidays like these provide the common person with the rare opportunity to eat meat. A Christian who drives around Niamey during Tabaski will see dozens, maybe hundreds, of sacrificed rams stretched out on crossbeams. The similarity to Jesus is blatant.

The explicit visuals of the Muslim traditions are fully tethered to authentic life. The animal is split open in the yard, wooden poles are driven through the sinews, and hours pass as the meat is roasted. The men take care of the butchering process, and the women cook the organs and prepare the side dishes. Friends and family spend the day talking, eating, and praying. Every Easter, I am reminded of rams flayed open with beams driven through their bodies; and every Tabaski, I am reminded of Jesus flayed open on the cross with our sins on his shoulders.

I am continually honored by your prayers and financial donations as I endeavor to from some semblance of peaceful stability. Mikey and I returned to Oklahoma last June (2022). The months spent preparing Mikey for enlistment were not easy, and I appreciated your encouragement. Thank you so much for your support.

Video 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SLZVJDcZPbkhfcpqxCb1-vHlYh1IaWlK/view?usp=sharing
In this video, I drive past a group of people who are slaughtering and preparing rams for the Tabaski holiday. I try to be discreet, so much of the video is of the interior of my car. However, look to the left, and you will see rams stretched out on ex-shaped crosses and being roasted. Look to the right, and you will see a group of men on the ground butchering a ram.

Video 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TJkSs1b2HDqEqEz5NyWL_mZ6qaNCkjbD/view?usp=sharing
This video was taken from the stage at a Bible school graduation.

The pictures below were taken at the recent graduation for the Bible school where I teach.

The pictures below were taken during the recent Muslim festival called Tabaski.

The pictures below were taken on my voyage back to Niger.

The pictures below are of Mikey. He recently graduated from bootcamp.

I begin the voyage to return to Niger on April 1. Mikey and I arrived in Mustang at the end of last May. These past ten months have been quite eventful, and they have passed more quickly than a greased pig lashed to a bolt of lightning. That’s fast.

On February 27, Mikey shipped out to bootcamp in South Carolina. During the Army application process, Mikey took an entrance exam. The exam is intended to identify a recruit’s strengths; it’s not necessarily meant to be a pass-fail situation. But… Mikey failed it. So, I became Nazi school dad, and we studied multiple hours every day for the next four weeks (minus Sundays). On the day of Mikey’s retake, I went to the recruitment office to pick him up. The sergeant said, “Well, there’s good news and bad news.” I glanced at Mikey, and he wasn’t swelling with anger. The sergeant continued: “The good news is that he passed it, but the bad news is that he did so well that he needs to come back tomorrow morning for a verification process, and no one in this office has had experience with this, so we don’t exactly know what to tell you.” He had improved his score so dramatically that he was required to go back the next day and retake the exam. He did quite well on the second retake, and his enlistment became fast-tracked. And so, he has been at bootcamp for a few weeks now, and seems to be doing well. Mikey would appreciate your prayers for all aspects of his life.

I have included a few pictures of my family and a few pictures from a farming project in Niger. There are also two YouTube videos. The first is a video that was made in celebration of the ten-year anniversary of the local church in Niger with which I am closely associated. That church is led by Pastor Boureima. The second video shows the entirety of a church service in Oklahoma where I translated for Pastor Boureima. The second video is two hours long, so you can watch as much of it or as little of it as you want. If you have time, Boureima tells several testimonies that are rather incredible.

Well, blessings to you. Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

One of Niger’s national languages is Zarma. Like many languages in the world, Zarma has many multipurpose words. Fofo is one of those utilitarian words. It is not a new online acronym. It could be an abbreviated recipe for a Mediterranean fruitcake (figs, oranges, falafel, and olives), but sadly it is not. In Niger, fofo is typically used as a greeting, but it can also be a farewell, and in certain circumstances it could be employed to communicate regret. Further, it is commonly used to express thankfulness. No other time in my life has more greatly embodied the range of those emotions. So, I’d like to say, “Fofo.”

During this time of celebration and giving thanks, I am reminded of so many people whose prayers and financial donations have enabled me to maintain the life that I live. Faithful supporters and a judicious budget mean that raising and managing my missionary account is not a fulltime job. As a result, I have been able to focus on other priorities, while also establishing new contacts and connecting with my existing network of allies.

Well, time is a relentless master. Apparently, this is only my second update this year, after one that I sent in April. So, this one will be… a bit longer. We arrived in Oklahoma toward the end of May, and it feels like yesterday. On our journey, we spent (intentionally) two days in New York City. We waved at the Statue of Liberty, saw the Bull of Wall Street, took pictures of the Empire State Building, and walked about five miles along Rockaway Beach. Our stay in the Big Apple also included a volatile encounter with inebriated persons, but we survived.          

Certain events altered our original plans, and we have been in Oklahoma since our arrival. A few months ago, Mikey passed the GED test. He is currently working part-time at KFC and plans to join the army in January. I will remain in Mustang until he completes boot camp and then receives a permanent track. Much of my time has been spent trying to prepare him for this next chapter in this life. My goal is to return to Niger in April or May, though I have not yet begun the process of purchasing plane tickets. I may do some traveling, but I am also pondering trying to be back in Niamey to help with end-of-the-academic-year duties. I would appreciate your prayers as I schedule my return.

I work closely with a Nigerien pastor named Boureima. He visited this summer, and I translated for him at a handful of churches. Three of these churches were new connections for me, and they represent future potential. The Bridge Mustang chose a Christian agricultural school in Niger to be the recipient of funds raised during VBS, and Pastor Boureima was very grateful.   

***

A few years ago, I wrote a Christmas sermon that I have preached multiple times in both French and English. It’s sort of an odd message for Christmas. But who wants to do things the way everyone else does them? Anyway, the message is founded on a Christmas passage, but it focuses on Elizabeth.

Luke 1:6 declares that Elizabeth was righteous in the sight of God. This judgement upon Elizabeth’s life came while she was barren, while she was dealing with the stigma of being the aging wife of an aging priest but having no children. Verse 25 indicates that Elizabeth had soaked in the ridicule from others. The disgrace that she felt didn’t come from God. Elizabeth declared, after she had conceived, that God had shown her favor, but she had received God’s favorable judgement long before. Her shame was fully terrestrial; God had appraised her life and found her righteous.

However, God had a plan, and it happened that God’s plan included a baby for Elizabeth, but her use in God’s plan didn’t raise her value. Perhaps, somewhere in the fateful events of those following moments and years, she discovered that she was valued even before becoming pregnant and that she would have been valued in God’s eyes had she remained barren the rest of her life. There were most likely several women in the radius of the first century Jewish world, judged righteous in God’s sight, who never gave birth. History will never know their names, but heaven does.

As the story unfolds, Elizabeth becomes a safe haven for Mary (Luke 1:39), who was also most definitely being accosted by societal shame. Elizabeth may have been the first person to fully believe Mary’s story of an angel visit and a virgin conception. Elizabeth and Mary were brave, faithful women whose lives would lead them into great heartbreak.

One of the things that the Christmas season should do is to make us reevaluate how we determine value. The world, and often most Christian institutions, judge value based upon tangible, visible assets. We often use the preposition through to describe difficult situations. But John the Baptist was beheaded, and Jesus was tortured and crucified. Sometimes, Christians die of disease and are victims of violent crime. Often, as Christians live in a sinful world, they must deal with daily difficulties that will only improve in eternity.

Elizabeth believed that she needed a baby to be valued in God’s sight, but her righteous way of life deemed her valuable to God, with or without a child. Earthly social constructs of success never, on their own, bring about God’s favor. Elizabeth’s community poured shame upon her. Christians today must guard themselves so as to be sources of life, instead of death.

***

Merry Christmas everyone! And Fofo!
There are no videos this time, but here are several pictures.
The top photo is taken at the Niamey airport. A few of Mikey’s friends were there to say farewell.

An older couple became Christian under the ministry of our pastor and then became one of the first missionaries supported by our church. They live and work in a remote town where they mingle with traditional spiritual leaders (called marabouts) and jihad extremists. Through donations of clothing and prayers for healing, two families have become curious about Christ.

In another town, not so remote, the missionary has reached families by establishing weekly children’s programs. The future vision for this village involves a clinic. The missionary is a young man who graduated from the Bible school where I teach.

Another missionary in a difficult area had seen success with outreach to kids whose families then requested home prayer visits. This missionary was injured in an accident. Further, extremists have forced this family to relocate to Niamey, the capital.

One of the missionaries trained at a Muslim religious school but then converted to Christ. He now runs children’s programs in a densely Islamic area.

This Easter, please keep our local missionaries in your prayers. Out of an abundance of caution, I have purposely not named the missionaries or their towns. God sees them.

***

Mikey and I will be returning to the US at the end of May. Our plans have altered, and we will be spending several months in Oklahoma. I hope to travel and connect with churches, friends, family, and supporters in such a way that has been restricted over the past two years due to Covid. Pray for us as we venture into transitions. I do plan to return to Niger in 2023.

Your prayers and financial support are deeply appreciated.

Blessings,
Jeremy

Here are some videos.

Young adult choir singing at mission’s convention:
ttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1k9npHC-4iSuRtcFyQ0VogFQ8tdWf9Iq/view?usp=sharing

Special church-wide choir in cultural attire singing at mission’s convention:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12m7HWDQvCw5ey_rW2TaHhjkU4cTc3D7V/view?usp=sharing

Normal church choir in cultural attire singing at mission’s convention:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WUgt2_quzrWPHeaQmumAQ5St8407fT1D/view?usp=sharing

Parade of children and youth wearing cultural attire:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DGw8BA0hL0nlITFt2rYtMAe25NGQREpd/view?usp=sharing

Women’s dance group:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tu9s9R-FSaE2o5UPilyfmHafi2pT3HG_/view?usp=sharing

Here are a few pictures.

Here is a video from our church. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_U5VyT_ZJlUxqX99m4Ea8ATjcvO5ps8E/view?usp=sharing

The next two videos show a traditional dance party. It took place near where we have a group of local friends who are artisans.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-cxDztJldBK9zUe820q8GN6HQjIe8XV4/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LLB03WWKkXx4BE6LcKBpyEQkFt-e_jr6/view?usp=sharing

I shot the next videos while driving to visit two elderly women. In the first, listen for a slight tap when I am passing one of the cars. The second clip is very short. It shows a fada group, which is a very Nigerien cultural occurrence where a group of friends (usually men) sit and talk. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PiaadXsKBehXXm8piVY3d78yaKbUg9X6/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KyvjkdwFJ2bJA9YxCNndk1MU-u3ZoqLZ/view?usp=sharing

This video is of the middle school choir concert of Sahel Academy, where I teach and where Mikey attends. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wjxxtxxoe3YBQrB2DK3R2488Jr8F22b2/view?usp=sharing

Here are three pictures.

For many people around the world, another school year is well underway. Sahel Academy, where I teach and where Mikey attends, follows the general American schedule. We started classes toward the middle of August.  

At the international school, I teach English Grammar and Composition, British/American Literature, and a high school Bible class. At the local Bible institute, I will be teaching Introduction to the New Testament, a two-week block course.

The pictures in the featured image are clay representations of the devil and Jesus. You can guess which is which. They were lovingly created by one of my classes (the juniors and seniors) at the international school.

I’d like to share with you an analysis of a passage of Scripture that was the focus of one of my classes.

Matthew 5
Jesus’ famous teachings in Matthew 5 could be summarized in this nutshell: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ … But I tell you: Love your enemies” (38, 44). Many scholars describe Jesus as replacing Moses in the role of God’s great law giver. Matthew 5 contains a portion of the Law.

Jesus quotes the Law of Moses regarding the concept of an eye for an eye. Modern readers think of payback, no matter how equal, to be rather antiquated. This is, after all, the very concept that has led to innumerable school-yard brawls and certainly more than one military battle.

However, at the moment of human history when Moses penned it, it was quite forward-thinking. Up to that point, much of earthly society was governed by the idea that the fear of brutal reprisal would cause people to treat each other with careful respect. Genesis 4:15 says that anyone who kills Cain “will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Of course, humans are not careful, and humans do accidently (or somewhat accidently) hurt each other. Under ancient ethics, the act of a clumsy farmer that inadvertently injured a neighbor could lead to tribal warfare. Moses enters the ethical conversation and begins a progression by declaring that retribution will be equal to given circumstances. No longer should a family pick up weapons in order to avenge broken ribs. Whoever broke the ribs will have their ribs broken, not their back.

Then Jesus arrives on earth and proceeds with the moral progression begun by Moses. In Matthew 5, he prescribes: “Pray for those who persecute you…. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (44, 48). Jesus commands forgiveness. In verses 40 to 42, he advises blessing enemies with clothing, unforced labor (the literal extra mile), and loans that look like grants. Jesus is not saying here that his followers should be destitute. But he is demanding a servant spirit. Jesus knew that, during moments of unnatural kindness, enemies and non-Christians would begin to wonder about the reason for such grace.

I often ponder an illustration that I heard in Bible college. [As a side note, it seems oddly relevant that the New Testament professor who presented this illustration is no longer a Christian, and spectacularly no longer a Christian.] The illustration draws contrasts between justice, forgiveness, and grace. Justice dictates that a person who punches another be punched in return. Forgiveness makes room for the offender and the victim to be reconciled. However, grace would see the victim walk into a kitchen and bake a cake for the offender.

Below are some simple videos.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q0AgKdCyMy2R2eK56219wJ8Oo4Gilp4z/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e7aFKfTJbuYKmdlGG_I3dixhtP1LWCQH/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rwaKx_zPaUq5Rfx5jKOzyyZ3MiY0lFnt/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1beF7sBAd54PTtzz-muY1VsxqRecuxAmb/view?usp=sharing