High School Outreach Trip to Galmi 
This year, I helped lead a team of 7 high school students along with another adult.
We were invited by Galmi Hospital to re-paint the inside of outpatient building and also do some other odd jobs around the mission station. Galmi hospital is a small (120 bed) but very significant SIM missionary hospital about 7 ½ hours drive east of Niamey. People come from all over the region (even from neighbouring Nigeria) to get quality medical care.
The trip to Galmi went as planned but much of the way we had to dodge large potholes in the broken pavement AND several bright green chameleons that were crossing the road! I’m so glad that I didn’t have to drive; thank God for Mr. Potratz.
The area just outside of the town Dogondoutchi has some really unique geological features.
Galmi hospital and compound is a green oasis surrounded by scrubby Sahel (semi-desert), thanks to the foresight of missionaries years ago who planted many trees and gardens.
I particularly took a liking to this unusual plant that people call “desert Christmas cactus” since it seems to flower around December.
Mr. Borody (on the right) gave us a tour of the hospital. We’re standing on the foundation for the future Operating Room and wing.
On Friday, we did a bunch of odd and end jobs. The boys emptied the water from the pool and washed the walls. This proved to be an all day affair! They came across several obstacles along the way: the drain at the bottom of the pool was plugged and never was able to be cleared, the pool pump was unreliable and stopped working, and bailing the pool by buckets is harder than you think!
To top it off, they finished the afternoon by helping trim some branches that were covering the Galmi wall sign along the road. But we girls didn’t sympathize with their hardships because it looked like they were having WAY TOO MUCH FUN! 
The girls had a lighter workload, but with its own share of frustrations. We helped program 4 new American cash registers (we became experts at entering and re-entering codes in the machines!) and also help clean the dusty mailroom of the Galmi hospital office.
Mr. Potratz (SIM computer technician) and his oldest son had other responsibilities over the weekend. Their job was to help troubleshoot computer problems and install computer software in the office.
Just beware! Scorpions and cobras hide in rock piles and under front steps at Galmi. Cobras have been known to crawl into the school house if the screen door is not properly latched!
Friday night, we had the dirty job of sweeping the walls of the outpatient room (lots of dust collects everywhere in Niger) and washing off as much "grime" as possible.
We were ravenous and tired by 9:30pm, but still we managed to have a family dinner around the table (African peanut sauce “à la Christine”). The students also surprised me with a special birthday “cookie” and a little gift.
But it wasn’t easy making a straight line without any masking tape to guide our brushes!
Mission accomplished!
On the drive back to Niamey, we passed a lot of overloaded vehicles and people on the road.
People were travelling back to their home villages to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Tabaski (or Id al Ada) on Dec 8 and 9. 
Packed alongside the people and bags were sheep, calmly awaiting their fate the next day. This Muslim holiday of excessive feasting commemorates the sacrifice Abraham made in obedience to God. 
In one village, we passed several men carrying large legs of recently butchered beef on their head (most likely in preparation for all the feasting).
We came across this accident not long after it happened. Thank God this wasn’t us! Many accidents on the “highways” here occur due to speeding, carelessness, and unsafe passing practices.
December 4-7, 2008
Sahel Academy organizes several outreach trips a year for high school students to become involved in community service projects which share the love of Jesus with others. Last year, Tim and I helped chaperone one of the trips that went to Inates, a Tuareg community near the boarder to Mali. On that trip, we helped assemble 60 desks for the primary school in Inates, and we also had an opportunity to share The God Story movie in the Tuareg language (Tamajek).
Sahel Academy organizes several outreach trips a year for high school students to become involved in community service projects which share the love of Jesus with others. Last year, Tim and I helped chaperone one of the trips that went to Inates, a Tuareg community near the boarder to Mali. On that trip, we helped assemble 60 desks for the primary school in Inates, and we also had an opportunity to share The God Story movie in the Tuareg language (Tamajek).
This year, I helped lead a team of 7 high school students along with another adult.
We were invited by Galmi Hospital to re-paint the inside of outpatient building and also do some other odd jobs around the mission station. Galmi hospital is a small (120 bed) but very significant SIM missionary hospital about 7 ½ hours drive east of Niamey. People come from all over the region (even from neighbouring Nigeria) to get quality medical care. Galmi is also well-known in Niger for its tasty onions. I’ve even heard it said that the MAGGI company in Niger uses Galmi onions in their bouillon cubes!
The trip to Galmi went as planned but much of the way we had to dodge large potholes in the broken pavement AND several bright green chameleons that were crossing the road! I’m so glad that I didn’t have to drive; thank God for Mr. Potratz.
The area just outside of the town Dogondoutchi has some really unique geological features.Galmi hospital and compound is a green oasis surrounded by scrubby Sahel (semi-desert), thanks to the foresight of missionaries years ago who planted many trees and gardens.
I particularly took a liking to this unusual plant that people call “desert Christmas cactus” since it seems to flower around December.
Mr. Borody (on the right) gave us a tour of the hospital. We’re standing on the foundation for the future Operating Room and wing. On Friday, we did a bunch of odd and end jobs. The boys emptied the water from the pool and washed the walls. This proved to be an all day affair! They came across several obstacles along the way: the drain at the bottom of the pool was plugged and never was able to be cleared, the pool pump was unreliable and stopped working, and bailing the pool by buckets is harder than you think!
To top it off, they finished the afternoon by helping trim some branches that were covering the Galmi wall sign along the road. But we girls didn’t sympathize with their hardships because it looked like they were having WAY TOO MUCH FUN! 
The girls had a lighter workload, but with its own share of frustrations. We helped program 4 new American cash registers (we became experts at entering and re-entering codes in the machines!) and also help clean the dusty mailroom of the Galmi hospital office.
Mr. Potratz (SIM computer technician) and his oldest son had other responsibilities over the weekend. Their job was to help troubleshoot computer problems and install computer software in the office. The girls and I took a break that morning and visited the Galmi day school for the missionary kids. This year, there are only 3 kids (all from one family). Mrs. Borody is their very animated and “motherly” teacher. The kids were busy making Christmas decorations (icicles). It brought back special memories for one of the girls on our trip who had attended the school in her early elementary years. 
It also reminded me of the small mission school in Cameroun where I attended until the end of grade 4. 
It also reminded me of the small mission school in Cameroun where I attended until the end of grade 4. 
Just beware! Scorpions and cobras hide in rock piles and under front steps at Galmi. Cobras have been known to crawl into the school house if the screen door is not properly latched! Friday night, we had the dirty job of sweeping the walls of the outpatient room (lots of dust collects everywhere in Niger) and washing off as much "grime" as possible.
We were ravenous and tired by 9:30pm, but still we managed to have a family dinner around the table (African peanut sauce “à la Christine”). The students also surprised me with a special birthday “cookie” and a little gift.
Saturday morning came way too early! Especially for Susana and I! We woke up before 6am to join Yoko and Lawrence (the 2 ladies in the photo with me) on a walk up a hill overlooking Galmi for a time of prayer together.
Our first job was to paint the top half of the walls white. That took all morning!
Our first job was to paint the top half of the walls white. That took all morning!
But it wasn’t easy making a straight line without any masking tape to guide our brushes! Mission accomplished!
On the drive back to Niamey, we passed a lot of overloaded vehicles and people on the road.
People were travelling back to their home villages to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Tabaski (or Id al Ada) on Dec 8 and 9. 
Packed alongside the people and bags were sheep, calmly awaiting their fate the next day. This Muslim holiday of excessive feasting commemorates the sacrifice Abraham made in obedience to God. 
In one village, we passed several men carrying large legs of recently butchered beef on their head (most likely in preparation for all the feasting). 
We came across this accident not long after it happened. Thank God this wasn’t us! Many accidents on the “highways” here occur due to speeding, carelessness, and unsafe passing practices. Just around lunch time, our van hit a large pothole which dislodged some wires in the electrical wiring of the vehicle and gave us a short. We lost engine power and rolled to a stop in front of a large tree. (This was no coincidence. The countryside behind us and ahead of us had very few shade trees and none close to the road that could shelter a van-load of students! 
This was definitely a God-planned event!) So while Mr. Potratz and his son worked on the problem and got it fixed, the rest of us got lunch ready. We arrived safely back to Niamey covered with “battle” scars of white and blue paint.
This was definitely a God-planned event!) So while Mr. Potratz and his son worked on the problem and got it fixed, the rest of us got lunch ready. We arrived safely back to Niamey covered with “battle” scars of white and blue paint. NEEDS• The hospital is about 60 years old and is in need of constant repairs and renovations. A portion of the foundation for the OR wing was poured a couple of years ago, but since then it has sat unfinished. 
An elderly American builder was out helping for a few weeks, but so far there is no one who has come forward to help oversee completing the rest of the construction. Can you help? Do you know someone who is willing and able to help?
An elderly American builder was out helping for a few weeks, but so far there is no one who has come forward to help oversee completing the rest of the construction. Can you help? Do you know someone who is willing and able to help? Visit the amazing Galmi Hospital website! http://galmi.org/
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