An Hour Away

One of the moms here graciously offered to watch Eli and Hailey for me one morning last week so that I could take a few last pictures to document our time here. I have really enjoyed my new opportunity to stay home all day with our kids, but I have also learned that I am a better mom when I get some kid free time periodically. It has been hard to work that time in here, so it was refreshing to have an hour away from the kids with Marc (we are due for a few date nights when we get home!) and to see all that he has been doing here at Galmi Hospital. I had a great time as he took me around and introduced me to all the nurses, translators, and surgery techs that he has worked with since January.

A group of midwives and nurses

We peeked in on these newborns that were just born.

One of the midwives and her 6 month baby girl

Another group of nurses

Checking in on a few kids while we visited the peds ward

We stopped in to check on Dianna in the peds clinic...

And then our last stop was to the malnutrition unit, the CREN. This little boy is 4 years old and only weighs around 17 pounds. He is severely malnoursished. He has a blue plastic bag in his ear that the nurse told us would help with his otitis externa??? I think both of our kids weighed around 17 pounds at 6-8 months of age.

He was so weak he couldn't stand very well. I am left without words.

This mom was busy preparing food and her baby was really ready to get down. :)

These little twins were so cute.

Thank you Tara for watching the kids so I could spend this time with Marc. It was really special for me to see it all one last time and a wonderful way for us to remember Galmi Hospital after we leave. 

A few thoughts....

If any of you who have followed our journey over the past few months are curious about coming to Galmi or somewhere else in Niger to serve, please email us and we can give you more information about SIM Niger. There are people serving here in Niger in so many capacities: teachers, construction workers, electricians, farmers/agriculturists, pharmacists, nurses, doctors, occupational therapists, IT or administration people, and so on and so on. If you have a gift and a desire to use it for God's glory in this place then we would love to help assist you in that process. 

God does powerful things in our lives when we respond to Him and His calling... and it does not mean you have to get on a plane to travel across the world. :) Just ask God to show you what He is calling you to do wherever you are right now. Maybe He is asking you to intentionally read the bible for the first time, maybe He is asking you to take a widow or an orphan into your home, maybe He is asking you to mend a very broken relationship, maybe He is asking you to live off less and give away more, maybe He is asking you to repent and fall on your knees before him, or maybe He is asking you to come here and serve. I don't know what it is for you, but I really believe that when we are willing to respond, He will show us what it is He would have us do with our lives. The invitation to be a part of God's plan is there.... read Isaiah 55. Will you respond?