Hello to family and friends
We have officially been in Galmi for four weeks. Wow, time has flown by so fast. Before we left Canada for this journey we spent a lot of time studying the country. We can honestly say that Galmi is everything we thought it would be. It is a poor impoverished country full of amazing people. Amazing missionaries who have served and are serving in this country and amazing Nigeriens who work so hard day and night, every day, to survive.
Thank you for your faithful prayers. We certainly have felt covered and protected. Our lives are filled with firsts, including our first camel ride.
We are grateful to participate with an early Morning Prayer meeting on the compound daily at 6:45am. This Friday evening was our monthly missionary 4 hour prayer meeting.
Pray for an engineering team coming in from Canada and US to overlook the progress of the hospital reconstruction and consult for the plans for the next phase of the project. One member from Calgary is bringing us some equipment we realized we needed after our arrival here. Construction teams and individuals are always appreciated here.
Orest has a French tutor whom he works with several hours each week. Ali is a teacher and head master in the local public school. Orest has been working with the outgoing finance person daily for a smooth transition.
Grace now called “Alheri” in Hausa has begun informal language training. A lady called Mydoba has been arranged to work with her. Unfortunately, Mydoba’s grandson was involved in a motorcycle accident in town and has a severely fractured leg. As is the case in majority world hospitals, a family member needs to be the bedside nurse. Because Mydoba is retired and the boy’s parents work, Mydoba has been too occupied to be available. When a 15 year old boy drives a motorcycle with 4 passengers, the results were devastating. Sadly, one young man lost his life.
Pray for the many short term medical teams coming to do speciality procedures as well as physician relief. Pray that visas, transportation and details are all completed on a timely basis.
Continue to pray for our adjustment to Galmi life. Pray for Orest’s French language consolidation. Pray for Grace’s Hausa language learning. Pray for seamless transition into our roles.
As you are aware, we came during the Harmattan season. We are glad that the weather was cooler but we were not that thrilled with all of the dust. Clean the place up in the afternoon and you would not know it by the evening.
As we go about our daily routines of work and life we are continuously in contact with the people of Galmi. Despite the hardships of life in this area, and all of Niger, they have been an amazingly welcoming people. It is through these contacts and their use of Hausa or French that we realize how important the language acquisition is.
Not long ago the hospital had to deal with a major outbreak of malaria. This had a severe impact on children of the area. There was great sorrow for those who lost children. Children and family are very important for these people and their history. Please pray for the great many that lost family and have to deal with the sorrow. Pray that God will show His way into their hearts during these times.
Galmi hospital continues to go through the long process of redevelopment. The hospital has been here for 60 years and right now it is showing its age. There is a new surgical wing being built, but the whole hospital needs to be redone. We ask for prayer that people and resources would be made available for this to happen.
There are so many needs here. There are so many needs for additional workers. If you have skills as a doctor, nurse, construction manager, general construction, IT specialist, teacher, general helper then consider coming here to serve. Put Galmi in your regular prayers. Visit www.galmi.org.
“..and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”
-Isaiah 58:10-11
Blessing to you
Orest and Grace
SIM missionaries to Galmi, Niger, West Africa
Tomorrow’s weather forecast - 40 degrees, 9% humidity
Our mailing address:
Galmi Hospital
BP 44
Madaoua, Republique de Niger
West Africa
email: orest.pelech@sim.org or grace.pelech@sim.org
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