In mid-February we welcomed a special team from my brother’s church where he is pastor which included my (Jonathan) mom and dad, niece and two other men from the church.  Back in July 2005 when we visited the church, we shared with them about our work here in Niger.  The folks were really excited about our little church’s building project, and soon after, began raising money and started talking about a mission’s trip to come out and help us put the roof on our church.  One and a half years later this became a reality.

 Russell, our oldest son had also come out a couple months earlier to be a part of this project.  Before the team arrived he was able to use his welding skills to build the roof trusses.   The five 7-meter (about 23 feet) trusses were then transported from our shop at the school to the church site by push cart (small flat bed pulled by 3 or 4 people).  Each day the team was ready to go by 7:30.  The work included lots of climbing up on scaffolding, holding beams in place so Russell and another welder could make their welds, moving the scaffolding around, passing up pieces of roofing tole and putting a base of laterite (red, clay-like dirt) on the floor of the church.  Our church folk here at Bangabana were right there to help the team throughout the week.  Even the ladies pitched right in with the "dirt-y" work. It was a big project, but after 6 full days we were finished.  The next morning, we had our church service under the new roof.  It was a wonderful time of celebration and thanksgiving to God for his blessings and faithfulness. 

Click here, Photo album, for more photos of our project.

Pray that our church here at Bangabana can keep the vision alive as we continue to work on our building and that I will have time to commit to this work along with my busy schedule at school. 

The first weekend in March, I was asked to be a chaperon for a community service outing with some Sahel students for the weekend.  Our main goal was to help and encourage a missionary family who works with the Songhai people.  We split into three groups, and my group was sent to Doumba, a nearby village where there is a small group of believers.  They have been meeting in the yard of one of their members, but would really like an actual church building.  They’ve been making mud blocks outside the village and our job was to help them transport the blocks to the church site.  We also helped them lay the first row of blocks for their new church.  that Sunday morning, we worshiped with them, praising God that He was helping them in their goal.

Though numbering less than 20 believers, and trying to build a church building, this little group is also reaching out to others with the Love of God.  They have been preaching in a village a few kilometers away, and have a number of people who are showing real interest.

Pray that the fellowship at Doumba would continue to grow, and that they would continue to be a Light to their families and friends.

We only have three months left of our term here. Pray that we will end well. Bonnie will have to get her class in order for the next teacher. I will have to close up things at the shop. Then there is the big job of packing up our house (which we have to do every furlough). We do struggle with organization so pray we can make good choices as what to do first, what to do second; what needs to be done now, what can wait, etc. Often we only get to the urgent things and not to the important stuff. This has included getting our newsletters out. For that we apologize.  We sincerely appreciate you all for allowing us to be here and do the work the Lord has called us to do.

We will be arriving in the US in mid-July, and after catching up with family, we will be settling in Toccoa, GA.  This new location will allow us to be about 3 hours from Russell, and provide Anthony with a break from the dorm at Toccoa Falls College.  We will be in touch as our schedule for the year solidifies.

Serving the Lord together for the people of Niger,

Jonathan and Bonnie Moore