Sunday in Niamey

Sunday in Niamey, Niger is different and similar to Sundays in Lexington, Kentucky.
I did not feel that taking pictures was appropriate today so you will have to use your imagination from my descriptions.....

Differences

• starting time is 'flexible' depending on the camel & donkey traffic on the bridge
• women and men sit on opposite sides of the church
• kittens, chickens, lizards skitter about under our feet
• sang praise songs in French and Djarma led by my nurse manager friend from France
• no robes :) ( You all know how I feel about that...haha!)
• choir wore pretty matching purple shirts and black skirts
• visitors have to stand up and they are each prayed for as part of the welcome...I like that as I need all the prayers I can get!
• sermon was in French with a woman translating into Djarma....an elderly man in the congregation would help her out occasionally
• it was close to 50C plus......120F 
• no AC (we were spoiled as this church had ceiling fans!)
• no walls
• no decoration....only a lace cloth over the pulpit 
• no organ or piano....only a simple drum
• people were dressed simply and sat on white plastic deck chairs
• my pale face stood out but it was a fairly integrated congregation with local and expats
• people walked in the heat to worship
• after the service, we drank frozen beasap (hybiscus juice) from little plastic bags that we bought from one of the women in the church
• no liturgy but I would day the congregation worked hard to participate in worship
• there was an open time for people to share prayer requests and share what the Lord had taught them during the week or share a scripture that touched their hearts
• less than 100 people but great for a country that is 98% Moslem
• (after church we were asked to visit newborn twins...one born with severe  malformations of the arms and legs....praying that CURE can be of some help)

Similarities

•  Not a perfect church...blessed with joys and sorrows within the congregation and leadership
• the leadership has a vision for growth and development of the congregation
• God's Word was taught
• Pastor used sports illustrations (it's everywhere!)
• reverence for God
• joyful singing
• congregation gave their gifts to the Lord during the service as a bag (silver fabric) was passed
• passion to live the Christian life in the week to come
• God was worshiped and Jesus Christ was acknowledged as the only Savior 
• people love fellowship after the service, chatting for a long time and greeting one another warmly

Praise the LORD, all nations! Praise Him, all peoples! His love for us is strong and His faithfulness is eternal. Praise the LORD! Psalm 117

Wherever I am I love to worship the Lord who is the only true God and Savior! Jesus is LORD!