November 2023 | Newsletter | from Aileen Chung

Field Day

The biggest event in November, when the sun finally gets a bit cooler, for our students is definitely Field Day. The name came from the event that Sahel Academy used to invite us to participate. It includes sports events such as 100m run, long jump, disc throwing, 400m run, etc. While the number of Grace students increased, Sahel’s number decreased so we’ve been doing this event independently for the last few years.

Dividing the girls into different teams itself takes me a few days — to make sure that each team has about an equal number of girls that are good in each of the activity events, the number of high/middle schoolers, new/old students, as well as separating the siblings and the ones from the same villages, etc. takes a lot of thinking alright, haha. But this is one of those events that brings the whole student body close with a lot of fun even though it’s much tiring work for the staff.  In the early morning at dawn, after praying together in our schoolyard, we start walking to the God-provided, natural, very wide sandy field about a 30-min walk from our school. It would be nice to have a whole day for this kind of event, but in Niger, even in the cool season, the day time temperatures are in the 80’s, and in the field where we go, there is absolutely no shade. We start early and try to finish the day by noon. Even though we bring many coolers filled with water, we always come back dead tired...but still smiling, haha

“God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number...'"‭‭<Genesis 1:28>

Reproduce and Multiply

Every time I learn of my students becoming teachers or missionaries it gives me immense joy!  My most recent one was Joel, one of the MKs from Sahel Academy who just came back to teach Biology this October!
I cannot wait to have Grâce graduates come back to teach!  I am really hoping that in a few years, the whole staff and administrators at GA will be replaced by the GA graduates!  I am very confident that they’ll be the best for future GA students!

Prayer Requests:

• As we are already coming close to the end of the first trimester that our students will be leaving for Christmas break before the next newsletter goes out, please pray for a safe trip for our students and teachers as they’ll be traveling some rough roads, some unsafe zones, and some long two-day bus trips

• That our village school classroom building project will advance smoothly.  The well in the schoolyard all of a sudden stopped pumping. Without the well, bricks cannot be fabricated. Please pray!

• For more help in our Admin team

• For the short mission teams coming in January and February that the Holy Spirit would prepare their way

• For God’s guiding hands on securing the piece of land needed to build the health vocational school and the boy’s boarding school

• For security and peace in Niger, that the military force will be able to lead the country to a democratic election soon

Praises:

•  How we could finish the first trimester safely despite all the uncertainties

• Donations given toward the village primary school classroom project 

• How my back is holding up

• We are grateful for all the new sponsors for our new students!