If there was no dorm

This is our fourth hot season. Hard to believe we only have one more year before our home assignment. One of the reasons for delaying our HA is that there was no one available to take our place. Andy and Nikki Gray are preparing to come to Niger to replace us for our year of HA. Right now they are trying to raise funds to make that happen. Tonight I asked the kids to say in a couple of sentences why the dorm is important to them. The Grays are hoping to use these quotes to help raise funds to get them out here. The kids were delighted to pray for the Grays and to contribute to their fund raising efforts. Here are some of their quotes:

My parents work hard all day. My dad is a project manager and my mom is a guesthouse manager in Benin. If there was no dorm, I would not be able to go to school here at Sahel. I would not want to put extra pressure on my parents by home schooling. Please support the Grays with their mission to become dorm parents. > Parents minister in Benin

The dorm allows me to attend school with people my own age. If there were no dorm parents, I would probably go insane. Without the dorm, my life would be pretty awful. > parents work at a mission Hospital.

If I couldn’t live in the dorm then how could my full time working parents, who work day and night saving lives spiritually and physically do their job? > parents work at a mission Hospital.

I am glad that we have a dorm because of my education. If there was no dorm, I would not be able to pursue my educational career. The type of education I get at Sahel is profitable for me Spiritually as well. Moreover, I can only be here if there is a dorm and dorm parents. In Benin we do not have any Christian English schools. If there was no dorm, I would not be able to go to Sahel because I would not have a place to stay. Thanks to this dorm, I can study, learn, experience different cultures and grow spiritually. I believe this will help me in the future. May God bless you abundantly for helping other kids grow. > his parents church plant in Benin.

If I can’t live in the dorm, I can’t live in Africa anymore. I would have to go back to South Korea (which can be good news and bad news) um… just… mercy please! > his parents church plant in Ghana.

If there was no dorm, my parents would have had to go back to Australia with us years ago. I would never have met many of my friends and I would never have experienced life at Sahel. > his parents work in Benin.

If there was no dorm, then I would not be going to Sahel Academy. The dorm provides a second home for out of city students, like me. It provides a way for me to interact with kids my own age at a great school. I am able to be a part of events and have experiences that I never would be able to without the dorm. If there was no dorm I would be in a small town in the middle of an African desert with no kids my own age. The dorm has been one of the best experiences of my life. > her parents minister in the interior of Niger.

I’m glad there is a dorm because with out it I would be living without kids my age and my parents work all the time at a hospital leaving me all alone. I don’t want my parents to stop working to help me with school, so please support the Grays. > > her parents work at a mission Hospital.

If there was no dorm, I would have never gone to a proper school. My parents work in Ghana, in a remote town called Tamale as church planters. Their work in the villages is often frustrating and hard, yet God has blessed and encouraged them with a dorm and a good school for their kids. ☺ I am very thankful for this blessing!!! Without the dorm it wouldn’t have been possible for me to go to college ☺> her parents church plant in Ghana.

I really appreciate the opportunity to live in a dorm because it is an experience that I feel, greatly prepares me for future life. Dorm parents help that happen. > his parents are translators in Benin.

For sometime (since I was twelve) the dorm has been my second home and family. It has also been the reason my parents have been able to stay on the mission field. We need dorm parents as much as we need a dorm. Thank you for your understanding. > Her parents minister in Benin.

We need the dorm because we can focus on schoolwork and here at the dorm we can make good friends. Its gonna be great!!! > his parents minister in Ghana.

The dorm is important because we can go to school while our parents are gone and that we can have more dorm brothers and sisters. > his parents church plant in Ghana.

I think the dorm is good because we get to be with our friends almost all year round. The food is good and it’s a big campus. > his parents church plant in Burkina Faso.

I’m glad there is a dorm because it allows me to go to an awesome school as well as make good friends. If there was no dorm, I would not be able to go to school but have to be home schooled out in the middle of nowhere- where my parents work and live. The dorm also helps me to grow spiritually as well, teaching me how to deal with people. > her parents work at a mission Hospital.


The dorm is very important to me ‘cause I don’t have much other options of school in Africa. > his parents minister in Ghana.

Without the dorm, the hospital where my parents work would have no pharmacist and would have to turn away dozens of patients because of lack of staffing. My brothers and I need dorm parents so our parents can bring the Gospel to the sick Thank you for your support! > her parents work at a mission hospital.

Dorm parents have an important ministry. Not only do they support missionaries by caring for their children, they also minister to this unique people group, MKs. > parents minister in Niger.

Easter Sunday

This year Easter came after our Spring break so we had all the dorm kids here in the dorm for Easter. We had to plan carefully to get everyone over to the Goudel School for the sunrise service as we can not get everyone (legally) in our two vans. Despite our careful planning one child got left behind... our seven year old, Mikaylah! Thankfully our neighbours brought her home and she didn't even realize she was overlooked!


For lunch we all went to the river property (our kids call it Mango Camp) for a picnic and a relaxing time under the canopy of mango trees.





Some of the kids went to the sand bar and even waded in the Niger River.





After that we decorated Easter eggs and had an easter egg hunt!










Later in the afternoon we went to the Winsor's house for the baptism of 8 children from our church.




Jonathan Wright, from our mission was the eighth child. It was an emotional, beautiful service. In all it was a fantastic day to remember HE IS RISEN!!