Questions

It always amazes me how 8 or so hours after riding on a plane I arrive in a world full of contrasts and opposites.  As the flight flew closer to Washington D.C last week I felt my body release the pressure and concerns of the last few months. It has been a welcome respite to be in the States with beautiful weather, good food, crisp air, healthy children, clean sidewalks, American English, safe roads.  The first day I was here I enjoyed it so much I was concerned that I wouldn't want to go back to Niger.

Appalachian Mountains, NC

St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral, San Francisco

This concern was amplified with the news of kidnappings of 5 NGO workers in Niger last week.  Due to political and religious instability of Niger's neighbors to the North, South, and East, Niger continues to find itself in a "security sandwich" as border security is quite fluid and looks like it will be for some time.  All of this has made me ponder a quote from E.B White, "I arise in the morning torn between a desire to save the world or savor the world.  This makes it hard to plan the day."

Nigerien Military

When I've told people familiar with Niger, that I've been working there for the last few months, the typical response is, "Oh Niger, that is...an interesting place."  And indeed it is for multiple reasons--political, religious, developmental, nutritional.  Recently Niger has been in the spotlight as it continues to make strides in child malnutrition at a time when the international aid community has increased its awareness of the importance of reducing childhood stunting as shown in this video.  During the American Public Health Association I attended a session on maternal and neonatal mortality and one of the speakers happened to highlight the trends in the large population growth potential in Niger.  He remarked that if business continues there as usual, it has the potential to undue years of global health work simply because the environment cannot support the projected population numbers.  He encouraged public health practitioners to not just go to the "safari countries",  but to the places where mother's and children's lives are most at risk.

Women at Guineobangou Health Center

This encouragement coupled with prayer and realization that I still have many unanswered questions about life in the desert.  Many questions that perhaps will never fully be answered, but at least have the potential of resolving by returning.

Answers to desert questions often depend upon what one brings in coming, how one my be accustomed to moving through anything.  Embracing desert and mountain spirituality requires assuming the hazards of a rugged land, remaining open to the threat it poses.  There may be no substitute for the instructive power of place. 

Belden Lane