April 2008

April 16, 2008 Update

It's getting hot now!

We are well into the hot season, with average high temperatures since March in the triple digits.  I know some of you back home are struggling with a cool spring.  If we could help you out we would in a heartbeat!

I (Randy) will be going to Galmi this Friday, April 18th via SIMAIR, and returning by bus to Niamey on the 21st.   Jean, the young Nigerien man learning the computer systems will be going along as well.   Galmi is the location of Galmi Hospital, a SIM related hospital with a long history in Niger, and one of the better facilities in the country.  Galmi Hospital is one of the ministries in Niger that cries out for a technical support person to be stationed there.  There are 2 servers, 7 or 8 administrative computers there, a few more scattered about in different areas of the hospital, and many personal machines of the missionary staff.  In addition, a portion of that missionary staff is transient as doctors come and go as they can give of their time and expertise at Galmi.  Someone that would be able to help with day to day computer issues and have a vision of where computer technology could help in that setting, and be able to implement that vision would be a great addition to that team.

We hope to accomplish 4 main things. 

1. Upgrade the servers (SME Serverand IPCOP).   Put together an easy to understand data recovery plan in case of a server crash at the hospital that could be implemented by the hospital administration.
2. Discuss longer range plans for computer technology at the hospital so we have a better understanding about upgrade paths and long term needs.
3. Look for options as we transition away from sim.ne email addresses and to either sim.org addresses or galmi.org addresses.   What will work for Galmi?   What will need to be done for that transition period?
4. Familiarize Jean to how this system works as opposed to the system at the office.   While the IPCOP firewall / gateway will be familiar, the SME server based system is different than the system in Niamey.

We will also, Lord and time willing, be looking as other computer related issues that are being compiled by the people at Galmi in anticipation of our arrival.

If you would like to pray a verse for us please pray that we strive to be the embodiment of Luke 10:27.   And he answered, €œYou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. €   Also Matt 22:37, Deut 6:5, and Mark 12:31   May God be glorified by allowing us to show our love to Him and to others here.

Would you pray for the following?
1 - That the trip to and from Galmi would be safe and be a helpful learning experience for Jean.
2 - That as we look at problems that the Lord would provide us with the best answers and insight on how to repair those problems
3 - That Wanda and the boys are able to handle any issues that may come their way while Randy is gone.
4 - Pray for the staffing needs at Sahel Academy for next School year.   We still need at least one elementary teacher, and secondary English, Math, Science and French.
5 - That we would be a good witness to others, and an encouragement, that God may be glorified
6 - Praise that the boys are working hard at school.
7 - Help them to finish the last quarter strong, and with good attitudes.

There are a couple of other things that we would really like intercession for, that the Lord would provide resolution in some way.   They are logistical things, and things that we can function around, but they are distracting and patience stretching ... like really stretching!

1 - The A/C split we had purchased for the main part of the house 8 months ago is still not installed.   Some of the interior work has been started, but it has stalled at that point.   We praise the Lord that we do have a unit in one of the bedrooms!  
2 - The car that we purchased shortly after we arrived still is without plates, and useless until it has them.   We still are using the car we had last year, but it is in dire need of repair.  We had hoped by this time to be using the newer car, and have the original repaired, and allow to someone else to use it.

We appreciate your prayers for resolution of these items.