If penguins are cool ... how come I'm so hot?

From Ouaga to Niamey to Tera - Potratz Mission Update Feb 29, 2008

Good Morning Everyone!

None of the cities above are household names, especially in North America, but since our last update a couple of weeks ago, we have been to one, are in the second and will be going to the last one today.

The boy's Sahel team came back with a second place trophy from the Ouaga softball tournament.  It was the the first Social team trophy brought back to Sahel Academy from there since something like 1998!  The boys did very well, respectably holding down the infield.  Noah was 3rd base, Justin shortstop and Chris at 1st.  For a younger Sahel team they did well, only losing the deciding game to a mid-twenties something Japanese volunteers team.  Everyone had a great time.

One of the moments of "excitement" during the tournament is that one of the men on the Sahel competitive team pretty severely pulled something, and I volunteered to take him to the hospital (clinic) for evaluation.  There was some concern that he may have torn a previous surgery.  The clinic was a contrast in African medicine.  It was one of the only places in the city where a sonagram could be taken, but while it was quite modern looking, there were almost no patients!  In Africa, sometimes there is just not enough people with enough money to sustain such an institution.

Today, Chris, Justin and I leave for a service trip to Tera which is about an hour and a half to the west of Niamey.  About 20 kids from Sahel Academy will be building some "hangers" (small outbuildings) for a church there, conducting a kids program over the weekend, and other things.  I will be doing shuttle duty moving people and material between ministry locations and taking as many pics as possible.  Wanda and Noah will be home, so please keep them in your prayer in our absence.

Prayer Items:
1 - Thanks for the safety and the great time at the Ouaga tournament.
2 - Pray for the Sahel service team as they minister to the people of Tera.  Pray that the outreach builds bridges between Christians and the overwhelmingly Muslim population.
3 - Please pray for health for a couple of people suffering from cancer or suspected cancer.  One a colleague here that will be seeking evaluation and one for a supporter back home who is praying by faith for a miracle of God demonstrating His power in her body.
4 - Please pray for the SIMAIR guys as the new airplane sustained prop damage while in Mali.  Pray that repairs and parts can be done quickly.
5 - Pray for the building of relationships with nationals as we have opportunity.
6 - Please pray for continued prayer, communication and financial partnerships with you!