The Sahelian

Dateline: June 5, 2008 - For the first time, Sahel’s graduation ceremony was held on the “green”, a beautiful patch of grass in the center of the campus which stands out from all the sand around it as a cool green oasis.  Especially unique this year: instead of ceremoniously marching down the aisle, the graduates arrived from across the campus on camels. This year’s graduating class consisted of three boys, all of whom have grown up in Africa since they were infants. Each one in some way commented that he was not at all saddened at what he had missed by not growing up in North America, but felt that he has been blessed by all that he has gained by growing up in Africa. Pray for these three graduates who are now saying good-bye to their home of the last 18 years.

The following 2008 Staff Commendation was written and delivered by secondary Science teacher Ray White.

“The seniors three are very unique individuals in that they have spent most of their lives in Africa. Matt was born in Sierra Leone, Adam was born in Tennessee and came to Africa at a very young age. Jonathan was born in Montreal, Quebec and came to Benin at age 3 months. Adam entered Sahel Academy in the 1^st grade, Matt in the 5^th, and Jonathan in the 12^th. I have had the privilege of teaching all 3; Matt and Adam chemistry and all 3 physics. I have seen them mature quite a bit during that time…

“All made significant contributions to class; most were good, but some were not so good. Matt and Adam had the most accidents during lab but were very good at helping others with math problems, even me. Adam added tremendously to the class atmosphere with his constant sarcasm and dry wit.

“At the end of the 2^nd semester of chemistry, I told the students that the exam would be open book and open note. That didn’t help Matt and Adam that much because they didn’t have any notes. When Jonathan joined the physics class, I gave him the option of choosing lab partners. He made a questionable choice when he selected Matt and Adam. When they turned in their lab reports, Matt and Adam’s met minimum requirements but Jonathan would submit a book. I don’t think that Matt and Adam ever allowed Jonathan to become a yak brother.

“All three contributed significantly to their softball team’s taking first place in the NUTS tournament. Adam was the leader of the Gray Goats who won the overall competition for field day. All three are interested in going into a math or physics related field.

“Now for some information about each one:

“Matt went through 3 evacuations, two of which were serious. The family lost everything. When Matt and his family were getting settled in Michigan when he was 5 years old, he asked his mother if they were going to stay until the rebels arrived. Matt likes most anything that deals with numbers. He likes computer strategy games. He is quickly becoming a fan of the Detroit Pistons and Red Wings. He looks forward to spending time with his older brother and sister back in Michigan. He has enjoyed going to the bush with his parents while here in Africa. He is a University of Michigan fan as is evidenced by the hat he wears most of the time. He despises red clothing. Last year when he was placed on the red intramural team, he had to go searching for a red shirt. Matt plans to go to a community college in Michigan and eventually end up at the University of Michigan where he plans to go into the math/physics field. I think he will end up being a statistician for the University of Michigan and also an entrepreneur for “M go Blue paraphernalia.

“Matt, I would like for you to take these verses with you. Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophesies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 1 Thes 5: 16-22.

“Jonathan likes tennis and softball, working on the computer as well as reading. He is very friendly. Normally, every morning he and I would arrive at school at about the same time and he would always greet me. He likes to organize events for people. He is very considerate of others. He worked with a church PA system in Montreal as well as the one here at school. He has worked on a yearbook committee and done public service to raise funds for an orphanage in Cotoneau. At times he has suffered with asthma and allergies.His favorite foods are pate rouge (a corn dish), spicy foods and pizza. He hates rawvegetables, onions, agouti (a field rat delicacy) and gombo.Jonathan plans to do a gap year in Montreal, get involved with a church youth group and then pursue a co-op program at either McGill or Concordia University. He would like to also attend Bible school for a year. He hopes to end up as a mechanical engineer. I think, because of his eloquence and language ability in both English and French, that he should become a speech writer for the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper.

“Jonathan, these verses are for you: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Col 3: 16-17.

“Adam has been at Sahel the longest. His first time to live in the dorm was in 1991. He likes cheese and meat but hates vegetables. He likes softball and football, most computer and video games, math, Tennessee Titans, cars, wrestling, dry humor, the color black, hooded sweat shirts, Harry Potter and Ted Dekker, and quips on T-shirts. He dislikes soccer, people who are oblivious, waking up (alarm clocks), the color yellow, manual labor, Idrissa’s fried rice, and Chantelle’s tea. Adam plans to go to technical school in Iowa to become a radiologist. If you want to glow in the dark, look up Adam in 3 to 4 years. I’ve encouraged him to become a physics teacher but he doesn’t think that he has the patience.

“Adam, take heed of these verses: But you, man of God, flee from all this (the love of money and possessions), and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I Timothy 6: 11-12.

“May the Lord richly bless all of you and keep you close to Him all the days of your life.”

The 9-10th graders are swamped with IGCSE exams. The Yearbook team is desperately trying to have the Yearbook printed before the year is over. The Drama class is getting ready for a last-minute mini-production at final assembly. In a word- it’s chaos!

In the midst of all the pressure from teachers, the tests, the final projects and the goodbyes, it’s nice to have a break. The “Water Extravaganza” youth activity and “Mission Impossible” were two events that gave the students a chance to relax and just have some fun. Organized by Pastor Dave, the youth activity included some fun water games like relays, water balloon volleyball and “basket bash”.

Mission Impossible took place on Friday the 16th of May. The winning team was the “blue” team, composed of the field day teams “Blue Wolves” and “Killer Bees” However; it was a very close game, decided by the turning in of one agent bracelet at the end of the game. Despite a few minor injuries, the evening was a success, enjoyed by all.

On the 26th of May, the Sahel Secondary students had their Swimming Carnival. The first events on the agenda were the races. The students were separated by gender and class level for races in the four competitive strokes. A number of the races were very close, such as the 7-8 girls breaststroke, which Jacqui Bunn won, when Melinda Morgan was penalized for using an overhand stroke to touch the edge before her friend did. Special mention goes to Esther Eiger for blitzing the 9-10 girls’ races! Her time for the backstroke was two seconds faster than the winning 9-10 guy. 

After the races, there was a relay between the four water polo teams, which was won by team C and a water polo competition. The water polo games, though tiring, were great fun. Everyone was glad to crawl out of the pool and enjoy a snack provided by Mrs. Wright when it was all over. Thank you very much to Mrs. Wright and all the other teachers and parents who helped with swimming in P.E. or with rides to the pool!

For those students, teachers (and parents) who are feeling that it’s time for the year to be over, be encouraged in the knowledge that it will be soon! And don’t give up; God has promised to be with you until the end. ~Rianna Bunn

I. Introduction

“Are we accomplishing our mission?” That is the question that the Sahel Academy board has been asking for the past several months. The role of the school board is to discern what direction the school needs to be moving in and then evaluate if we are actually going in that direction. We just completed a series of surveys and interviews with parents, students and staff to help with this work. What we found was most interesting.

II. Mission of the school

The Mission of Sahel Academy is to:

1. develop students through a holistic education
2. of the highest quality
3. while nurturing a Christ-like character
4. and a heart of service.

This guiding statement is very important. When we think of a school, we think first of academic excellence and we are striving for that at Sahel Academy. But we see our students as more than just “test passers” and “grade getters.” They are sons and daughters. They are brothers and sisters, friends and citizens. And most of all we desire to see our students become faithful disciples of Christ.

The education at Sahel Academy is designed to put all these pieces together. We want Sahel Academy to be a place where character and a servant attitude matter and are fostered.

III. Strengths of Sahel Academy

The following are the strengths of the school that were identified through the surveys and interviews.

1. Staff/Student Relations

“It is so friendly and family-like. Kids connect with teachers on a more personal level.” Comments like this were repeated over and over. This is a major strength of the school. Students feel cared for by the teachers and are at ease in approaching them in and out of the classroom.

We are so encouraged to discover this strength. We would have little chance of accomplishing our mission if this rapport with students were not in place.

2. Outreach Trips/ community service

We found that the students love getting out in the community and traveling to other parts of Niger in order to serve through the community service program and on outreach trips. This is the kind of thing that we were hoping to find as we looked for evidence that students were developing a heart of service. The community service requirement was seen as a positive aspect of school life and the outreach trips were a privilege.

3. Quality Education

Students at Sahel are above average compared with students in schools in the home countries. This was the conclusion of both students and parents. One parent said that her son found his first year at college to be no more challenging than his senior year at Sahel. Students are well prepared to go on to higher education. The IGCSE program is pushing students to realize their potential.

4. Assembly, Youth Group, Bible classes

“Through assemblies and simply fellowship, I have learned a lot spiritually from Sahel. Having other Christians around you, encourages you to explore the different aspects of God’s Word. Bible classes and youth events are good as well. The outreach program is a great way to live out who we are in Christ. Bible study is good too!”

Comments like these from students and their parents show that Sahel Academy is actively developing students spiritually as well as academically.

IV. Growth Areas

While the board was very pleased with the results of the board assessment, the study identified areas where the school still needed to grow. Mentioned was staff continuity and development, alternative educational choices, and more involvement with Niger. It is good to note that even while these areas for growth are being noted, administration has been working on possible solutions to these felt needs.

Conclusion

We give Sahel Academy high marks for making strides toward the mission of the school. We have also passed to the staff the challenge of addressing the areas where the school must still grow. Some of these issues will be addressed in the next school year. Some issues will be addressed through a longer range plan for the school.

We want to thank all who participated in the board evaluation. Your input was invaluable. We also want to thank our exceptional staff at Sahel Academy. It is their devotion to students and commitment to excellence that has made Sahel Academy the preferred educational option for many mission and non-mission families in West Africa. Well done!  ~Steve Schmidt, Chairman

Thank you to those of you who prayed for a Math teacher for the rest of the school year.  God once again has supplied beyond our expectations.  Sahel Academy has seen God do another miracle in bringing Mr. Ben Stam to us.  Mr. Stam has been teaching Math here at Sahel for one quarter now and has one quarter to go.  He has enjoyed his time here greatly and as I share about him and his impressions of life in Niger, I ask you again to be in prayer for the next Math teacher who is still unknown. God has us in the “waiting” mode as we wait again for who He has planned for next school year. 

Mr. Stam comes from Enid, Oklahoma, a town north of Oklahoma City, where he spent all of his growing-up years. He comes from a family with two sisters and one brother.  His dad is a Minister of Missions at his church Emanuel Baptist and headmaster at Emmanuel Christian School, and his mom is a nurse.  Growing up in a Christian home, it wasn’t until after 6^th grade at the Story Book Lodge, a camp in Minnesota, when he accepted Jesus as his Savior and made his faith his own. He was baptized by his dad later at a summer camp in Colorado.  All of his schooling was at Christian schools; after high school he headed off to Wheaton College in Wheaton Illinois.  Mr. Stam’s major is Math. He’s actually taking a break in his education to come help us out, but ultimately his desire is to go on to medical school to become a doctor.  His first choice would be to go into Intensive Neonatology. 

So, the question is: “How did Mr. Stam end up here?”  His dad came to Niger with a well drilling/medical team and came to visit Sahel Academy.  He heard about our need for a Math teacher and thought about his son Ben.  He suggested the idea which opened up the thoughts and wondering if it could possibly work.  Mr. Stam already was planning on a trip to Niger in January to help with a medical team from his church.  His tickets were bought and his shots taken care of; those were two of the things necessary on the long list of things to fall into place.  Amazingly, God worked out the details and sped up the whole application process, even supplying someone to take his place on the medical team.  It was only about 2 months between hearing about the job and arriving here in Niger!  We are SO thankful for his openness and that he was willing to listen to God’s call in spite of many unknowns. 

When asked about his impressions of life in Niger and work at Sahel, Mr. Stam gave some very flattering answers.  “The best thing about coming here is definitely the students”, he says.  “They have made it so easy to transition in here.” “They are encouraging, willing, open, not resistant at all, and take initiative for their learning”.  I asked him why someone should come take a job like this and his response was, “The whole experience has been life-changing as far as my worldview, and Christian perspective.”  He explained that all his life has been kind of like being stuck in a bubble and that it is hard to experience other things unless you go outside the bubble.  Here, he doesn’t understand the language, is far away from home, and in a completely different culture.  He’s had to figure a lot of things out for himself, has learned a lot and has gained some maturity.  The thing he misses the most are fully paved roads through the city.  It’s difficult dodging potholes and driving in sand on a motorcycle!  One thing that surprised him about living here is that you can buy good chocolate in the grocery store and the internet is much better than he expected.  One thing he’s enjoyed the most is the sense of “community” he’s felt since being here. People here seem to spend more time doing things together and are more open with each other.  It’s normal to drop in on people for a visit and it doesn’t feel uncomfortable.  There is more of a sense of “realness” among the people here. 

Mr. Stam is not just a math teacher, he has a variety of interests.  He enjoys music, backpacking, rock climbing, Frisbee, and going to the Opera.  We have all enjoyed getting to know him. We hate to say goodbye at the end of the year, but we are excited to see who the next answer to our prayers will be!  Thank you for praying for Mr. Stam and for the next Math teacher who is still unknown! ~Cathy Bliss

…where the grass is green, the beach is sandy and the climate is hot! The air is crisp, the weather cool and the whole community is going Hawaiian style!!  It is a beautiful day indeed as we are gathering just a couple of feet near the riverside to be a part of this great luau that Sahel Academy Student Council is hosting today.

It is 5:30 and we are all gathered here to feel - or imagine - a cool blue Hawaiian tropical breeze. Folks from all kinds of nationalities gather here today, all dressed in their own Hawaii style of clothes!! From Hawaiian shorts to complete outfits - you name it, this is one big stylish Luau!!! Even the staff are here being a part of this fun occasion to show us their good old Hawaiian grooves!!!

After chatting and conversing among ourselves, it is time to start the event!! Did you ever think aerobics and Pilates weren’t helpful - think again!! This time we are doing the LIMBO… Hawaiian style!! We all are going under a stick, flexing our backs and not bending our knees until we make contact fully with the ground! Its so great to see students and staff-young and OLD alike-test their back flexibility skills!! You can’t believe the different styles that people would even come up with to do this limbo! We are talking snake style, dance style and hip style-you name it!! Even tall people were smokin’ as they proved that they can do the limbo too!! What a great way to move your body!!

Next up, we all gather together in prayer before we feast on Hawaiian delicacies: pineapple, Hawaiian chicken, Hawaiian rice and Hawaiian salad. So much to choose from-even coffee and sodas on this cool/hot Hawaiian day!!

Later on, after  chowin’ down food and relaxing Hawaiian style- we are treated royally to a first hand experience of Hawaiian culture!! Mr. Sauers, the all mighty hula dancer, who went to college in Hawaii, is showing us the real way of doing the hula and is explaining some Hawaiian culture at the same time!! We all gather round to see the master at work in showing us how to position our feet, hands and hips. Boy, is Mr. Sauers awesome! ~Jonathan

It was a cool night, the crowd was growing, kids were laughing - this was going to be great! As the band started playing their music, I was swept into a world filled with the words, beat and meaning of the songs. I think we all have been in a state like that before: when your favorite song comes on, or you hear a song that has memories attached to it, or when you hear a song(s) that tell you about Jesus or move you closer to Him. You become so pulled into the song. It’s like the world isn’t how it is at that moment without that song playing in the background. Then suddenly when the music stops and the song is over…it feels awkward. You may still have a sense of joy or happiness, but without the music, it doesn’t mean as much. Somehow, it seems the words have changed.

I think at the concert, we were there to have a good time and enjoy that type of music, but I think God also used the band to get the real message of what “worship music” really is. Am I singing for the person beside me? Am I singing to feel good about myself? Am I singing for God? What do I really mean when I sing “When you lead me , Lord, I will follow; where you lead me, Lord, I will go?” When I sing that, I am saying that tomorrow, I would be willing to go to Afghanistan to do missions if God honestly called me there, right?

We need to worship Jesus, and we need to feel good about it, too. But we need to be aware of what’s coming out of our mouths and what we honestly want to accomplish by worshipping. ~Jessica

The Niamey English Worship Service on December 9^th, 2007 proved to be a fun time of worship led by the Sahel Academy Elementary Choir. They presented the musical, Hark! The Herald Angel. Lachlan Bunn played the lead role of Hark, and Rotimi Jones-Evans played the supporting lead role of Gabriel. All of the students were involved and had their own special role to play within the angel choir who had arrived for choir rehearsal in Heaven. They were asked to make an incredibly important announcement about the birth of Jesus Who came to save the undeserving people of earth. The music went well, the lines spoken clearly, and the power stayed on all night…until just after an announcement thanking our Big God for keeping the lights on all during the entire program! ~Kathie Golde

December is now here and with it the sad reality that our Math teacher, Mr Dan Field, will be leaving us. We are still praying for who will fill his very large shoes next semester. I took a little time to interview Mr. Field, and I learned some new things about him which I’d love to share.

Mr. Field grew up in Southeast England as the son of a pastor. He accepted Christ as his Savior in his late teens and was baptized in his third year of college. He attended the University of Warwick where he majored in Math. After university he didn’t know what to do, so applied to do a short term with Wycliffe. Wycliffe sent him here to Sahel to do six months of teaching math. Six months has stretched into three and a half years! It is now time for the next step in Mr. Field’s life, and he is going home to England where he will apply for jobs. He is looking for something in management accounting possibly for a corporation with sponsored studying on the side. His first choice would be a job with the National Health Service. The idea of this training is so that he could possibly go back into missions when he is more qualified.

Mr. Field has been involved in many things while here at Sahel and in Niger. These include teaching, Student Council, coaching soccer, organizing Field Day, organizing Math Day, Admin Team, doing scheduling, Singles Bible Study, dorm sitting, and helping at the Foyer.

When asked why someone should come and teach here at Sahel, Mr. Field had a whole list of good reasons. There are small classes and great kids who you can get to know well. It is a great staff and missionary community to live in and work with. It is great to experience a different culture and stretch your boundaries. There are many opportunities to integrate into the local community if you want to. During break times there are great places to visit. Two highlights were his visits to Agadez and Timbuktu, both famous desert cities. It’s not all fun and adventure and Mr. Field did admit that there are hard things about living here as well. It’s difficult not having transportation, being single and having to cook (not much fast food around). It’s just all around more difficult to do the daily living things, especially when life gets so busy.

Some of Mr. Field’s favorite memories during his time here have been:

• the play the grade 7/8 class did imitating his classroom;
• playing soccer in the rain.(twice at end of the year games);
• generally talking and getting to know students; and
• the baptism services.

Lastly, Mr Field’s advice to the new teacher who is going to take his place, “Take time to build relationships; it’s a great opportunity to do more than just teach. His advice to Sahel students is, “Make the most of the time you have here. It’s a unique environment even if it’s not where you would choose to be.”

Thank you, Mr. Field, for all of your hard work, great teaching, heart of service, and all the many ways you have invested in each of our lives! You will be greatly missed!  ~Aunt Cathy

 The masquerade was a wonderful evening of elegance and relaxation. Considering that it was placed right before a couple of very busy weeks, Student Council did an amazing job. They worked incredibly hard to bring together a wonderful banquet. There was good food, an amusing raffle and hard to beat dancing. The grassy area was decorated with Christmas lights, glittering masks and purple, black and blue sashes. The atmosphere was comfortable, yet very sophisticated with the aroma of pasta primavera, lasagna and spaghetti with meat sauce floating in the air. Everyone started out by socializing and checking out each other’s creative masks. We all then sat down for a delicious Italian buffet. As we were eating, a raffle was held that required the ‘winner’ to do something crazy to get the prize. After supper was over, you could either watch Beauty and The Beast or learn the Waltz and Two-step. The evening ended with laughter and I would say it was a completely successful evening! ~Jessica

Eagle’s Nest dorm went camping on Saturday to the river with the Winsors who were there to replace the Smiths while they were on their weekend off. Mr. Winsor worked on setting up the campsite for so long just to make it fun for us. I personally found it interesting because I’ve never camped before or slept in a tent. When we got there Mr. Winsor gave us some rules and then we started unloading the supplies from the cars. We girls slept in the biggest tent. After setting up, Tam and John got out their guitars and played some songs while the rest of us sang along. Soon after that, we ate hot dogs and pasta salad for supper and Mi-Yeon’s birthday cake for dessert. When we were all done filling our empty stomachs we had devotions and more singing.

Mr. Winsor, who is a great planner, had a game for us to play. The game went like this. The person on the front line was allowed to have their eyes open and hold a flashlight. All the other people had to have their eyes closed and follow the lead of the person with the flashlight. It was terrifying for all of us with our eyes closed, but we had to trust the lead. Sadly, I got a thorn on the back of my heel, so I couldn’t go on. It was good because we learned to trust each other and work together to reach our finish point.

At night we had the camp fire set up and the secondary students got to stay up chatting for a long time. The next day we had a simple Sunday devotional in the morning and then we went on the pirogue to experience the river. Before lunch we also went hiking. Looking down from the cliff onto the river was such a beautiful sight, and once again I saw the amazing creation of God in a little country called Niger that not many people know about. ~Esther