Layovers

Well, here I am sitting at the airport in Vancouver.  It is going to be a long couple of days.  I fly overnight to Toronto, and arrive there at 7 am.  Then I have a 13 hour layover before I leave at 7 pm for Paris.  There is a 4 hour layover at Charles DeGaule Airport, and then I fly out to Niamey (the capital of Niger).  From there, it is either a 2 hour flight or about a 5 hour drive (so they say) to the hospital, but I may be overnight in Niamey.  Anyways, I will try to use the layovers to write this entry.

Some "fun facts" as they say:

Niamey is on the east bank (mostly) of the Niger river (so I guess that means that part of the country isn't a desert).  From Wikipedia:

Niamey is remarkably hot throughout the year. In fact, it is one of the hottest major cities on the planet. Average monthly high temperatures reach 38 °C (100 °F) four months out of the year and in no month do average high temperatures fall below 32 °C (90 °F). During the dry season, particularly from November through February, nights are generally cool. Average nighttime lows between November and February range from 14–18 °C (57–64 °F).

The hospital I am going to is in Galmi:

The village of Galmi is in the southern part of Niger and has a population of 10,000 to 12,000 people. The hospital compound currently has 30 to 40 missionaries, a total hospital staff of over 200, and 154 beds. This is a very busy hospital that serves a large part of the population of Niger, as well as those that come from Nigeria, Chad, Algeria, Mali, Benin, and Burkina Faso. Galmi primarily serves settled farmers, traders, and nomadic people of the Hausa, Fulani, and Tomajak tribes. 

From the handout from Samaritan's Purse:

Niger’s fragile economy is based on agricultural production. Periodic droughts resulting in food shortages and fluctuating export prices cause instability. The annual per capita income is $300. Approximately 94% of the country’s budget is derived from foreign aid, and industries include uranium mining, cement, textiles, and food processing. The main exports are live animals, vegetables, hides and skins, cotton, and animal food. Domestic consumption includes millet, sorghum, cowpeas, cassava, and rice.

And as to their customs - some advice I was given:

It is extremely offensive to eat, give, or receive things with the left hand. Don’t appear to be in a hurry all the time – people matter more than things, including time. Don’t display marital love such as kissing in public. Should a visitor come to your home, do not bid him farewell from the inside – walk out with him at least a few yards from your house. Show respect for your Bible by carrying and handling it above your waist. Never put it on the floor. Do not use a Bible with a Muslim which has been marked in or highlighted. Do not walk in front of a praying Muslim. Do not step into a Muslim prayer place. Many prayer places are alongside of the road, marked out with a row of rocks or are simply mats placed on the ground. Avoid politics, as politics and religion are closely linked in Islam. Pork, alcohol, and dogs are considered “dirty” in Islam. Nigerien custom dictates that a woman should never sit down on a mat that a man is already sitting on. Only married couples sit on the same mat. 

  

 Sounds like I will have to be careful.  Hopefully I won't offend to many people while I am learning the customs.  Well, that is enough for now.  Probably more to come while I am waiting to fly to Paris.