A letter from Kara VanderKamp in Niger
May 9, 2006
Dear Friends and Family:
The sun burns the head and then it burns the heart.
This is the Hausa saying that Alio, my language teacher, told me when we were discussing the impact that the sun and heat have on people. (Hausa is a language and people group in Niger.) We are now in the midst of the hot season, and I was telling him how the extreme heat is affecting the way I relate to people. I’m not very proud of it, but I find myself becoming irritated more easily and quickly. And I’m apparently not the only person who is feeling the heat! In general, people seem to be tired and on edge.
Despite the heat, life goes on. After returning from the Central and West African missionary retreat in April, I took a trip across Niger with my colleague Tom Johnson and his supervisor, Derrick Jones, from the Reformed Church in America (RCA). Since Derrick is relatively new to his position, and this was his first trip to Niger, he got a tour of many of the church sites throughout the country. I was asked to tag along so I could talk about the issues related to education. This turned out to be a great opportunity for me, as we visited places I hadn’t been to before and got to meet with key educational leaders. It was the first time I got as far east as Zinder, which is Niger’s second-largest city and about 13 hours from Niamey. This is where the church is building its second primary school, which is expected to open in the fall.
Kara VanderKamp with Tom Johnson, Derrick Jones and four EERN leaders as they prepare to leave on their cross-country trip.
As you look at the photograph on this page, you may notice that, except for me, everyone in it is a man. At business meetings that I attend this is often the case — with only the number of men changing. This lack of representation of women is reflective of society as whole. More often than not women are not encouraged to reach their full potential through opportunities that develop all of their gifts and talents.
This is particularly true in the public school system, where boys consistently outnumber girls in the classroom. However, I’m encouraged to see that within the EERN Church there is a higher level of education for women than in the Nigerien society as a whole. And, more and more, women are being given opportunities to participate and contribute to the development of the church. For example, in the local EERN church that I attend, both the treasurer and secretary are women, and there are three women members on the board for the Zinder Primary School. In addition, in response to the inequality in the public school system, one of the goals of the EERN’s Education department is to have an equal number of boys and girls in its schools.
Besides the trip across Niger, I have been busy working on documents and proposals for Niger’s Department of Education. One project is a proposal for a Christian school conference in Niger. Despite the rise in Christian education institutions in Niger, as of now, a network or forum for educators to share ideas has not been organized, and very few opportunities for professional and organizational development exist. So in response to these needs, EERN educational leaders have decided to organize a conference. Since we are just in the beginning stages, much of the responsibility for drafting a proposal has fallen on my shoulders. While I enjoy doing this kind of work — and am grateful for the experience — it has meant that I’ve been busy.
Also contributing to my busyness is my upcoming trip to the United States. I will be in the United States from May 10 to June 10 for both work and vacation. While I’m there I will be speaking at two churches (one in Michigan and the other in South Carolina), and meeting with PC(USA) colleagues in Louisville and current EERN partners in Michigan. I’ve also arranged meetings at other organizations and educational institutions in the hopes of developing new partnerships for the EERN. Originally, I didn’t plan to return to the United States this soon. However, I have a return ticket that has to be used by May 15, so I thought I would take advantage of this opportunity.
Please continue to keep in touch. And hopefully, I’ll have the opportunity to see you while I’m in the United States!
God bless,
Kara VanderKamp
The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 314
