Meet Tim & Richelle Wright missionaries in Niamey, Niger.
Tim and a colleague of theirs baptized over 40 people that morning. Since they live on the edge of the Sahara desert, they usually have a baptismal service once a year, after the rainy season.
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Enjoy the interview:
1. How long have you been a missionary in Niger? We first arrived in Niger July, 2001, after 15 months in Québec City, Québec, CANADA to learn to speak French, the official language of Niger.
2. How long did it take you to learn the language and culture? Frankly, we’ve neither learned nor mastered either. We are comfortable communicating in French, however French is not the maternal language of most Nigeriens. Our church service occurs in one of the following three languages: French, Zarma or Yoruba (and then is translated into the other two). My husband works in audiovisual ministries – and currently has on-going projects in 4 or 5 different languages. He also works with a group of churches about 100 km away from where we live – using a translator because their language is Gourmantché. When I teach Ladies’ Bible study at our church, I teach in French and it is translated into Zarma, but I’m working to learn Zarma, reading all Scripture passages in Zarma and trying to ask questions in the Zarma language. Culturally, we still make mistakes all of the time, but we are eager to learn and our friends and neighbors are very gracious with our numerous faux pas.
3. What are some things you miss from home? Any more, the only thing I really miss from home are family and friends. I guess maybe that means that Niger is now home. Oh – just thought of something! I miss nacho chips and affordable cheese. J
4. How did you do your Easter shopping? For me, my husband and I took the city bus to the mall. Here in Australia the grocery stores are at the mall. On this day, I remembered my list (smile), took it out of my purse while my husband grabbed a trolley (cart), and we were off dashing down the aisles. What is shopping like for you in Niger? I don’t know that we do “Easter” shopping. We celebrate Easter, of course. And, at 1 or 2 of the more exclusive stores in the capital city, you can purchase chocolate or imported, commercialized toys, but we haven’t done that. The one thing I’ve done most years for Easter is to go to the market and buy fabric which I then take to a tailor and design dresses for the girls to wear to church, and have outfits made for our two boys, also. I just posted today (March 21) a bit about shopping in the market on our family blog page – if you want to go take a look. It is quite a bit different than the traditional shopping experience in a developed country.
5. What do you and your family do for entertainment? Go to the movies? Go to the mall? Go out to eat? I am thinking of things that families reading my blog might do. Does your family do different things for entertainment? My husband and I like to rent videos from the store across the street for $1 on Tuesdays. Niger is a very poor, developing country. We don’t have movie theaters or malls or video rental stores. Our favorite activity is probably heading to the pool at a private recreation center where many expats gather on Saturday afternoons to play softball, swim, watch the satellite TV in the lounge (usually American football or basketball games), and eat hamburgers and french fries, pizza, hot dogs or other standard American fare. There are also plateaus or sand dunes outside of town, as well as a beach (along the Niger River) where we’ll go occasionally for camp outs. Sometimes we’ll get together with another family for a movie or game night, too, or go out together and buy street food to eat, or drink tea.
6. Have you had to change the way you cook? In moving to Australia from America, even now a year later, I have difficulty finding some things for my favorite recipes. Is there anything you cannot get in Niger to make your favorite recipes with that you would love to have? Everything is by scratch – no cans of crème of mushroom soup here! Instead, I have to make a white sauce and add the mushrooms myself. Even those nacho chips that I mentioned a few questions back – I have to make tortillas, cut them up and then bake them with a bit of salt and cayenne on them. On a lay day, I can check the local French bakery and see if there is any pita bread which also works as a substitute. Salsa I make and can ahead of time. I’ve learned to substitute yogurt (that I make) for sour crème, too. I think we’ve figured out adaptations to most of our favorite recipes – but it just takes a lot more work and a willingness to experiment when you can’t find what the recipe calls for. And that makes cooking an adventure – as well as trying out whatever the “chef” has whipped up.
7. How do you keep in touch with family and friends? We keep in touch best via email, blogging and instant messaging. I love to write letters, but it seems like life in the States moves at such a fast pace any more, few actually have time to respond. Instant communication seems to be preferred.
8. What has been your greatest joy being on the mission field? I can think of three particularly wonderful moments: 1) The day our now 5 year old decided she wanted to ask the Lord to be her Savior. We were home schooling, and she stopped me to say that she needed to pray and ask Him to become her Savior, saying she “…had to ask Jesus to come and live in her heart and clean it up for her… ’cause she wasn’t doing a very good job by herself.” 2)Teaching a ladies’ Bible study on Job last summer. Most of the women in the study were illiterate and had never heard the story of Job before. Because of the difficulties of life here, the were absolutely entranced by his story and it was so much fun that the Lord allowed me to be the first person to share that part of His Word with them. 3)We work in a predominately Muslim country – but about 18 mos ago, a dear friend made the decision to give her heart to the Lord; although she has not publicly declared her faith to her family, she finally gained enough courage to come to Bible study with me last month.
9. Is there a particular verse in the Bible that you hold on to during the hard times? Two passages, in particular: 2 Tim 1.7 (which I chose as my life verse a long time ago), “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound mind.” Also, Col 3.12-17: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 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.”
10. Share three specific needs and one prayer request. Needs: 1) Things are difficult financially as the US dollar continues to drop in the international markets and local prices continue to climb. 2) We need to make some improvements (to deal with frequent electrical outages) at the recording studio where my husband spends much of his time. 3) I need diligence to continue working on using and learning the Zarma language, since that is the language most of the women speak. Prayer Request: God’s wisdom – the needs and opportunities here are astounding and overwhelming. It is hard to even know where to begin. We need His wisdom to know what work He’d have us join Him in doing, instead of asking Him to bless our ideas and projects.
Tim & Richelle’s blogs: Our Writing Pad and Wrights Broadcasting Truth to Niger.
