West African Burdened for Niger By Genie Poggemiller Senior Amina Alio is a striking example of a world Christian. Amina is a modern language/linguistics major and hopes to be fluent in six languages by the time she graduates. She can speak Hausa, Zarma, English, French, the national language of Niger, and is currently studying G e r m a n and Spanish. Her h o m e is Niamey, Niger, in West Africa, on the border of the Sahara. It is a Third World country but is pushing toward modernization. Muslims m a k e u p 97 percent of Niger, but moves in the government toward democracy have opened n e w doors to Christianity. The Muslim government has only recently permitted religious freedom. Niger is a relatively peaceful country, A m i n a said, unlike m a n y other surrounding African nations. Peace, however, is not without a price. Thirty years ago there was m u c h fighting with France over territories and independence. Today, with n e w freedoms, complaints and strikes have increased, especially against the government-funded education programs. The people of Niger are a proud people with a rich tribal heritage. Amina's family is no exception. There are three major tribes in Niger. A m i n a is from the Hausa tribe and her family is in the royal line of tribal chiefs through her father, a professional dermatologist w h o also preaches in their local church. Her mother teaches English and has five children. The Alio family used to be Muslim mixed with the beliefs of tribal religions. The gospel came to the Alio family through the ministry of Baptist missionaries. Although Amina's mother was from an Episcopal family, it was in Niger that she and Amina's father came to Christ and were baptized. The missionary w h o discipled them, Arlene Spurlock, also arranged for A m i n a to come to Liberty. Although she views the United States as the land of Photo By Genie Poggemiller opportunity, A m i n a does not like the ungratefulness she has seen. "You (who live in the United States) Amina admitted that there is a great temptation to abuse your freedom and take advantage of it," she remain in America with all its affluence and advansaid. tages but said that her heart is with the people of Niger. A m i n a also showed concern for the m a n y lawsuits "I would feel selfish to stay here," she said. "I want to and strikes that take place in the U. S., which are n o w share the gospel and what I have learned (here at beginning to emerge in her o w n country with inLiberty) with the people there." creased democracy. Although democracy brings religious freedom, she said that it is only good under the right circumstances. "People w h o are free must also be responsible stewards of that freedom."
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