Dreaming of a white... March?

The Northwestern State Lady Demon basketball team has visited many places this season, and has encountered just about every type of weather scenario along the way… just about, until Friday.

The Lady Demons, in traveling to Conway, Arkansas for their final regular season basketball game against Central Arkansas, rolled through several strong snow storms as they journeyed on their route through Texarkana, Little Rock, and finally resting in Conway.

NSU has traveled through brutal and blinding rain storms, for example, on its way to Memphis to take part in a Thanksgiving Classic, and on its way home from a Southland Conference game at Stephen F. Austin.

Thunder, lightning, rain, fog, sleet, and now snow.

Heading into next week’s tournament after starting the league season 0-4, this Lady Demon team continues to prove it can “weather” all conditions.

By the way, a traditional snow ball fight did break out in the parking lot of The Farris Center after Friday night’s practice.

Why Waddell Day resonates

While en route to an NSU function in Shreveport on Tuesday night, I checked in on Celeste Waddell over in the Dallas area. Celeste is the mother of the Chris Waddell, the NSU football player who died on the practice field four years ago on March 1.

It is in many ways odd that that first time I ever met Celeste was at the hospital the night Chris died, after she had made the difficult drive from her home in New Orleans knowing what awaited her in Natchitoches. From that moment forward, we developed a connection that I am sure will remain for the rest of our lives. The same applies for Celeste and NSU Head Football Coach Scott Stoker. How we admired her so for the inner and outer strength she displayed during that difficult time, and continues to show today.

With that in mind, and as difficult as it is still to reflect on Chris’ passing, I have to admit that a smile comes to my face each year as the NSU football players embark on their annual “Chris Waddell Day” project in the local schools. This year, with the anniversary of Chris’ death falling on a Saturday, the project was held on Wednesday, March 5.

The players all wore stickers which read “In Honor of Chris Waddell, NSU Football, March 1, 2004.” When I say “the players,” I mean ALL of the players. Not that they need prodding – the Chris Waddell logo on the Turpin Stadium field is still the team meeting site after each practice so they understand the significance of the day – but participation in this project is not optional. The players talked openly to the young people about Chris’ death and about how this day is their way of remembering his life and about the importance of living every day to its fullest ... like Chris did. They talked to the young people about doing their best next week on the upcoming LEAP tests, about making good decisions regarding what they do and with whom they associate, and about having fun.

I just wanted to be sure Celeste still knew that while Chris may be gone in one sense, he will never be gone in terms of what he meant to NSU and in terms of how his memory still influences countless lives.

Greg Burke, Director of Athletics

Peace at last in Kenya

Finally, a joyous update from our friend Joe Peterson, the former Demon basketball assistant coach (1999-2001) serving as a teacher and missionary at Christ's Gift Academy in Mbita, Kenya:

"...Peace at last!



On Thursday, February 28th the two presidential contenders finally signed a peace agreement. It came in the nick of time. It seems like God sometimes waits for the darkest hour when all hope seems lost before he comes in and does something that only He can do. The mediation efforts had broken down on Tuesday and the talks were suspended as the hardliners on both sides were not willing to give up their positions. Kenya was preparing for war as small militia groups all over the country were being trained and planning for their attacks. Youths were constructing crude weapons and wealthy businessmen were purchasing arms. The country was close to slipping into a state of anarchy and following the path that many other African nations have taken over the years. I still don't understand how President Kibaki finally agreed to what the opposition and many other countries such as Tanzania, the U.S., U.K. and E.U. had been pushing for.



All over the country people immediately took to the streets again. This time they weren't protesting, but instead they were rejoicing in spontaneous celebrations. The opposition leader Raila Odinga will be given the post of Executive Prime Minister, in charge of government business. Both sides will share cabinet posts as they work together in a coalition. There is still a long road ahead though as they still want to review the problems in the December election, overhaul the constitution within the next year and try to fix the land problems that have plagued the country since independence. The biggest task ahead though is unifying a country that has been deeply divided along tribal lines in clashes that has seen over 1,500 killed and close to a million people displaced from their homes. It also will not be easy for the two sides to work together in Parliament and the Government with all of the mistrust they have had in the past. I experienced one of the best times of worship in church this morning with signing, dancing and shouting. People are breathing a big sigh of relief, and praising God for what He has done!



CGA has now been in school for 4 straight weeks without interruption. It has been a busy time though. We have recently discovered some unethical challenges in some of our orphans homes. It requires the CGA staff and local authorities to intervene on certain occasions. Currently we have temporarily helped one of those situations, but are frantically looking for a safe place for some of these children to stay long term, either with a family or an orphanage located outside of this immediate area. There are three children in this family that desperately need your prayers.



It seems like I have spent a lot of time in the last month at the local clinic, sometimes for good things such as our assistant Pastor's wife giving birth after having been barren for their first 8 years of marriage. But most of the time has been because of the sickness and disease here. Yesterday morning I was at the bedside of the Principal at Mbita High School as he passed away from heart failure. He has been a very prominent figure in our community and throughout the region for many years. I had gotten to know him well over the past year as seven of our former students are attending his school. In fact, he was the one that saved CGA from attacks by the demonstrators last month. He had boldly and confidently stood while the mob was stroking his face with machetes and threatening to burn down his school. Somehow he convinced them to leave and even convinced them to not go to CGA ...."