African Travel Blog

Where Skies Burn

2009-01-01T23:07:00.008+02:00

It's finally finished. After months of selecting from over twelve thousand photos, designing layouts, editing, writing and formatting, it's finally ready for your coffee table. I've organized and self-published a collection of the very best of my photos from this past year into a 76-page 9x7 photo book for your viewing pleasure. The books are available for purchase exclusively from my Lulu.com storefront for only $22.95. For those who haven't been following this blog regularly you can get a sample of my photography under the label heading "photo of the day" in the right column or following the link to my Flickr site. Thanks to everyone for all your support and encouragement through this adventure. May this book be a small token of my appreciation for you all. I hope these photos will be a reminder to you of God's glory displayed through beauty and through poverty, on this continent and every other.

Two Different Worlds

2008-11-28T15:30:00.001+02:00

I’ve spent two weeks saying not much has changed, but as the novelty of being home begins to wear off I’m starting to see those things that are very different. And not necessarily different than when I left, but perhaps I just see them differently because I left. Things as subtle as conversations, what people talk about, how much they talk, expressions people use; it’s not things you’ll notice after a two week short term trip, more like things I would expect an African to notice. Every time I shake someone’s hand I want to do our three-part Namibian handshake. I feel offended when I haven’t greeted someone at an event (yes, you read that right and it is quite intriguing). The appeal and temptation to spend money frivolously here is to the point of overwhelming. Spending money isn’t an event; it’s just a natural part of life. I’m beginning to realize that I’ve gone way beyond getting annoyed or even frustrated at cultural differences. I’ve gotten to where I think far differently about things like money and relational living. Dallas Willard describes culture as what you think and do without thinking about thinking or doing it. If that’s true, then after a year Africa has left a far bigger imprint on me than I probably realize, definitely more than a little dust in the blood.

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As a sidenote, for those who are concerned that I use the term Africa far too generically, especially seeing as Namibia is the only African country where I’ve ever been outside the airport, please consider this. While yes, Africa is a continent, most Africans I’ve met from whatever country take pride in identifying with Africa, much like residents of our 50 states identify themselves with our country, the United States. We even go so far as to call our country ‘America’ when in actuality that is the name of our continent. Much of Africa shares a common heritage in tribal living, colonialization, and racial oppression. The struggles with war, poverty, and disease have left no country unscathed. With their shared culture, history, and crises it’s no surprise Africa has forged for itself an identity that somewhat resembles how we Westerners would think of a country.

There and back again

2008-11-14T13:00:00.000+02:00

How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on?
Then in your heart you begin to understand there is no going back.
~Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

That’s how I expected to feel coming home, but truth be told, that hasn’t been my experience…at least not yet. I look around at everything that was once so familiar, and now a year older, but relatively the same. The biggest thing that’s struck me so far is how little has changed, how life goes on without you, not skipping a beat. And now I just melt right back in, almost as though I never left.

But that raises the obvious question of how I have changed, which is more what Frodo’s quote is talking about. How does a changed person fit back into a culture that hasn’t changed? Or in our cross-cultural training terminology, when a square-headed person lives in a round-headed culture his edges become more and more rounded. So how does the newly rounded square-headed person fit back into his square-headed culture?This is the process often called “re-entry” or “reverse culture shock.” At least that’s the technical explanation. More personal insights to come as I experience more.

As for the jet-lag, I was kind of enjoying waking up at 5 and 6 in the morning, reading the Word, watching the sunrise. The morning hours are lovely, a few quiet moments before the world awakes to it’s busy-ness. But I think staying up until 1am watching the Patriots last night has gone a long way to setting my body clock back on schedule.

Sleep when you get home

2008-11-11T19:14:00.000+02:00

Over 12,000 photos and 218 blog posts later, I find myself back in the United States. I won’t write much tonight because my body clock is telling me it’s 2:15am, but I need to keep myself awake a little longer to help with the jet lag. Everything with my traveling went amazingly well. The lady at the desk checked in my overweight bags with only a slight scolding. The immigration officer didn’t ask a single question. Layovers were short and uneventful. And on the long flight from Johannesburg to Washington D.C. I had an extra seat next to me so I could stretch out a bit. Everything went great.

I picked a good time of year to come back. With my first deep breath of fresh air I was reminded how much I love fall in New England. The cool temperatures, the few colored leaves that remain, even the light sleeting this afternoon were welcome homecoming gifts. It was good to meet up with friends and family and catch up a bit. Much more of that lies ahead I’m sure. At least for a short while I’ll continue posting about my thoughts and reactions to being back in American culture as part of the overall educational experience. But for now, it’s off to bed for me…

Until next time

2008-11-09T21:57:00.001+02:00

The bags are packed, each weighing in at close enough to 50 pounds that I should be ok. Most all my goodbyes are said. And I have only a nights sleep and a few last minute errands between me and my flight home. For my last post from Namibia I thought I would leave you with a list of random little things I will miss (other than all my incredible friends of course!):

1) The geckos stalking moths on my window screen
2) Cattle grazing right next to the road
3) Warthogs on the side of the road
4) Watching the sun set on the horizon while it’s raining overhead
5) How rain is a blessing, not an annoyance
6) The extravagant colors of clothes, houses, flowers…everything
7) Namglish
8) Solitary mountain tops
9) Pink, blue, and orange money
10) Being tan!

Photo of the Day

2008-11-08T14:15:00.000+02:00

Grace, Stephanus, Emily, and Tuuliki playing
in the pool at our Gross Barmen Fun Day.

Two hundred and forty seven

2008-11-08T07:24:00.003+02:00

That’s the number of days I’ve been illegal in the country. Now finally four days before I leave I’ve got my visa and my peace of mind. Yesterday morning I drove in to Windhoek and went straight to Home Affairs. I found myself on the third floor (where all the important people’s offices are) speaking with a Miss Inge. I was eying the large stamp on her desk that would easily solve all my woes. I explained my situation, then she explained it to someone else, then they called over an intimidating immigration officer who briefly said, “This man is going into custody.” But armed with the prayers of all my friends and the fact that they seemed like they genuinely wanted to help me, the three worked out a situation where I could get a 4 day exit visa and the certain immigration officer couldn’t be held responsible. So I walked out that morning with a stamp in my passport and a spring in my step from such a weight lifted. Praise the Lord!

The rest of the day was filled with visits to old friends in Windhoek that I won’t see again. It was such a blessing to reconnect with some of them that I hadn’t seen in ages. In the evening I picked up Toivo and we went to a youth group meeting at one of the churches that attended the camp I was involved with back in May. In typical African style, I ended up sharing the message about Jeremiah and being a prophet to your own people. Afterward they prayed over me as I’m preparing to leave. The warm-hearted, welcoming African spirit never ceases to amaze me. You can meet someone for five minutes and every time thereafter it’s as if you’d been friends for years. There’s nothing in the States I can quite compare it to except visiting these old-time, country Baptist churches with my singing group in college. That’s one part of this culture that I will miss greatly.

As I write this, I’m about to head out to Gross Barmen Hot Springs with the kids from the Ark for a kind of farewell fun day. After spending so much time with them before, I’m glad I can get in a good full-days worth of quality time before I go. Then it’s final goodbyes and packing on Sunday, and off to the airport on Monday. How time flies!

Eleven more millimeters of rain and one more day closer to my flight home

2008-11-06T18:09:00.004+02:00

This morning I went to my last Bible Study at the Woodcarvers Market. Sylvia, Innocentia, Sarafina, and Tiago sent me off with much love and many gifts that I don’t know how to fit into my bags. Since the twelfth graders are finished with school for the year, I went with Buddy and Julia on some house visits to see the kids from the high school Bible Study one last time. We found Rosa at home with her one month old baby, Giovani. Then we hung out with El Marie, Carina, and Victoria for most of the afternoon talking about their exams, future plans, and old stories of getting into trouble as kids. The contrast amongst these girls was startling. Because of choices she's made, Rosa's future lay in her arms. Meanwhile her friends have dreams of going to school or traveling the world. I pray for God's blessing on each of these girls as they continue on their own unique adventures following after Him.

Spending this time here saying all these goodbyes has been therapeutic in a way, helping me set my mind on going home. Tomorrow I’ll head into Windhoek to hang out with Toivo one last time and visit the church youth group that came for a camp at Dieter’s plot back in April. I will also try to sort things out with my visa. The latest is Quatro (my high up contact in Immigration) has faxed my application and a personal letter to the lady in charge at Home Affairs. I haven’t been able to get an appointment with her so my plan is to show up at the office and pray that she’ll see me and stamp something in my passport. You’ll probably be in bed on the East Coast, but before you drift off into dream land please pray for me that God will grant me favor and I’ll leave with a visa. Nothing like last minute!

Photo of the Day

2008-11-06T12:03:00.002+02:00

A tortoise munching on a salad, making
our favorite coffeehouse that much cooler.

Full Circle

2008-11-04T09:45:00.000+02:00

Sitting back at my old desk at Dieter and Joan’s it’s finally hitting home that I’m leaving in less than a week. Yesterday I said all my last goodbyes to my Arandis family and handed out all my picture CDs and parting gifts. Then this morning the rest of the commune (Tom, Peter, and Mike) woke up early to see me off. We squeezed all my stuff into Brenda’s little car and set off for Okahandja.

This is where it all started for me. I vividly remember walking up to this little house for the first time excited that this would be my new home for the next year. I remember unpacking and making myself at home, taking long walks around the plot with my camera.

This time around the flood of emotion is far different. I don’t even know how to put it into words to describe for you. It’s like I’ve come to the end of my adventure, and now I’m on the long journey home. The climax has come and gone, and this week is the resolution. I know life comes in seasons, and this one’s coming to a close. But right now it feels more like it’s turning into winter than spring. I pray this last week will help me to debrief my time here and start to set my mind on going home.

Camp

2008-11-02T13:28:00.004+02:00

For only 24 hours, we packed quite a bit of action into our camp this weekend. Friday afternoon we departed with an outstanding 29 youth and 7 leaders for the campground in Swakop. After setting up camp, getting some dinner, and goofing around a bit, we settled down around the campfire for a talk from Steve about God’s forgiveness. The students were given time to write down those things that held them in guilt. They threw the papers in the fire, symbolizing how our sins are completely gone when God forgives us. Then we walked down to the beach for some late night Capture the Flag before bed.

We were up before the sun on Saturday morning. They mistakenly thought they could take their time preparing for the day so we had to go into drill sergeant mode to get them ready and lined up for morning exercises. After breakfast Boni continued with our theme of forgiveness speaking to us about resolving conflict with each other. We had some time to consider the conflicts in our own lives, and if the person was there, to go reconcile with them.

After packing up camp, we drove out to the dunes, then on to the pool at Dolphin Park. It was a great weekend for me, a chance to dig a little deeper with some of the students. I’ve gotten a lot better at prying, or rather not shying away from the tough questions that reach a little deeper. And at the end of two and half months, I’ve developed a good amount of relational authority to ask some of those questions. Teenagers have the same issues no matter where you go, the same insecurities, the same longings, and best of all, the same God who heals all the same hurts.

Photo of the Day

2008-11-01T10:09:00.001+02:00

Romeo doing a flip off the dunes.

Beginning of the End

2008-10-31T11:30:00.006+02:00

It’s official. I’ve started saying my goodbyes. Yesterday was my last volleyball practice. This morning was my last Bible class. We finished up talking about how God punished the Israelites by dragging them off into captivity, but He’s merciful and brought them back 70 years later. We talked about how all the stories and all the themes we’ve been talking about all along point to Jesus. When we were finished they asked when I’m coming back to teach them the New Testament. I hope they learned a bit and enjoyed it as much as I did.

My last Scripture Union meeting will be Monday. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know this group. They give up their break three days a week to come learn about the Bible. And that’s encouraging because it means they’re taking some responsibility for their own spiritual growth. In this group they’ve found acceptance, friendships, and a place to grow. I’m excited for how God will continue to use them in their school and this community.

Sunday will be my last church service at Arandis Christian Center. This local body has been a great blessing to me during our time here. They’ve embodied what it means to be the family of God. Despite all our differences I can truly call them my brothers and sisters. Their joy, dedication to prayer, and faith in the Lord has been a testimony to me and I’m sure to the community as well. I look forward to how God will grow their influence and spread His light amongst this town.

In a few hours we head off to camp. There’s nothing like a camp for good, quality time with kids. We’ll spend the next 24 hours camping on the beach, hanging at the dunes, and experiencing God together. This will be my last big hoorah with this group of students that I’ve come to love dearly. Pray with me that God will use this time to renew their passion for Him and build lasting relationships between the new and old members.

Photo of the Day

2008-10-30T09:02:00.000+02:00

John, Riaan, Asser, Dennis, and Byron in a dry riverbed

during a school field trip to the Namib Naukluft Park.

I tagged along as a chaperone and driver.

Welcome answers to prayer

2008-10-26T21:13:00.005+02:00

Rainy season in Namibia is supposedly October through March, though you’d never expect it, especially in Arandis. But sure enough, the abnormal dark clouds that canopied the sky all day finally let loose just as we were starting youth group this evening. We all grabbed our chairs and crammed into the living room at the Banda’s house. It only showered lightly for about 10 minutes, but it was enough to know that our prayers from church this morning were heard and answered.

Speaking of answered prayers, I haven’t been very good at keeping you all up on the latest prayer requests. Fabiola’s niece, Lawina, has been in the hospital for the last week or so. She was born prematurely 14 yrs ago and has spent more than her share of time in the hospital ever since. I don’t know exactly what was wrong this time, but it was serious enough that she had already given up all hope. But Fabiola went to visit her on Thursday and was reading her portions of the Bible. By morning her swelling had gone down and she was taken off oxygen. She was smiling and said all she wanted was to get better. Praise the Lord for a great answer to prayer, but keep praying for her because she's not out of the water yet.

About a month ago we started planning for our mini-camp next weekend. We budgeted N$3000 to take 30 youth into Swakop for an overnight campout. But recognizing none of the youth can afford to slap down N$100 for a camp we knew we’d need to do some fundraising. With 3 weeks to raise N$3000 we started washing cars, cleaning people’s yards and homes, collecting deposits on soda bottles, and anything else we could think of. We asked God to multiply our efforts and we’re currently sitting pretty at N$2600 with more coming in. You can be praying with us for each of the students who will attend the camp, that God will work in their hearts in ways that we can’t even imagine.

Back in the habit

2008-10-24T13:16:00.005+02:00

Back in Arandis things move along with a slight sense of normalcy. This week in Bible class we covered Israel’s first two kings, Saul and David. Next week we’ll finish up with the Divided Kingdom, Captivity and Return from Exile. It’s been a joy teaching them with their young, inquisitive minds and unrelated questions. I’ve learned a lot from them.

All the youth are preparing for our mini-camp next weekend by doing different fundraisers. This afternoon we’ll wash the cars at the Town Council. Tomorrow we’re having a little braai and delivering the plates to people in their homes. I love all the extra opportunities to be involved in the kids lives, working together toward the same goal. Camp next weekend will definitely be an event to remember.

Yesterday I joined Tom and Peter, my UK friends, in Swakop for a little down time. They’ve been getting into football, watching the Patriots with me and all, so we played a little 2-on-1 round robin on the beach. Even though we had to use their rugby ball it was still great, the first football I’ve played since the Independence Day braai with the Ark kids back in March. Afterward we went for a refreshing dip in the cold Atlantic ocean, though Peter didn’t quite make it all the way under. It was a nice day, and probably my last opportunity to just relax and play tourist around the town.

Photo of the Day

2008-10-23T10:15:00.003+02:00

Some kids enjoying the glass tunnel through

the tank at the Swakopmund Aquarium.

Seasons of Change

2008-10-20T09:33:00.003+02:00

The weekend in Okahandja was a great time to refresh and catch up with some old friends. I joined Buddy and Julia at Bible study on Friday afternoon, but since the 10th and 12th graders are in the middle of their final exams, they had all gone home early when they finished testing. At church on Sunday I was able to catch up with Jenny a bit who is still waiting to hear from the municipality about getting her own plot. And on Saturday I went to Windhoek to hang out with Toivo and help him work on his personal essay to send out with college applications. He’s doing well, but he says this is his hardest term yet so keep him in your prayers.

I spent Friday afternoon at the Ark playing rug-ball (a combination between rugby and American football) with some of the younger kids. Donavon had been asking me to bring my football ever since our Independence Day braai back in March, so I decided to leave it with him to enjoy. Though I’m certain I’ve doomed it to a life as a makeshift rugby ball.

Much has changed at the Ark over the past two months. Lazarus and Leila, the house parents for the last 3ish years, are moving up north to work with the ministry in Oshikuku. So now the house is being led by foreign volunteers, all female. They’ve made some new rules and disciplinary changes that the kids are getting used to. It’s been tough on many of them and simply reinforces my belief in long-term consistency with kids, especially through such formative years. It’s no wonder many become so hard-hearted and closed off, but it’s something this continent has gotten far too used to.

Saturday evening I was invited back for another boy’s night. The female volunteers, not knowing me from before, asked if I would be ok with the guys by myself. It made me smile realizing that in reality, I was probably more ok than they were. It’s not gonna be fun in a few weeks saying goodbye to the kids for the last time, but God works in seasons. And my prayer is that this won’t be the last season for me to invest in their lives.

Photo of the Day

2008-10-18T14:00:00.000+02:00

Hilton or Motel 6

2008-10-17T12:14:00.004+02:00

Today I find myself back in Okahandja. It’s been about 2 months since I’ve been here and I could catch a ride out with Richard Beukes, Sylvia’s husband who’s been working on the Hope’s Promise school, so I decided to make a weekend of it. In a few hours I’ll visit the Bible study at the secondary school then go hang out at the Ark for the afternoon. Tomorrow I’m going to head into Windhoek to spend some time with Toivo and hopefully work on some college applications. So I hope it’ll be a relaxing, yet productive weekend.

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Buddy and Julia are house-sitting for some missionaries who are out of town so they’re letting me stay with them. This house has got me thinking about luxury’s place in missions. Not only is the house huge and immaculate, but they have a pool, unlimited wireless internet, an indoor braai and the list goes on. Now the first thought is that’s only natural since the dollar is so strong here Westerners can easily afford luxury accommodations. And why not? It makes for a good place to relax, refresh, and restore the soul after a long, hard day of ministry. And the culture shock isn’t so bad when you can still enjoy many of the comforts of home. Is it bad, or wrong? No, I don’t think so. But I’m more concerned about what is most effective and best.

Depending on your particular ministry (ie, hosting missionaries, working with the poor, etc), your living conditions can have quite an impact. I recognize this in little things as simple as when people ask me how much my camera costs or my plane ticket to get here. I realize they could eat for months on that much money. Luxuries like that create a separation between the ministers and the people we’re ministering to. But of course we must recognize there is automatically a separation because of things like my native language, my food preferences, my skin or hair color, or any number of other things. But I think the more we can narrow the separation, the more influence we can have in people’s lives.

At some level I think it effects the gospel we preach. This morning I wrote in my journal, “How can we teach them to be content with little when we have much? How can we teach them about the vice of materialism when we idolize our materials? How can we teach them to live by faith when we don’t need to trust God for anything ourselves?”

But probably most importantly, God is far more concerned with the internal attitude of our hearts which is reflected in our external actions. Perhaps I have extra money to spend on myself because I’m more concerned with my needs than with ministry needs. In my reading just this week the author used the phrase “disposable income.” What is that? Does that really exist? The reason we say that is because charitable giving has been allotted a small segment of our budget. What would it look like if ministry became our budget and we used what was left for our needs? What if we really looked “not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others” where our finances are concerned?

Well I’m sure this’ll raise a little controversy, so leave it in the comments.

One month from today

2008-10-12T12:04:00.002+02:00

One month from today I’ll be breathing in the cool autumn air of a New England November day. At 6am I’ll have been awake for hours slowly trying to readjust my internal body clock from the jet lag. I went back and read my blog post from January 4th, a month from my arrival here in Namibia. It’s amazing to think how far I’ve come since then. But once again my thoughts are turned toward home, only rather than missing what I left behind, I’m wondering what I’ll find when I get there.

People continue to ask me if now that I’ve been here a year, am I more inclined to stay? Will I even want to go back? With that departure date looming like a lengthening shadow in the back of my mind, I’m beginning to realize how much of my heart I will leave behind. During a two-week short term trip you learn a few people’s names and leave a photo for them to remember you by. After a year, you learn people’s stories, you experience life together, you walk with them through hurts, rejoice with them in triumphs, and leave a piece of your heart behind. I think that’s what Paul’s getting at when he writes, “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”

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Since the very beginning I’ve been asking you to pray about my visa situation. I haven’t mentioned anything about it in a while because it hasn’t really moved in a while. But just this week Sylvia Beukes, the National Director for Hope’s Promise, met with Quatro on my behalf, our connection in Immigration who I’d faxed my application to. He reassured her that he would handle it, but was wondering if we might have access to a laptop for him. Gotta love it! And not only that, but if I were to get deported, he’s the guy who would come pick me up, so nothing to worry about. Please continue praying, because while his reassurance is comforting, it’s not something I can stamp in my passport.

"That's the first hot shower I've taken in two months"

2008-10-09T21:48:00.002+02:00

Ever since I’ve heard of it I’ve wanted to go sand boarding. Sure we went lie down boarding with the dance group back in July, but I’m talking real legit stand-up boarding. So today Tom, Pete and I hitched a ride into Swakop and found some tour guides to take us out on the dunes. And it totally lived up to the hype!

It’s a little different that snowboarding, but very similar. And the only chairlifts on the slopes are stuck to the bottom of your legs. Though the walks back up weren’t as bad as one would think, perhaps because of the anticipation of going back down again. Next time I come this side I’m totally bringing my snowboarding gear.

Since we were playing tourist for the day we stopped by the Snake Park as well, though none of us opted to get our photo taken with Piggy the Python. And since we were still covered in sand when we got back, Steve graciously let us come over for some hot showers (at Mike’s house we only have cold water). Overall it was a really fun day. I highly recommend it.

Photo of the Day

2008-10-08T13:52:00.000+02:00

A special Namibian cultural photo for my 200th blog post.

If you tire yourself trying to figure out what it means,

look at the Namibian map in the next column.

Photo of the Day

2008-10-06T13:53:00.000+02:00

Tom and Peter have been running a soccer clinic a few

afternoons a week, so I joined them today to snap a few shots.

Photo of the Day

2008-10-05T23:33:00.005+02:00

I volunteered to take photos of the weekend for the local newspaper Vision Arandis. It was so much fun that today you get two photos of the day! The first is kids playing on the inflatables. Below is a kid winding up for an uppercut in the boxing competition.

There's no time like the present

2008-10-05T22:43:00.005+02:00

The Sports Weekend proved to be a great event for the community and a great lesson in African culture for me. The other volleyball teams that were suppose to come never showed so we just split up some teams and played amongst ourselves, nothing very competitive since we were coed. We were slotted to play again on Saturday at 9…which turned into 11…which turned into afternoon…which never ended up happening. That was pretty typical of the whole weekend schedule. It did me no good to ask what time events started because when I would show up no one would be there. That’s part of the love/hate relationship that many Westerners have with African culture: stuff happens when people show up.

Africans themselves are very split over the topic. I’ve heard some say it’s a fault of their culture that they need to work on. I’ve heard others speak proudly of it as a cultural distinction and heritage. As a Westerner and an outsider I realize it’s something I must take in stride. To get frustrated is useless, because there’s no one who will sympathize with me and it’s not going to change anything. The best thing to do is become a little ‘African’ myself and just enjoy the relationships right in front of me.

Arandis Sports Weekend

2008-10-03T13:34:00.001+02:00

This weekend is the long awaited Arandis Sports Weekend. There will be tournaments all weekend including track and field events, soccer, tennis, darts, chess, netball, and of course, volleyball. I’ve been recruited for the town team and we’ll be playing against the Kolin Foundation team as well as teams from Windhoek and Walvis Bay. You can log on today at 12:00pm EST for a live streaming video of the tournament games…are you kidding? Who do you think I am!? Maybe next time.

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This week in Bible class we talked about the patriarchs in Genesis. We started with Abraham and how salvation came through his faith and not his works. Then we talked about Jacob and Esau, how God uses even our sins and bad choices to accomplish His ends. Finally, this morning we looked at Joseph’s life and learned that even when nothing seems to be going our way, God is still in control. After two weeks we finally finished the first book of the Bible. Next week we’ll hit the next two books, then spend our final 2 weeks together on the whole rest of the Old Testament. Hard to believe I only have 3 full weeks left in Arandis.

Photo of the Day

2008-10-03T13:29:00.002+02:00

Playing with colorization:

This is my new friend Vivian, one of eleven OVCs (orphans

and vulnerable children) taken in by a kindhearted woman.

Change for the Hospital

2008-10-01T13:31:00.000+02:00

Thanks to all those who participated in the ‘Change for the Hospital’ campaign. Now’s the time to take all that spare change to the bank to see how much you’ve saved. Even for those who haven’t been collecting their change through the month of September, you can still give. Click on the banner in the right column for more info on the project. Then send your donation to Christ’s Church of Amherst, 58 Merrimack Rd, Amherst, NH 03031 or you can donate online here. When it’s all tallied up I’ll let you know how we did. Thanks again for all your help!

A parable

2008-09-29T08:35:00.005+02:00

There was a king over a beautiful kingdom. His people loved him and he loved them. But when the king was off to war, his enemy came and took over his kingdom. He deceived the people into thinking the king would never return. He convinced them that whatever their hearts desire, they could take, with no regard for anyone else. Medicines were used up and forgotten so sickness and disease became epidemic. The food supplies were used up and people started going hungry. Soon anarchy reigned and people completely forgot about their king and the peaceful lives they lived under his rule.

Eventually, word came to the king on the battlefront about the state of his kingdom. He knew that if he sent a detachment of troops from his army that the people would fight for their newfound 'freedom' to fulfill their every desire and there would be many casualties. So he decided to send his son, the prince, to start a subversive movement among the people to remember their love for him.

So under the cover of darkness the price returned to the kingdom disguising himself as a peasant. He brought with him many medicines that had been forgotten under the current regime and healed many sick people. He re-taught them how to plant seed and tend gardens so the hungry were fed. And all the while he reminded the people how much better life used to be with the king, inviting them to return to that life, and promising that the king would return from war and restore things to how they should be.

Soon the prince began to gather quite a following for the king. When the evil tyrant heard of this subversive movement he had the prince arrested and brought to the castle for trial. He was declared a traitor and according to the laws of the land the only sentence for treason was death. Once again, word came to the king about the plight of his son. When he heard this the king’s face fell and he said, “My people have betrayed their king. And it is for their act of treason my son must die."

~An excerpt from Sunday's message on the gospel

Hitchhiker's guide to poverty culture

2008-09-27T21:39:00.003+02:00

I took a day off and went in to Swakop today. It was great to spend some time alone and to get back behind my camera again. I took about 250 shots walking around town, visiting shops, watching kids play on the beach. It’s easy to take photos in Swakop because everyone’s used to tourists with cameras and the town is so photogenic. And I even ran into my friends Marcus & Jojo from Okahandja who were also taking a little weekend downtime, so that was a blessing.

I’ve frequently been asked about hitchhiking from people in the States who are a little leery or surprised or shocked. It always makes me smile because it’s just natural here. I suppose if America had more people without cars than with then hitchhiking would be more common there too. It got me thinking about how much of poverty culture is shaped by necessity. It’s understood that those who have help those who don’t. This concept is largely lost in an individualized, materialistic, self-propagating culture. Everyone looks out for number one and doesn’t even notice the needs of others. Perhaps our culture would be more shaped by necessity if we were a little more aware of the needs of those around us.

Photo of the Day

2008-09-27T14:01:00.000+02:00

Photo of the Day

2008-09-24T21:52:00.000+02:00

New Roommates & New Adventures

2008-09-24T19:45:00.003+02:00

This week Tom and Peter moved in to Mantown. They are volunteers from the UK with African Inland Mission staying here in Arandis through November. Tom just graduated high school and is taking a year off before going to university next year. Peter just graduated from university and is taking some time off before joining the workforce. It’s nice to have some other guys around who are closer to my age. They’re also working with Boniface planning some leadership training for the student leaders in the youth group and also an afternoon soccer club.

Next weekend the Jr. Town Council is planning an Arandis Sports Weekend. Among the many competitions will be a volleyball tournament including teams that have been invited from Windhoek and Walvis Bay. My new friend Allen asked me to play with his team, so this could be interesting. I love these opportunities to get involved in the community that other missionaries tend to pass up.

Being an elementary school teacher hasn’t been so bad, granted I only teach one class 3 days a week for seven 4th-5th graders. So far we’ve covered creation and the fall and we’ll finish up this week with the flood on Friday. We’re also memorizing the books of the Old Testament. This week we started off easy with just the first five books – although pronouncing Deuteronomy has been a bit of a challenge for some. I know, I’m such a mean teacher, aren’t I.

No Grootfontein

2008-09-19T15:03:00.001+02:00

Apparently someone on the other end got sick so this weekend’s outreach has been cancelled. It’s really too bad because I was looking forward to the discipleship opportunities it would present within our team, especially those who’ve never been on an outreach before. There’s plans in the works for an outreach to Keetmanshoop in the south, so hopefully that one will work out.

Sodium Chlorawhat?

2008-09-18T21:27:00.004+02:00

Starting next week I’m going to start teaching the 4th and 5th graders at Talitha Kumi Primary School, the private school started by Hope’s Promise. I wanted an opportunity to teach the Bible to young kids trusting that it will help me better teach the Bible to teens and adults. Sometimes it’s easy to complicate the message with complex ideas and big theological sounding words. With kids, that’s impossible. If I have to explain it to a child, I have to have a pretty simple understanding of it myself.

I’ll be teaching a much simplified version of the Old Testament curriculum I’m working on. I hope it will give them a framework and a timeline to understand how all the pieces fit together. Often we hear a story here and a story there, but have no overarching knowledge of redemptive history. The lessons are designed to teach major biblical themes while chronologically studying through Old Testament history.

~~~~~~~~

For those of you who know her, congratulations are in order for Clara. She took the gold medal at the National Science Fair competition in Windhoek last weekend! Not only that, but Arandis’ Kolin Foundation Secondary School is now the top school in the nation for science, even over Windhoek High School and St Paul’s prep school. That’s pretty big news and people here are quite exited about it.

Photo of the Day

2008-09-17T16:36:00.002+02:00

Kids playing soccer with a tennis ball in the amphitheater.

At the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments

2008-09-17T13:00:00.003+02:00

In Scripture Union this week I’ve been teaching on Daniel. I only have 15 minutes so it forces me to be succinct and to the point. We’re looking at what it means to take responsibility for your own spiritual growth. Oftentimes students expect that going to church or Bible study will automatically make them good followers of Jesus. I keep reminding them that Boniface and I won’t be knocking on the window when they’re with their boy/girlfriend just to check in. Ultimately it’s their choice whether to serve God or whatever other gods the world sends their way.

Daniel and his three friends offer some great examples for us as they choose to go against the flow to serve God. Their unswerving commitment is impressive, if not inspiring. I love their response to Nebuchadnezzar, one of my favorite in all Scripture, “We know God is able to save us, but even if He doesn’t we still won’t bow to your statue.” Their courage stood not on a guaranteed salvation, but on the character of their God. Outstanding!

~~~~~~~~

This Friday afternoon I’ll join a group of the youth from our church along with some youth from a church in Swakop on an outreach to the town of Grootfontein. It sounds like we’ll mostly be doing street evangelism and evening programs. Fabiola has encouraged us to pray hard because this area is covered in a great spiritual darkness. So please be in prayer for our group this weekend, for protection in traveling, provision for all our needs, openness and receptivity in the community, and good conversations among the team.

Along with the prayer items, I received an encouraging praise note today. Fabiola, Pastor Banda’s wife, has been going through tests for ongoing health problems. Lately she’s felt much better so today’s tests were more for reassurance and just to check. She writes, “Praise God! The doctor was really looking for cancer in his speech and actions and did a mammogram and sonar. God is good; nothing was found, no abnormalities!” Thanks for your continued prayers and support.

Weekly Happenings

2008-09-11T21:57:00.003+02:00

After a months time, it’s starting to feel like I actually live in Arandis and I’m not just visiting. I’m starting to remember the names that go with the faces I see every time I’m here. I’ve got all my walking routes down and random kids greet me by name.

I don’t know that there is such a thing as routine here in Arandis, but if nothing comes up I typically spend some time in the library in the morning working on my curriculum project. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I go to Scripture Union during the break at the secondary school. Many of the kids ask about past team members and when they’re coming back. I love those connections that go beyond a short-term trip. In the afternoons I’ll hang out with some of the Hope’s Promise families, youth group kids, or teach some guitar lessons. And evenings are usually spent at church prayer meeting, Bible study or playing volleyball.

Next week I’m teaching for Scripture Union, so I’ll be working up 3 ten minute lessons. In a couple weeks I’ll be teaching on ‘Salvation’ at youth group. At first I wanted to pass and take a different topic, but lately I’ve become quite passionate about the truth of the gospel. There seems to be so much false or incomplete teaching when it comes to the gospel, but I think that might be a topic for another post. I’m also looking forward to an outreach in Grootfontein next weekend with some of the Arandis Christian Center youth. It’ll be a great opportunity to get to know those youth better and also to see a new place I’ve never been before.

So that’s a few of my happenings and upcoming events. How’s your schedule shaping up this mid-September?

It's about time

2008-09-07T12:35:00.002+02:00

I’ve been waiting for this day for over six months. I’ve followed the news articles through the draft, free agency, training camps, and now the long awaited day has finally arrived, Opening Day at Gillette Stadium. The highly anticipated come-back of the only team in NFL history to go 18-1 begins today. The only negative is the vivid reminder of why we’re opening on Sunday rather than last Thursday.

With the fateful picture of Plaxico Burress cradling the ball in the end zone burned in my mind, I’m ready to put that all behind and start seeing Randy Moss cradle some touchdown passes of his own. I thank those of you who are concerned that I’ll miss so much of the season. Fortunately, thanks to wireless internet technology, I’ll be able to watch most of the games online. I realize watching a helmet move slowly across the screen is not nearly as stimulating as seeing Laurence Maroney burst his way through the defensive line, so ESPN has just the fix for the fanatical follower. On Monday and Tuesday afternoons they replay a few games from the weekend, so hopefully I’ll be able to catch a few of the Pats night games with my fellow football loving friend, Steve Graham.

Here’s to my record setting, best team of the decade, three-time Super Bowl champion Patriots! Here’s to predictions of another great season! Here's to opening day! Hank Williams Jr, I’m ready for some football!

~~~~~~~~

The clocks moved ahead last night catching a few by surprise. So now we’re back to a 6 hour difference, meaning I’ll catch those 1:00 games at 7pm.

~~~~~~~~

Happy Grandparents Day!

Wedding Day

2008-09-05T23:22:00.004+01:00

Some days you think you have a plan; others you never see coming. Today, I was on my way to the library to do some writing when I ran into my friend Sam who was coming fresh from the barber shop. Sam and his fiancée are getting married on December 13 and I was sooo disappointed when he asked me to do his photography because I’ll be back in the States by then. It would’ve been an awesome cultural experience and it’ll be a killer party. But alas, I must remind myself like when I left, I’ll always miss out on something.

But this morning, he asked me again. As I was about to remind him that I wouldn’t be here, he said they were having their public ceremony in December, but their official ceremony was at the magistrate’s office in Swakop today. Since I had no plans that couldn’t be rescheduled I jumped at the opportunity. So with enough time to change my clothes and grab my camera, I joined Sam and Boniface to catch a lift into town.

We should’ve known when the rear passenger side door had no handle. And if not that, then it should’ve been a dead give away when none of the windows rolled down, the passenger door didn’t shut right, and you couldn’t open either back door from the inside. But we needed the ride, so after a stop at the Arandis ‘petrol station’ (some guy that sells gas by the 5 liter jug out of his house for an outrageous profit) we were on our way.

Not five minutes down the road the engine died and we coasted to a stop. We climbed out of the stuffy back seat, after someone opened the door for us from the outside, and told the driver, ‘thanks, but we’ll find another ride.’ After we prayed, the very next car was a pickup truck that Providence sent for us. The groom hopped in the front and Boni and I in the back and we were finally on our way.

The ceremony was lovely. They signed a few papers, exchanged rings and kissed, and it was over before a Vambo could eat a fat cake. The next couple in line asked me to take some photos for them too, which was slightly awkward, but hey, now I can say I’m a professional if I get paid for my work, right? :)

So congratulations to Sam and Victoria! I’m super excited for you and wish I could be here on the 13th. I pray for God's continued blessing on your life together.

Photo of the Day

2008-09-05T14:38:00.001+01:00

Sam and Victoria's wedding bands

Change for the Hospital

2008-09-04T10:50:00.005+01:00

Our ‘Change for the Hospital’ campaign started this week. In case you missed the earlier post, I challenged you to collect all your change this month and donate it to our ministry at the Swakopmund hospital. At the end of each day, empty your pockets, wallets, purses, and couches of all the spare change you can find, fill up a jar and at the end of the month send that money via Christ’s Church to help us continue serving at the hospital.

For the past month or so, Fabiola has mobilized the youth of Arandis Christian Center to help clean and restore old sections of the hospital. Saturday mornings we wash and paint walls, clean windows, and scrub grime to share God’s love in a practical way. The change you donate will go towards fuel for traveling to and from Swakop, equipment and supplies, and lunch for the workers. If there’s enough we also want to ‘adopt’ a children’s ward and buy story books and toys for the children. Thanks in advance and I’m excited to see how God’s going to use this ministry to change lives as well.

Marta

2008-08-31T21:19:00.003+01:00

The three girls were quite patient and mostly attentive in the hot sun as Eddie and I spoke with them for over an hour concerning the Holy Spirit, hell, Christ on the cross, whether ‘born agains’ could drink or have boyfriends, and whatever other questions came to their minds. We presented God’s good news as clearly as we could and it seemed to me that they understood it. Marta and Sarah both followed Eddie in a prayer to express their belief, while Lucia said she would pray by herself when she got home. We parted ways leaving them with an invite to church on Sunday.

This morning I was excited to see Marta across the room at church, but she split before I could chat with her. I was even more excited to see her at youth group this evening where I could catch up with her. As we shared around the circle about our experiences this week she told us a bit of her story.

She had been involved in a church and in Scripture Union (SU) with Boniface, so she knew some of the other girls in the room. But her father didn’t approve of her religious activities, so she soon began losing interest and started believing some of the lies of the world. Then lately she had just started going back to SU and was feeling like she needed to become born again. That’s when Providence sent her walking past Eddie and me.

It's stories like Marta's that remind a cynic like me that some of the professions of faith are real and that God's been working in people's lives long before I got there and will continue long after I go. Some do the planting, some the watering, but God causes the growth.

I pray that Marta continues coming to youth group and SU where she can grow in understanding and be encouraged by other followers of Christ her own age. I pray that she will be a light to her family and that her father won’t kick her out of the house because of her decision to follow Christ. And I continue to pray for her two friends, Lucia and Sarah, that God will take that seed that was planted and bring it to fruition.

Evangelism and African Culture

2008-08-31T20:37:00.002+01:00

Other than the guy who just shouted from his couch and never opened the door, we were usually welcomed into homes or at least given time to say our piece. As we’ve been visiting people in their homes this week to share the gospel, they have been much more accommodating than you’d find in the States, I think partly because house visits are much more common here. In America you don’t just drop by someone’s house to visit them. You usually make an appointment or meet over lunch or something. But the only people knocking on your door in the States are salesmen, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and kids in Halloween costumes.

People are also much more respectful to their guests, especially concerning religious conversation. They graciously listened as we shared and explained a few verses from Romans that briefly summarize God’s redemptive plan. This is less surprising when one considers the polytheistic spiritual history of the continent, the increased number of regular church goers, that almost every house has a Bible, and how clergy are often held in high regard (regardless of what they actually teach). Even if they didn’t give us the time to share, they would always let us pray for them. It’s interesting how everyone wants a blessing on their own terms.

And in the end the response was quite overwhelming, almost too much in fact. As some of our hosts have shared with us in the past, when we share the gospel here and proceed to ask if anyone would like to ‘receive Jesus’ or ‘become born again’ then many people will say yes not because they understand but simply to be polite. But we would always pray with them nonetheless, because we don’t know their hearts and this may actually be the time God is moving their hearts to believe.

At youth group tonight we shared about our experiences from the week and many of our youth were greatly touched and encouraged. They were excited by the boldness and passion in the team members from Windhoek. By going along in the different small groups they gained valuable experience on how to explain the gospel and what kinds of things they can say. And they were quite fired up to keep doing it even now that the team has gone. So even if that’s the only lasting effect (which it’s not), I think it’s been a productive week.

Adventures in Door-to-Door Evangelism

2008-08-26T19:45:00.002+01:00

When he first came to the door in a long t-shirt and his underwear, we offered an embarrassed chuckle, but when I realized it was my friend Immanuel from the library, I began to look for a place to hide. I was with two girls from Windhoek who came with a team from their church to do an outreach with our youth group in Arandis. Their primary evangelistic tool, door-to-door evangelism.

If you’ve known me for any length of time you know what a huge fan I am of door-to-door evangelism (said very sarcastically for those who don’t). But all this week in the mornings and afternoons we go out in small groups to visit people’s homes, unashamedly share the gospel, then invite them to the evening program we hold every night.

Aside from feeling like a Jehovah’s Witness, I think it puts people on the defensive and they’re far less interested in talking about deep personal matters with a complete stranger than a friend. That said, I have discovered many benefits thus far. At first I was slightly anxious whenever we came to the house of someone I knew. But then I got to thinking, it gave me the perfect opportunity to introduce Jesus into our ongoing conversations. True, this team from Windhoek doesn’t know this person or where they’re at, but their boldness has forced me to be upfront about my faith. For those I don’t know, it gives me the chance to explain why I’m here and let them know I’m available if they ever have questions. In addition, it’s helped me refine my ability to succinctly, clearly share what I believe and helped me get a better understanding of some questions people face regarding the gospel.

I still don't know exactly where Immanuel is on his spiritual journey, but now when the questions and issues come up, he knows he has a friend with whom he can discuss them. I'm also looking forward to an intriguing follow-up conversation the next time I see him in the library. And I’m still no closer to taking up door-to-door on my free weekends, but it has been an interesting exercise in openness and boldness.

Elizabeth

2008-08-26T18:54:00.003+01:00

I’d heard about Elizabeth long before I got to meet her last week. Everyone had told me how happy she was and such a joy to be around. They set my expectations high, but when the day came I found she totally is that cool.

Elizabeth was born with spina bifida. But from lack of proper care at the Ark in Rehoboth, she ended up dragging her legs to get around. Had she received the care she needed she may have been walking by now, but from all the dragging, one of her feet got an infection down to the bone and had to be amputated. Praise God, she now has a proper wheelchair and people who love and look after her. And despite all that she’s gone through, that contagious smile never leaves her face.

The past few school breaks she’s been coming from Rehoboth to stay with Nan. That’s where I met her. She wanted to keep playing Uno over and over. At first she got upset when I would drop a Draw 2, but then she started thanking me because it helped her get more cards she could use for revenge. :)

Getting to know Elizabeth has made me think how easily we get bitter and upset when things don’t go the way we want them to. But by doing that we’re basically telling God He’s not doing a good enough job. He obviously messed up because something didn’t go according to our plans. In the allegory Hinds Feet on High Places, Much-Afraid is traveling from the Valley of Humiliation to the High Places. She is heartbroken when the path the Shepherd marked out for her leads her through the desert in the opposite direction of the High Places, but it’s in the desert where she learns to call herself “Acceptance-with-Joy”. Elizabeth reminds me that whatever path the Shepherd has marked out for me, I too must humbly say, “I am your servant, Acceptance-with-Joy.”

Change for the Hospital

2008-08-23T15:42:00.002+01:00

Last night at prayer meeting we weren’t sure if we would have transport to get out to the hospital this morning. We prayed and went home waiting expectantly on God. When Fabiola was visiting with the neighbors later that night they asked her, “So where shall we take you tomorrow?” Not only that, but they lent us their car for the day so we were able to enjoy a nice lunch on the beach after our morning of hard work.

In the hospital we continued to wash and paint the walls in the hallway. Now I know you can’t come paint but I want to challenge you to be a part of this project too! There are costs involved like fuel for transport, cleaning supplies, etc, so Fabiola encouraged me to challenge all of you to donate your change. My proposal is this: at the end of every day through the month of September empty your pockets of change into a jar. When the jar is full take it to the bank to count it and send a tax-deductible donation for that amount to Christ’s Church designated for the Swakop Hospital Project. You can donate online here, send a check to 58 Merrimack Rd, Amherst, NH 03031, or just drop it off at the church. In that small way, your change can help change the hospital!

Or if you prefer, we’re also looking for toys for the children’s ward and books to read to the children. If you have anything appropriate (please nothing worn out or half destroyed) you can try (no promises!) to ship it to Fabiola Banda, Box 475, Arandis, NAMIBIA, or just drop it by Christ’s Church for the next team to bring over. Thanks for your participation, and as always, continue in prayer that as we share God’s love in a practical way, He would open in-roads to share the gospel.

Welcome to Arandis

2008-08-19T11:18:00.003+01:00

Arandis is a small mining community about 65km inland from the coastal city of Swakopmund. The town was originally built for the employees of Rossing Mine, the fifth largest producer of uranium in the world. Today most of the town's 5000 occupants are still somehow connected to the mine. Arandis is also home to Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT), Arandis Christian Center, and Hope’s Promise Orphan Ministries.

I first came to Arandis as a driver for the dance team in 2005 and have been back with teams every summer since. Pastor Tresford Banda and his family have become dear friends and have an inspiring vision to see God move in this community. In my many visits this year I’ve also gotten to know many of the youth through the church and the school. Much of my ministry here will be partnering with Boniface who leads the youth ministry at the church and Scripture Union, which is a Bible club at the secondary school.

Lately I’ve been involved in planning for youth group this next term and an outreach we’ll be having next week with some Windhoek youth. In the mornings I’ve found the library a nice place to do some studying as well as meet new people. I love the community aspect of walking around town. People around the neighborhood already know where I live and greet me by name. But it’s been less than a week, so I still do feel very much an outsider. I’m wondering how long it takes for that to wear off.

Thank God for my can opening merit badge

2008-08-16T18:48:00.003+01:00

I just went to open some tuna only to discover Mike doesn’t have a can opener. Unfortunate. But thanks to the Canadian scouts, I now know how to use the old fashion can opener on my pocket knife. I’m glad the Swiss are so handy.

~~~~~~~~

Since Pearl was in the hospital a few months back Fabiola got this great idea to help volunteer fixing up the hospital in Swakop and use that as an inroad to minister to the patients. This morning I joined the group washing and painting the hallway. So many people were walking by saying how much they appreciate what we were doing and asking if we were getting paid.

While at the hospital some of us visited Chriszelda in the maternity ward. Yesterday morning she delivered a baby boy, Immanuel. No, I didn’t ask for all the specs for the ladies, but I did take some pics. Both mother and son are now home and doing well.

Moving On

2008-08-14T10:06:00.000+01:00

On Sunday, Don, a repeat visitor, and his niece Kat came to visit Okahandja on the back end of their trip. We spent some time at the Ark, they visit the preschools with Joan, then we spent some downtime at the Okapuka Game Lodge. Though not as big as Etosha, they have thousands of hectors where the animals roam freely. We got up close and personal with rhinos, crocodiles, and giraffe and saw some other game antelope that you can’t find in Etosha. After the game drive we watched the lions get fed, from so close that if I stuck my hand through the wall it would’ve been bitten off. Check out more pics on Flickr.

After I dropped Don and Kat at the airport I spent some last time with the Canadian team over dinner at Joe’s. Then it was time to pack, clean up, and head out to Arandis. Grace and Victoria from the Ark are spending their school break with their mother out in Swakop so I had some company for the ride out. I arrived in Arandis after dark and made my way to Mike Dunne’s house which will be my new home for the next 2 and a half months.

It's only been one night but I’m still convinced that living with other people is a positive thing. At Dieter’s place I was quite secluded and independent. Here I have neighbors quite close and share a living space. Living in community creates tension and the bumps and rubs along the way remind me that I’m not the center of my own universe. But for now I’m still just settling in and excited to be here and start getting involved in ministry.

Photo of the Day

2008-08-11T16:49:00.001+01:00

Went to see the wildlife at Okapuka with Don & Kat
and got some great close ups. I shot over 280

frames of the lions. Love the bloody mane! ;)

Boy's Night

2008-08-10T19:50:00.003+01:00

Saturday night was boys night at the Ark. We kicked all the girls out, blocked off the sitting room, and did some serious guy stuff. I brought my laptop over and we ate lots of junk food and played lots of Super Street Fighter II. Then we settled down with some ice cream to watch one of the ultimate guy movies of all time, Gladiator. Since they usually only get female volunteers at the Ark they always have girls nights where they do girly stuff and watch girly movies. So needless to say, the guys were pretty stoked to finally have a boys night and wouldn't stop reminding me about it the whole week leading up.

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Good news! Buddy and Julia got a call from a guy in Windhoek who found some of their papers. It appears whoever stole the stuff just shook all the papers out of their books since those were worthless to them. They also found Julia’s ID and cancelled bank cards. And it seems the insurance will cover all the other stuff. Now they’re just having trouble finding a place that can fix the windows on their car since it’s an import. Please pray that they can get that fixed soon because they’re getting tired of walking everywhere since they can’t really leave their car unattended.

This is home

2008-08-07T07:44:00.002+01:00

All in a days work

2008-08-06T16:33:00.003+01:00

It’s funny how a deadline makes you so much more productive. Now that I’m leaving for Arandis next Wednesday I have a week to finish up all my landscaping plans in the garden. Between winter and teams being here it’s been a while since I’ve done anything, but today made up for it all.

As Darin always says the trick to looking good is to surround yourself with people who are good. Well, if you’re trying to build a garden pond, Festus is definitely the guy you want working with you. He works here on the plot for Dieter and Joan so I recruited him to help. I pretty much just mixed cement all day and he did all the work making it look good. Hopefully we’ll finish up by the end of the week so I can see it with water in it before I go.

Shadows over Chinatown

2008-08-05T20:05:00.004+01:00

After hearing Buddy and Julia talk up Chinatown for so long I was pretty excited to go, but little did we know how it would shape the rest of our day. The shopping part was actually pretty cool, sketchy little shops crammed full of mass produces knick-knacks. I found myself a can opener for less than half of what I would normally pay and Buddy found a cool Airsoft gun to shoot the annoying birds that always wake him up early in the morning. On our way out a woman walked up to us with the dreaded news. Buddy ran ahead to see if she was right. I walked with Julia praying the whole way that she was mistaken.

As I came around the corner, Buddy was in the midst of a small crowd looking astonished at the two smashed out windows on the passenger side of the car. They had taken Julia's bag out of the front seat and Buddy's laptop bag out of the back, but by the grace of God there lay mine on the floor underneath my sweatshirt. Fortunately Buddy was on his way to pick up their laptop from the service department so it wasn't in the bag at the time, but still that's no consolation. They lost their camera with all of July's pictures, both their Bibles, Julia's ID and bank cards, and all their computer cables among other things. We spent the rest of what was suppose to be a relaxing day running around to the police station, insurance company, and other stores collecting quotes for what had been stolen. We finally slowed down over some KFC at Todd and Erin's house, some other missionary friends in Windhoek. Then they helped us bag up the windows for the long ride home.

It definitely was not quite the day we had in mind, but it all goes back to what I've said before about the sovereignty of God. If we really believe God is sovereign, we must believe that He's in control of these circumstances. And if I believe God loves and cares for His children then I must believe there's more to this than broken windows and stolen bags. Afterall, who knows where those Bibles will end up. Please keep Buddy and Julia in your prayers, that their insurance company will cover everything, that they can get the car windows fixed promptly, and that this trying of their faith will produce perseverance.

And thanks to all for the birthday wishes.

Photo of the Day

2008-08-02T17:56:00.000+01:00

Twilight

Another happy landing

2008-08-02T10:40:00.002+01:00

It’s been a quiet week around here. Schools are in the middle of exams as the term ends so kids are busy studying and taking extra study classes. We moved the Bible study at Okahandja Secondary to Fridays and the one at J.G. was canceled until next term. Meanwhile I’ve been spending most of the week out at the Ark. After helping Bernhard study for his social studies exam, the next day he was excited to tell me he got second in his class by just 1 point. Evenings I’ve spent hanging out with the Canadian scouts finding constellations and playing this game that’s kinda like Mafia except with werewolves instead. It’s a lot of fun even though I haven’t won a game yet.

Looking ahead, next week will be my last full week in Okahandja. For the next three months I’ll be moving out to Arandis to work with Boniface and his youth ministries at the school and the church. I’ll be staying with my friend Mike Dunne, a missionary from Florida, who has an extra room in his place. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in this small mining community already, but never for such an extended stay, so I’m pretty excited to get a better handle on what life and ministry is like there. I’m excited to spend more time getting to know the many people I’ve spent only weekends with. And I’m excited to answer the question ‘how long are you here’ with ‘oh, 3 months or so.’

Post-trip hibernation

2008-07-26T18:00:00.002+01:00

After dropping Nate and Germaine off at the airport this afternoon I enjoyed my first alone time in almost a month. Not that I haven’t enjoyed having the team here. I enjoyed it immensely. I have laughed more, cried more, and learned more in the last month then I ever would’ve thought. But I recharge in my alone time. Fortunately for me, I woke up earlier than most on the team so I could squeeze in enough alone time in the mornings to keep my sanity. But I think I’m going to spend the next few days in as much hibernation as possible; recharge the tanks that are feeling pretty drained.

I’ll probably spend much of that time sorting through the over 2,000 photos that I’ve taken over the past month. I’m making good progress already and getting them posted up on Flickr but there’s still a long way to go, so make sure to check back frequently as I get more uploaded.

American entertainment

2008-07-23T14:39:00.005+01:00

Everyone was giggling as they set the food down in front of us. Originally they had invited us for dinner, but Saara has to travel this afternoon so they served us lunch. I’m becoming more convinced that it was solely for entertainment purposes to see our reactions to their traditional food, and to be sure, Nate delivered.

The meal was a plate of mahangu and a vegetable dip with a side of mopane worms. We would grab up a portion of mahangu with our fingers, ball it up in our hands and dip it in the vegetable mixture. The dip added a bit of flavor to the otherwise plain mahangu, but the worms were quite savory compared to others I’ve had. We all had some fun chatting about interesting foods from other cultures and watching Nate examine a worm before setting it back in the dish.

During the morning classes I taught about Jacob and Esau and God’s sovereign love in choosing. Nate gave some tips on public speaking, then gave each class member a chance to practice while the rest of the class critiqued. Then Germaine taught about Mary Magdalene and how God desires a heart for Him more than service. Afterwards the students in turn stood and offered us Scriptures of encouragement. It was quite a blessing to be accepted and loved by them.

Tonight we’ll go back for the Wednesday evening service where it appears I’ll be preaching. I’d better catch a quick nap before I need to prepare my message!

Ondangwa

2008-07-22T14:11:00.001+01:00

I’m afraid we might have been caught sleeping in class this morning because we just got a text from Boniface that said, ‘come at 5:30, take your rest.’ Boniface and his wife Saara started a Bible college in Ondangwa back in 2003. Both in 2004 and 2006 we sent teams up north to visit with them and see how we could help. Nate was on the 2006 team and is fondly remembered by many we’ve seen already during our short time here.

This morning Boniface showed us around to see all the improvements on the school, the dorms, the garden, the toilet. He showed us their solar powered electricity and a new water spigot on their plot. It’s the first time I’ve been here myself, but from pictures I’ve seen from those past trips the place looks great. After the tour we sat in on a class about spiritual warfare. Apparently tomorrow morning we’ll be the adjunct professors. We were also invited to dinner tomorrow for a traditional African meal of mohangu (mo-han-goo) and mopane worms. Overall, it seems like a great place and I’m excited to see Namibians training Namibians to share the gospel to their own people.

Photo of the Day

2008-07-22T09:55:00.000+01:00

Boniface took us out to the field where the ladies
were cutting the grass for a new thatched roof.

Photo of the Day

2008-07-19T17:24:00.000+01:00

Then there were three

2008-07-18T22:14:00.004+01:00

After waiting seven months for the team to be here it’s hard to believe they’ve already come and gone. It was harder than I expected to say goodbye to them at the airport yesterday. Being on the other side has been an awesome learning experience and has given me plenty of ideas and reforms for the future, but that’s a whole nother conversation.

To catch you up, last Wednesday I traveled out to Arandis to join that half of the team. I visited the high school and the Hope’s Promise families, helped as a bouncer for the dance program, served brunch to some seniors citizens, hung out with some of Pearl’s dance team in Swakop and at the dunes, played guitar with Pearl at the Saturday night performance, and had some awesome conversations and many laughs with the team. And that’s just the Reader’s Digest version.

Monday we reconnected with the Okahandja team in Etosha for debrief. It was my first time there with a camera which adds a whole new dimension to it that I never realized before. The very first morning we were incredibly blessed to see this leopard not 30 yards away, my favorite of the big cats. You’ll have to check out the other pics when I get a chance to put them up on Flickr.

After dropping the team off at the airport yesterday things suddenly got very quiet - a long ride home with an empty kombi, my first meal alone. I spent a large part of today catching up on my journaling and wrapping up loose ends from the trip. Tonight we dropped Toivo off at the Ark after coffeebar, so now it’s just Nate and Germaine who are staying through next Saturday. Since I’ve been running on adrenaline and activity for the past two weeks, one day still hasn’t been enough to catch up. Tomorrow we’ll head out again, back to Arandis for the weekend, then up to Ondangwa to visit with Boniface and Saara, a couple running a Bible school who we’ve sent teams to in the past. So it seems like sleep is in sight…but not this week.

~~~~~~~~

I got my first package today! (Thanks Meegan) It was a 2008 Patriots Day-by-Day calendar, a little late, but I can still get 7 months of good use out of it. Out of curiosity I checked the postmark date…Feb 22. So basically, if anybody’s sent anything after June 19th, I probably won’t get it, but thanks for thinking of me!

Photo of the Day

2008-07-12T12:49:00.001+01:00

Saw this little fellow on the dunes today.
Richard would've caught him if he had a bottle.

Photo of the Day

2008-07-11T16:34:00.000+01:00

Precious

Photo of the Day

2008-07-08T16:39:00.000+01:00

Ok, so I had to get a pic of me up here while I had the chance.

Matt snapped this shot of me and Grace while we were hanging

out at the Ark this afternoon. Grace is Toivo's youngest sister.

Sleep when you get home

2008-07-07T08:14:00.001+01:00

We picked the team up at the airport last Thursday and they hit the ground running. Friday morning we were up before the sun to take them over to the secondary schools. Six members of the team are dancers who’ll be teaching a dance camp in Arandis, but since we had them for the day I set up some assemblies for them at both J.G. and Okahandja Secondary. For our part they went well, but the teachers weren’t around so the kids were somewhat unfocused.

In the afternoon I took them over to the Ark. Some of the team has been there before and we always wonder if the kids recognize them when they come back. So it was really special for Darin when Jannis first saw him and exclaimed, “I know you!” Then Saturday morning we sent that half of the team off to Arandis while the rest of us got settled in and finished prepping for the Canadian team to arrive on the plot.

It’s been easy enough for me to meld into the group since I know so many of them already. I’ve already had some great encouraging talks helping people work through some of their experiences. But I’ve been most impressed by how the team’s been so awesome to Buddy & Julia. We invited them over for dinner and a little ‘Namibian’ Apples to Apples last night. They shared a bit of their stories of how they met and about their 4 different weddings. I’m more convinced than ever that one of the primary purposes of any short-term team needs to be encouraging and loving on the long-termers.

My plans for the week are to hang here with the Okahandja team helping them get acquainted with ministry leaders. Then on Wednesday afternoon I’ll head with the group of teachers out to Arandis for the weekend. Next Monday we head to Etosha for debrief and the trip’s all but over. Too short a time to have such great company, so I guess I’d better get off the computer and go see if anybody’s awake yet. The weekend and late night campfires must’ve worn them all out!

Photo of the Day

2008-07-05T15:28:00.000+01:00

Stephanie playing with a Koringkrik

Photo of the Day

2008-07-04T10:04:00.000+01:00

Bonnie dancing at J.G. Secondary School

The Race is on

2008-07-01T11:37:00.000+01:00

Branches are being cut, lights installed, windows replaced, floors swept, dorms cleaned, all in preparation for the flood of teams coming in the end of this week. We got some extra people to help and the place is buzzing like a campus before freshman orientation. It’s funny how it always takes visitors to get places cleaned up!

The team from my home church, Christ’s Church of Amherst in NH, boards their bus to NYC in just a few hours. We go to pick them up from the airport Thursday afternoon. Part of the team will be staying here helping paint the hall on the plot and getting involved in ministries around Okahandja. Part of the group will be going out to Arandis to lead a dance camp and get involved with the school and church ministries. And the last few are some teachers who will be helping in some preschools around here and a special ed school in Windhoek. You can follow along with the team at their blogsite, http://goteamnamibia.blogspot.com.

Then on Saturday a group from Canada will be moving in for the month. They are a scout group coming to install toilets at some of the preschools. It’s a pre-fab unit that uses evaporation to keep a dry, sanitary, virtually odorless system. It really is a great idea in a place where there’s plenty of sun, but not so much water.

So lots will be happening over the next month, which usually leads to infrequent blogging (my apologies in advance) but lots of opportunities for photos. Hope you can keep up! Hope I can keep up.

The Specialist

2008-06-24T19:44:00.002+01:00

Since we’re trapped inside time we get pretty impressed when we look back and see how God has sovereignly prepared us for ministry opportunities we have today. But since it’s all part of His eternal decree, it was all part of the plan since before time began. So for Him, it’s all in a days work…except, days didn’t exist yet.

Lately I’ve had some opportunities just like that. Christian, one of the elders at church, and I have been trying to find a time to get together for some guitar lessons. After six months we’ve determined it probably won’t happen, so we reverted to video lessons. He’s recording me playing some of the songs we frequently sing in church, then he’ll go back and play along. Despite the awkwardness, I think it’s great because it’s something that will outlast my time here. As long as he’s self-motivated, he can learn on his own schedule and won’t be dependant on me.

I’ve already gotten to use my volleyball skills a bit with the youth camp and the Mariental outreach, so naturally I was excited to hear that some of the kids in the J.G. Bible Study I’ve been going to are on the volleyball team. Willem, the team captain, has been frustrated that their faculty advisor isn’t very helpful when it comes to practices, so before their game today I offered them some tips during warm-ups. When the faculty advisor had to leave for an appointment, I was appointed the acting coach. Unfortunately they lost the game, but it was close, and it gave me an idea of some things we can work on before the big tournament on Saturday.

So needless to say, it’s pretty cool that when billions of people and thousands of years were still just a thought in God’s mind, amidst all that He chose me, prepared me, and continues to use me as a guitar player and a volleyball coach, all for His glory.

Photo of the Day

2008-06-24T16:37:00.000+01:00

Spectators

Photo of the Day

2008-06-22T14:27:00.000+01:00

Photo of the Day

2008-06-20T12:32:00.001+01:00

How can I understand unless someone instructs me

2008-06-19T21:24:00.002+01:00

I felt like Philip speaking to the Ethiopian eunuch as the eyes around the table lit up with new understanding. This was my third week going to the Bible study at J.G., the other secondary school in Okahandja. They’ve been meeting on Thursday afternoons for a few years now, but I was just recently invited when I visited the school with the team from Palm Beach Atlantic a few weeks back. Today we were studying John 5. As usual, we read through the passage then discussed what stuck out to us or what questions people had. Once we got started the questions just kept pouring out as we ran the gambit from the paradox of the Trinity to the deity of Christ, praying to Mary, baptizing infants, the final judgment, and what does poor in spirit mean. It’s like they’re hungry for truth and can’t get enough of it. Just like the eunuch, they’ve had the Scriptures, but they need someone to come instruct them in it. As I was walking away with Willem, the student leader of the group, he kept saying, “I learned so much today!” How true does the prophet write, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Is 52:7)

Towards a solution

2008-06-19T20:39:00.003+01:00

I thought I was as angered and heartbroken about entitlement as I could get, but that was before I heard Rosa’s side of the story. Rosa is Jenny’s next door neighbor and also one of Joan’s precious preschool teachers. Joan relayed the story like this…

Rosa came into their Thursday afternoon preschool teachers meeting fuming mad. She proceeded to unload, like pulling the stop out of a hole in a dike. She said her neighbor had a fire the other night, but none of the other neighbors came to help. Rosa was the only one. And as fast as she could pull things out of the house the onlookers were stealing them. They justified themselves by saying, “Well the Americans will replace it all for her anyway.” Those were their exact words. It makes me about as mad as Rosa probably was, but it forces me to analyze how much am I part of the problem, because I know they’re right.

The whole African tribal culture is built around the sharing of resources to help each other survive. When we step in with aid we interrupt the delicate balance of that culture that has survived for centuries without us. There were five white people at her place Wednesday morning helping clean up from the fire. But had we not been there others would’ve stepped in and helped out. Rosa would’ve gladly opened up her own home to let the children stay the night, but the white men took them out of their culture to sleep under his roof. We help replace clothes and mattresses, but truthfully, if we were never there, others would have shared and they would’ve gotten by. That’s the beauty in their culture that we’ll never fully understand.

America is not the savior of Africa. Africa doesn’t need to be saved from themselves. They need Jesus. I don’t know how to say in more forthrightly than that.

Am I suggesting we abandon people to their poverty? By no means! I’m suggesting we work within their cultural framework to help in a way that doesn’t ostracize them from their families and communities. I’m suggesting we point people to Christ, leading them toward a dependency on God, not on white aid. Trials help produce perseverance and faith. When we remove them from their trials, there’s no reason to trust in God. We must walk a road with them, not just give them a car and directions on how to bypass the road altogether. But as frustrated as I get (can you tell??) I must remember I have no perfect solution. And in my efforts towards one, I’m sure I leave my own pile of wreckage in the wake. It forces me to the very same place, total reliance on the Source of all wisdom, which in the end may be the whole point in the first place.

Hope in the Ashes

2008-06-18T19:46:00.002+01:00

Most of the morning was spent at Jenny’s pulling zinc panels off charred wooden poles and cleaning up what was left after the fire burnt itself out last night. We managed to fill a good sized bowl full of salvaged beads that weren’t melted together, but that’s about all that was left. Everything else, clothes, food, money, Miriam’s textbooks and school uniform, birth certificates, blankets, photo albums, Jenny’s Bible, all reduced to soot and ashes.

Apparently one of the young girls had knocked over a candle and ran out, but never told anyone about it. Jenny’s room was separated from the main brick house which they started to empty of belongings in case it too caught on fire. None of the onlookers wanted to use their precious prepaid water cards to help put it out, so all they could do was watch everything they had be consumed by the flames.

At twenty-three years old Jenny is the single mother of two small children and taking care of her four younger siblings with virtually no help from their father except for this small plot they live on. This tragedy comes right on the heels of Jenny returning from her cousin’s funeral, the only cousin that helped financially support her and her siblings. Not only that, but the family she helped clean house for moved away last week, so now her sole source of income is from her woodcarving shop. It reminds me of Job, when the next servant came with tragic news before the previous one even finished speaking. All one can do is sit in stunned silence. Does it ever let up?

But as usual, God raises hope from amidst the ashes. We’ve been talking with Jenny for a while about moving on to her own plot to free her from the authority of her father (since it’s his plot, abusive relatives wander in and she has no authority to kick them out). There’s also talk of Hope’s Promise helping support her as a foster parent for her siblings. These all sound like very good options, but we must be very careful wading through the muddy waters of dependency and entitlement hoping to find a better solution on the other side. Whenever whites “swoop in” to “rescue” the Africans things can quickly become very dangerous. So please pray for much wisdom for all involved. Pray that we would follow God’s leading and not force our agenda on to Jenny and her family. Pray that God would continue to provide, and for us all to trust that He ultimately knows what’s best. Pray that Jenny wouldn’t be ostracized from her family by getting Social Services involved. And pray for unity in the body where philosophies of ministry heavily collide.

Toivo Time

2008-06-17T19:29:00.002+01:00

I got to spend some time with Toivo yesterday. He finished with his exams last week so now he’s on winter break. He told me he thought he did well overall except maybe math and science. He’ll get his marks on August 10th so then he’ll know for sure. Now that he’s done with 11th grade, next year he’ll go on to a two year “college prep” course. During break he’ll be working at the Okahandja hospital (since he wants to be a doctor). He said he’ll probably just be cleaning floors taking orders from somebody, but at least it’s a start. But he can’t wait to take a couple weeks off and join our team when they come in July.

~~~~~~~~

This just in: I just got a text from Buddy that said Jenny’s room burnt down tonight and all her stuff with it. We’re going over tomorrow morning to check it out and get the rest of the story. Please pray for her as it seems like just one thing going wrong after the next.

Photo of the Day

2008-06-17T17:06:00.003+01:00

It's been a while since I had the camera out.
Caught the sunset tonight with some rare June clouds.

Off Days

2008-06-14T17:49:00.001+01:00

I love fall in New England. I love fall in Namibia too. The nights have been quite cool lately. We even dipped down to freezing a few nights which was good because it killed off most of the pesky mosquitoes. With cool mornings and evenings it makes the warm daytime temperatures delightful. I open up my house to let the warm fresh air in. I’ve even seen some trees dropping yellow leaves. Almost like home!

Being here in Okahandja, far from the nearest Christian bookstore, I’ve been forced to pick up some of the books I brought off of my to-be-read shelf. Since there’s always a great recommendation or new release, some of these books have been sitting on that shelf for almost 5 years! But now that I have the time and opportunity to read them I wonder why I’ve waited so long. I just finished The Gospel According to Moses by Athol Dickson, reflections on how his participation in Chever Torah (a Jewish Torah study) has enriched his Christian faith. It’s been quite timely and helpful as I’m preparing an Old Testament Survey curriculum for future use. Now I have the tough decision of what to pick up next. I’m leaning towards Jesus Among Other Gods by Ravi Zacharias, though I may whip through the short Attributes of God by A.W. Pink first.

So that’s how I enjoyed my lovely solitary fall afternoon: reading, writing, and doing laundry.

Prayer Updates

2008-06-12T18:09:00.002+01:00

I was catching up with Jenny yesterday, who had just returned from her cousin’s funeral, when she told me some sad news. After the funeral she had sent her baby daughter Queen to live with a relative in South Africa because she couldn’t afford to keep her. The cousin that died had helped support Jenny and her siblings financially, so without that extra income things will only get harder. Also the family Jenny was cleaning for has moved so she’ll be totally relying on her unpredictable income from the woodcarving shop. Continue to pray for Jenny, that this testing time would increase her faith and reliance upon God rather than man, that God would continue to provide for their daily needs, and that perhaps that provision would come through their father who would man up and take responsibility for his own kids.

I also got to catch up with Sylvia this morning at our woodcarvers Bible Study. She’s doing well, no physical ailments lately. Her two sons have been sponsored to stay at the school hostel which has its pros and cons. They will be well fed and forced to study more, which is important for Clinton who is in grade 10 (If students don’t pass their grade 10 exams then they can’t go on to grade 11). But it also means Sylvia will only get to see them at church and on long weekends when the hostel sends them home. It also means Carina has to stay home with Deborah, the youngest sister, until Sylvia gets home from the market, so she can’t come to our school Bible Study. So they’re continuing to trust in the Lord and He’s continuing to provide. Thanks so much for your prayers on their behalf.

Luther

2008-06-10T09:24:00.001+01:00

On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany effectually starting the Protestant Reformation. I knew the gist of it, that Luther listed all the things wrong with Catholic doctrine and especially denounced the sale of indulgences (or pardons) which were an effort by the Catholic Church endorsed by the pope to raise money for the building of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. But I never really understood the depths of it until I recently read through some of his statements as part of a study on confession. I found myself laughing out loud at his sarcasm of the pope and sitting in awe at the courage of this man of God bringing such heavy indictments against the powerful Church. Let me list some of my favorites here:

45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.

50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that St. Peter's church should go to ashes, than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep.

51. Christians are to be taught that it would be the pope's wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many of those from whom certain hawkers of pardons cajole money, even though the church of St. Peter might have to be sold.

52. The assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it.

86. [In reference to questions from the laity] -- "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is today greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?"

No wonder this man was excommunicated, labeled a heretic and condemned under penalty of death!

Cultural Adaptations

2008-06-08T19:05:00.000+01:00

I’ve never felt more comfortable being the only white person in the room, but looking around the auditorium last night I was reminded how much our differences go beyond our shade of melanin. Pastor Marius’ church in Katutura was putting on a gospel concert involving many of my friends who attended the youth camp here at the plot about a month back. It was my first time to see them all since we parted ways at the train station after the Mariental outreach so I forgot my fair share of names, but it was great to see them again.

Sitting in my chair between Gordon and !yoko!yoko (a Damara/Nama name; the !’s are clicks) I found myself marveling at the many cultural differences these friends have taught me. Black African culture tends to be rather emotional and touchy-feely, which those of you who know me well may recognize is not me. But lately I’ve found myself quite at home seated in a sanctuary where everyone’s singing and clapping and dancing in the aisles. We’re all celebrating and worshiping the same God, we just express it differently. And lately it’s not so awkward when a friend shakes my hand and doesn’t let go or puts his arm around my shoulder. It's more than just getting used to it; it's a deeper understanding that I don't really know how to explain.

I’m still getting used to the whole idea of sharing resources. American culture trains us to be financially independent, except with parents who are always available to ask for money. ;) Here asking friends or family members for money is a regular practice. It’s almost as if the resources of those in your personal network are all at your disposal if you simply ask (or sometimes without asking!). On top of that, I get requests frequently simply because I’m white and they assume all white people have infinite resources. So I’m still wading through if, how, when and to whom I should give. Fortunately I have learned enough to know to accept a gift, even if (especially if!) it seems I should be the one giving to them. I don’t know to what extent they went to give and it would be an insult not to accept it, as if to inadvertently say, 'I'm too good for your gift'. But perhaps that's a topic for another post.

As the evening was coming to a close, Pastor Marius came up to me and expressed his appreciation for me coming all the way down from Okahandja to show my support. Then he said the most encouraging words of the night, “You’re a real African missionary now.” It seems I'm getting there. :)

Six months

2008-06-05T09:38:00.001+01:00

It’s hard to believe that I’ve already been here for six months. Looking back it seems like I’ve come such a long way, but it still feels like I have so much to learn. (How to deal with these stinkin mice in my ceiling for instance!) Being on the “foreign” mission field has given me an entirely different perspective on what it means to be a missionary at home and also helped me understand how to be a more effective foreign missionary. It’s grown my appreciation for and sensitivity to other cultures as well as revealed the arrogance of my own. And most of all it’s forced me to rely on God in a practical, not just theoretical, way.

But there’s still so much to learn. I’m looking forward to the team coming in July so I’ll get to experience our short-term missions trip from the other side. What is it like having a team come interrupt my regular schedule? How is it they add to my ministry while they’re here? What’s the impact they leave behind after they go? These were some of my main questions when I first came, so I am quite looking forward to the learning opportunity.

~~~~~~~~

The visa saga continues. After months of trying to apply for different kinds and lengths of visas, the agency I was using finally decided they were just running into a brick wall and referred me to another agency that might be able to help. But our friend Sylvia, from Hope’s Promise, said that if I was ever having visa troubles then I should contact her. So she made some calls and happens to know someone who knows someone high up that might be able to help me out. So I faxed him my original application yesterday and now I’m praying like mad that he can work it out so I don’t have to go to South Africa for a few days and come back under a new tourist visa. In trying to decide whether to follow up with this guy over the phone, I decided it would be better to pester God about it than him since God’s more forgiving. :) I would appreciate your continued prayers in this matter as well. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Heading Home (Opuwo Part 4)

2008-05-31T10:18:00.004+01:00

We stopped for an overnight at a beautiful lodge in Outjo before saying goodbye to our beloved translator and heading back to Okahandja. We made a stop at J.G., the other Okahandja secondary school that I haven’t been working at, to teach some Life Skills classes. One of the students invited me out to their afternoon Bible Study so I’m looking forward to checking that out. We spent our final ministry days in Windhoek visiting the hospital, a children’s home, and spending a day with the students at Pneumatics, a ministry & theology school connected with Emmanuel Church. I also introduced them to Joe's Beerhouse for Drew's birthday. :) Thursday evening, we said goodbye to the team at the airport where they had to wait another 8 hours for their delayed flight. Then Japie, the national OM director, Stephanie and Caryn, two OM volunteers, and I made the quiet trip back to Okahandja and everyday life.

Having the American team here was sometimes great fun, sometimes head-shaking, but always educational. Because I was an American familiar with Namibia my niche quickly became the liaison between Japie and the team. And since I’ve led so many groups over here, one of my greatest joys was interacting with the team leaders, hopefully helping them learn to be better leaders through the whole process.

I haven’t done much college aged ministry up to this point, but I really enjoyed it these past weeks. They were eager to learn and familiar with the intellectual rhetoric that I’m sure I’ve confused many a high school student with. College students are often independent for the first time and are making decisions on how the values they’ve developed in high school will play out in real life. They’re responsible for their own actions so the learning curve is steep and costly, but that much more effective. I think I may have to pursue this area of ministry further when I get back to NH.

Now with the team gone it’s back to my familiar ministries. It’s been almost a month and a half since I’ve seen the kids in our Bible Study at Okahandja Secondary because they had their school holiday then I left with the team. It feels like forever since I’ve hung out with the kids at the Ark. And it’s hard to remember the last time I was in church. I’m looking forward to getting back involved in what’s become my daily grind. Assuming nothing comes up in the meantime (which could be a stretch), I should be here in Okahandja until the team comes in July.

Photo of the Day

2008-05-31T10:00:00.001+01:00

5/25/08 11:35am - Some kids playing

after church with the swing we built for them.

Photo of the Day

2008-05-30T23:02:00.001+01:00

5/23/08 11:29am - Dinner preparation, not for the squimish

Epupa Falls (Opuwo Part 3)

2008-05-30T22:59:00.001+01:00

With the following Monday being a national holiday, all the hostel kids would be going home for the weekend. Since school visits were our main ministry focus, that left us without much to do over the weekend. Japie suggested the option of driving 2-3 hours north to Epupa Falls on the Kunene River, the northern border between Namibia and Angola. We could help clean up the area since most locals bathe and do laundry there but leave lots of rubbish around. There was also a possibility for another school visit on the way.

To figure out whether to go or stay, Japie asked us to pray and ask God to reveal what He would have us do. Thursday night, the day before we would go, we sat down as a group to chat about what we’d heard from God. Quite naturally, this decision was cause for much debate amongst the team. Some felt we’d already done too much touristy stuff already and should stay for more ministry opportunities. Others felt we’d have more opportunities if we went. But Japie reminded us that this team was not a democracy, so a majority vote wouldn’t win. Our team was under God’s authority, so if we didn’t have a unanimous peace about going then we couldn’t go. We went to bed that night with no decision, no peace, and a team that was beginning to polarize.

The next morning we arose early for our last school assembly. Back at camp we spent half an hour individually praying and reading the Bible asking God for a word. When we got back together everyone shared what they’d heard. I had read Ezekiel and his vision of the four cherubim with wheels underneath them that moved with them. He wrote that the wheels went wherever the cherubim went “because they had the spirit of the cherubim in them.” In the same way, we should go where God goes because we have the Spirit of God in us. I really wanted to go to the Falls and masked it in sound reasoning, but at the root, my motivations were selfish. Deep down I knew that it would be best for the team to stay and get involved in the community in Opuwo. After everyone shared there was still no unanimous peace about going, so we stayed.

It may seem like a small decision in hindsight, but the tension provided a great learning opportunity. As Americans we’re used to our independence. We make decisions by listing the pros and cons of each side and ultimately choosing what seems best to us. Seeking God and waiting for His peace is a strange concept to us. I mean, sure, many of us offer the token prayer to say we asked for God’s direction, but really we end up making the decision ourselves. But I was struck by how Japie never asked us to decide; he asked us to pray. Rather than making the decision, we were seeking the decision God had already made. We were asking Him to bring our hearts and wills in line with His own. That kinda made me think that Epupa was never really the point in the first place, but this whole learning process was.

Later that morning Japie sent us out in pairs into town to pray and ask God what ministry opportunities He had for us. Looking back, this time of walking around town proved to be some of the best memories for many on the team. I set out with Caryn, a photo journalist major from Texas who’s here for 2 months with OM and joined as the team’s photographer. Rather than hit the main street we walked across the road to where people lived in mud or thatched huts. We slowly made our way to an open air market where all the locals hung out. We stuck out like a Yankees fan in Fenway, but they were very friendly and welcoming. The town is quite used to seeing tourists passing through on their way to Epupa hoping for a glimpse of some traditional Himbas. What they’re not used to is whites visiting their homes, praying for the sick, and mingling at the market. We scattered lots more seed that morning. How it will grow we may never know, but had we gone to Epupa it never would’ve been scattered in the first place.

Photo of the Day

2008-05-30T12:37:00.002+01:00

5/22/08 11:03am - More reliable than a Toyota in Kaokoland

Home of the Himbas (Opuwo Part 2)

2008-05-30T12:08:00.003+01:00

When the colonizing Europeans were looking for land to put a military base in Kaokoland the tribal chiefs gave them a plot of land that nobody wanted. Centuries later, the undesirable valley has now become the capitol of the region, the town of Opuwo. The drive to the valley is about 400km past Outjo along the western border of Etosha, deep into Kaokoland. Previously it was a gravel road the whole way, but last year they began paving it, so there was only 60km or so that was still under construction as we made the trek north.

For an unwanted property it was quite beautiful. The town is situated in a valley surrounded by beautiful mountains and plateaus. It’s a small town, but has all the necessities, supermarket, hardware store, etc. There are about 10 churches, 4 schools, and as usual, more bars than you can count. Our accommodation was in tents at the luxurious Opuwo Country Hotel. It’s a lodge with some campsites situated on the top of one of the mountains overlooking the town. The views were pretty phenomenal. We recognized the blessing in staying at such a nice place, but unfortunately it put us about 1km out of town and created a deeper, invisible distance between us and the community.

Our ministry during the week was visiting the schools in the mornings for assemblies and time in the classrooms. In the afternoons we would go back to visit the school hostels which house students who live too far out of town to commute. We made some great connections, especially with the secondary school students. We would split up the guys and the girls for questions. In the guys group they would ask us all sorts of questions relating to the gospel, ancestor worship, and random things about America. We taught a lot of truth and scattered a lot of seed, but with questionable if any follow-up we must trust God to do the watering and growing.

While these short school visits provided some of our best relational connections, many on the team struggled with the short term nature of that ministry. They kept saying, “I wish we could go back to the hostel” or “I wish we could’ve stayed here for the whole 3 weeks”. This reinforces my position that fewer but longer ministry opportunities are far better than many short opportunities. Ministry is about relationships, and relationships take time. So building into fewer relationships over a longer period of time seems to make a lot more sense than short, shallow relationships that will probably not continue past the trip. If you want to make a case for the opposite, drop a comment.

Okaukuejo dance video

2008-05-30T11:28:00.000+01:00

At the Primary school in Okaukuejo,
the students performed this song for us.

Photo of the Day

2008-05-30T10:55:00.000+01:00

5/17/08 4:56 pm - Church steeple in Outjo

Surviving without (Opuwo Part 1)

2008-05-30T10:03:00.002+01:00

It’s hard to even know where to start since the last two weeks tend to blur together. And once again, I’m sure it’ll take multiple posts to describe. When I first agreed to join the OM outreach with a team of 11 students from Palm Beach Atlantic University as an extra driver I figured it’d be a good opportunity to see more of Namibia and hang out with some fellow Americans. I should have known God would turn it into so much more than that.

Saturday we drove up to Outjo where we stayed with some full-time South African missionaries involved with Kunene for Christ (Kunene is the name of the northwest region). The next morning we taught two Sunday school classes at their church. Drew was the teams only musician and he’s a drummer, so I got drafted to play guitar, which worked out well because then I didn’t have to do all the silly motions for “Making Melodies”. :)

After church we left straight for an overnight in Etosha. I missed the part where we weren’t going back to the guesthouse before leaving, so I left behind my camera and the shorts I was going to change into. I tried going back for them but the place was locked up and the missionaries had left for a bush church. Needless to say, I was quite upset.

You all know how much I’ve enjoyed photography this trip, and now I would be heading to Etosha, the wildlife capitol of Namibia, without my camera. I spent the whole hours ride from Outjo to Etosha arguing with God about it, but like the Patriots in the Super Bowl, I knew there was nothing I could do to go back and change it now. If I really believe in the sovereignty of God in all things then I must believe that He allowed me to leave my camera behind, therefore my anger was really rebellion against God. That hour also gave me a long time to think about why I take pictures, if I’m really putting God’s glory on display or if I’m simply raping the experience for my own pleasure. I didn’t voice much during the drive, but by the time we got to the Etosha gate I had come to some peace with it.

Over the next 24 hours I saw some awesome wildlife that would’ve made for some great pics, and I was still torn inside wanting to capture that perfect shot, but I was reminded not to lose the joy of the experience in the distance of my focal length.

Jenny

2008-05-27T08:27:00.004+01:00

After two long travel days we finally made it back to Okahandja yesterday afternoon. We had some time to visit the woodcarvers market to do some souvenir shopping at the renown Okahandja Woodcarvers Markets. So while the team shopped, I stopped in to see my friend Jenny whose shop is her primary source of income.

Jenny was one of the members of Buddy’s Bible Study at Okahandja Secondary School back when she was in school. Her eleventh grade sister Mariam is part of our Bible Study now. When their parents divorced, their father left and their mother moved back to her family in Rundu. Being the oldest responsible sibling, Jenny is left to take care of her younger brothers and sisters as well as her own baby. They still live in their parents house, but between food, school fees, and everyday expenses, the woodcarving shop and a weekly housecleaning job is what helps them scrape by.

After exchanging pleasantries at the market, Jenny told me she was leaving for Rundu today. Her brother’s family was in a car accident and he and his wife both died; she didn’t know about the children. Visibly upset, she begged me to ask my American friends to come buy from her shop. Aside from regular expenses, a trip to Rundu (almost to the border of Angola in the north) for the funeral would be quite expensive. And on top of that, this brother helped pay for Mariam’s school.

It was one of those moments that kind of sucks your breath out. Jenny’s one of those good people who has taken initiative and responsibility, someone you want to cheer on and root for. Then just at the moment where it felt like she was doing well, when things were starting to look up, something like this comes out of the blue to knock her down again. Please keep Jenny and her baby, Queen, in your prayers as they travel up to Rundu for the funeral this weekend. Pray that Jenny will be a light to her family and know the peace of God during this emotionally trying time. And pray that God would continue to prove Himself faithful in providing for her and her siblings.

~~~~~~~~

Momentarily we will be heading out with the team to do some ministry at Okahandja Secondary School. Then it’s on to Windhoek this afternoon. We’ll do a school assembly at Windhoek High School tomorrow and hopefully visit a children’s home. Then the team flies out on Thursday. It’s been a blast getting to know them all and (hopefully) being used of God to minister to them as they minister to others. Sorry for the quick drive-by posting, but I wanted to get that prayer request out there before the weekend. I’ll fill you in on the rest of the trip when I get back on Friday.

Intro to Himba culture

2008-05-16T14:20:00.003+01:00

Itinerary for next weeks Outreach: Tomorrow we’ll drive as far as Outjo. On Sunday morning we’ll minister at a local church, then head up to Etosha where we’ll spend the night. After a game drive on Monday morning we’ll share at an assembly in the Okaukuejo school, then head back to Outjo for the night. Tuesday will be our 400km drive up the western edge of Etosha into what’s known as the Kaokoland. We’ll make our way to the small town of Opuwo where we’ll spend the rest of the week ministering in local schools and villages.

It is in the desolate environment of the Kaokoland that the ovaHimba people have lived in quiet isolationism for centuries allowing them to preserve their traditional way of life amidst a modernizing continent. The Himbas are semi-nomadic pastoralists, which means they don’t settle in one specific village, but move around dependent on good grazing lands for their goats and cattle. Traditional Himbas live in mud huts, wear only an animal skin skirt around their waist, live off the land, and worship their ancestors. However, this traditional lifestyle is being threatened by the modernizing culture around them. As children are more exposed to technology and living comforts they move away for work or school in more urban areas. Many never return.

Fortunately, most of the Kaokoland has been registered as a conservancy which allows the Himba people to monitor and regulate wildlife and tourism on their lands. With the help of environmentalist groups they’ve successfully blocked attempts to build a dam on the Kunene River which would flood much of their ancestral grazing grounds. So despite the changing culture, the Himbas are finding a way to carve out a niche for themselves to prevent the extinction of their simple way of life.

Along with modernized culture, the Himba people have been largely isolated from Christian missions. Japie, the OM team leader, estimated that there may be only 100 Christian Himbas in the whole region. Most of their religious rituals involve the worship and appeasement of their ancestors. This is why we go to Opuwo, to take the good news of Jesus Christ to people of every tribe, especially those forgotten by the rest of the world.

Chances are this will be my last post until we return the following Monday, unless some Himba village happens to have an internet café hut that I could make use of. But don’t worry, I’ll take good notes in my journal so I can fill you in when I get back. During the next week please be in prayer for safety as we travel, especially on the gravel roads. Pray for the people we will interact with, that God will prepare their hearts and give us the right words to say. And please pray, not to be funny at all, for all the guys on the team including me, that the Lord would guard our hearts and minds as we minister in a largely topless culture.

~~~~~~~~

In other news, this is 30 Hour Famine weekend at Christ’s Church in NH. Fourteen students and five youth leaders have committed to fasting for 30 hours, starting after lunch on Friday and through the day on Saturday, to learn about fasting and poverty and to raise money for World Vision. Last years Famine was one of my favorite youth activities that we’ve ever done so I’m sorry to miss it this year. But while I can’t join them for the activities, I will be joining them in the fasting. In fact, I’ve already begun. My 30 hours started after lunch today and will continue until dinner tomorrow night. And it’s probably good that I’m leaving so I won’t have to read all your comments about food! :) Please pray for the students at CCA participating in this event, that it will be a great learning experience for them all as they give up their time and meals to serve the community and raise money for the poor around the world. Also pray for the body at Christ’s Church on Sunday morning, that God will use the testimonies of these kids to bring a heart for the poor to our congregation.

She has earrings all over her face

2008-05-13T11:02:00.003+01:00

School starts back up again today for the second term. It’s just registration and stuff the first few days so we’ll start Bible Study up again next week. Since we finished the Firm Foundations curriculum last term, we decided we would continue the story of the gospel through the book of Acts. We’ll emphasize the missional nature of being a follower of Christ and hopefully give the students some practical outreach opportunities.

But next week they’ll kick off without me because I’ll be traveling again. A team of 11 Americans from Palm Beach Atlantic arrived last Thursday with Operation Mobilization. They spent a few days on the plot for orientation before heading out to Swakop for ministry this week. They need another driver to join them next week for their trek north to Etosha National Park and ministry in the Kaokoland (pronounced Ka-OH-ka-land), so guess who got the job!

I don’t usually interact much with teams that come through here, but since I’ll be traveling with them I decided I should at least meet them to start working on names. During some free time on Friday I joined them for a walk exploring the plot. It’s been a while since I’ve been around first-timers so I kept laughing at them taking pictures of everyday things, using American terminology and commenting about everything African. I don’t laugh critically because we all start there, but it was just a reminder of how acclimated I’ve become to living here.

That night I took some of them over to Coffeebar. That’s when I got a taste of what really happens when a bunch of short-term missionaries show up. :) I’m at a place now where people are comfortable with me, so now when I show up with a kombi full of newbie Americans I’m on the other side of all the conversations behind their backs. I hear all the comments about “She didn’t think I speak English” or “She has earrings all over her face”. So when our teams show up in two months realize this: if it seems people are laughing at you, they probably are.

Photo of the Day

2008-05-09T17:20:00.000+01:00

Zina joined me to watch the sunset from the train bridge.

Rain in May?

2008-05-08T20:42:00.000+01:00

That’s right…just when we thought the rainy season was over. Since about 10am this morning we’ve been having scattered thunder showers all day. It was 6mm by evening. And not just here, Pearl told me it rained in Arandis this morning too. Fortunately it let up just in time for sunset opposite a few sweet rainbows.

African Travel Blog

Where Skies Burn

Two Different Worlds

There and back again

Sleep when you get home

Until next time

Photo of the Day

Two hundred and forty seven

Eleven more millimeters of rain and one more day closer to my flight home

Photo of the Day

Full Circle

Camp

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Beginning of the End

Photo of the Day

Welcome answers to prayer

Back in the habit

Photo of the Day

Seasons of Change

Photo of the Day

Hilton or Motel 6

One month from today

"That's the first hot shower I've taken in two months"

Photo of the Day

Photo of the Day

Photo of the Day

There's no time like the present

Arandis Sports Weekend

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Change for the Hospital

A parable

Hitchhiker's guide to poverty culture

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Photo of the Day

New Roommates & New Adventures

No Grootfontein

Sodium Chlorawhat?

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At the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments

Weekly Happenings

It's about time

Wedding Day

Photo of the Day

Change for the Hospital

Marta

Evangelism and African Culture

Adventures in Door-to-Door Evangelism

Elizabeth

Change for the Hospital

Welcome to Arandis

Thank God for my can opening merit badge

Moving On

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Boy's Night

This is home

All in a days work

Shadows over Chinatown

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Another happy landing

Post-trip hibernation

American entertainment

Ondangwa

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Then there were three

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Sleep when you get home

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The Race is on

The Specialist

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More question...still no answers

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How can I understand unless someone instructs me

Towards a solution

Hope in the Ashes