Only 2 days left here in Arandis! I can’t believe it. Over the past two weeks, this is what I’ve been
up to:
-A team of 15 (mostly teens and then 4 leaders) from
Minnesota was here two weeks ago for one week, and I enjoyed coming alongside
of them and encouraging them, particularly the girls/women on the team. I enjoyed sitting in on two different
fellowship nights the girls/ladies on the team had for the teen girls in the
ministry. One night the theme was our
stories/testimonies and the other night was about purity in relationships. It was a blessing to be able to share from my
experience and just help out with whatever was needed, including helping to
lead a small group.
-I’ve been continuing to teach first grade in the
mornings. The past couple of weeks have
been a combination of me lead teaching in first grade as well as me serving in
a supporting role in both first grade and second grade. It has been such an incredible learning
experience, and I have really enjoyed working alongside the Namibian teachers,
as well as Ms. Nan, the missionary from the States who is the principal of the
school and the first grade teacher. The
kids have definitely given me a run for my money in terms of discipline, and I’ve
had to learn to stop smiling and laughing, even a little, in order for them to
take me seriouslyJ I have enjoyed every minute with them though,
and even though the days have been tiring, they have been incredibly
fulfilling.
-In the afternoons, I’ve continued to visit the
ministry foster homes and help out the kids with whatever I can—tutoring,
helping them study for their tests, encouraging them, praying with them,
sharing Scripture and music and pictures with them, playing games/sports with
them. I have loved this part of my time
here!
-I participated in a prayer walk around town here one
night a few weeks ago with the team that was here from Minnesota, as well as
with members of the local church here and the pastor and his family. It was a powerful experience. The town of Arandis needs to come to know the
Lord so desperately—there is so much alcohol abuse, drug use and corruption and
there are few job opportunities and so many broken families. It was a privilege to pray alongside local
believers for God’s hand of salvation and mercy to come upon this town and
bring healing and restoration.
-Last Saturday I went for a walk in the desert
with my host family, and we were able to find some beautiful rocks for me to
take back home for friends and familyJ
On Sunday we had a braii for lunch (something Namibians LOVE to do!)-we grilled
chicken and sausage, as well as sweet bread rolls, and even had potato
salad. It was delicious! The meal took two hours to prepare, but only
15 minutes to eat it…yum yum!
-I have led the second and third bible study in
the series I am doing here with the teen girls and foster moms in the ministry,
called Search for Significance. The
series is all about how to find your identity in Christ ALONE. Two weeks ago we talked about the Performance
Trap (the lie that we have to perform a certain way in order to be loved/accepted
by God) and last week we talked about the Approval Addict (the lie that we have
to meet the expectations of certain people in order to be loved/accepted by God). Between 15 and 30 people have shown up, and
it has been such an encouraging time for everyone. The part I have loved most about the study is
that we get into the Word together and look at what the Lord says about who we
all are in Christ, as believers, and talk about how to apply these truths to
our lives and change the way we think about ourselves, for the better, with the
Lord’s help. I can see that this study
hits home in the lives of all those who have been attending (including myself),
and I praise the Lord for that. I am so
thankful for the opportunity to teach his Word and encourage others. It has been so humbling, and such a privilege
and a joy.
-I have immensely enjoyed my time with my Namibian
host family! The Lord has knit my host
mom Beulla and I very closely these past two weeks, and we have been able to
share each other’s burdens and pray for and encourage and bless one
another. It has been a blessing and a
privilege, and my heart is so full. This
past week we were able to work through some of the Shepherding a Child’s Heart
material that I brought along, and that was wonderful. I have fallen in love with my 6 host sisters
(as I knew I would), and I will miss them all so much when I leave for Windhoek
this Wednesday.
-I had the flu last week and had to miss school
for two days. The only lingering thing
left from it is a cough I still have that is getting better each day. Thankful for the Lord’s healing!
-This past weekend I had the awesome opportunity to
travel north five hours to Etosha National Park with two Namibians and five
other Americans. We left Arandis on
Friday late morning and arrived back in Arandis late Saturday night. It was a full day and a half! We stayed at an beautiful lodge
run by a wonderful Christian family from Namibia, and they had their own
cheetahs! It was so neat to watch them
get fed at sunset. All day Saturday we
drove on our own through the park, seeing tons of zebras, giraffes, spring box
and ostrich, as well as a few wildebeest, oryx, impala, kudu, different types
of birds, 3 elephants, etc. The watering holes were the jackpot! On our drive to the park on Friday afternoon,
we saw tons of wharthogs (which we joked had all escaped from the park) and a
few sheep, goats, and cattle. I had hoped we would see a rhino (which are quite
rare because they’ve been hunted so much) and a few lions, but we didn’t. Lions apparently only come out at night and they
rest in the bush during the day. How
lazy! J
-This past Sunday for lunch I made a Zambian meal
for my Namibian host family! We had Tonga chicken, nshima, beans, and a tomato
and onion sauce. It turned out better
than I expected and my family raved about itJ
We had a family photo shoot after lunch, which was a ton of fun. My host sisters have big exams coming up the
next few weeks, so we all rested and in the evening I helped them study, and
afterwards, we had some girl time and a dance party with glow sticks in the
street and in our backyard, with the beautiful African sky under us. It was a night I will never forgetJ
I leave for Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, this
Wednesday July 31st (about a 4 hour drive), and will be there until
the following Monday August 5th, when I will be flying back home to
the States. A very good Zambian friend
of mine is taking the bus from Zambia to meet me in Windhoek, where we will
spend a few days together. I am so
excited! I haven’t seen here in 2 years! Please be praying that we would be able to
encourage one another and point each other to Christ at all times. Thanks!
My heart is full. I love these people, and I love this place. God is so good.
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