Streams in the Desert

Wow, what a past week and a half it has been!  I have only been here in Arandis for 2 1/2 weeks, but it feels like so much longer than that (in a good way)!  The east winds have been cool and strong in the mornings, but the air is warm here in the desert during the day as the sun rises high in the sky, and I am thankful for that!  The nights get rather cold, but that is what a sleeping bag is forJ  Flexibility is the name of the game here in Africa, as things change all the time and you just have to roll with it.  As they say, “this is Africa!”  This has definitely applied to my living situation here over the past week.  Due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to temporarily move into the house of one of the long-term missionaries here at the beginning of last week, staying with 4 other Westerners.  However, earlier this week I moved in with a Namibian family for my last two and a half weeks here.  So 3 moves in 2 ½ weeks--it’s safe to say I have had packing fatigue… I didn’t even fold my clothes to put them in my bag for this last move haha.

But…I am so happy to be staying with a local family!  I have had two other host family experiences in the past, for 5 months in Ecuador and for a year in Zambia, and I just love and appreciate getting to do life with local people.  It is in the home that a foreigner begins to understand the different layers of a culture, and relationships and trust can be built.  Over the past couple of weeks, I have already been getting to know the family I am staying with now, and I didn’t even know that I would have the chance to stay with them!  There is a husband and a wife (Unce Frank and Auntie Buella), and they have two of their own children and four foster children, all girls between the ages of kindergarten and around age 20; they are one of the foster families in the ministry.  The girls’ names are Buezetta, Zandria, Chandre, Nanysha, Zuelery and Ashley.  I hope and pray the Lord will use me to come alongside of them and encourage them, point them to Christ at all times, and pour into them as much as I can and in whatever ways I can.  I am so thankful for this opportunity—I had no idea the Lord would give me this blessing!

Last week was full but fulfilling.  My mornings were spent in the first grade classroom.  Man, those 11 munchkins are a handful, but are they ever adorable!  Amor, Karere, Consultis, Katalina, Lissa, Brandon, Phenni, Eunice, Kananjo and Innocent keep me busy and on my toes, but they want to learn and do wellJ  Keeping them focused and on task has been challenging, but we are working on that.  They keep me laughing for sure!  I shadowed Ms. Nan, the regular first grade teacher, who is a missionary from the States and also the principal of the school, Monday through Wednesday, and then on Thursday and Friday I was on my own, with Ms. Maria, the Namibian teaching assistant, coming and going and helping out as she was able to.  I am learning so much (as I am not a certified teacher nor do I have an extensive professional teaching background in the States).  I believe the Lord is equipping me and giving me the strength, wisdom and patience and peace that I need daily!  Please continue praying to that end.

My afternoons have been rich in relationships, as I spend every afternoon with older kids in the ministry, tutoring them at their homes and playing outside on the streets with them.  I think I may have pulled a muscle in my leg last week while playing soccer with them…whoops!  Guess I need to stretch moreL Two  Sundays ago I taught the basics of volleyball to about 20 kids, as well as one of the host mommies.  We had such a good time!  It’s exciting to see them willing to try something new, and improve as they work hardJ

The first Bible study I did last Friday with the teen girls and foster mommies in the ministry was fruitful!  More than I expected showed up (15 girls!), as well as two of the foster mommies.  I introduced the theme for the Bible study, the search for significance—finding our identity in Christ alone.  I am using an outline I made from the book Search for Significance by Robert McGee.  The group was a bit shy, and the style was more of me teaching and asking the whole group questions, to help lay the foundation for the rest of the study in the coming weeks.  I shared Scripture and we listened to a few really powerful songs relating to the topicJ  We will meet this coming Friday afternoon again, and I hope to be able to draw them out a bit more by breaking them up into smaller groups and having them reflect and share with one another about this week’s topic—avoiding the trap of trying to find your worth in how you perform.  Please be praying for wisdom for me, as well as soft, receptive hearts. 

And wow, what a day we all had in Swakopmund this past Saturday!  Swakopmund is the closest city to Arandis, about 30 minutes by car.  It is a beautiful coastal city that has a strong German influence.  There is a church there, called Shofar church, that started an outreach ministry with Children of Promise ministries (the ministry I am serving with here) awhile back.  Every month, they organize a fun trip/outing for all of the ministry children, foster mommies, volunteers and missionaries.  On Saturday, they came to pick us all up and took us into Swakopmund for the day.  We went to the aquarium, as well as to Spur (a nice “Western style” restaurant with burgers and French fries and ice cream), and then back to their church to watch an inspirational movie called “The Letter Writer.”  It was beautiful and moving, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.  The themes of the movie were forgiveness, the power of our words, using our gifts to bless others, etc.  I was impressed with Shofar church-they are the only church in the area doing anything for those in need in their own community.  They are showing these children that they are valuable and important!  Praise God!  

I had yet another marriage proposal the other day walking home from school.  It was from a Namibian constructor worker from the top of a roof he was working on.  He called to me, “Miss, you are beautiful.  Marry me!  I LOOOOVE YOU!”  I said back to him, “But how can you love me when you don’t even know me?”  And he replied, “Oh miss, don’t worry…you will come to love me!”  I just had to laugh.  From 5 year old boys to grown men, I have had quite the array of proposals, both here in Arandis on this trip and in other parts of southern Africa in the past.  Now though, when the kids at school come up and give me a giant hug and tell me that I look beautiful every day, that touches my heart, and I can take that a bit more seriously than those silly proposals from strangersJ

I have been enjoying all the walking I have been doing, as well as the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets here.  The African sky at night is just breathtaking.  Everything is so clear, and the stars feel so close.  It’s like you can reach out and touch the Milky Way.  Man, how I’ve missed it!

One last thought--I love how water is used throughout the Bible to represent life--eternal, abundant life.  This is my prayer for Arandis and for the rest of Namibia, for the hearts of all those who need the waters of eternal life to quench their parched souls.  May they be satisfied by the Father’s steadfast love! 

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing…for waters break forth in the wilderness; and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water…”  Isaiah 35:1-2,6-7