September 2012: "Dawbies in Africa"

1) Your veins show through your skin, meaning that many children ask you what on earth are these lines all over your hands? I tell them that this is where the blood goes and try to show them on their own hands but this is not always easy.

2) Some white men have hair on their chest – freaky! So freaky it needs to be looked at and touched.

3) Your hair is very ‘soft’ and must be stroked and played with at every opportunity. Even Mike’s hair gets a good work out at times by both boys and girls!

We are serving in the Evangelical Bible Church with a congregation of around 200 (mainly Herero people). The church is involved in many & varied ministries including an After School Program for children & youth & an HIV / AIDS home based care ministry. Weekly Bible Studies & Prayer Meetings are held along with the usual Friday night for youth. The Sunday School annual camp us coming up in a few weeks time with 70 kids & 10 teachers already signed-up.

One of the projects we are currently working on is a Pre-Primary School (PPS) & we have now completed our first week there.

We are currently living in a township called Katutura.

In 1959, as part of South Africa’s apartheid policy, black Namibians were forcibly removed from Windhoek to townships around the city. Katutura (“the place where we cannot settle”) was the largest of these. Thankfully Namibia is now a Republic & apartheid ceased over a generation ago.

Boys in bare feet playing soccer in an area covered in stones (the ‘playground’). Girls with tightly plaited hair of all different lengths. Children fascinated by postcards showing pictures from Australia. Questions about nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs to answer. Singing songs about Jesus in unison with actions. Two white faces amongst many dark ones.

We arrived safely & on time in Namibia: unfortunately our luggage did not! After 24 hours however we were joyfully reunited & could change out of our travel clothes:)

They say, “When in Rome, do what the Romans do”. When in Windhoek you catch a taxi.

Taxis are the public transport here. Every third car or so is one. All of them have a number on the side and are generally older in appearance. A driver can take four passengers in their vehicle at any one time. The cost is a flat 9 Rand / Dollars (approx AUD $1.20) to most places in the city.

Clothes?              Check

Toiletries?            Check

Passport?            Check

Airline Tickets?    Check