Vaccination Day- OUCH

I was told by the nurse Wesley that every six months he goes to the Lutheran Church in the Location to provide inoculations for the children.  

 This saves them the 20-40 minute walk to the clinic and keeps the chaos of the children out of the clinic where there are sick people!  

There is one nurse on duty in the clinic seven days a week, from 8 to 6 each day, except for lunch time 12-1:30.

  The clinic has one day a week reserved for the pregnant women and one day a month for HIV/AIDS patients to receive care and their medication for the month, allowing a more efficient and predictable operation on the other days.  

You know which days are reserved for these patients and that there will be long lines. If you are sick, unless it is an extreme emergency, you know wait and go on the non-pregnant women, non-HIV/AIDs medication days! 

Today they are vaccinating for measles and giving de-worming medication.  There were mothers and children but also quite a few children with younger children.  Wesley and his assistant were not happy that the parents did not bring the children, because it is a good time to check the children's health with the parents and give them information about the vaccinations and other issues.  But the children had their health history books with them so they gave them the vaccinations.

As you might expect there were those who held up just fine and others who cried like they had been betrayed for life and had their arm cut off.  All were given a hug from the audience of parents, older siblings and the children gathering for the pre-school graduation ceremony about to get under way.  No suckers or lollipops were handed out but lots of sympathy!

Critter update

Red velvet bugs!  What kind of camouflage is being a red velvet bug in the middle of the Kalahari Desert?  How can this bug possibly avoid being eaten by birds that can see it from 500 feet!  I can only think 1) it is too small to be any good eating or 2) it tastes terrible.  But it really looks like it is red velvet.  And we have a debate about whether it is a bug or a spider.  But at least no one has said it is dangerous for a change.  Can't seem to get close enough to count the legs.

Puppy Update #20

Okay, maybe there haven't been that many post on puppies but there have been a bunch of them here!  These are Tessie and Terry's puppies at Jaydine and Geraldo's house.

The only thing I like better than the puppies is the "people puppies."

That's daddy Terry trying to get his share of the attention.

Girls' Night In Kalkfeld

On the last Friday night in Kalkfeld for Chantell, she and Vanessa and I got together and did a little bit of confirmation class but mostly just enjoyed each other's company.  Chantell will to to spend the summer break Nov 29-Jan 15 with the foster parents who raised her from birth to 13.  She may stay with them and continue going to school in Gobabis or go to board at another school, or may return to live with her grandmother Auntie Lokie in Kalkfeld. 

We made some salad and spaghetti with no meat.  A little unusual for them with no meat at all and lots of vegetables in the salad.  Namibians always eat meat, and sometimes only meat and bread at a meal. 

It started raining and the electricity went out for a while due to lightening- so we almost had to have just salad with no way to cook pasta and sauce.  But in the end it was a beautiful night.

A double rainbow.

 A double beautiful sight.

Rehearsal Part 3

Well, we have lost a couple of our players to visit a sick grandma.  William has stayed behind to finish his exams.  Lulu and Josey can't be here today but Jaydine, William and Geraldo want to rehearse so here we are!  I didn't get many pictures of the rehearsal unfortunately because I was doing quadruple duty as narrator, director understudy and photographer.

  

William is practicing his Angel Gabriel speech with Jaydine as understudy for Lulu's Mary.  She looks a little skeptical about the whole thing to me!  (The angel wings will be covered with foil eventually!)

But Jaydine is very comfortable as the arrogant and angry King Herod, and there are the wisemen back to tell him about the birth of the King of the Jews.  She says her line with a perfect command voice, "Go find the child and come and tell me!"

Or should I say wise guys??  They are supposed to be bowing to King Herod in respect?!

Christmas Gift for the Elders Part 3

From left, Jacqueline, Blanch and Frau (Mrs) Visagie who coordinate the feeding program and the volunteer driver.  Vanessa walking behind, came to help Om Jon with his and Auntie Poppie's bags.

A special treat of sweets and cold drink (soda pop) for the Elders' meeting.

Chantell carrying Auntie Lokie's heavy bags- with two bags of flour and two bags of sugar, oil and lots of other important things!

Jacqueline helping clean up after.

A Christmas Gift for the Elders Part 2

Rev. J Blankenberg gave a Christmas greeting.  The woman in white is the coordinator for a feeding program in Walvis Bay that also includes meals for school children on a daily basis.  They also bring bags for elders in the Grootfontein and Otjiwarango churches and Garrett delivers the bags when he heads that way for work.

A man who volunteered to drive the 8+ hour round trip and carry the bags!

The Elders and friends with Rev. Blankenberg and the coordinator whose name I sincerely regret that I have forgotten (senior moment!)  A couple elders are missing: Garrett who is still working at 65, Auntie Thomas and Auntie Poppie who cannot walk and Auntie Lokie who is ill.

A Christmas Gift for the Elders Part 1

The church in Walvis Bay comes once a month to bring a bag of food to the elders in the congregational church and their friends.

In November they bring the bags for two months plus a bag of goodies for Christmas.

Greetings

From left are Om Jan and Auntie Sarah, their friends Lala and Auntie Joey,  Jacqueline (Jaydine and Geraldo's mother), and Auntie Baby.

Some of God's Other Children

There are lots of other beautiful children here.  

This is Zoe.  She is my girlfriend.  She lives with Dexter and Jessie (dogs) and Vanessa.  She and Vanessa are allowed in the house but not the boys because they don't behave.  

When I first came here the boys came over to the house and Dexter adopted me.  Jessie wouldn't get near me.  Zoe didn't come.  

Now Zoe comes all the time and wanders in to say hello. The other night Vanessa and I were having confirmation class and Zoe came in, jumped up into my lap and settled down like she belonged there.  Vanessa looked surprised so I checked with Vanessa to make sure Zoe was allowed to do that at her house. Vanessa said yes, but she never does.  I'd guess it is the short legs make for too long a jump.  But I also guess it means that I have been accepted by Zoe. 

This is Mousey.  He lives at Helga's.  I think he is having a BIG fish dream!

How dare I disturb him!

 

Here are Auntie Thomas' Chelsea's puppies all grown up. Zorro and Sheba and Housti and ... I can't remember the last name and I can't remember which one is which - except Sheba is the white fluffly one!  Chelsea is on the right- still trying to ride herd on her brood.  They may be cute and look like they have been unjustly jailed, but don't be fooled.  They are escape artists and tried to follow us to school one day!

Rehearsal Part 2

 Act 2 begins...

The wisemen (William and Geraldo- also aka the wise guys!) visit King Herod.

King Herod (Jaydine) asks the priest (Sharifa) what do they mean they are seeking the King of the Jews?  I am the king of the Jews!  (ignore that guy in yellow t shirt in the wings he is supposed to be off stage!  Hard to get them to understand about that- they want to watch the whole story!)

King Herod is NOT happy!

The wisemen (Geraldo left, William right) come to see the baby, (have to find one!)  Mary (Sharifa) and Joseph (Cyrill) and offer gifts.

A different try at casting Joseph (Cyrill) and Mary (Jaydine) and the tree wise people (Geraldo, Sharifa and William)

What Cyril and Jaydine lack in words they more than make up for in expression!!

We don't need to practice the bow, or tenth curtain call much!!

Sharifa, Cyrill, Geraldo, William and Jaydine

Rehearsal Part 1

In October some people in the church wanted to start singing Christmas Carols in worship!  I like Christmas like the rest but even that seemed a little early!  But the Christmas feeling is very special.

When I asked the children what traditions they had for Advent and Christmas they insisted on doing a Nativity play "like last year, but this year we want to talk!"  (Last year they acted out the narration.)  So this year we had to start extra early on the rehearsals.  Not just to learn the lines but because many of the possible cast were leaving the week after school let out November 29.

  

So when I started writing the script we were shooting for December 1.  But then we found out three of the possible 10 were to leave on the DAY school let out to go stay with their parents for the holidays.  There was no way we could rush things to move it all up a week to November 22.  So we had to pass on them until next year.

We were relieved to have more time and began planning for December 15.  Then we found out three of the remaining 7 were leaving for the other grandma's house on December 13!  So we settled on December 8.

I am not a thespian myself, but I have attended a lot of rehearsals and performances so I took on the task as very amateur director. Thankfully their talent and enthusiasm more than makes up for what I lack.  You will see what I mean by the pictures!  The first couple rehearsals they kept changing parts.  But they got the "crew" part down after a couple rehearsals- moving chairs, costuming and props.

Here is the Angel Gabriel (William) giving the good news to Mary in the garden (Sharifa).

Here is the Angel of Joseph's dreams (Geraldo) assuring Joseph (sleeping, and snoring Cyrill) that he should take Mary as his wife.

The multitude of heavenly host singing Glory to God with terrified shepherds- okay maybe the "3 dwarves"; Astonished (Cyrill), Quizzical (Sharifa), and Bashful (Jaydine) is more like it in this picture. But remember they are still understudies and the eventually casted shepherds do get terrified down (and the angels look less like they are being crucified and Geraldo learns everyone's lines and keeps his eyes open.)

At Elizabeth and Zechariah's house Elizabeth (Sharifa) greets Mary (Jaydine)- (the manger isn't supposed to be there yet, oops!)

Joseph (Cyrill) and Mary (Sharifa) at the birth of Jesus.

More to come... after the intermission...please enjoy the refreshments and return to your seats when the lights flash in the lobby.