Playing around with the camera in Otjiwarango

While we were waiting for a ride back from Otjiwarango to Kalkfeld from the Namibia Synod Annual Meeting (on our way back from Windhoek), Vanessa and I played a little with the camera in Auntie Nora's front yard.  The sky is sometimes so blue it surprises me.

Vanessa is 18 and is doing some studies at the Otjiwarango branch of the community college.  She wants to bring up her test scores so she can go on to college.  She wants to become a fashion designer and has some beautiful drawings of her designs.  I have not yet found the new Fashion Design school on the internet she heard advertised.  It is in Windhoek (the capital)
.

 

I thought the bouganvilla particularly lovely against the sand.

And here are some views of the sunset on our way back to Kalkveld.

Finale

I had the opportunity to be present as a congregation said goodbye to their Pastor.  

Before I came to Southern Africa I learned there was a woman Pastor serving in the Lutheran church in Kalkfeld, in the Location with people who are primarily Ovambu and Damara.  I was very happy to think I might be able to work with her!

When I visited in April she was not in Kalkveld because she was sick, so I did not get to meet her.  People spoke very highly of her and I was even more excited.

  

When I arrived in June in Kalkfeld I heard that she had not been able to return because she was "too sick to live in Kalkfeld."

  

A short while later we heard that indeed she was too sick for this world and had journeyed on to the next.  She was 36.  I never even learned her name.

I got a ride with Helga, a member of our congregation to the Location (about at 50 minute walk on the other side of Kalkfeld from where I live).  The memorial service was to start at 6:00 pm so we arrived at 5:45 pm so we could get a seat.

There were people lining the road with candles singing hymns to welcome the Pastor's coffin.  It was quite beautiful and touching.

I was trying to be unobtrusive because I had never met the Pastor or any of the members of the congregation, and I knew the service could be a long one. I didn't want to stay the whole time because we had Helga's children with us.  I had worn my clergy collar and made a point to  meet the retired Lutheran minister who was there before the service began.  I planned to sit in the back and slip out when it was time to put the children to bed.

  

The coffin arrived at 6:45 (It brought to mind the adage that it is always good to be late to your own funeral- sorry I just have that kind of sense of humor).  The people packed into the church, and then they came and found me and brought me up front.  (The Lutheran church is the most populous denomination in Namibia and in Kalkfeld I think.)

The service started around 7:15 with some beautiful singing but not much else happened.  I found out why when the Bishop arrived at 7:45.  Then the people began coming up in groups and surrounding the coffin singing- songs and hymns to her.  

There were also several groups and individuals who spoke about her.  Then at 8:45 the Bishop started preaching.  He finished around 10:00.  

More singing ensued.  Everything was in Damara, Ovambu and I think a smattering of Afrikaans.

At 10:30 I was able to say my farewells to the Bishop and retired minister and crawled home.  Well actually I was very grateful that my ride and her children had waited for me, even though the children were now going to be very tired for school the next morning!  It was well worth the long evening to be there and see how loved this Pastor was in life and beyond and to celebrate her ministry with the people.

The Bishop was very nice and said hello although I don't think he had much English.  I did like the purple of his robes!

This ends the tale of the first month in Namibia and Kalkfeld.  The sunset is a gift from God every night but I thought this one was especially nice.

At the Namibia Synod Annual Meeting

The Annual meeting was an interesting gathering and opportunity to meet people from all over Namibia.

Here the Synod Secretary is doing what I think we do at all meetings, praying that the computer and projector will cooperate~

Vanessa was able to meet Erin who is one of the youth that went to Pennsylvania for a Peace Conference.  She was very interested to hear about the camp they went to and the labyrinth they had.  It helped her see possibilities for our Outdoor Ministry project.

Rev. Philip Strydom, who is the Pastor of the church in Swakopmund, chaired the meeting.  He is the incoming President of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa and will be installed in September for his one year term leading the whole denomination.

Two of the hardest jobs in a meeting- chairing and taking the minutes!!

The Namibia Synod has two students studying to become ministers at this time.  Leisel Beukes and Andre September gave Jimmy a thank you for his service as Synod Secretary in supporting their journey.

We got to go to a concert at the Windhoek Congregational Church and heard their choir, the choir from Luderitz, as well as three singing groups.  It was a very uplifting evening and the MC was the Windhoek Music director who is very talented and funny!

One of the best parts of a meeting like this is meeting new people.  Vanessa got to meet several new people her age which is wonderful considering there is no one her age in Kalkfeld.  This is Vanessa and Jimmy's daughter riding in the back of the buggy (pickup) and making great use of the time to get to know each other!

Traveling means visiting family who live a long way away.  These are Vanessa's aunt and cousins who live in Windhoek- 200 miles away so I was glad she got to see them (and I got to meet them and had a wonderful meal!) before we returned to Kalkfeld.

Visiting In Otjiwarango

Vanessa and I are on our way to the Namibia Synod meeting in Windhoek, Namibia.  Our first stop was Auntie Nora's house where we stayed over night Thursday.

We went to Ingrid and Warren's house for a braai (BBQ) that evening .  Here is Ingrid and daughter Hopie.

Here is Nora watching over my favorite part of the braai in the back yard- the Roosterbrood. (grilled bread)

We all gathered to watch her and visit.
From the left is Warren, then Nora, then Ingrid and finally Vanessa.  Nora is turning the bread, it has to be watched and turned to make sure it cooks through and toasts a perfect golden brown on all sides!

The joke was in Afrikaans so I can't tell you what it was but it was funny!

"Our" cows

This is the herd of 10 that belongs to Om(Uncle) Garrett, whose house I  live in.  (You can see the green water tower on the right which is in my side yard.)  There are 10 of them but I can never get them all in one place to pose.  Om Garrett stores some hay in the yard for them because it is so dry.  They think I should give it to them and stand at the gate and moooooo.  They also do the stare down thing when I walk by.  I tell them I am no cowgirl and don't know nothing.  I don't think they believe me.

This is the new baby of the herd who got separated one night and cried MMMMAAAAOOOO outside the gate until I texted (they call it SMSing here) Om Garrett to come and reunify the family.

Next day's walk- a little bit for the bug people

The next day we walked- the same road from the church property where we all live to the center of Kalkfeld.  The children (William, Geraldo and Sharifa) decided to play king of the mountain, or the termite hill.  (I hope the signs they are making are peace- that is what they think they are and they see this stuff on TV with the music videos so I hope the musicians know how much influence they have on young children and their parent's too.)

Some guinea fowl tracks.

 A closer look at the termite hill which the children decided to open so I could see inside (even if I didn't want to).

And a closer look at a termite larva- which I could have lived without- on Geraldo's hand (why he got picked to be the one I am not sure as they were discussing it in Afrikaans).  William is holding his hand and the larva is just above Williams's thumb nail.  The larva is actually biting him.  Yuck.  I feel so educated but I wonder if there are some things I just don't need to know.

Lest you think...

Lest you think I am a slave driver and the children do nothing but garden, dig compost holes, and do dishes and laundry for me... We do play games!  This was on a Sunday following Sunday School.  On the right is Lulu, on the left Jaydine and in the middle Geraldo.

I also try to walk with them every day at 3:00 (after school, after the hottest sun.  Today we found what I think I remember them calling a "Witch's Wheel." Sharifa, William her older brother and Geraldo.

 William decided it was a crown.

 Sharifa decided to really model with it.

Geraldo seemed to think it should be camoflage- he goes between class clown and shy depending on the moment.

For the Birds-(ers)

It wasn't just the children, Pastor and the Sunday School teachers interested in the developments in the garden.  This brightly colored friend came to check things out. I think he was disappointed to see that no seeds had been sown, but he kept looking.  And getting closer to the porch and the open door.  I kept trying to get a good picture of the flashing florescent orange color but the Namibian sun is what makes it really stand out and the camera just can't quite do it justice.  (By the way, all the photos are courtesy of my dear friends and angels!  Linda and Gordon who got me this lovely camera that is easy to use, easy to charge, easy to download and takes VERY nice pictures!

Finally got a a picture of that amazing head plumage when he got closest to the porch. Or maybe it is another bird?.

Either way, I am no birder but this one is the female version I think.

Okay, so I know that this may seem goofy to some of you.  (Perhaps those who have gone to college will have an idea, and I am sure it is only a portion of what the folks who have been in the military service have felt.)  But I finally was able to take time (and I was savoring it), to open one of the boxes that Gordon insisted, and Gordon and Linda paid a small fortune to ship here, because it just wouldn't fit in the three suitcases I was allowed (and that Linda spent HOURS carefully packing for me to fit in as much as possible, get the weight JUST right - nothing broke and nothing was even wrinkled!!).  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU LINDA AND GORDON!!

The boxes were shipped on January 27, arrived in Windhoek, Namibia sometime around April 20- they had to go through South Africa and there was a postal strike on!)  And although all five boxes were a treasure (the sixth box went back to  CA for some reason and arrived there around May 20!)  The very first box was so wonderful it literally mad me cry. 

 Here is a representation of what means a little bit of home- My God is Still Speaking travel coffee mug- can't go anywhere without it and it reminds me of the many cups of coffee I have shared with my mom and sister.  My UCC New Century Hymnal that will give many possibilities for new music for the church here, my clothespins so that I can finally do a
REAL washing and hang things OUTSIDE instead of having a dripping bathroom, magnesium that I need for my back (and which it took months to find here), a roll of VERY soft toilet paper (I have found some here!), and my softball mitt and ball to play and to remind me of my Dad especially, as well as my brothers and one of the twenty or so of my precious books I included!!  I brought all the Marcus Borg and Gregory Riley I had plus a bunch of other progressive and wonderful scholars as well as prayerful peacemakers.  I am happy to have them to keep me company, spur me on to ministry in the Way of Jesus the LOVING, JUSTICE seeking and PEACE bringing, and to share them with the congregations and ministers here.

Here is the start to unpacking the box with lot of other things on the bed- including card games!  And there are still four boxes to go. (You can see the box on the right was re-packaged by the postal service for some reason!) Thank you Linda and Gordon!!

Digging the Compost Hole

Those of you who know about these things will probably be laughing but this girl from the suburbs with a black thumb does at least know that compost helps a garden.  So the children and I set out to prepare a compost heap, which became a compost hole.  (They like digging like all children!)  We dug, and got grass and more cow manure and  mixed it all together and go the hose and made it all wet.  Subsequently I have discovered HOW hard the ground turns when it is wet with the water of Kalkfeld (chalk field), lime.  But we shall deal with that later somehow!  

Sharifa, Cyril and Jaydine with bags of grass (or cow dung?)

Finishing touches on the garden wall.
Sharifa with backside to camera, Cyril, Jaydine, Geraldo in back, William with schovel.

 Jaydine is a good worker but I think she would be even more talented with a baton don't you?

Let the digging begin- Sharifa with shovel, William with his back to the camera, Cyril talking to Geraldo and Geraldo holding up the pitch fork.

Cyril got tired of waiting on the shovel or pitch fork and used an old mop to break up the manure in the garden with Jaydine's help.

We gave  up on the bags and found a wheelbarrow for the grass.  Geraldo, William, Sharifa

Think the guys know there is a camera?  Sharifa is all business however.  Note the sandal- the children run barefoot more often than not unless it is really cold and then they might have shoes but seldom socks.  Socks and shoes are for school.

This is actually the next week.  They came back and wanted to dig some more.  Note the rock wall they built.  Sharifa is getting ready for church with her hair in curlers and she and Geraldo are doing the digging with Jaydine looking on

Vanessa, who lives across the "street" came over to see the activity.  She has become a wonderful Sunday School teacher.  And you can see the children like her a lot.

Although I think this was one occasion when Cyril was getting instructions from her and big sister Sharifa he wasn't sure he particularly cared for!