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.