Arandis, Namibia: Greetings from Arandis

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Greetings from Arandis

5:30 AM
Wednesday July 30

Yes, we arrived in Arandis on Monday and once again it was like coming back to a very familiar place. However, as I've found with previous trips here, each ends up being slightly different when it comes to the interactions and dynamics that take place. There are new missionaries here from the States, with the Graham family, and with Mike Dunne; who have taken up a somewhat indefinite residency here in Arandis. While having met the Graham family briefly the on the very day we left last March, this trip would provide an opportunity to get to know them better and what they have been doing here since their arrival. I can see and hear, even within these first two days, the Grahams and Mike have begun to have an impact on the community and have been a big help.

On Tuesday we were able to make our initial visits to each of the families. However, we have yet to really see or sit with Kassie who has been ill with the flu since this past weekend. We have stopped in at the house numerous times, but each time she has been in bed. Please keep her in your prayers for a speedy recovery.

After expressing a little concern and disappointment Monday evening, Kat has already begun planning her next, month-long, trip here to Arandis. Her day yesterday was more in line with descriptions she has heard me talk about many times; something that I had assured her would likely happen and that she needed to continue to have an open heart and open mind. It seems the first day here didn't quite play up to what her expectations were. Something, I think, that might happen to anyone visiting here for the first time accompanied by someone who has been here numerous times before. As friendly and wanting for love as the children are, they are still children when it comes to meeting someone for the first time. Kat's subsequent interactions with the children have now all been preceded by huge smiles and big hugs. Welcome to Arandis Kat!

As many may have read from Kat's blog she has begun helping out at the primary school; something that I had done during my last few trips here. It's a great place to be because you get to interact with most of the younger Hope's Promise children. As for me, my morning and day was filled with most of what I had planned or hoped to accomplish. In addition to spending time doing a bit of work for myself, I spent a few minutes talking with Brenda Johnston, who is the Arandis coordinator for Hope's Promise here in Arandis. She brought me up-to-date, more or less on what's been happening. And, I'm sure we will be chatting more during our time here. Her main goal for me is to be able to update the Hope's Promise website. Unfortunately, that was part of my "planned day" that I never did get to. It was shortly after my first trip here in 2007, when I realized that my time, personally, is much better spent building relationships, taking the time to have the short or long conversations with the people here as opposed to working on websites, blogs, or things that do not involve the people here. Having the ability to function on 4-5 hours sleep, I've found there to be ample time to get the web work/blogging done either in the solitude of the early hours of the day (like now) or in the late evening, when others are sleeping.

Yesterday I was able to sit with Pearl and try to map out a plan of attack with her, to get back on track with her studies. Pearl is home schooled and, as I suspected, has been spending too much time doing the things she likes to do instead of her school work. So, I am happy to say that we have set some goals for her and have set up a way for her to treat her homeschooling in a more disciplined fashion. It is our hope that she will be able to sit for 2 of her 6 remaining exams before we leave here; another the following week, then the final three by October 31st. Please keep her in your prayers that she can follow this plan and maintain her focus.

After finally visiting William and Anna's family and Lina's, Kat and I ended up at the pre-primary school where Karrie Graham was working with/tutoring some of the junior and high school teens here. It is exam time and each day this week and most of next, there are daily exams on the different courses and subjects; much like mid-terms at home. We decided to help and lend a hand to both Karrie and Marlena (a college student from Germany who arrived last week and is her for two months.). Jolene, Raymond, Bradley, Charmaine and Elaine were there. While I will elect not to go into some of the dynamics, here in print, suffice to say that working with a couple of these teens in the past has been challenging for me. After our short time there yesterday, I can see that from 2:30 to 4:30 I will be there to help Karrie for whatever duration I am here because I can understand how difficult it may have been for her trying to do this on her own. Once again, your prayers are asked, this time for each of these teens to do well in their exams. And in doing so, realize that sometimes it is such prayer that helps get them through it all, because they may not be able to do it on their own.

posted by Don @ 12:31 AM

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