Arandis, Namibia: 2008-02-24

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Just Some Random Thoughts

28 February, 2008 7 AM

This trip continues to be different than the others. Not that I should be surprised, I'm not. It's just a matter of trying to pinpoint exactly what that difference is. Perhaps I'll figure it out after I leave here. Perhaps it will be one, two or three months from now.
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Since Tuesday, I have been helping to teach the 2nd grade at Talitha Kumi Christian Academy. I have been doing the reading/phonics and mathematics sections all week and will continue to do so until I leave Arandis this coming Wednesday. The Namibia teachers here aren't quite up to the standards which we, as Americans, might expect. They also seem to lack, what Nan calls, a basic common sense when it comes to teaching children. As the Principal of the school she is constantly trying to lead by, or offer examples. Nan brings with her 38 years of experience teaching in Florida, including time as an assistant principal and principal. She has her work cut out for her here. Ferris, the current 2nd grade "teacher" is actually in the process of getting his teaching credentials. He is currently a pastor, though I am not sure where. Today after class, he asked me if I was a math teacher back at home and thanked me for helping him understand better methods for teaching.

Now don't misunderstand, though I have not chatted personally with each of the teachers here, I have the belief that they are doing the best they can, with what they know. It's just that what they know is not what you or I would settle for with our children.
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Helping with homework seems to be one of my ongoing duties, particularly with 3 Hope's Promise students who are in the 8th grade and in the public high school. I must admit that there is a bit of satisfaction when seeing "the light come on" after explaining and walking through some of the problems they are having; particularly with math and accounting. One of the 8th graders that I will be helping this weekend is a boy who just turned 17. He already failed 8th grade once and if he fails it again, he cannot return. Then there is the story of Caroline. Last year Caroline was a Senior and was among the top 12 in her class, getting high grades and seemingly not having any difficulties. However, upon taking the exam she needed to take in order to graduate, that was administered by a board outside of the high school, she failed. Thus, she failed her Senior year. She is now enrolled in a school in Windhoek and trying to make up the credits she needs. The other sad part to this story was that she did not find out herself, that she had failed, until her name was published in the local newspaper, which listed all the seniors who had failed the exam. She was devastated. How do you suppose an 18-year old American girl would react to that?
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This afternoon, I set up my laptop with a projector to view the a copy of the Melissa Hoffman Dance Center 2008 Make-A-Wish DVD that David Smith so graciously let me borrow. Pearl's dance group is great to watch. She has done a fabulous job of coming up with choreography for the group of 35-40 dancers that she now has. Once again, this is a credit to the Melissa Hoffman Dance Center, each member of that first 2005 Dance Team who came down, as well as those girls who have continued to come back to Namibia since that time and those who weren't here in 2005 but came in 2006 or 2007. It is certainly a testimony of a positive and lasting effect of a group of teenage girls giving up two weeks of their summer to come to a place like Namibia, to give themselves. They will never know just how much of an impact they had until they see for themselves how the seeds they planted have blossomed and continue to flourish. Our girls who came down touched and changed the lives of these children here. Awesome to think about...

As we viewed the DVD, I just looked around the room, at the faces of these kids as they watched the American dancers. Some never seemed to blink or peel their eyes away from the wall that I was projecting on. Some were moving to the beat of the music, perhaps trying to be part of the choreography from where they were sitting. Where I could, I pointed out some of the dancers that the children might know. I tried to imagine what their thoughts may have been. Last Tuesday, as I watched Pearl practice with the group and watched the different "leaders" go through the dance numbers in smaller groups, I know some of these dancers would be outstanding if given the ability to take lessons and learn more about dance and its discipline. Despite their potential, the sad fact is that this potential will likely never be realized. But then again, who am I to foretell how their story goes...
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The children. They have grown. The dynamics is noticeably different between me, Chandre and Elaine. It's not a bad thing, just different. They are two years older than when I first met them. Then there are all of the others. So many more than when I was here in 2007. I've found that helping out in the school has allowed me the chance to get to know them better. Leaving in less than a week might not be so easy...again. I guess what bothers me the most is not being able to watch them grow up or be a part of their daily life, as I am when I am here. One night last week, as I was walking home from "Quail Street" (the location of three of the six families), I couldn't help but wonder what my relationship with them will be 5 years from now. I'm not sure why I chose 5 years. Perhaps because someone like Elaine would be turning 18 and Chandre 15. What would their life be like then? It wondered what the future holds for them, or any of the other children?
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As my time in Arandis winds down, I have begun to think more about what Rehoboth has in store for me. I am hopeful that I will be able to spend time with Maderyna and her daughter, Memory. For those of you reading this who might not know who I am speaking about, Maderyna is one of the reasons I first came down to Namibia in 2006. We never did meet in 2006 but we did meet in 2007. There are various posts from 2007 that you can check out to learn more about just who she is.
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Pastor Tresford and Fabiola Banda were able to finally put a downpayment on a plot, in their plans to construct a church for the Arandis Christian Center. It is their intention to construct the foundation and get the slab poured, then erect a large tent as soon as funds become available. I remember exchanging emails about Tresford's hopes for acquiring this plot back in 2006. It has finally happened and they are very prayerful and hopeful that they will continue to be blessed with the things they need; realizing that it might not be received in their time, but in God's. Now they are turning to us to help in ideas for fundraising and going beyond the tithes received from their congregation.
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Thanks to everyone for their continued thoughts and prayers. We will likely be leaving Arandis on Wednesday, March 5th and head back to Okahandja for one night. I am hopeful that we can get back to the Ark once again to visit with the children there. Then it is off to Windhoek on Thursday where we will hopefully be able to spend some time with Toivo. After that, we will head down to Rehoboth and be the guests of Sylvia and Richard Beukes; returning to Windhoek on Monday, February 10th for our journey home.

posted by Don @ 11:58 PM 1 comments

Monday, February 25, 2008

What a Story This Is Indeed

26 February 2008 12:05 AM

As Brenda, Jackie and I were riding out to Walvis Bay, and as the car made its way between the sand dunes on the left and the South Atlantic on the right, my mind wandered back to 2006; when I made my way down this same roadway in July of 2006 for the first time. Here, some 2 1/2+ years later, and in Namibia for the third time, I found myself riding down the same road. My amazement with the situation wasn't so much the fact of where I was or what I was seeing, but rather the story that I was now finding myself in.

If you've been keeping up with things on Jackie's blog, you may have read how I've already begun thinking about how limited our time here, in Arandis, is. Even though it will be the longest I have been here, I can't help but look around and see all that needs to be done and wonder if there will be enough time to even make a dent in it. My days have been filled with tightening door knobs, gate latches, installing printer drivers, computer repairs and updates. We have visited and spent a little time with five of the six families here in Arandis. I have spent time helping with homework, playing ball tag and watching Ben10 (cartoon of a boy who can turn himself into 10 monsters to help fight evil). Today Jackie and I also visited the C.H.A.I.N School in Swakopmund, hoping to catch up with Armando and his mom Justine. Armando was not there today but we did take the time to kick a soccer ball around with four of the ten other children who are enrolled there to get the special assistance they need. Embarrassingly, I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive on how to interact with these (as I risk not being politically correct...) moderately to severely handicapped children; something that I really have never done before. Yet, we kicked the ball around a circle as best we could, sometimes holding the ball at the feet of a couple of the children so they could attempt to kick or push the ball themselves.

Driving home from Swakopmund, the conversation turned to what impact do we, as short-term visitors, volunteers or missionaries have upon these people, these children? Is there a sense of loss when we leave, or are have they become immune to the comings of goings of teams and volunteers over the years? At what point or under what circumstances would there be a sense of loss? Are we helpful or harmful in that respect? I remember in 2006 that a big concern that I had in deciding to come here for the first time was, "Would I be able to finish what I would be starting?" I did not want to step into the lives of the children and families here, only to just step out.

Already I feel that I have spent more time listening to the stories and circumstances of the children, parents and foster parents, as well as those dedicated individuals involved with the various efforts and organizations, both here in Arandis and in Okahandja. Efforts and organizations that attempt to provide a better, Christian way of life for so many.

What a story this is indeed.

What's ahead? We will begin to help out in the schools tomorrow. Nan will have Jackie and I working one-on-one with some of the children of Talitha Kumi Christian Academy, in the first through fifth grade, who are in need of additional and more personal help and assistance with their learning. We will also be helping out at the pre-primary school. I will continue to have computers to repair; systems that I had worked on last year that have since developed issues and are not running properly. Smithly, one of the younger children, soon after my arrival commented to me that he was glad I was back so I could fix their computer.

It is my understanding that Richard Beukes was transporting the playground from Rehoboth to Arandis this week so perhaps its reconstruction here might also be on our agenda. And, I know of a tree which needs to be cut up behind the primary school. I hope to also continue helping with homework where I can.

For now though, it is 1:45 AM and time for my nap. I have school tomorrow.

(Don't forget to check out Mike Knight's blog.)

posted by Don @ 5:02 PM 2 comments

About Me

Name:Don (& Chandre)
Home:Nashua, NH (Arandis, Namibia)