Arandis, Namibia: 2008-03-02

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Winding Down

7 March 2008 11:10 PM

It's raining, thundering and lightning again this evening here in Rehoboth. I believe that the average annual rainfall has already been surpassed in each of the areas we have visited. Rain here is a blessing and its welcome is a bit different than how we tend to feel at home. I must admit that all blessings aside, after watching the distant lightening getting closer and closer, as we traveled last night from Windhoek to Rehoboth (approx 60 miles), once we hit the driving rains about 12 miles outside of Rehoboth, we were blessed at having making it through it all. Nighttime driving in Namibia is a challenge in dry weather, ever on the lookout for wildlife passing in front of you. The addition of torrential rains make it all the more difficult to see through the now bug-smeared windshield. Without the benefit of any breakdown lanes, you can't simply stop in the middle of the road and wait for the rain to subside. You must continue on.

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Today concluded with a dinner of pizza prepared by Jackie and Cath-lo followed by some good conversation with Sylvia and Richard Beukes, our hosts here in Rehoboth. Mike Knight, who is also here with, is doing a bit of research and preparing information for cross-cultural training. Discussions about differences between American and African customs and traditions lasted for a couple of hours. Included was additional conversations about our time in Arandis and interactions with the mommies and families. We learned more about some of the children and families, their circumstances and struggles.

The majority of my day today was spent working on computer systems at the HPOM offices. We did get to visit with the only HPOM family here in Rehoboth, Beuhla and Frank have four children of their own and Adisha, a 7 year old HPOM child. What a beautiful family. Beuhla also helps out with some of the beading at the Beads of Promise operations here. You will be able to read more about this family and all of the others, including updated photographs of the children and families, once I get back to the States. One of the hightlights of my day here to day was finally being able to give Franco, a teenager I met last year in Arandis who loves the WWF and Triple H, an autographed photograph addressed 'To Franco' from Triple H himself. He was very grateful and couldn't wait to show off his new prize to his friends.

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Today I also spent almost an hour listening to and chatting with Friedell, who works in the office of HPOM here in Rehoboth. She told me of her family, children and worries and dreams. One son, who really was a foster son; a boy she took in as a refugee from Angola, is currently awaiting trial for attempting to smuggle cocaine out of Brazil by swallowing little bags of it. She told me how he watch his wife die in the process; overdosing as a result of a plan gone wrong. She told me of how she could only wonder if part of her son's plight was because of something that she had done wrong as a mother. We talked about parenting and I assured her that I too have many of the same concerns she has with respect to the safety and well being of our children; how, despite mistakes they may make in life we may not condone their actions but continue to love them. Tonight, as I type this I find it such a contrast to countless number of children who have no one to care about them or who would continue to love them after some of the mistakes they will inevitably make during their lives.

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Thursday we left Okahandja after another evening at Joan and Dieter's. Unfortunately Dieter was not able to join us but we continued to learn more about their ministry. What a passion they have for the children, selflessly giving of themselves day after day, feeling that there is absolutely no other place on God's Earth that they would rather be. Dieter did call and both Jackie and I had the chance to talk with him before we left. We also went to say our goodbyes to Tiago, Innocent and Sylvia at the woodcarvers market. During our ride into Windhoek, I drove as Mike wanted to take photographs along the way of the very rare, green landscape.

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When we first arrived in Windhoek, I needed to try to get to a bank to try to find a way to get in touch with VISA credit fraud department. Not that anything happened here, but despite having notified my bank that I was going to be in Namibia and using my card, Karen still received a call from VISA wanting to talk to me directly. First, there was no toll free number listed for Namibia and the toll free number for South Africa was not working, either from my cell phone or a land line. I was hoping a VISA affiliated bank would be able to assist, but the South African number that they gave me also did not work. Of course, I did attempt to use the 'reverse-charge' U.S. phone number but before I could ask to reverse any charges, I was caught up in our typical U.S. automated answering systems. Nonetheless, I have have yet to contact VISA and have not yet decided whether I will attempt to use the card again. We were also here to meet up with Toivo Thomas, a HPOM child and student at the International School in Windhoek.

Now Windhoek is Namibia's largest city and even has buildings that are taller than those in Nashua along its main downtown areas. We were amazed that during our short time in Windhoek that we would run into four people we knew. We first saw Cath-lo Beukes, who is attending school in Windhoek. Shortly after that, and in a different area, we happened to come across her mom and sister, Sylvia and Francey. Then, as we were browsing in a mall bookstore, who sees us from the outside and pops in, but Thelma, Joan and Dieter's daughter.

We spent the afternoon with Toivo. He really looks great and is turning out to be quite the young man. He fondly refers to Jackie as his 'white American mom'. After sharing many laughs roaming the streets of the city, we ended our time in Windhoek having an enjoyable dinner, dropped Toivo off at home and then headed for Rehoboth.

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Saturday will find me trying to tie up loose ends with computers here, compiling a DVD of photographs for Brenda Johnston, and Jackie giving being among the keynote speakers at the International Women's Day event. After that, and because it is Richard's birthday and his and Sylvia's anniversary, they will be having the entire family here Saturday night for a braai (barbecue). Although Maderyna is supposedly here in Rehoboth and knows we are here, she has yet to stop by Sylvia's house or the Hope's Promise shop. I am hopeful that she will, but have left it in God's hands to decide if her life and mine will continue to crosspaths. Sunday I hope to be able to sit with Sylvia and discuss the Hope's Promise website. Monday, before we head to the airport, I will also be meeting with Sylvia's sister in order to discuss two websites she would like to have developed; one for her travel agency and another for the lodge/guesthouse that she and her husband wish to open.

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I apologize for not getting on or posting more often but we continue to be at the mercy of the Internet here. It appears that the heavy rains and thunderstorms continue to raise havoc with their systems here. I am hopeful to get at least one more post in before we leave. Thanks for coming along on our journey.

posted by Don @ 12:39 AM 0 comments

Monday, March 03, 2008

Once Again, All Good Things Must Come To An End

4 March 2008 1:00 AM

Well, this is it, our last full day in Arandis. Wednesday morning we leave and return to Okahandja for one night and then our travels will lead us to Rehoboth for Thursday through Sunday. Monday morning we depart Windhoek for our journey home.

These last few days have been hectic and quite interesting, particularly the weather. During Monday's early hours (1:30 AM) we had quite the rain, wind and lightning storm which lasted for well over a half-hour; feeling almost like what I've heard a tropical storm might be like. Later during the day and into the evening one could still see puddles (some quite large) from the storm; an oddity here in Arandis. Mike was here again this past weekend and return to Okahandja yesterday. He made sure to send a text to Jackie, telling her that on our way back, we needed to be sure to stop along the side of the road to marvel and photograph the greenery that is rarely seen here.

Last evening I was walking and chatting with Chriszelda, one of the pre-school teachers at Talitha-Kumi, along the "back road" which hugs the desert here. We stopped in awe at the red and orange sunset in the west and the two or three different rain storms to northwest, in the distance horizon. The weather, for the most part, has been warm and a total contrast to the mess which I have been following and keeping track of back home. I can honestly say that I am not anxious to return home on account of the weather.

Pictures and videos...yes I have some but have not been inclined to post them from here due to Internet costs. I will take the the time to post them once I return home. I personally have not taken as many as I normally do but will have access to Jackie's and Mike's photos. Actually, if you want to see one of my new favorite pictures, check out Mike's recent "picture of the day". What a cutie she is and my how she has grown! I will also be updating the HPOM website, upon my return home, with new photographs of the children and families, including the two new HPOM families here in Arandis.

Steve and Karrie Graham and their family finally arrived last night. They have moved here, from Virginia, are here to help out with Hope's Promise. I am hoping to meet them today, or at least before we leave on Wednesday. Please be sure to keep them in your prayers as they begin a new chapter of their lives here. Welcome Steve and Karrie!

In terms of a successful trip here to Arandis, I would say that it was. I did get done many or most of the things I had hoped to. Of course, what I began to cram in towards the end was spending more time with individual and families. I continue to sort out the reflections I might have on my time here and of the interactions I have had and the observations I have made. And, as I may have noted in a prior post, some of the revelations do not occur until well after I have returned home.

One reality that I can share now is that with each of my return trips, despite their relative brevity, the relationships with the children and their families continue to grow and expand. It's incredible to experience the hospitality of even the newest of the HPOM families like Willem and Anna. They are grandparents who are the caretakers of their grandchildren and Gino, a HPOM child from Rehoboth. Grandparents caring for their grandchildren is all-too-often a common situation here. They are doing a remarkable job. They are one of the 8 homes or so that are located "outside of town" near the train station at the entrance to the town from the B2 highway. To get to their homes, you literally get off the main road into Arandis and follow one of many different trails across the desert sand. The children walk to school from here, leaving their homes around 6:30 AM to make it in time for the 7:30 AM start to classes.

I think that out of the three from the U.S. who were here, namely Mike, Jackie and myself, I had been the one most attached to Arandis and the HPOM families here. It has been interesting to watch and listen how both Mike and Jackie have also come to know the children and their families more intimately. Jackie is already looking forward to her return trip this coming July and Mike has already made promises that he will be back soon.

Yes, it has been an interesting trip, from the extremely Pentacostal Crusade weekend that was here last Thursday, Friday and Saturday night to the invasion of bugs (Nan says due to the rains...). I literally walked into my bedroom Sunday night and thought I had entered a moth farm. Unfortunately, our moth eradicator (nan's vacuum) was in her bedroom and no one dared try to retrieve it at 10:30 PM. There has been many laughs and stories. We got to talk, via Skype, to the Christ's Church team who will be coming down here the first two weeks of July. Nan, Pearl and Boniface also got their chance to talk to the team.

My next post will likely be from Rehoboth, unless I get inspired during my short, one-night stay at Joan and Dieter's Wednesday night. Until then..

P.S. As a reminder, be sure to visit Mike's blog, Jackie's blog and the Graham's blog

posted by Don @ 6:05 PM 1 comments

About Me

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