Where He leads...: 2009

My fabulous friends treated me to a delicious dinner at one of our new favorite restaurants, Luigi and the Fish.

Carolyn & Linda

Cindy & Falconer

And thanks to all of you back home for making my birthday a wonderful day! I received several birthday cards, lots of birthday wishes, and some special gifts... like the gorgeous necklace I'm wearing in these photos made by my lovely friend Tiffany, the CD with unique African music from my sis, lots of goodies from my parents and many, many prayers that I know you all are continuing to lift up on my behalf. I am blessed!

Several of the AIM missionaries, some friends, and some medical interns from Australia gathered on Christmas Day for a wonderful meal.

What a feast!!

Falconer and I made Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits... the real recipe from Red Lobster. They were A-mazing!!

And of course every special occasion calls for a batch of cake balls!!

Christmas is referred to by many as the most wonderful time of the year... but where I live there will be no marshmallows for toasting or caroling out in the snow. I must say it's quite interesting celebrating the Christmas Season in such hot weather! In a way, I think it helps ward off a bit of homesickness. I miss my family tremendously--during this season probably more than any other--but since it doesn't actually feel like Christmas, it makes the day seem to just come and go.

My Christmas Day will be similar to Thanksgiving. Several of us are getting together for what should be a delightful meal. Turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and of course lots of desserts! :) In the morning we'll have a yummy breakfast (which will remind me most of home). It should be a day filled with blessings, good food, and good company. It will also be a day of rest for me as I have been working quite a lot trying to get through my giant to-do list of things I must accomplish here at the office.

Here in Africa, Christmas is not quite as commercialized as it is in America. But there have definitely been signs of Christmas' coming since November. Stores are decorated with red and green, downtown has beautiful lights on display, holiday music is playing nearly everywhere you go. I was talking to my African friend yesterday about how strange it is that they play our traditional Christmas songs speaking of snow and snuggling up by the fire. She said, "Most people probably don't even realize what the songs are saying. Jingle bells? I don't even know what that is." :)

There are many different tribes here in Namibia. Each have their own Christmas traditions, and within each family and community the traditions vary even more. Oshivambos sometimes decorate trees and exchange gifts. For some Oshivambo households in the villages it's a rare time where rice is eaten with a special treat--tomato sauce (what we call ketchup). In these rural places where fake trees and lights aren't available, a big branch is placed in the house and sometimes gets decorated with colorful bottle caps. This seems very African to me, and that's kind of the idea Falconer and I mimicked with our own tree. (See the photo below.) For many tribes, Christmas is centered around family. The Basters often have a braai (what we would call having a barbecue) and simply relax and sit around visiting with one another. Some people of the Ovaherero tribe send the children out on Christmas Eve to find Christmas trees which are used to decorate the main table where food is served. On Christmas morning, you may find some of them watching the sunrise. They say the sun dances on the morning of the birth of baby Jesus.

However you and your family and friends celebrate Christmas, I pray that you will be filled with God's love and love for one another as we remember the reason for this special day. God sent his only Son to earth as a baby, to live and breathe just like us, and to sacrifice His own life so that we may live eternally with Him. There has never been nor will ever be a greater gift than that.

Many blessings this Christmas Season and always!

These first two photos are of our tree. Some might call it pathetic, but we love it. Falconer and I had a blast making the snowflakes. My friend's little sister made the other decorations for us. This will be our holiday tree and we'll keep it all year, decorating it for each new holiday. :)

Here I am with my two roommates (Carolyn on the left and Falconer on the right). We took a two-day mini-vacation last week to Swakopmund, a beautiful coastal town that's a popular destination for us missionaries when we need a little R&R. We had a blast!

Another photo from Swakopmund. I've been to these dunes before and I'm forever fascinated by their incredible beauty! What an awesome God we have who has designed such a mosaic of landscapes across this earth!

I just heard this song on the radio for the first time (thanks LifeSongs!). I think it's my new favorite song. And the video coupled with it makes it even more powerful. I pray that more and more people will commit to following Jesus to wherever it is He wants to take them. "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers ar...e few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (Luke 10:2) I'm praying for more workers to be sent out, whether it's across the street or across the ocean. God has chosen us to bring His love to all people. Who are you loving today??

TIA is an acronym used often by missionaries (and others) all throughout Africa. At times we make observations that really leave us with no other response but "TIA!" ("This is Africa!") Our cross-cultural orientation stressed that we should to be sensitive with our vocabulary and response when we encounter things that are the opposite of what we might expect. Instead of labeling those things as "wrong", we should think more in terms of them simply being different. Thus, a phrase we are taught to adopt is, "It's not wrong, it's just different." Or a common one here in Namibia is, "Wow, that's different." I can attest to the fact that if you enter into a culture with an attitude that the local way of doing things is wrong, then you are setting yourself up for constant frustration and disappointment. It also puts yourself in a position where you may feel that you are better than others, believing you have the answers, thinking that if they only did things the way you would do things their "problems" (which they may not even see as problems) would all disappear. With God's help I have faith that we can make a transforming difference in this world, but I have realized that those changes may not come in the ways we often expect.

So back to my TIA moments... Let me just make a list of some things I have observed that I can simply say are a bit different from the good ole U-S-of-A.

1. If someone tells you, "I am coming now," you can probably expect them anytime within one to four hours. If someone tells you, "I am coming now now," you can typically translate that to mean that they are actually coming at that moment or up to a half hour from now.

2. Many of the highways have only two lanes, one lane in either direction. It is common courtesy to move over to the side of the road, across the yellow line, to allow faster moving traffic to pass you by. If you pass someone in this manner, you can thank them by flashing your hazard lights a couple times.

3. My friend was telling a story of how he was in another town and the exhaust on the van got a crack in it. No worries! He found a hair salon/welder. All was mended.

4. The entire city of Windhoek is a giant men's restroom. You can hardly take a drive around the city without seeing men relieving themselves on the side of the road, in parking lots, just wherever they feel so obliged.

5. Stop signs are treated more like yield signs. Slowing down and rolling through is most common. If you actually stop at a stop sign and there is a car behind you, you might get bumped from behind.

6. Big Brother Africa is similar to the show we have back home. The main difference... the show airs here 24 hours a day. Seems like it would be incredibly boring to watch that for any extended length of time.

7. The cheapest and most common form of cell phone communication is texting. To send a text is referred to as "sending an SMS". When I first arrived I heard even the American missionaries using the term SMS. Although I told myself I would continue to call it texting, slowly but surely I conformed to the vocabulary of everyone around me.

8. Stoplights here are called robots. Running red lights here is as common as running stop signs. The robots change from yellow to red faster than in the States. If you need to make a right turn, you may never make it unless you are already in the middle and turn quickly after the robot changes to red.

9. If you are driving down the highway and a guy steps into the middle of the road and starts waving a bright flag, do not just drive past and wave. Cops sit on the side of the road and set up a radar on a tripod. If they catch you speeding, they will step out and flag you down. I don't actually know what would happen if you did just drive past and wave, but it's generally best to avoid all chances of ending up in an African jail. (Although I've learned the hard way that stopping to talk to them doesn't really better your chances either!)

10. I haven't pumped my own gas in six months. Gas stations here are called service stations. (In South Africa they are called garages.) They truly are full-service. While pumping your gas they will also check your oil and water, clean your windshields, and check your tire pressure. It is courteous to tip according to how many services they provide.

11. ATVs are apparently an acceptable mode of transportation throughout the city. Thankfully I have seen all riders wear helmets. The other day I saw a guy riding a 4-wheeler on the highway and then all of a sudden veer off onto an off-roading trail. I guess that's the point.

12. When you go to the store, the mall, or to town, you will notice car guards in the parking lots or along the streets downtown. These guys (and sometimes gals) work off tips to watch your car. Car theft and break-ins are common realities here, so paying these men a couple Namibian bucks is one added measure of security. N$1 is equivalent to about 13 cents. I tip an average of N$2 depending on how long my car is in the lot. It adds up if you have several errands to run in one day.

I'm learning more and more each day that I cannot even imagine what it would be like to grow up as an African child. The differences I've observed between my childhood and that of many of the children I know here are more even than night and day. Those differences range from how I was parented, how I was educated, how I lived and functioned within a community, my religious background, how I viewed the world, and so much more.

In the past week I've gotten to know a young lady named Mallory*. I've known Mallory for a few months, but it was only last Friday that I first heard her story. Mallory had a typical African childhood. She even grew up knowing both her mother and father, a blessing that many children here don't know. At eight years old, however, her life changed forever. Her mother had been dating an abusive man. One night, after cooking dinner, the boyfriend called her mother into the room where he was eating. He then began to berate her for the food being below his standards. Mallory and her brother were in another room, listening and watching from the door. Her mom's boyfriend began to beat her mother. First, he took a bottle and broke it on her head. He followed that up with a hammer. After swinging the hammer against her head, he left the house. Mallory screamed at her brother to go for help, while she rushed to her mother's side. She held her bleeding, lifeless body close to her chest, but before help could arrive, her mother was dead. That was the first of many painful events in Mallory's life.

She went to live with her father, and has great memories of her dad from her childhood. But at thirteen years old, Mallory started attending church and became a believer in Jesus Christ. Her father was adamantly against that church. Mallory tells me her father would have approved of a Luteran or a Catholic Church, but despised the charismatic Christian church she was attending. He began to beat her when he found her in her room praying or reading the Bible. He would try to do everything he could to keep her from going to church. He found out she was leading a Bible study at school and began to try to control her Christian activities. When she was in the middle of writing her Grade 12 exams, she came home to her father completely outraged. She returned from her exams one night and he accused her of being at church, even though the exam schedule was posted throughout the community and it was obvious that is where she would have been. He met her before she entered the house and refused to let her inside. He told her to leave and never come back. He didn't even allow her to go back inside for her books that she would need for her final exams. She left with the clothes on her back and was able to call someone who helped find her a place to stay. From there, Mallory came a few hours south to Windhoek, where she has been ever since. She has tried to visit her father, but he refuses to let her back in the house. At 19 years old, Mallory is on her own here, completely without a family. She was unable to complete her Grade 12 exams, which leaves her with limited options for her future. Her time in Windhoek has been filled with darkness, only now is she beginning to see hope and light. Shortly after arriving, she found that drugs helped to take her mind off of her depressing life and quickly became heavily addicted. This landed her in rehab and though it was a painful process, she came out of rehab and stayed clean for 18 months. Last month she tried to visit her family again. Once again her father refused her company. Mallory returned to Windhoek, met up with her old friends, and used drugs in an attempt to forget the pain. Realizing she needed help, she came to me. She shared her story, I was able to pray with her, and now we're meeting on a weekly basis. She asked me to be her accountability partner as she fights the addiction, and I told her I would also like to disciple her towards a closer walk with the Lord. We've started to read "The Purpose Driven Life" together and we're already seeing great improvements as she focuses on God and His power to save her from herself.

Mallory wants to be a missionary. She has a huge heart and passion for children. She has applied to work with a missions organization in South Africa, and I am encouraging her towards that goal. I realize she still has a ways to go before she regains complete control over her life, but during those 18 months of sobriety, she had been serving the Lord as a staff member at her church and volunteering with local Christian organizations. She admits her relapse last month was a mistake and knows that God can forgive her and give her strength to avoid the same mistake in the future. Like I said, I can already see a huge change in her. Her spark is back and she is filled with so much encouragement towards her future. I think what she needed was someone who believes in her, who can encourage her and be ready to pick her up when she needs the extra strength. I am praying that God gives me the strength to be her big sister and her mentor during a time when she desperately needs someone to walk alongside her in this painful journey.

I share Mallory's story not so that you can feel sorry for her, unless that pity turns to action. I have written in a journal, "Knowledge demands action." I'm sharing Mallory's story because she desperately needs prayer. She needs a family of believers behind her, willing to take her needs to the throne of God. Hebrews 4 tells us that we can approach the throne of God boldly, confident that He will provide mercy and grace in our time of need. As we intercede for others, they can receive that promise as well. Here are some specific things you can pray for Mallory...

She needs a job. She is working at the church, but it doesn't pay anything. They have been helping pay for her living expenses, but after the end of the month she has to find a new place to live. At 19, without a proper education, she is struggling to find a job and without a family, she has no one to help her financially aside from what little the church has been able to provide. Her dream is to get to South Africa next year to work with a missions organization, but even working with them she must provide her own accommodation. She has no money for that. You can pray that God would provide the necessary funds for her, or perhaps you even feel called to give towards her need.

I know without a doubt that God has huge plans for Mallory. Please keep her in your prayers. And please pray for me as my relationship with her continues to grow in these coming weeks and months.

*Her name has been changed for the sake of privacy.

What a great feeling to know that you're truly loved.

There are some special people in my life who seem to make it their mission for me to know I am loved. Since I've been in Africa, my family and friends have really blessed my socks off with emails and letters of encouragement, care packages, and prayers lifted up on my behalf.

This week was no exception. I went to the post office and collected four packages in one day! One from my mom, one from Tiffany, and two boxes from a group of sweet ladies in my church who meet together as Quilters and Crafters. I expected those boxes to be filled with hygiene packs for the children at the hospital--because I was told they had packed some to send. What I found instead were two boxes filled to the brim with nearly everything on my wish list!

5 cakes mixes

2 tubs of icing
Reese's Cups and Snickers galore
3 boxes of peanut butter crackers
Four bags of "chips"--chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, & PB chips
Bisquick
Splenda
Yogurt raisins
Crystal light drink packets
Muffin mixes
5 Christmas CDs! (which really made my day and month!)
...and I'm sure I'm forgetting some things

Those precious Quilters and Crafters truly outdid themselves! I totally was not expecting such a blessing. My roommates and I are super excited for a great couple of months filled with lots of yummy treats! It's funny too, because when I'm in America, I don't really eat a lot of candy and sweets. But there's something about being 7,000 miles away from the comforts of home that really makes these treats extra special.

(And they are still sending some boxes for the hospital, so the children there will be blessed as well!)

Thanks to all of you out there who are journeying alongside of me through prayer, encouragement, and everything in between. You know who you are, and I thank God for you and pray that He blesses you as you've been such a blessing to me. And thanks especially to Carolyn, Faye, Jackie, Joyce, Mary Sue, Linda, Inna, Vi, Christy, Judy, Eva, Fran, Frances, Jean, Marcella, Becky, Kathleen, Lula, Virginia, Martha, Margaret, Freda, and Dene! Your kindness means the world to me. I look forward to giving you each a big hug when I finally get home! Love you!

For those of you who have been asking, let me give an update about my car situation. I finally have it back in my possession AND in driving condition!

Here’s the story from where I left off…

Last you heard, my car was stuck in Sessreim, 5 hours southwest of Windhoek. After a few days of strategizing--mostly, trying to find the cheapest and safest option--we decided it would be best for me to travel down with Mick and his daughter Grace to fetch my car. I had went back and forth on the decision of how exactly to solve the problem on my broken car, and in the meantime, I purchased a clutch kit in case the end result would be to send a mechanic down to fix my car where it sat. Thankfully, that clutch kit was used in the end, though I don’t know whether or not the advance purchase saved me any money.

We left Mick’s house that Thursday morning around 2:45am and headed for Sessreim. Mick was able to borrow a tank (aka: beast of a Land Rover), rented a trailer (which he and Suzanne blessed me by paying for it!), and off we went. It was cold and dark, but we were on a mission. We saw nearly every kind of African wildlife there is to see along the way. Zebras would run out in front of us. I tried to get a decent picture, but only managed to capture a black and white blur since I was inside a moving vehicle and it was dark outside. The stars were absolutely incredible and the wildlife was quite exciting, although one little jackrabbit type creature decided to run straight into the front of our moving tank… probably not a good ending for that little guy.

We stopped along the way for breakfast. Grace had made some delicious cinnamon rolls! We watched the sunrise come over the mountains and plains… God’s mercies are truly new every morning. It was a fun, but tiring trip.

We finally made it to my poor little car. The men at the service station helped us roll it onto the trailer. I bought them each a coke for their time and effort. Mick and another man tied everything down, including a tarp that would supposedly protect my car from damage as rocks tend to fly up on the dirt and gravel roads. About 12 hours after we left Windhoek that morning, we returned safely and left my car with the mechanic.

One week later, after many times of hearing “maybe it will be ready tomorrow”, I finally was able to go pick up my car. The clutch works like butter. It’s pretty nice actually! Everything is in perfect condition, except for two things… 1) I still need to purchase one more tire (my spare is slightly larger than my other tires, and the patch job that we got in Solitaire for the first busted tire wasn’t holding) and 2) unfortunately the tarp had the opposite effect of what we were hoping for. The paint job down both sides of my car is quite ruined. Sand or something must have gotten between the tarp and my paint and just buffed it out. Who knew?

I purchased a new tire on Monday. And the paint job will have to wait… maybe forever. It’s just not a priority. Priority One: paying off the debt I just racked up to get my car back to driving condition.

Here’s the entire bill…

1st tire repaired: N$110
1st tire replaced: N$1840
Short tow out of sand: N$200
Gas for Land Rover: N$1240
Clutch kit: N$2550.10
Clutch repaired: N$3076.60
2nd tire replaced: N$1260

For a grand total of N$10276.70, which equals around $1369.88 US. Welcome to the life of a missionary, where things like this are just not as convenient and affordable as they are in America. I’m sure a burnt out clutch is expensive to replace in the States as well, but the time it took for the entire situation to be resolved was very inconvenient, and typically you don’t have to tow a car yourself five hours on dirt, sand, and gravel roads. I will say, God was faithful throughout. He sent us angels along the way to help fix our flats, pull us out of the sand, and He allowed us to stay safe in what could have been a few far more dangerous situations, and I’ve been able to pay for all but around $750 of the total cost. I owe that payment by the end of this year, and I’ll trust that He will provide as He always does.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement throughout this crazy ordeal. It’s nice to know that I’m not alone when calamity of any kind strikes. If this is the worst thing that happens to me during my time in Namibia, I’m extremely blessed.

I love that the cattle are right by the cow sign, and how the sign on the fence warns of cattle on the road.

This is the best photo I've gotten of a baboon so far. I'll keep trying!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for several reasons.

In no particular order...

#1. Great food!
#2. Spending time with loved ones
#3. Remembering all the things we can be thankful for
#4. I love Fall!
#5. Did I mention great food?

Here's a list of how those things translated to my first Thanksgiving in Namibia...

#1. The food was great! Turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, CAKE BALLS!, peach cobbler, and more...
#2. Spent the holiday with 7 other American missionaries. Lots of smiles, lots of happily filled bellies. (And I did get to talk to/Skype with my family so that was an added blessing.)
#3. Still so much to be thankful for even when I'm 7,000 miles away from my loved ones.
#4. The high today was 95. Fall colors do not exist here, unless you count the brown from the sand and dirt...
#5. Did I mention the food was great?

Other things that made this day a wonderful day...

Falconer decided last night to be creative and decorate the table quite nicely. She used glass bottles from around the house, placed candles in them, found matching napkins we turned into placemats, and she and I made a "Happy Thanksgiving" banner to hang on our barren wall. It was beautiful and just a special treat for everyone to have that extra bit of effort going towards this special day. She also made hats for everyone. We were either Indians (Native Americans to be PC) or Pilgrims.

We borrowed a projector from Steve and Pam Brown (who are enjoying their Thanksgiving in Cape Town!) and watched "Made of Honor". That was great considering we don't have a TV and movies are a nice way for all of us to kick back and relax.

I made two batches of cake balls that were a big hit. I had received some funfetti icing in a care package and I managed to find the rest of the ingredients here. American cake mix here is over 5 bucks a box! Mom also supplied us with some peppered gravy. It was SO good and delightfully enjoyed with the mashed potatoes and turkey.

It was just a great day. And it was a special gathering to have all of us together, each of us missing our families back home, yet able to enjoy our fellowship together and a delicious feast that truly was as "Thanksgiving" as it gets! God is so good and His blessings are immeasurable. I wish days like this could last forever. Thankfully, there are leftovers! And apparently we'll be having some kind of a Thanksgiving sandwich for lunch tomorrow because it's tradition in Falconer's family to throw everything that's left between two slices for bread... she says it's fantastic. I'll keep you posted! ;)

And what a blessing to realize that even after all the food is gone, God's blessings never end.

May this holiday truly be a blessed one for you and yours!

Me and Falconer

Happy 83rd birthday to my Granddaddy! One of my most favorite people in the whole world! He still golfs, meets his buddies at McDonald's every morning he's able, and swims 35+ laps at the local pool. He's incredible and I love him to pieces! We had quite a scare a few years ago, but turns out he's tougher than most 80-somethings. Read the story here...

80-year-old vet fights mugger in hospital

The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jul 8, 2007 9:52:14 EDT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An 80-year-old veteran and former amateur boxer got 13 stitches after fighting with a mugger inside a bathroom at a veterans hospital.

George Younger showed he wasn’t an easy target when he was robbed Tuesday inside the Memphis Veterans Medical Center.

As he was washing his hands, the robber hit and punched him from behind and tried to drag him into one of the stalls.

“He kept telling me if I go to the stall, he wouldn’t hurt me,” he said. “No way I was going into that stall.”

An Army infantryman stationed in the South Pacific in World War II and a welterweight amateur boxer from Memphis, he fought back and landed a few shots.

“I think I got him good — I don’t like being called a victim,” he told The Commercial Appeal on Thursday.

But Younger was overpowered by the mugger and he started calling for help when the mugger began to choke him.

“He hit me twice; he was a pretty big guy,” Younger said. “He pulled me to the ground and hit me again and staggered me. I guess I wasn’t in as good a shape as I thought I was.”

Younger said he didn’t know how the mugger got into the hospital because identification is needed to get into the building. Memphis police are investigating.

“I don’t understand — in a hospital, where you’re supposed to be safe,” Younger said at his Dyersburg home.

A message left for the hospital’s spokeswoman wasn’t immediately returned Saturday.

I got to talk to Granddaddy on the phone for a while today. It made his day. And mine. It's hard to be away from those you love, especially during the holidays. Having them "in my heart" is great, but I'd rather have them in my arms. As we got off the phone Granddaddy said, "Thanks a million for calling. You don't know how much it means to me." Tears formed in my eyes as we said goodbye, and I knew I had a pretty good idea.

The title of this blog changed many times as I began writing it in my head throughout the weekend. Oh, how I long for the original title… something along the lines of “A Relaxing Weekend With the Gals!”

Kitty, Cindy, Linda, and I headed out Friday afternoon for what was intended to be a much-needed retreat. Our original plan was to head up to Oupuwo, a Himba village. We decided Thursday night that the roadtrip would be too long and unpredictable (with the supposed road conditions) for only a weekend, so we began searching for other options. My only request, that we keep the trip around the same price we intended to pay for the Himba village. We found a nice lodge in Solitaire, about 4 hours southwest of Windhoek, near Sossusvlei (a place we’ve all been interested in visiting).

We had a few options for which route to take to Solitaire. Apparently, we chose the road less traveled. Before we even got out of Windhoek, the road turned to dirt, gravel, and sand. It was going to be a long ride…

The first car that passed us threw a rock at my windshield, putting a small crack in it. I was annoyed, but would soon learn that that would be the least of my worries…

The problem with these unpaved roads is that while you can get up to a decent speed, you don’t notice holes and large rocks until you’re right up on them. Slamming on your brakes is never a good idea, so I just got into the habit of yelling out “Dip!” or “Bump!” as a fair warning to the gals… or a “Sorry!” after the fact if I couldn’t get the warning out in time. At one point, there were some serious rocks (more like boulders) embedded in the road. Without being able to slow down considerably, we went over top of them. About 30 seconds later we hear the whoom whoom whoom of a blowout. Sure enough, I got a nice little puncture in one of the back tires. Traffic is limited on this route, so we began to try to change the tire ourselves. Unfortunately, we never could figure out how to get the jack unhooked from under the passenger seat. (I’m a pro at that now!) A family of 5 stopped to help us, and in about 30 minutes we were back on the road. We offered them some money for their trouble, but they refused it.

The rest of our trip to Solitaire was fairly uneventful. The roads never improved, but the scenery was beautiful. We saw two packs of baboons. We stopped for the first one, and Kitty got out to try to entice them closer to the car with a cookie. Yes, we know baboons can be dangerous. They were at least 100 yards away, and running away from Kitty. Not much to be scared of there. We got a kick out of it anyways and had our video cameras ready in case we were about to witness something worthy of sending to “America’s Funniest Videos”! The hilarious part was the four of us trying our best to make baboon noises to attract them closer to our cameras. Problem is, none of us actually know what sounds baboons make, hence the humor in that situation.

We finally arrived at Solitaire Guest Farm, and anxiously drove the 6km down the driveway to the lodge. As we got closer to the lodge, we noticed a beautiful red house off to the side at the foot of a mountain. We met the owner and she handed me the keys to that house. “You’re joking,” I said. For a full minute, I thought she was joking. But she insisted that was our place so we headed over. Our eyes couldn’t believe what we saw when we opened the door. The interior of that house looked like something straight out of a high-end design magazine. And you have to remember, we’re in Africa, we had planned to go to a Himba village, camping, with outdoor ablutions (bathrooms). So this house was a dream.

If you look closely you can see Bokkie grazing in the front of the house.

We settled in and had requested to have dinner back at the restaurant. It was a feast! Full buffet complete with a starter and dessert. The main entrée was springbok. It was the most delicious game meat I’ve had since being in Africa. Side note: They have a pet springbok that we’d already spent some time taking pictures of. It was a little awkward eating the same animal we’d just played with, but the manager insisted that Bokkie (the pet) would never end up on our plates. Good to know! We stayed up late that night playing Phase 10, one of my favorites. None of them had ever played before, but they were quick learners.

The next morning we had plans to drive to Sossusvlei. If you google (or as my friend here says, “goggle”) pictures of Namibia, you’ll most likely find several photos taken around the Sossusvlei area. It’s basically just a place of dead trees and desert dunes, but it’s a remarkable landscape. First, we needed to stop “in town” at Solitaire. “Town” consisted of a service station, small shop, bakery, restaurant, mechanic workshop, and lodge. We were told we could have the tire patched there. For N$100 plus a N$10 tip (less than $15 US) they repaired my tire. But the guys told me that the repair could not be fully trusted, as it was a big hole. That tire became my new spare.

One of many antique cars strewn about the property at Solitaire

From there it was about 120km to Sossusvlei. We all remarked at how much better this road was. It was gravel, but it was pretty flat and compacted. Nonetheless, about halfway into our drive, we heard rocks wildly circling about under my vehicle (much louder than normal). We went back and forth with a casual, “Should I pull over?” “We should probably pull over.” And within 30 seconds of the start of that noise, I pulled over. We all opened our doors, hung our heads out, and looked for any sign of a problem. Linda found it, “OH MY! This tire is ruined!!” Indeed, it was shredded to the core.

I am becoming a real pro at this! (not something to be proud of)

By this time, I knew how to get the jack out. We started preparing the other parts to remove the tire, but soon a Land Rover stopped to help us. Two of the friendliest, happiest men I’ve ever met jumped out and instantly went to work. They had the tire off and replaced in no time. We offered them some money as well, but they also wouldn’t take it. We loaded back up, headed once again towards Sossusvlei, and not 5 minutes later they were on the side of the road with a flat. We rolled down our window and offered our useless services. They replied that they were fine and waved us on, still smiling their big, sweet smiles.

We entered a town called Sessreim. There was a new Engen station there, complete with nice and clean bathrooms, yummy sandwiches, and even a couple of computers with pay-as-you-go internet. They also sold, repaired, and replaced tires. I definitely needed to purchase a new tire and this place was my only option, being that we were in the middle of nowhere. N$1840 later, we were back on the road with a new tire on, and the “repaired” tire back as my spare. (That’s around $245 US!) At this service station we ran into our two German friends once again, and also the family of 5 from our first flat tire! It’s a small world, especially when you’re--as I’ve already said--out in the middle of nowhere.

After our little reunion, we paid for our permit to enter Sossusvlei or the national park or whatever the reason we had to pay for a permit, and drove the rest of the way (PAVED! Praise the Lord!) to Sossusvlei. We finally reached a parking area. I’m quickly realizing at this point that Sossusvlei is a destination--a tourist attraction--and not any type of town. Seriously, going into this trip I/we knew nothing about the area. (Remember, we planned this trip pretty much the day we left.) Cindy and Kitty braved the disgusting worse-than-an-outhouse toilets and then we decided to drive in. The sign said, “4x4s only”, my vehicle has a switch enabling 4-wheel drive. A man had asked Linda if we wanted to hire a lift in (there were safari type vehicles that were driving people in and out). Not knowing what we were getting into, I suggested I just drive so that we have more freedom to stop and take pictures along the way. Oh, what I would give to turn back time. (I seriously considered naming this blog “Hindsight is 20/20”.)

I made it quite a ways. The sand was compacted for a while, and then it turned into loose sand, at least a foot deep. It was actually a bit fun to drive on. You just had to take it slow and stay in the grooves previous vehicles had already made. Then I guess we stopped to take a picture or something, and that’s when trouble began. It became more difficult to get going again, and eventually, it pretty much stopped altogether. I had everyone get out, and I managed to turn it around and we were just going to head back. Unfortunately, that never happened. By this time, we could smell something burning. Kitty has a lot of experience driving in snow, so I let her take the wheel. Key difference between driving in snow and sand… snow will melt and more than likely not damage a clutch… sand doesn’t melt. Eventually the clutch went out altogether, never to be revived. Several people stopped to help. Including our German buddies once again! Their car wasn’t powerful enough to pull us out so they wished us the best and drove on. I didn’t even see them leave because at this point, I’m sitting at the back of my car, head down, and starting to cry. It was the first time I’ve cried in a long time, definitely the first time I’ve cried in Africa. Up until now, I’d made the best of every situation. We laughed at the first tire. We laughed at the second tire, and how I was becoming a pro at really trashing tires. But the comedy stopped here. I realized that this was going to be a much bigger issue.

My broken car looks like a little toy hidden among the massive landscape

Long story short, eventually one of the safari vehicles pulled my car out.

Once we got it out, they offered us a free tour so we could still go in and take some photos. Very kind of them! So we took a nice, relaxing ride. I tried to enjoy it though so many questions were flooding my mind. We ran into our German buddies at the end, and they offered to give us a ride from Sessreim back to our lodge in Solitaire. We gratefully accepted. We made it back to my car, and they ended up being the ones to use a borrowed tow strap and tow us back to the Engen station. I rode with Michael who was behind the wheel of my car. We were just a few feet behind Ali who was pulling us. Thankfully, Michael was a pro at this, and I felt pretty safe. I found out that Michael was a geologist and we had some pretty interesting conversations.

Finally arrived at Sossusvlei

Once we arrived at the Engen station, I discussed my options with Thys (the owner) and he said I basically have one of two options: 1) Have the car towed back to Windhoek (yikes!) or 2) Bring a clutch back down from Windhoek, and have the mechanic at the neighboring lodge replace it for me. See, the problem is… being out in the middle of nowhere… there are no parts. So no matter what, nothing can be done quickly (or inexpensively) since there are no parts within a couple hundred miles. I left the car with Thys, checked that the mechanic would be available for Tuesday or Wednesday (if could get the part to him by then), and we loaded into the Land Rover with Ali and Michael and were on our way. Important to note: I didn’t actually talk to the mechanic because he was out, but the lady at the lodge ensured me he could do it.

About 20 minutes from our lodge, we stopped at their lodge. Apparently they were late for some kind of car club meeting. So the next thing we know, we’re sitting in on this meeting, all spoken in German, but we amused ourselves by watching a live edition of meercat manor behind the lodge. After the meeting, we waited a few minutes to leave, Ali brought us Coke Lights, and we loaded up with Michael for the ride back. He said his leader was very angry with them for being late, but he straightened everything out. We felt even worse for taking up their time and making them get in trouble. We thanked them and apologized multiple times. They continued to refuse any offer of money to pay for their time and petrol. The two of them will be coming back through Windhoek next week before heading back to Germany, so we’re hoping they’ll call us because we offered to take them out for a delicious dinner… it’s the least we can do!

Oh, and I left out one funny part… when we arrived at the Engen station and were waiting to leave with Ali and Michael, we noticed that Ali was randomly putting stickers on my car. A big racing type sticker on my front hood, and a bumper sticker for Michael’s off-road company on the back window. I don’t know what in the world that was all about, and us ladies got a huge laugh out of the fact that he didn’t ask, he just did it. So, I’m going to have to figure out how to get that big one off the hood without ripping the paint off. The joys never end!

Back at the lodge, we let Walter (the owner of the lodge) know that we wouldn’t be eating dinner there that night. We weren’t really hungry and knew it would be way too much food. We did, however, want to go up on the hill and watch the sunset. A popular event for all who stay at the lodge. Cindy and Linda had already walked back to the house while Kitty and I waited to talk to Walter. As we left the lodge towards the house, Bokkie was eating grass out front. We played with her for a while. She was especially frisky and kept trying to ram my leg. I found it endearing. We walked with us and another couple towards the house and sunset hill. The other couple wasn’t so fond of Bokkie. They were quite timid, and I can’t really blame them. She’s still a wild animal I guess, and even with the rubber on the tips of her horns, I’m sure a ramming in the wrong spot could be pretty painful. So we kept her near to us. Springbok are so fast! They also hop around with all four legs straight and coming off the ground simultaneously. It’s so entertaining! I managed to get a pretty good video of her hopping around.

I don’t think I’ve said this yet, but Bokkie was my absolute favorite part of the lodge. I really enjoyed walking with her, talking to her, petting her (although she doesn’t really like to be touched) and just watching and taking pictures of her. Kitty and I got to the split where you could either go to the sunset hill or to our house. Bokkie started to follow the couple heading for the sunset, but we called her towards us and after pausing a moment, she followed us. I felt very special. :) She happily grazed in front of our house until we were ready to walk to the hill, and then she happily walked with us to the hill. I got some amazing photos of her with the sunset in the background. I took way too many pictures of her actually, but I tend to be obsessive with my photo-taking if you haven’t noticed already.

After the sunset we enjoyed another fun game of Phase 10. Kitty whooped our tails (Cindy won the night before), and it was off to bed. We were all pretty exhausted by this time. Kitty discovered the biggest spider I’ve ever seen in our bathroom! We both screamed and Linda came in and killed it. She’s so fearless and I love her! (Though she admits she does not do snakes.) Then, not one minute later we hear, “Come here! I found another spider. This one is even bigger!” I’m terrified of spiders, but was still very curious. I couldn’t believe a spider any bigger than the one we’d just sent down the tube. But indeed, it was even bigger! Yikes!! Again, without blinking an eye, Linda killed it. I went back to the bedroom, pulled my bed as far from the wall as possible, and finally managed to go to sleep!

Speaking of screaming, I forgot to mention one other funny detail. When we first checked into the house, the power was off. I went down and told Walter’s wife and she got it working again. Later that night, while playing Phase 10, it went out. It was 10pm so it was pitch black. I wasn’t about to walk down and tell them to switch it back on. So I got a flashlight and started signaling through the distance to the lodge. I added a “HEY!” and “Power’s out!!” While I was shining the flashlight up and down, a bat flew into my light, not 6 inches from my face. I screamed. It was scary and hilarious all at the same time. Within a few minutes, they switched the power back on for us. Around 5:30 that morning, I heard the power go off again. I got up and tried to flip the breaker. No luck. Even though it was getting light outside, I tried the flashlight trick out the bedroom window. Nothing happened so I just went back to sleep. About an hour later the power came back on. At breakfast Walter was smiling and said he saw our signal. In his great German accent he said, “I saw that the ship was going down!” He actually had to go “to town” get something to fix the breaker, and that was why there was a delay in getting it going again. So I felt good about myself. I felt I’d saved the day, because without my signal, the power would have come on even later, creating a problem for many of the guests. The first two times, it was only our house without power, but that morning it was the entire property. I’m so resourceful! :) I get that from my dad.

Walter gave us a ride in his safari vehicle to the service station where we were to get a ride back to Windhoek. Unfortunately it was freezing cold that morning and we nearly froze to death the 7km to the service station! It was miserable. I was the only one that even had half of a jacket. The combi (taxi van you could call it) never showed. So we pleaded our case to a tour company from Windhoek. The driver finally agreed to drive us back. There were only 3 other passengers, so plenty of room for us.

It’s good to be back in Windhoek, but of course the “fun” is not over. My car is still four hours away, in a town in the middle of nowhere. I bought a clutch today for N$2550 (around $340 US). After I bought the clutch, I got a call from the “mechanic” in Sessreim. Apparently he’s more of a welder and cannot repair a clutch. And… since my car is in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE… there are no other qualified mechanics with proper tools anywhere around. Seems to be that I’m left with Thys option #1, having my car towed back to Windhoek. That will cost me around $700 US. So adding that to my grand total so far (not counting what it will cost to replace the clutch), I’m up to around $1,256 US. Remember my request to the ladies to keep this trip under the cost to go to the Himba village? Well, I’ve surpassed that figure by about $1,123...

In hindsight, I would have rather have stayed home. And right now, I really really want to GO HOME! But… to look on the bright side… I really enjoyed spending time with my girlfriends. The lodge was fantastic. The scenery was incredible. I got some once-in-a-lifetime photos. And God sent us angels at every moment of need. I will just continue to trust Him to sort out the issue of retrieving my car and finding a way to pay for all of these unexpected expenses.

I will never again drive in loose sand. Never.

Since I've been here, I've seen ostriches at the beach and the desert. Pretty cool stuff.

(You can see more pics from my trip on Picasa.)

It has been decided by AIM that Mick (the Unit Leader of Namibia) and his family return to the States. This decision has significant effects on the remaining AIM personnel in Namibia. For one, Rob (a father of 6, doctor, and team leader in Rundu--8 hours north of Windhoek) is going to step in as acting Unit Leader at least during the immediate transition. And I have been asked to take over the administrative role. We are really hoping that Rob + Hannah = Mick… though I have my doubts. Mick really has done a tremendous job both on the administrative level and as the man with the vision for AIM’s work in Namibia. He will be missed! And on November 20th, when I’m sitting in the office the day after he’s landed safely in Florida, I’m likely going to be in panic mode.

There are so many details I’m trying to soak up as fast as I can before he leaves. My main duties will involve two areas: finances and Home Affairs. There are so many checks and balances when it comes to the finances of AIM’s work throughout Namibia. I’m now responsible for keeping that all together and organized. Home Affairs is a complete beast. It involves submitting paperwork for visas and work permits, and keeping up with where each member of AIM Namibia is at with those steps so that I can follow up on a weekly basis at the office of Home Affairs. Just a tiny responsibility.

Needless to say, I covet your prayers during this transition. I need my brain to be in top shape as I’m shoving in as much information as I can during my last week with Mick. It’s very easy to feel completely overwhelmed, and I’m trying to fight that as much as I can. God knew this was going to happen, and I can clearly see ways in which He has prepared me for this very job before and after my arrival in Africa.

My time at FHS will be affected a bit, as I’ll need to leave my schedule open to the demands of the administrative role, going to Home Affairs, and so on. But don’t worry, I’ll still be loving on those kids as hard as ever! Currently I go to the center four days a week, and I should be able to still go at least three, if not all four days.

Again, I appreciate your prayers for me as I get settled into this new role, but I also ask for your prayers in three other specific areas:

1) The Rineer family (Mick, Suzanne, Adam, Peter, Grace, and Christy). This has been a sudden decision, and while they were planning to go to the States for Home Assignment, they were not intending to go home for good. Everything has changed for them. Packing their house, selling furniture and cars, saying their premature good-byes, and so on. Pray for them as they continue to get everything in order to leave next Thursday. Pray for their hearts as they say good-bye to special friends they have made throughout their five years in Namibia. And pray for them as they move on from here, seeking what God has for them in the States and beyond.

2) Paloma. Paloma is their four year old foster daughter that many of you have already heard about through my prayer letter and Facebook. The Rineers were already having a tough time getting the Namibian government to grant adoption papers, and then all of a sudden her birth father appears, requesting that he become Paloma’s guardian--thus blocking the Rineer’s from going any further with fostering or adoption. This is a devastating blow as it means that Paloma will be left behind while who she knows as her family leaves for the U.S., with no promise of a return. This coming Sunday, Paloma will be sent to town three hours away to live in a foster home of who will be, to her, a complete stranger. My heart breaks for her. She thinks she’s going to America with her family. She’ll learn this weekend that that is not the case. I love Paloma with all my heart. I know children are more resilient than we often give them credit for, but I also know that childhood hurts can have lifetime effects. I will continue to pray for this precious little girl even after her family heads to Florida. I hope you will do the same. I know God loves Paloma even more than we do, and I trust that He has a perfect plan for her, a plan of redemption and restoration. A plan to completely mend her broken heart.

3) For the remaining team in Namibia. These past few months have been difficult for the entire team here in Namibia, especially those here in Windhoek. Pray for team unity during this tough time. Pray for healing and that forgiveness will be given and received where it is needed. Pray that Satan will have no rule here, and that God’s people will be used for God’s glory and nothing else. It is always a place of spiritual battles where God’s people are set about to do His work. May we recognize Satan’s attacks and overcome them by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for your prayers, your support, and your encouragement now and always.

Yesterday one of Monica's brothers got married. She had asked me several weeks ago to tag along. It was a great experience! Monica worked so hard preparing for the event. It went very well and I know she's glad to have some rest now that it's over.

The church ceremony had some similarities to a traditional American wedding, however, the entire ceremony was spoken in Damara and Afrikaans so obviously I don't know exactly what was said. It was a very small ceremony with only a few rows of people present. Several women were clothed in their traditional dress. (I want to have an African dress made before I leave Namibia.)

Near the end of the ceremony a quartet took the stage. They were great! I'm so glad I captured them on video. It's a bit difficult to hear them with all the background noise, but they did a perfect rendition of All-4-One's "So In Love".

I just LOVE this photo! The beginning of the post-ceremony party began outside as the bride and groom arrived with an entourage. They walked the length of the dirt road with dancing, shrilling, more dancing, more shrilling, and so on. After 20 minutes or so, they finally made it inside and the party began.

The dancing and shrilling I just mentioned. It was great!! So much energy!

Monica was in her element! She's on the right with the horse hair thingamajig.

Click here to see more of my pics on Picasa.

(This "thank you" is long overdue, but I knew I would finally write it out one day!)

As many of you know, prior to coming to Namibia I was working for an organization called MissionLab, a ministry of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. My time there was one of the most special, challenging, and rewarding seasons of my life.

A few years ago, during our Summer Youth Camp, we started something called "Change for Change". The purpose of this was to use the opportunity of having so many teenagers and adults coming through our program (with change in their pockets) to make a worldwide impact raising money for a specific ministry. MissionLab's motto is: "Learn missions. Do missions. Be a missionary." Through a customized missions experience, groups can come to New Orleans and have an incredible time both in God's Word and in ministering throughout the city. The heart of MissionLab doesn't just stop at caring for those in New Orleans... it extends to having a passion for people in need of God's love throughout the entire world. An organization we've raised money for in the past is called Blood:Water Mission, which largely focuses on building wells in Africa in countries where clean water is desperately needed.

Before I left for Africa, I got a call from my good friend Adam. He informed me that the MissionLab team had decided that I would be their "Change for Change" project for Summer 2009! They really felt called to raise money for my upcoming ministry in Namibia. I was floored, humbled, flattered... New Orleans--which includes the city itself, my precious friends there, the people within the various organizations and streets that I was honored to meet and build relationships with--has left a mark on my heart that will be there forever. My heart broke for the city of New Orleans before I ever stepped foot on its soil, and that brokenness has never left me. It was a special gift to realize that God was blessing me, yet again, through my amazing experience with MissionLab.

Adam had one request. He asked me to make a video sharing my heart for missions and my call to Africa. This video would be shown each week to the MissionLabbers. (Summer MissionLab runs for a total of 8 weeks, a new set of groups arriving each week.) My preference is always to be on the other side of the camera, so it was a pretty frightening thought to have to come up with a creative and inspiring video that would be shown to a few thousand people. I decided to leave the creative aspect out of it altogether, and just recorded the facts, shared my heart, and left it at that. Evan, a video editing mastermind, took the pieces of my recordings and merged them with a video produced by Africa Inland Mission. I must say, the video is pretty fantastic... not because of my words or my face taking up the entire screen, but because of the incredible job Evan did putting the whole thing together. Thanks, Evan! :)

So let this blog be a HUGE thank you to the MissionLab staff and all of the participants of Summer MLab '09! Words cannot tell you how appreciative I am for all of the prayers, encouragement, and support each of you have shown me these last several months. (For the MissionLab staff, that thanks is extended to the last few years!) The incredible folks of Summer MLab '09 raised nearly $4300 towards my work here in Namibia! That money will go towards my monthly support and other special projects that I get involved with here. I am so grateful of all the ways God has blessed me with financial gifts towards my ministry. I couldn't serve here without that support, but know that your prayers and encouragement are just as important (and even more so!). As was said by John Wesley, “Prayer is where the action is."

Here's the video if you're interested in watching it.

Watch this on Vimeo

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel."(Ephesians 6:18-19)

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