Where He leads...: November 2010

pitch n. the term here (and in many other parts of the world) for soccer field

When I arrived here last July, Mick found out I was a soccer player and invited me to join a group of guys who play every Monday night. This became a pretty regular thing for me (aside from nearly a 6 month break at the beginning of this year due to my crazy busy schedule!). The last few months I've been there every Monday night except for when I was at the Himba village. Playing soccer with these guys every week has been such a huge blessing! And I've realized more and more just what a special blessing it's been. I'd say at least half these guys are middle-aged men. And for over a year of playing with them, I was the only female. And yet no one ever complained about my presence. Honestly, they treated me pretty equal to the rest of the guys. I have bruises to prove it! :) And I loved that! Lately a couple more women have joined us and that's been great too. But I am truly so grateful for these men who allowed me to play with them each week. They encouraged me. They coached me to be a better player. And they've become my friends and brothers.

It's been so interesting to look back on my time in Namibia and observe how different all of my experiences have been... from spending time with the kids at FHS, to visiting with my new friends and might-as-well-be family here, to traveling around this beautiful country, and kicking a soccer ball around with a great group of guys. But all of them add up to an amazing year and half with memories that will stay with me forever. It's pretty neat how God knows just what we need when we need it. For me, it was the opportunity to play soccer with these guys in the midst of all the other challenges that come with being a missionary in a foreign country. It gave my mind some rest for a couple hours a week and recharged me until Monday came back around.

Now it's time to find a pitch in East Tennessee...! :)

Most of the gang minus some = Jeff, Adrian, Felix, Hellie, and George to name a few...

Our usual pitch... Yes, there is some grass in Namibia! But a very little some!

Thursday was the last day of FHS. I have not been looking forward to this day. Saying goodbye to so many precious kids is no easy task. For now, I don't have any great words to sum up my experience at this place. I think I still have a lot to process as I look back on this last year and a half. Maybe in the future I'll write more about what my time at FHS meant to me, but for now... let me just do what I do best and share loads of photos from my last week at that special place! If you bought one of the FHS calendars you might recognize many of these faces.... And there are still plenty more for sale if you haven't got your copy yet! :)

Kaita is probably my most difficult goodbye at FHS. He's still so young and even though he said he understands I'm leaving, I don't know if he fully does. I will miss this kiddo tremendously, but I will continue to be his sponsor after I go and I'll try to correspond with him and send some goodies that way. (Kaita is on the cover of the calendar.)

Our creative writing class photo... most of them at least.

We received some donations from an American team that came on a mission trip and also from a South African family that moved back to South Africa. Loads of goodies to donate to the care team, the group of ladies in the community who regularly check up on the 450 FHS kids.

Hockey in Namibia! :) My stepmom sent these back with me for the kids. Field hockey is actually a popular sport here... ice hockey... not so much. :) These kids had a hoot with this friendly match!

Simson... What a little loveable troublemaker. :) He knows he's cute and knows that helps him get away with a lot of nonsense. (Simson is Mr. May.)

Petrus is Ouma's grandson. She is his primary caregiver. I've probably received more hugs from Petrus than from any other kid at FHS. He loves to give hugs and greet me first thing when I get out of the car. (Petrus is with Shihepo as the Mr. Januarys.)

I first met Paulus when he was in Falconer's class. He is just so adorable! Aside from the fact that he constantly comes up to me to say, "Give me one dollar," I love this kid and will miss him so much! (Paulus is Mr. April.)

Me and the roomies with all our sweet friends!

I am mostly including this one for you because the kid's face on the left is hilarious!

We packed some goodie buckets for the teachers and staff. Well, Daniel got a goodie toolbox. They were so delighted as they looked through all the gifts. I hope this small token really does express our appreciation to them for taking us in as family and teaching us as much as we taught them!

Junior, Queen's son. She's in the green shirt in the last picture. He's a sweet kid who doesn't say much. He and Kaita were the two who did the bike race a couple months ago. (Junior is on the calendar's cover with Kaita.)

Gift and Nessy, Elizabeth's twins. I said I would have a difficult time saying goodbye to Kaita, but these two come in right behind him. I love these girls! And I am blessed to say that they love me too! :) I look forward to staying in touch with this precious family and watching them grow up!

Here's Kaita with the Christmas goodies I gave him. Even when he's being a bit of a terror, you just gotta love this cute kid!!

This is the first year I didn't celebrate Thanksgiving on the actual holiday. It seems like Thursday was so busy with other things that Friday was the day we chose to get together. Thursday was also the last day of FHS... more about that in the next blog entry.

Thursday night Candace, Heather, the Browns, and I did go for dinner at Thule Hotel. Though that wasn't a Thanksgiving celebration (Heather and Candace are Canadians), I'll share a couple photos because we did have a wonderful time.

Friday I was first invited to a dinner out with Cindy and the Browns. We had decided that with it being such a busy time (all of us are heading to the States soon for Home Assignment), eating at a restaurant would be a great alternative. After confirming my attendance for that celebration, I received a second invitation to share a meal with some Americans from New Song Family Church. I nearly declined as two meals so close together would be hard to swing. (I've also gotten rid of my car already, so traveling around is not quite as simple as it was before.) But I accepted that one as well and told myself I would eat light. Uncle Brownie, if you are reading this, I can see you shaking your head. He knows (he probably taught me!) that eating light... especially during the holidays, is not possible. And indeed, I went back for seconds! Dana had even made sweet potato casserole with sweet potatoes from the States! Wow! We had turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn casserole... even pumpkin pie! Oh yum! Afterwards, the kids had made a turkey poster and asked us to write what we were thankful for on the feathers. :) I wrote that I was thankful that God has blessed me family 8,000 miles away from my own and for having the opportunity to serve God all over this world.

A huge storm came as I was leaving the Engell's house, but that didn't stop us from continuing with our plans for the rest of the evening. Thankfully the torrential downpour (and even hail) stopped by the time we reached our destination, Amani Lodge. This lodge is about 30-45 minutes outside of town. I was really excited to go because I had heard all about this place. Honestly, I didn't think time would allow for me to be able to get to this place before I left Namibia. So when Cindy suggested it, I responded with an emphatic YES! Lodge food is always great, but I was really stoked about the fact that they have cheetahs there that you can interact with! Indeed, the food was excellent. Crab claws for a starter, grilled kudu for the main course, and an incredibly delicious strawberry pie for dessert. Before the meal, however, we had got to see the cheetahs. They have several cheetahs and lions, but they have a couple cheetahs that are "tame". One is 13 years old and the other is 10 months old. We got to see and pet both of them. What an experience!! The animal encounters that I have had in Africa are definitely at the top of my list of highlights from my time here! Now I'm only wondering if I can keep this wild animal encounter thing as a tradition every Thanksgiving! :)

This is the 10 month old. She was orphaned. The lodge owners got a puppy when they got her so that they could grow up together as friends. I wish I could have got a picture of them playing together. So cool!

I think I can guarantee none of you have ever seen this sign posted on a bathroom door!

The sunset was stunning as we sat down for our dinner... my second dinner... ;)

I was reading the newsletter of some missionary friends of mine. No matter where you are in the world, if you've grown up celebrating Christmas with your family, those memories stay with you forever. And when you find yourself halfway across the world during this special time, it can intensify any feelings of homesickness that would be natural anyway.

I want to share a portion from that newsletter as a way of letting you read firsthand the struggles that many missionaries around the world face at this time. Hopefully you can use this as a tool for prayer this Christmas season... remembering those who are sacrificing during this time by being away from their families in order to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth!

We are approaching the "holiday season" just like you, although it feels quite different here in Kenya. Mostly, it doesn't feel like it! The weather is warming up now, and we don't have a local superstore that has aisles of decorations, trees, and giant inflatable snowmen. As Christians, we preach of stripping away the unnecessary and remembering the true 'reason for the season.' But during this time of homesickness that comes after the novelty of our recent move has worn off, we can't help but long for the constant reminders of turkeys, sweet potatoes, trees and gifts.

You can read more about what the Fraziers are up to in Kenya by clicking here.

Every day we have the opportunity to make someone's day a little brighter. How many times during the week do you go to the grocery store or eat at a restaurant or go to the bank? I think it's easy for us to forget sometimes that the people who are serving us at these places are... people. That lady behind the counter is a person who perhaps... has a family.... is having a great day... is facing a difficult hardship... is lonely... is new in town... is wondering if anyone cares about her... is struggling to make ends meet... is contemplating suicide... is wishing she could be anywhere but at work... is counting how many people actually acknowledge her existence with a smile. Who knows what they are thinking about on a regular basis and what they are facing outside of their job? The point is, we have a very regular opportunity to help bring some joy to their day, offer encouragement, and even pray for them.

Soon after I arrived in Namibia, I started shopping. Groceries, things for my room, clothes suitable for Namibian weather, and so forth. During one of those shopping trips I met Martha (pronounced Marta). Martha is a cashier at CNA, a stationery/supplies/bookstore kind of place. I don't remember how exactly we hit it off, but our relationship couldn't have began without my own willingness to get to know her. And I can admit that sometimes when I'm rushing around trying to get all my errands done, I'm not super willing to get to know whoever is helping me behind the counter. Sometimes I admit I don't even greet them as much as I should. But Martha and I quickly got to talking. She asked me where I was from, what I was doing here, and other questions I typically get when people notice I'm not from around here. From then on, whenever I went to CNA, I would make sure to say hi to her, even if I had to go looking for her somewhere in the store. When my mom and aunt and Dad and Kelly came to visit, I took them into CNA to introduce them to Martha. She's heard me talking about my family, so I thought it would be neat for her to actually meet some of them!

I went to CNA over the weekend to get a few last-minute things. Lately, I haven't seen Martha as I've passed by, so I wasn't certain she was still working there. As I was checking out I asked for her and was happy to hear she was still there. They called her to the front and she gave me a big hug. I told her I would be leaving soon and she said that we must get together. We made a plan and met for lunch today during her lunch break.

It was so nice getting to know her a bit more over lunch. She asked a lot of questions about how my time here has been, and I asked her several questions about her own life. Martha is about 36 or so. She has three daughters... 16, 14, and 2. She has never married, but the father of the two eldest is a part of their lives. He is from Angola and went away for a while. Now he is back and even helps care for the small girl, though she is not his own. Martha says, "He has forgiven me for my mistake. He adores her." She adds, "For whatever reason, we have chosen not to marry. I think it is just not for us." After I said a prayer of thanks for our meal she said, "So you are a Christian?" I said yes and asked if she was. "No. I grew up Roman Catholic. We believe more in Mary and those things." We talked a little more about her background. I had brought along a Bible to give her. I told her to read it, and learn more about Jesus and what He has done for her. She said she would.

As I listened to her talk about her life, it was similar to many other stories that I've heard. She has, however, completed her education up to Grade 12. Only half of Namibians have completed up to Grade 10. So I was quite impressed with that. "At the time that I [graduated], the main fields were to be a teacher or a nurse. I didn't really want to do either so I decided to get a job like this one and it was fine for me," she told me. "But I encourage my children to pursue a higher degree." We talked some about the politics and history of Namibia. She remembers hearing gunshots quite regularly when she was a little girl. The war for independence in Namibia was a great struggle for so many.

She also talked about a recent murder that occurred. Another teenage girl was raped and murdered, slit throat. (See previous story from a similar murder in Windhoek this year.) Indeed, terrible things are happening in this country just like in nearly every other part of the world. And then she told me a story... When her eldest daughter was a little over a year old, she went missing. She had been standing in the yard by the front gate. The next thing Martha knew, her daughter was gone. Everyone started searching for her. As Martha began to search near the riverbed, she saw a woman carrying her child in her arms. The woman handed the child to Martha and disappeared. Martha calls that woman an angel. Her daughter was unconscious. She had been found in a plastic bag, left for dead. She had been beaten all over her body, with severe head wounds. A boy, around seven years old, was identified as the one who committed this terrible crime. He had even tried to rape her, but was unsuccessful. At such a young age he was never punished or prosecuted.

Martha has come a long way since that terrible incident. "Now I can tell that story without crying," she remarked. As her daughter grew up, Martha told her about what happened to her. "She is strong. Now she can help others who also face such things." Like so many women here, Martha is also very strong. She is resilient despite all the hardships she has faced. I hope that my time here, getting to know her more and more with each visit, has been an encouragement to her. And as I leave Namibia to head back to the States for a while, I will remember Martha and how easy it was for her to go from just a cashier to my friend. And there is no excuse for me, or any of us, not to be building relationships just as easily wherever in this world we may find ourselves.

Sunday night marked the last Bible study with the young adults at New Song Family Church. We've been reading and discussing Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love". I had started this book in a Bible study group before but never finished it. I paid a bit more attention this time and was challenged both by the readings and by the group discussions. It was also a great way to get to know some of the young adults at New Song. I hadn't really bonded with many of them up until that point, so it was nice to spend this time with them. It was also neat to see how open the group was. Everyone seemed willing to share their struggles and to be transparent throughout our time together. It was a great way to quickly get beyond the surface level and really go deeper in our relationships with each other as we sought to draw closer to God. My participation in this Bible study will definitely be considered a highlight of my time in Namibia. I look forward to keeping in touch with each of my new friends and seeing where God takes each of us in the days and years ahead!

Here are some photos from our last evening together...

Penda was intentionally not looking at the camera. He's so cool like that.

I also spent a bit of the evening getting to know another new friend... Anja's pet rat! I never would have thought I'd actually like such a creature...

...Or be ok with her new favorite spot!

If you haven't read "Crazy Love" I recommend that you do. I also recommend "Radical" by David Platt. But back to "Crazy Love"... I want to close by posting some quotes from the book. Chan shoots it straight. He doesn't hold back. He craves a deeper, more radical, sincerely sold out to Christ relationship with God. And he desires that for everyone who calls themselves a Christ follower. His book may step on your toes. It certainly did mine. But I hope you're open enough, and humble enough, to admit that you have not fully arrived in your relationship with God. And of course, we never actually will this side of Heaven, but I pray we are striving more and more each day to truly become the disciples that we say that we are.

"Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter."

“Jesus’ call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing. The thought of a person calling himself a “Christian” without being a devoted follower of Christ is absurd.”

"God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through."

"Has your relationship with God changed the way you live your life?"

"God's definition of what matters is pretty straightforward. He measures our lives by how we love."

"True faith manifests itself through our actions."

“I quickly found that the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don’t swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously is rarely considered.”

"You have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin."

"What are you doing right now that requires faith?"

Saturday was such a great day! I headed to Rehoboth, about an hour away from Windhoek, to spend the day with Heidi, a fellow AIM missionary. We had been trying to get together in Rehoboth for sometime, but due to busy schedules, illnesses, and so on... we're just now getting around to it.

She took me to Oanob Dam. Wow! What a beautiful place! It reminded me of some of the lakes at home. They have a resort there, campsites, a pool, and barbeque ("braai)" areas where you can spend the day. People bring their boats and jetskis so they can wakeboard, tube, or swim. Heidi and I found a nice, but rocky spot, and spent several hours just enjoying the sound of the water, the nice breeze, and the wonderful Namibian sunshine. And after about 30 minutes of talking ourselves into it, we even went for a swim! To the touch, the water felt quite cold. We probably woke some afternoon nappers as we jumped in with our screams and shouts. But we were soon used to the water and enjoyed swimming around a bit. This is only the second time I've went swimming during my time here. And after living for so long in a pretty hot country, it was quite a treat! Before we left I told Heidi, "I know this sounds shallow... but had I known this place was this amazing I would have been down here to visit you more often!" Something like "gee thanks" was her reply. :) The day also made me long for an East Tennessee summer. Unfortunately, I'll have several months now until the next one! Going from summer to winter overnight will be a tad strange...

We cooked some delicious pizza for dinner, she looked through my photos from the Himba village (she's also been there), and we watched an episode of "Crusoe", a show I downloaded and had told her about. It was just a great day of enjoying the summer weather and each other's company. No greater encouragement can be found than by those who are experiencing similar life events and challenges. Spending the day with another single missionary brought encouragement that we both needed and appreciated. Please pray for Heidi as she continues her ministry in Rehoboth. Pray for others to come and join her in the work as it is extra challenging to be the only AIM missionary there... and there really aren't any others like her from any organization working there.

Recently at FHS we had another Movie Day. Only this one wasn't at the cinema. Candace and Heather arranged for "The Jesus Film" to be shown at the center. They had previously made friends with some guys from Campus Crusade for Christ. Back in September they went with them to a village about 3 hours away to show the film to a couple tribes in that community. Two people accepted Christ during that weekend.

The guys came and set up the projector and screen. We showed it both to the morning and afternoon groups. We even invited their families to attend, but it was mostly just our kids who watched it. It was a great opportunity for them to "witness" the life of Christ according to the Gospel of Luke and open a dialog about what Christ did for us and how we can respond to that. For me, it was just a great opportunity to witness another ministry tool in action. I've heard about things like "The Jesus Film" from my time at seminary and through stories from other missionaries, so it's especially neat to be able to witness something like this while I'm actually on mission for Christ in a foreign country.

If you want to learn more about The Jesus Film Project go to www.jesusfilm.org or click here.

On Wednesday we took my creative writing class to a movie! None of them had ever been to a movie theater before. This was a real treat! I had asked a few of them what they might like to do to celebrate the end of the year and a movie is what we decided on. It was between that and going to the swimming pool. Not all of them could swim, and personally I preferred the movie idea, so off we went! There were 12 kids total... all girls except for one boy. There have been more kids in and out of my class throughout, but these were the ones who've been coming most regularly.

I enlisted the help of Heather and Candace, and the driving and extra vehicle space of Linda and Anja. We watched "Despicable Me". A hilarious movie I highly recommend! This was the same movie I took Tudeski and Man to a couple weeks ago.

We got their super early. A bit TOO early. Apparently I was a tad paranoid about being late. When we were finally allowed in the theater we still had about 30 minutes before start time. Heather suggested the kids entertain us with singing. They happily obliged. And they took turns going down to the front to sing and dance as if they were on stage. We could hardly see them because it was so dark, but we all had a great time! My camera wouldn't take a photo at all. Anja had hers, but they didn't turn out great either. I've included one below to give you a blurry idea. They were really cute. It's amazing how uninhibited these kids are compared to many kids back home. They love performing, be it singing, dancing, whatever. And we love being in the audience to cheer them on! :)

I enjoyed glancing over at the kids from time to time to see the intensity on their faces and the laughter at the funny parts. They really enjoyed it! I wish I could remember all the funny things they said throughout. The beginning of the movie takes place in Egypt. When the desert came on the screen one of the kids yelled, "Sossusvlei!" Which is a popular desert location here in Namibia. When the goatherd appeared the boy next to me asked, "Is it Moses?" When I said no, he kept saying it was Moses... as if to say, who else would it be if it wasn't Moses?! :)

Here are a few photos. Some of the kids had a lot of fun snapping their own pics with Anja's camera...

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