The Namibia Adventures

     This past week I re-read the book Christy by Catherine Marshall. It's a beautiful story about a young girl who heads to the mountains of Tennessee to work in a mission school. The last time I read this book I was 19(the same age as Christy in the story) about to head to Namibia, Africa on a 5 month mission trip. My assignment was a small pre-school in Block E, the poorest section of the small town of Rehoboth. I remember thinking about Christy and feeling like I could really relate to the story. I was young, away from home, working in a place that was foreign to me, not really knowing what I was doing.
      I love that I had this experience, but it was hard at the time. I remember being frustrated and homesick, but I also remember learning. It was on that short trip that God started to work some changes in my heart. He planted in me a desire to teach, something I had always adamantly said I didn't want to do. But here I am, 7 years later, about ready to start my third year teaching in a wonderful little school that I love.
     While I was in Namibia, I decided to keep a journal. I wrote down my experiences and stories.

September 8, 2008
 "Well, I'm in NY, and I'm alive. It has been a long and interesting day. I woke up at 3:30 AM this morning and could not get back to sleep. It was very hard to say goodbye at the airport and it was kind of scary navigating the airport by myself. But, it all went without a glitch. So far this has been a stretching adventure."

    The airport was just the beginning of the adventure. I met amazing people, ate new food, saw beautiful places, and glimpsed the beginnings of a new adventure.  I also learned how fast you can make close friends when you all feel like fish out of water. The team of girls I went with: Amanda, Cathi, Kristen, Mackenzie, and Alli, were wonderful. 

September 11, 2008
"Well I'm finally in Africa."
September 12, 2008
"We will be staying in the capital of Namibia--Windhoek-- for a week of orientation before we actually get to Rehoboth. The interesting thing is that the hostel lost our reservations. So, for tonight we will be staying in a co-ed dorm. AWKWARD!!! Oh well, it will make for a very interesting story to tell. It is rather warm here and this is the cool season. I don't want to think about when it decided to get really hot! But as they say, "It's a dry heat."
September 15, 2008
"Today has been a good day. A woman came over to talk with us about AIDS. She is a good friend of Suzanne's[Mick and Suzanne were the missionaries who oversaw us while we were there]. We all went to take her home. On the way back we drove through a very poor section of town. It was heart breaking to see. It is mind boggling how in 10 minutes, we can go from this big modern city, to such poverty. It really makes you feel guilty. 'LORD, my heart is wondering.'"

    That short week in Windhoek was great. My team was not the only one going through orientation. There was also another family, the Rowells, and young single woman, Catherine, who were also going to Rehoboth as well as a couple of guys that were headed for another small town. After the week was over, we packed up and headed for Rehoboth.

"God's invitation to us isn't 'Shut up and listen,' but 'walk with Me and help me serve."

 ~Leonard Sweat