As we are between cameras at the moment, you will probably have to READ ONLY today! Having said that, I am delving through my copious archives looking for pix you (hopefully) haven’t seen before.
DID YOU KNOW …?
As most of you are aware, we have committed ourselves to St Peter’s, Ondangwa; an Oshiwambo church.
As most of you are probably NOT aware, I first entered the doors of St Peter’s, Ondangwa, in July 1996!! I was doing my honours at George Whitefield College (GWC), Cape Town, and chose to join the student ministry team heading to Northern Namibia for 2 weeks. I spent a week in Windhoek and a week in Ondangwa (including a day in Angola) … at this very church!
The North has changed a LOT since I first came up. There was not much in the way of shops and facilities then. But now things are miles better. This benefits us, of course. But the real plus is that it benefits everyone who lives near a town and thus has access to electricity, running water, cell phone coverage, a hospital etc.
MY DAY
So, how do I spend my day? (David’s ‘day’ will hopefully be posted sometime in the near future.)
Mornings are usually consumed by home schooling. There are interruptions by orphans/street children coming by for food (they do a little job about the garden and are ‘paid’ in food). Wednesday afternoon is Bible club for local children. This is in English. We have about 12 children attending. Craft is always popular. Yesterday we had a boy, Immanuel, here asking for some glue to decorate his drawn fish for school. He had brought some bean seeds to decorate it. I went to the craft cupboard and gave him some additional stuff, including glitter – which he had NEVER seen before – and he loved making a colourful fish to take to school. Many children only have tyres to roll around as a toy, or a metal car they make themselves. (see pix) Most of these children have never played board games, party games, owned a pack of coloured pencils or been given a decent toy. They cannot swim or ride a bike because they have never had the opportunity. How richly blessed our children are.
In the afternoons generally, I spend time with Étienne and Caris, reply to emails, work on a Sunday school teaching manual (in Oshindonga), have a language lesson, help neighbours with homework, host a horde of children playing in our garden, prepare Sunday school/Bible club lessons, work with David in translating Sunday school songs into Oshiwambo, prepare school lessons for the next day, write news- and prayer letters and Ongaipi and/or entertain people who arrive to speak to David about TEE, or other matters.
The children call me ‘Miss/Meme Alisan’. The people who know David and who come here tend to call me ‘Meme (a term of respect for women) David’, ‘Miss David’ or ‘Mummy’. David is called ‘Tate (a term of respect for men) David’ or ‘Mr David’. And we address them as Meme … or Tate … .
Early evenings are when neighbours drop by for a visit (usually around our children’s bed time!). There are family prayers and reading before lights out for the youngsters. By the time the children are in bed, we are both very tired! Sometimes we play ‘The Castle’ (no, not the movie!) or cribbage. There are not many games we know for 2 people and we live in a culture for whom board games are a total unknown. We have adapted ‘30 seconds’ and ‘Trivial Pursuit’ for us to play together. These are both games hard for people without experience outside their culture to play and so we can’t play them with neighbours. Again, we are reminded of how privileged we are to have had the experience and education that make such ‘games’ accessible.
We usually take Fridays off – and this includes from schoolwork. There is not much to do (e.g. places to go), but at least we have time together as a family. David goes quite often for an early bicycle ride with Étienne and Caris. Caris is fine on her bike … as long as she does not have to start or stop too often (for her, preferably not at all!).
A pool opened up in Ongwediva in December, the first one in the Northern region. It is a really nice complex. You pay to get in but then there are two pools (one is for smallies), MacDonald-type climbing tunnels and trampoline. For an extra fee one can go on the super-tube. Also, for a fee, there is a little mini-golf course. Unfortunately, only children over the age of 10 are allowed in the big pool (because a high percentage of children cannot swim and thus there is a real risk of drowning). Caris and Étienne are allowed to swim in the big pool during school hours, but then the super-tube is switched off as the place is almost empty! It is a fenced-in place and has grazing Springbok and Blue Peafowls. (Until we studied birds in home schooling, we knew the male is a peacock, and the female a peahen, but thought they were collectively ‘peacocks’. Wrong!!) Did you know a Fairy Tern lays its eggs on a branch … without first building a nest?! When we were in Walvis Bay, we went to the lagoon (see pix), where there are 1000s of Flamingos (Greater and Lesser). We were fascinated at the way these birds did little ‘tap dances’ in the water to stir up the mud and get to the “food’! And even more delighted when our book told us of this habit that we had actually SEEN! And did you know that a puffin can hold up to 20 fish in its mouth at one time?!
Étienne
3 evenings a week Étienne goes to Karate. He is now yellow belt. He loves reading, playing pokemon on his old game boy, building with lego and bionicles, playing soccer, cricket or trampoline outside with friends, playing chess or backgammon with his Dad.
Caris
Caris has not had any horse riding lessons yet this year (the teacher has not started). She is sad about that. However, she enjoys books, drawing and colouring, any craft, a good movie, riding her bike or rollerblading, playing dolls’ house, baking cookies with Dad.
Talking of David, he is away at the moment. His longest trip so far (time and distance), right along the Caprivi strip to the Zambian/Botswana border. His workshops along the way (so far) have been encouraging, he says. I am finding using local taxis a little less daunting. However, one thing that is hard to get used to is the number of people they squash into them (more money, see!). They are normal 5 seater cars, but I was in one recently where the children and I made a total of SEVEN passengers!
As I write, the children are outside in the giant sandpit of a yard. We had some rain a couple of days ago so the sand is good for building as it is still a little damp. They are building a sand city, and are sprinkling bird seed up and down the roads. Then, later, we will watch birds walking through their city, eating the grain!
Hmm, this is a little long. I’d better close now. (Sorry about that!)
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Thursday, March 08, 2007
A Penny for your thoughts?
Étienne has just been awarded his yellow belt for karate. Physically, he is very lazy so the discipline of karate is good for him. (Photos I now take will look rather funny as the camera can no longer focus properly. However, I have an ‘action’ in Photoshop which helps to sharpen some images somewhat.)
I have posted a couple of things of interest for you to see. One is a letter to the national paper about the delay mail can experience in transit, both into and out of the country. We have been very fortunate, ‘losing’ only 4 parcels over Christmas. I don't know about letters, but they seem to arrive ok, though they can take up to 3 months from Australia!
The one picture is of a new Zimbabwean note. You may not be able to read it clearly so I will tell you what it says: ‘Pay the bearer on demand 100 dollars on or before 31 December 2007 … Issue date: 1st August 2006.’ This time limit on its value is because people are taking it out of the country and/or hoarding it in the hope that it will be of value again. I have never seen a note with a comment like that. Have you?
Talking of currency, thank you to everyone who has been helping us to build a paper currency collection. Long-term it will be for Caris (Étienne has a stamp collection I started for him). We so far have the following countries: Egypt, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe; an original AU$1 note; £1 notes from England, Guernsey, Jersey, Scotland and Cyprus; 5 Euro; Italy; Romania (?); Turkey; Serbia; Jugoslavia; India; United Arab Emirates; Malaysia; Singapore; Korea; Indonesia; Hong Kong and China.
These notes are very useful for home-schooling. One can work with such questions as:
* where in the world IS the country featured?
* what language is on the note and why? E.g. why does a country other than England use English? One can then talk about colonisation etc. If it is not English, what language is it? What language is it like? Why do Greek and Russian share similarities?
* what person/s or place is featured on the note and why is that person/place important to the country? What role did/do they play in its history?
* is paper money ‘real’ money? How does money ‘work’?
* when were ‘coins’ first used? (8th century BC)
* has anything else ever been used, other than money, as currency?
*why do coins come in different shapes and sizes, even within one system? (one can practice being blind and learning to tell what worth the coin in your hand is).
* why do countries change their notes? (eg change of leader, change in economy, in Europe one now has the Euro, etc)
Can YOU think of other ways we can use currency and stamps to learn?
I will also put up the children’s self-portraits, done with a mirror today in their art lesson. Étienne, the perfectionist, was almost weeping with frustration that the nose on his paper did not look like the one on his face. To cheer him up, I got out some drawings he had done in earlier years and he laughed to see how he used to draw!
Just how hot is it up here? I have been trying to buy Caris some textas/kokkies/felt tips. But none were to be found. The lady in one shop said that, unless they could be sold within a month of putting on the shelf, they have to be thrown away as they dry out so quickly. She very kindly gave Caris FIVE packs she had removed from the shelf that week and we have found quite a few are still functional. Horaay!
The Wednesday Bible Club seems well-received by the children. We begin with some rousing songs (esp Colin Buchanan). Then comes a Bible lesson with an object lesson. We do a craft or a game in conclusion and then I show them a Storykeepers’ video. We average about 12 children. Most of them speak good English, though they all have different home languages (Caprivi, Kwambi, Nodonga, Herero, Kwanyama). Because Oshakati is a regional centre, people congregate from all over. Oshakati itself is not very big but it has a huge sprawling informal settlement.
Johannes, Étienne’s 12 year old friend from across the road, was given an essay from school to write: ‘The Bible says the first people were Adam and Eve. Where do your ancestors say people came from?’ It was interesting that neither he nor his mother had any idea of the answer: even his mum has grown up in a church-going culture. The Lutheran missionaries certainly seem to have done a thorough foundational job.
I have posted a couple of things of interest for you to see. One is a letter to the national paper about the delay mail can experience in transit, both into and out of the country. We have been very fortunate, ‘losing’ only 4 parcels over Christmas. I don't know about letters, but they seem to arrive ok, though they can take up to 3 months from Australia!
The one picture is of a new Zimbabwean note. You may not be able to read it clearly so I will tell you what it says: ‘Pay the bearer on demand 100 dollars on or before 31 December 2007 … Issue date: 1st August 2006.’ This time limit on its value is because people are taking it out of the country and/or hoarding it in the hope that it will be of value again. I have never seen a note with a comment like that. Have you?
Talking of currency, thank you to everyone who has been helping us to build a paper currency collection. Long-term it will be for Caris (Étienne has a stamp collection I started for him). We so far have the following countries: Egypt, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe; an original AU$1 note; £1 notes from England, Guernsey, Jersey, Scotland and Cyprus; 5 Euro; Italy; Romania (?); Turkey; Serbia; Jugoslavia; India; United Arab Emirates; Malaysia; Singapore; Korea; Indonesia; Hong Kong and China.
These notes are very useful for home-schooling. One can work with such questions as:
* where in the world IS the country featured?
* what language is on the note and why? E.g. why does a country other than England use English? One can then talk about colonisation etc. If it is not English, what language is it? What language is it like? Why do Greek and Russian share similarities?
* what person/s or place is featured on the note and why is that person/place important to the country? What role did/do they play in its history?
* is paper money ‘real’ money? How does money ‘work’?
* when were ‘coins’ first used? (8th century BC)
* has anything else ever been used, other than money, as currency?
*why do coins come in different shapes and sizes, even within one system? (one can practice being blind and learning to tell what worth the coin in your hand is).
* why do countries change their notes? (eg change of leader, change in economy, in Europe one now has the Euro, etc)
Can YOU think of other ways we can use currency and stamps to learn?
I will also put up the children’s self-portraits, done with a mirror today in their art lesson. Étienne, the perfectionist, was almost weeping with frustration that the nose on his paper did not look like the one on his face. To cheer him up, I got out some drawings he had done in earlier years and he laughed to see how he used to draw!
Just how hot is it up here? I have been trying to buy Caris some textas/kokkies/felt tips. But none were to be found. The lady in one shop said that, unless they could be sold within a month of putting on the shelf, they have to be thrown away as they dry out so quickly. She very kindly gave Caris FIVE packs she had removed from the shelf that week and we have found quite a few are still functional. Horaay!
The Wednesday Bible Club seems well-received by the children. We begin with some rousing songs (esp Colin Buchanan). Then comes a Bible lesson with an object lesson. We do a craft or a game in conclusion and then I show them a Storykeepers’ video. We average about 12 children. Most of them speak good English, though they all have different home languages (Caprivi, Kwambi, Nodonga, Herero, Kwanyama). Because Oshakati is a regional centre, people congregate from all over. Oshakati itself is not very big but it has a huge sprawling informal settlement.
Johannes, Étienne’s 12 year old friend from across the road, was given an essay from school to write: ‘The Bible says the first people were Adam and Eve. Where do your ancestors say people came from?’ It was interesting that neither he nor his mother had any idea of the answer: even his mum has grown up in a church-going culture. The Lutheran missionaries certainly seem to have done a thorough foundational job.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Recent Trip
David is back from his latest workshop. It took him to Opuwo and Ruacana. You will see one of the pix I have posted is of Ruacana Falls, the 6th largest-volume falls in Africa (Victoria is 4th largest). With all the rain he says, even as far away as he was, the sound of the thundering water was loud.
One church he visited had a skinned goat hanging up (see pic)!!! The corrugated iron is a windbreak against the elements coming in the glassless windows. I sometimes try to imagine people from churches we know in Aus and SA coming into such a church – wondering how they would react, and how easy it would be to concentrate on the service, knowing there is a carcass just behind you! (Sorry about the quality of pic – David had a car accident whilst he was away and the camera did not fully recover from the ordeal! David expected the car to roll but we thank God that the wheel rim buckled as it met an immovable object. This ruined the wheel but saved the car … and David. The dirt roads have no traction in the rains.)
The rains prevented the Angolan pastors from making it over the border to the workshops. But farmers welcome the rains - even though they are so late.
(3rd pic) He met up with a graduate of NETS who is now working with a team to translate the Bible into Dhimba; a people group David did not previously know existed.
The 4th photo is inside the church in Opuwo. From the outside it looks like a broken-down shack but inside the Afrikaans pastor (who speaks fluent Otjiherero) has a sound system and data projector and a thriving church. David did one of his workshops here (Opuwo means ‘the end’ or ‘enough’ and is really the last town as you go west. It is the gateway to Kaokoland and the Himba.)
One church he visited had a skinned goat hanging up (see pic)!!! The corrugated iron is a windbreak against the elements coming in the glassless windows. I sometimes try to imagine people from churches we know in Aus and SA coming into such a church – wondering how they would react, and how easy it would be to concentrate on the service, knowing there is a carcass just behind you! (Sorry about the quality of pic – David had a car accident whilst he was away and the camera did not fully recover from the ordeal! David expected the car to roll but we thank God that the wheel rim buckled as it met an immovable object. This ruined the wheel but saved the car … and David. The dirt roads have no traction in the rains.)
The rains prevented the Angolan pastors from making it over the border to the workshops. But farmers welcome the rains - even though they are so late.
(3rd pic) He met up with a graduate of NETS who is now working with a team to translate the Bible into Dhimba; a people group David did not previously know existed.
The 4th photo is inside the church in Opuwo. From the outside it looks like a broken-down shack but inside the Afrikaans pastor (who speaks fluent Otjiherero) has a sound system and data projector and a thriving church. David did one of his workshops here (Opuwo means ‘the end’ or ‘enough’ and is really the last town as you go west. It is the gateway to Kaokoland and the Himba.)
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Hello again
It’s raining!
We are grateful for the recent downpour for crops and river levels. If the rains continue then flood waters will come down from Angola, fill the ‘oshanas’ (sort of dry pool-beds), recede and leave behind fish as a change of diet. The oshanas also offer a location for bathing, washing laundry, animal water trough and place for man and animal alike to cool down.
Pix
I have put up some new pix. One is of David when he was about Étienne’s age. Some of you may have seen it but people here are commenting on how like his Dad Étienne is so I am putting a pic up for all to enjoy. There is also a recent one of the children, a shot David took at a recent workshop, and (for your interest) an excerpt from the paper on the status of Namibian currency again the world. It is mainly for you to see the Zim exchange rate I put it up.
Visitors
We have enjoyed having our dear friend, Voni, with us for a few days. She left for Jo’burg today. It is such fun showing someone where you live and work, and introducing them to friends.
Family
David is away for his 2nd workshop. His 3rd one will be to Rundu and right along the Caprivi Strip to Katima Mulilo. It will be his first time so far west. Next time he goes we may be able to pack a tent and go with him as one can go to Vic Falls for the day from Katima.
We are all well. Home schooling is really interesting. In history we have just read of the Hyksos ‘invasion’ of Egypt. Science and natural history: we are looking at birds; why they are the same and how they are different (nesting habits, beaks, feet, migration etc). Caris called a flock of geese a ‘giggle’ and a female swan a ‘pencil’ (instead of ‘pen’). Étienne is doing well with recorder. He still tends to call a crochet a ‘cockroach’! He is steaming ahead with maths. In geography we are focussing on Southern African countries. And English, in its various forms (reading, writing, comprehension), makes another interesting facet to it all. He has discovered FONTS on my computer so now his typed book reviews tend to look like a sample page from a font factory!
Anyway, enough from us. Our newsletter will be out shortly.
We are grateful for the recent downpour for crops and river levels. If the rains continue then flood waters will come down from Angola, fill the ‘oshanas’ (sort of dry pool-beds), recede and leave behind fish as a change of diet. The oshanas also offer a location for bathing, washing laundry, animal water trough and place for man and animal alike to cool down.
Pix
I have put up some new pix. One is of David when he was about Étienne’s age. Some of you may have seen it but people here are commenting on how like his Dad Étienne is so I am putting a pic up for all to enjoy. There is also a recent one of the children, a shot David took at a recent workshop, and (for your interest) an excerpt from the paper on the status of Namibian currency again the world. It is mainly for you to see the Zim exchange rate I put it up.
Visitors
We have enjoyed having our dear friend, Voni, with us for a few days. She left for Jo’burg today. It is such fun showing someone where you live and work, and introducing them to friends.
Family
David is away for his 2nd workshop. His 3rd one will be to Rundu and right along the Caprivi Strip to Katima Mulilo. It will be his first time so far west. Next time he goes we may be able to pack a tent and go with him as one can go to Vic Falls for the day from Katima.
We are all well. Home schooling is really interesting. In history we have just read of the Hyksos ‘invasion’ of Egypt. Science and natural history: we are looking at birds; why they are the same and how they are different (nesting habits, beaks, feet, migration etc). Caris called a flock of geese a ‘giggle’ and a female swan a ‘pencil’ (instead of ‘pen’). Étienne is doing well with recorder. He still tends to call a crochet a ‘cockroach’! He is steaming ahead with maths. In geography we are focussing on Southern African countries. And English, in its various forms (reading, writing, comprehension), makes another interesting facet to it all. He has discovered FONTS on my computer so now his typed book reviews tend to look like a sample page from a font factory!
Anyway, enough from us. Our newsletter will be out shortly.
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