To Rundu and beyoooond!

Recently, we had the pleasure of CMS missionaries, the Gillhams, visiting us. Simon, who is a lecturer at NETS, went with David to the far North-East of the country to do workshops with David and get to know the background of some of the students he will be lecturing. Margie and the children spent that week with us here, in Ongwediva.
David is away again at the moment (Opuwo) so I will have to give you a brief summary to the trip they had.
They covered about 1,400 kms and did 6 meetings. One meeting was 200 kms of the beaten track and only 2 people turned out for it but that was better than no one!
As you probably know from reading the blogs, David has to teach/preach in various linguistic contexts. Simon had the interesting experience of being in a situation where basically no one could speak English. Some could understand Oshiwambo so one chap translated Simon into that. However, many did not understand Oshiwambo, either, so David then translated it into Afrikaans for them! At one point Simon said something and David said, in Afrikaans, ‘I am not sure how to translate that’ and, before he could think of something, Simon – presuming he had translated – went on with his talk!
Pastors with little theological training usually means pastors and congregations with a poor and confused understanding of the Bible. One person said to Simon (whom David had introduced as ‘someone being able to answer ALL their questions’ to encourage them to ask – asking questions is not a cultural norm), ‘I have heard something about someone called Martin Luther. Is he God?’
An Afrikaans lodge owner invited 3 local soccer teams to hear David and Simon present the Gospel and how NETS’ courses can help them. About 40 young men turned up. The owner said he was willing to pay for anyone to do the course and they could ‘pay him back’ by simply doing a few jobs around the lodge.
When they spoke in a prison, the prisoners were so keen to ask questions and interact, when they were called away for the evening meal, they put their food in heir cells and came back for further discussion as they knew David would not be back that side of Namibia for a few months and they have many questions. (Matthew 9:37-38)
A downside of the trip is that someone stole our video camera, which was a blow – especially coming after the theft of my ‘phone and then Caris’ hat. (Ephesians 6:12)
We look forward next month to the pastoral visit of Jeremy Gehrmann, and hearing all the news from home. Jeremy is the Gen Sec of our branch, QLDNNSW (Queensland with Northern New South Wales).
The cooler weather is coming. For some reason, I have developed a sort of hay fever here which runs from Jan to about April. I wonder if it is an allergy to growing mahangu (millet), the staple crop. It is a good job I do not live in a village surrounded by the stuff, if that is the case!
We went to Rucana Falls with the Gillhams and I will put up a few photos, though most of you saw them last time we went. (Those photos were some of the ones I lost when my computer died in March so it was good to get some ‘replacements’!)