Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Re-post
Hmm, I saw I had the wrong resolution reduction on some of those photos.
Sorry about that. Here are two of them again so you can see faces.
'Signs' of the times!
Well, Katie is safely back in Australia, for which we thank God. And she got through customs with all her souvenirs intact! And, whilst in Windhoek with the Gillhams before she flew, she got to fulfil a deep desire which was a to hold a real hamster! (For those of you who don’t live in Aus, they are illegal as pets there.)
So, our family is down by one. But we have Aune home for the holidays, so that is good. She finished her first year at Windhoek College of Education with 7Bs (her major subjects) and 3 Cs (her minor subjects).
We are delighted to see how much she has grown up since she started college – more confident in herself and encouraged to have spent time with other Christians, including at a Campus Crusade for Christ leadership camp last month. She has been a great help in the home already, not least because she was able to look after the children whilst I attended a Level 2 sign language workshop. She also went with David last weekend to a workshop, to interpret for him as church is in her home area and they speak her home language; Kwambi.
To keep her English skills up during the holidays, I have set her the task of writing a paragraph or two for me each day. This is what she wrote about their planned workshop:
On the 13th December Dad and I visited Onaanda church just 35 km from Oshakati.
We were prepared and were looking forward to seeing NETS students. When we got to the church we found many people sitting outside because it was full due to the wedding ceremonies that were taking place. We waited 3 hours for the church service to get finished.
While we were waiting a lady called Linda spoke to Dad saying she wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit whenever she reads her Bible. She received Jesus that day.
We did not have classes in the end because many students had to attend wedding ceremonies.
Aune
An Oshiwambo wedding lasts 2 days. First, there is the ceremony at church. Then everyone retires to the bride’s house for a cow to be slaughtered and a wedding feast. On the second day they all go to the groom’s house and repeat the previous day’s festivities – with another slaughtered cow!
Two of the photos posted are David with NETS students (and one of the new coordinators-to-be – in the white cardigan!).
One is of a sunflower we grew in our garden. It took LOTS of watering as the rains have yet to come and the heat is pushing up the mercury!!!
Two photos are of David playing the piano at the Afrikaans church the Sunday before last, because they had no pianist. That was the day Caris and Étienne did their little duet with two carols. You can see pix of them on their own blog.
The other photos are from the last day at the sign language workshop. The ‘big thing’ was to have photos taken with the Herero lady (with the amazing cow-horn hat) and the ‘shilumbu’ (white person!). As you can see on one photo, they found my hair fascinating.
I generally got called ‘Shilumbu’ by the people. Once I said to someone, ‘Should I call you Mulaule (Black person)?’ She said, No. She had a real name. So do I, I told her. She seemed quite surprised but then was glad to know it.
At one meal they saw me eating mahangu pap (stiff millet porridge). Shilumbus don’t eat mahangu, I was told, because they say it smells! They were delighted to see me eating it quite happily. I thought ‘you are what you eat’ in that one can be a witness – or not - simply by eating porridge!
Interestingly, the deaf teachers and pupils learn to write in English as all the deaf resources are in English and people who come to assist are from overseas and can’t speak Oshiwambo. But material from overseas includes words unknown to people here. For instance, we were discussing animals representing different characteristics. We had fun with mule (stubborn), beaver (hard working) fox (smart), koala (cute), and sloth (lazy). They had no idea what these animals are so I drew sort of attempts on the blackboard and, the next day, I took in pictures for them to see. Also, I had to explain that ‘unwant’ was NOT the opposite of ‘want’!
However, they have words in Oshiwambo we do not have. On Monday, as it was my birthday, the Namibian thing is to take sweets to give to others. So I took sweets for the others in my class. The next day I saw an Oshiwambo word in a Christian song that I did not know. I was told, “It means to ‘sing with thanksgiving’, like we did for you for bringing us sweets.”
This song came up in the first place because one woman mentioned to me that they were not learning Bible words. I said I had some I could teach her. It led to a group of them putting this particular song into sign and singing/signing it. I was very blessed. In fact, I had a great week – even though my head is so full now.
So, our family is down by one. But we have Aune home for the holidays, so that is good. She finished her first year at Windhoek College of Education with 7Bs (her major subjects) and 3 Cs (her minor subjects).
We are delighted to see how much she has grown up since she started college – more confident in herself and encouraged to have spent time with other Christians, including at a Campus Crusade for Christ leadership camp last month. She has been a great help in the home already, not least because she was able to look after the children whilst I attended a Level 2 sign language workshop. She also went with David last weekend to a workshop, to interpret for him as church is in her home area and they speak her home language; Kwambi.
To keep her English skills up during the holidays, I have set her the task of writing a paragraph or two for me each day. This is what she wrote about their planned workshop:
On the 13th December Dad and I visited Onaanda church just 35 km from Oshakati.
We were prepared and were looking forward to seeing NETS students. When we got to the church we found many people sitting outside because it was full due to the wedding ceremonies that were taking place. We waited 3 hours for the church service to get finished.
While we were waiting a lady called Linda spoke to Dad saying she wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit whenever she reads her Bible. She received Jesus that day.
We did not have classes in the end because many students had to attend wedding ceremonies.
Aune
An Oshiwambo wedding lasts 2 days. First, there is the ceremony at church. Then everyone retires to the bride’s house for a cow to be slaughtered and a wedding feast. On the second day they all go to the groom’s house and repeat the previous day’s festivities – with another slaughtered cow!
Two of the photos posted are David with NETS students (and one of the new coordinators-to-be – in the white cardigan!).
One is of a sunflower we grew in our garden. It took LOTS of watering as the rains have yet to come and the heat is pushing up the mercury!!!
Two photos are of David playing the piano at the Afrikaans church the Sunday before last, because they had no pianist. That was the day Caris and Étienne did their little duet with two carols. You can see pix of them on their own blog.
The other photos are from the last day at the sign language workshop. The ‘big thing’ was to have photos taken with the Herero lady (with the amazing cow-horn hat) and the ‘shilumbu’ (white person!). As you can see on one photo, they found my hair fascinating.
I generally got called ‘Shilumbu’ by the people. Once I said to someone, ‘Should I call you Mulaule (Black person)?’ She said, No. She had a real name. So do I, I told her. She seemed quite surprised but then was glad to know it.
At one meal they saw me eating mahangu pap (stiff millet porridge). Shilumbus don’t eat mahangu, I was told, because they say it smells! They were delighted to see me eating it quite happily. I thought ‘you are what you eat’ in that one can be a witness – or not - simply by eating porridge!
Interestingly, the deaf teachers and pupils learn to write in English as all the deaf resources are in English and people who come to assist are from overseas and can’t speak Oshiwambo. But material from overseas includes words unknown to people here. For instance, we were discussing animals representing different characteristics. We had fun with mule (stubborn), beaver (hard working) fox (smart), koala (cute), and sloth (lazy). They had no idea what these animals are so I drew sort of attempts on the blackboard and, the next day, I took in pictures for them to see. Also, I had to explain that ‘unwant’ was NOT the opposite of ‘want’!
However, they have words in Oshiwambo we do not have. On Monday, as it was my birthday, the Namibian thing is to take sweets to give to others. So I took sweets for the others in my class. The next day I saw an Oshiwambo word in a Christian song that I did not know. I was told, “It means to ‘sing with thanksgiving’, like we did for you for bringing us sweets.”
This song came up in the first place because one woman mentioned to me that they were not learning Bible words. I said I had some I could teach her. It led to a group of them putting this particular song into sign and singing/signing it. I was very blessed. In fact, I had a great week – even though my head is so full now.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Free Prisoners in Northern Namibia
There are currently 5 prisons in Northern Namibia. NETS (Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary) has students in 4 of these prisons (see map above).
Prison 5 is a ‘transit prison’ and does not house inmates for long.
The prisons:
1. Oluno Rehabilitation Centre, Ondangwa
2. Elizabeth Nepembe Junior Centre, Rundu
3. Divundu Rehabilitation Centre, Divundu
4. Farm Scott Rehabilitation Centre, Tsumeb
5. Grootfontein Prison, Grootfontein
1. Oluno Rehabilitation Centre
In Oluno Rehabilitation Centre, there are currently 12 male and 4 female prisoners in the Christian Leadership program.
A graduation was held at Oluno this month for 2 students (see photos above)! It was a very encouraging event, especially as their families could also be present. The graduates testified to the miraculous work of God in their lives. The sermon was given by the NETS Distance Education Director, Willem-Henri den Hartog (David’s boss!).
As David lives close to this prison, he is able to visit the students fairly regularly. This is beneficial to the spiritual life of prison inmates. However, God is doing a great work in this centre amongst inmates themselves, especially under the leadership of Kambahu, the senior student, who himself is doing tertiary study. The students engage in evangelism amongst fellow inmates, visit the sick in the prison hospital and conduct devotions in their cells.
As a result, there are always a number of students who are willing to enrol in the NETS course. However, not all those keen to enrol are recommended by Kambahu and the spiritual worker, due to the paucity of their biblical knowledge. (Many become Christians in prison, thanks to the evangelistic hearts of fellow prisoners.) Kambahu has therefore initiated his own course, which is a basic 2 year Bible reading programme designed by him to prepare inmates for enrolment in the NETS course (see a previous posting).
2. Elizabeth Nepembe Junior Centre
As the name suggests, this rehabilitation is for younger inmates. The spiritual atmosphere is more sluggish, probably because there is no one of the stature of Kambahu present. Sadly, a high number of students from this centre, when released, do not complete the course.
However, there are 2 inmates who will be graduating in 2010 - the first graduation at the centre! This is very encouraging for the prison. Currently, apart from those 2, there are 3 other students enrolled in the program. The students at this prison do no meet together, and thus work through the course on their own.
3. Divundu Rehabilitation Centre
This is the most remote rehabilitation centre in Namibia, and often houses inmates who have demonstrated good behaviour and are relatively closer to being released. Although not the largest prison in the north, it has a high number of students, namely 21, who are enrolled in the distance program.
There is more spiritual vitality in this prison than in Elizabeth Nepembe JC, due to more spiritually mature students who encourage each other. On the whole, 2 of the students have been able to regularly meet with other inmates as they work through the material, which is vital for their Christian growth. Due to the prison’s great distance from Ongwediva, David only gets to visit them about 3 times per year.
God willing, a coordinator will be appointed for the NE region in 2010, which will be greatly beneficial to his work in Rundu and Divundu prisons.
4. Farm Scott Rehabilitation Centre
NETS work was initiated at this prison in 2008 when NETS student Daniel was transferred there, and who was ready to graduate. After the graduation, opportunity was given to 3 inmates who were keen to enroll, and who began meeting together under the leadership of the strong Christian student who had graduated.
The spiritual conditions in the rehabilitation centre are difficult, due to the size of the prison, and possibly the spirituality of the officers. It is easy for the majority-peer group of inmates to have a detrimental effect on others who are trying to get their relationship with God in order, and this includes those who are enrolled in the NETS certificate of Christian Leadership.
Thank God – and please continue to pray
There is a significant transformation being experienced in the lives of students enrolled in the larger prisons at Divundu and Oluno. God has raised up students in these places amongst the inmates themselves, who, having been built up by the NETS course, assume spiritual leadership over other inmates and NETS students. This is very beneficial for the spiritual well-being of the other NETS students, and for the ethos of the prisons as a whole.
In 3 of the 4 prisons, David has been told how much the management appreciates the involvement of NETS in their work, and what an integral part it plays in the overall rehabilitation of the inmates. It has often been said, by those who are graduating, how they have been ‘reborn’ whilst enrolled in the course and being given an opportunity to study the Bible. We praise God for this opportunity of building up his children in prison!
Most of these Christians have no one praying for them.
No one praying for them to be strong when they face ridicule and temptation.
No one praying for them as they struggle to understand the Bible and apply it to their own lives.
No one praying for them in their loneliness, as they wrestle with memories of their turbulent past.
Perhaps you would like to pray for one of these young men and women by name?
If you are interested, let us know.
Thank you so much for your ongoing partnership in this eternally life-changing work.
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound … Isaiah 61.1
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