Namibia Journal - November 19th
November 19thToday was our first visit to Victory Camp in Okahandja. The people there are the poorest of the poor, living in houses made out of trash. But it wasn't as bad an environment as I thought it would be. Spiritually, it was so much better. It seemed to have a bright and almost joyous sense about it. I could have walked around just looking at it for a long time. Erin and I wanted to stay there for hours; to sit and pray and read the Word. I even felt a strong desire to truly live with the people by staying some nights there, though I don't think that will happen. We will definitely go back just to be there and see how God wants to use us in that place. I just want to be there for a long time and pray and seek the Lord and let people come up to us if they want to. I just felt like I wanted to be with God there. God is everywhere. But I wanted to be with Him there. I think of the verse, 'humble yourself, and pray' (2 Chr. 7:14) and it is a humbling, humiliating place of existence. Maybe then God will heal them, as he ordains the ends and the means, and He was definitely working some sort of means in me today. I love it. But today we left right away with the rest of the team to go look at a house we found out was for rent. The house numbers are sporadic and don't seem to flow. Neither are there any street signs though they do have names. Eventually we found it and liked it. The current tenants move out at the end of December. We will meet with Miss Kariko, the houseowner, on Monday to discuss the details. She is employed at Okahandja Secondary School. On our way we also found a house for sale. It only had 1 bedroom however and was probably overpriced.
We were surprised today when it started raining. The sound is cool when it hits the metal roofs. The feel was very cool as it took the heat off instantly. The smell was like the good American rain smell times 10. The rain ranged from big spread out drops to a steady downpour to a mist and variably fell in at left and right angles. Job 5:8-10, “As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields;”[Insert link to Piper's rain thing.]
After some other things, we had our first big group dinner with the Apex team and some CHI volunteers. I got to know Gert--disciple of Christ for 2 years, husband, and missionary builder-- significantly more than I have so far. I also got to know Mike better today by talking with him about teaching styles and how God has been moving in their students in the after-school meetings.
So far, Erin and I not thinking that the next month will be so slow despite the summer break. (The seasons are opposite as we are in the southern hemisphere of the Earth.) Erin and I are very positive about moving into the community where we plan to be ministering and getting to know our new neighbors and friends. We are also hoping to cultivate a constant house-church mindset among the whole team; talking about the Lord, praying, sharing the Word, and singing. (Rom. 8:5b says, “those who walk according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” and Col. 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”)
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