Greetings to all. This will most likely be our last blog entry.
I had to see what I (Sharon) last wrote. Things look a bit better now. Our Head of Department (Languages) had initially refused to act as principal, even though it is in her job description that she must in the absence of principal. However, she accepted the position and has been doing a good job, at least compared to previous Mr. Principal.
We received a circular from the Ministry of Ed. re-iterating the ban on corporal punishment, explaining further that it meant that learners were not to be forced to do physical labour as punishment. She is whole-heartedly behind the policy & further defined CP so that teachers understand that things like forcing a learner to drink 2L water at one sitting is no longer allowed. On top of that, the Deputy Minister of Ed. (2nd in command in the national education system) was here for a big school celebration & told the children “your teachers may not touch you” and “your teachers are going to be paid according to their performance, and if they do not put you first and teach you well, they will not be allowed to teach you”--you can imagine the response from the learners!! When he left the hall, they were clamouring to shake his hand. I was able to talk to him for a few minutes to express my concern that teaching & learning here seems to be aimed only at passing exams, not LEARNING, but he disagreed. He believes that, in most cases, if a child passes he has learned. Maybe. I then took the opportunity to thank him for trying to enforce the CP ban. The teachers’ ‘union’ here is trying to change the laws to allow for hitting the child on the palm of the hand with a ruler.
I had another Spelling Bee which went well. This year I had longer study lists and different ones for grades 5-6 and 7-8-9. The two top over-all places were taken by Grade 6--Jim’s English class, and Grade 5 hung in there up to the bitter end! The young ones take it seriously. I have organised all the materials, hoping that next year someone will continue the effort & expand it to compete with other schools.
We had a great between-term holiday the end of August. We went to Bushmanland to visit the San people. Did you see “The Gods Must Be Crazy”? It was filmed there, featuring the San. They are still hunter-gatherers--keep neither gardens nor animals, they literally hunt for all their meat & gather berries, fruits & roots from the bush.
They are semi-nomadic. When they run out of food in an area, they simply pack up their few tools & animal skins & re-locate, using sticks & grasses to “build” little shelters. There are certain grasses that they use to put on ground in the hut, cover them with animal skins & they have their beds.
They took us out into the bush & pointed out various plants that are used for food, medicine, tools, etc. Honestly, they all looked alike to me! One plant they use for poison on their arrows when they hunt animals and they also drink from the plant for upset stomach, but if they were to put it on an open wound, they would die. They look for another plant to give to someone if they have come under the shadow of a flying eagle, because otherwise they will die. They dug up the root of a plant that looked dead to me which was about the size of a basketball. They knocked the dirt off of it, cut into it & passed pieces around. It was very juicy, just a little bit sweet, and had the texture of a pear or maybe a potato. Before they ate, however, they diced some of it until it was a pulp, then squeezed the water from the pulp to drip over their hands to wash them & some drank the squeezed water. They showed us how they set traps for small animals & birds--using only the things they find nearby. The only tools they had were a spear & an arrow.
The father of a young man chooses a suitable wife for his son, a girl who is strong and knows how to gather & who will be useful to him. She has no choice--she must marry the young man. He, however, when he sees her, can refuse--although it would anger his father & would not be a very good idea! They have divorce, but it is rare & looked down upon. When one dies, there is no ceremony, they just cover him with dirt & if he has died inside their little settlement or near it, they will move a little bit away. Someone from outside the area said that they just let them lay where they die & let the animals finish them off--not sure what’s true. They believe in our God
They have educational opportunities, but refuse to go to school. There are 28,000 children in the region, of which 17,000 attend on at least a somewhat regular basis. Of the 11,000 remaining, only 1000 have been located. The other 10,000 are out in the bush somewhere, moving from place to place with absolutely no wish for education--both parents & children. During the 1st term each year, attendance is higher, then it drops for 2nd term, & by term 3, very few attend. And really, why do they need education? They love their lives, absolutely love them. If you could watch them in their interactions, singing, dancing & playing you would see their joy. They do not go hungry, they are always able to find food. Now, they may have to go awhile without, but they are used to that. They will, on occasion, seek medical assistance, but very seldom.
When they are in the bush, they dress as they have for eons (animal skin loin cloths/skirts). They have had contact with the outside world since 50’s, but for the most part they have not embraced modernization. They are kind, gently, non-fighting people. Their area is protected by the government, but the more aggressive (and wealthy, cattle-herding) Herero’s broke into their area to settle and let their cattle graze, the San themselves did nothing, but the government is pushing the invaders back out. The Ovambo’s (the largest tribe who pretty-much run the country) and the Herero’s look down on the San and treat them very poorly. Our guide (grade 7 education, but excellent English) was talking about the “blacks” and I finally said, “Well, aren’t you black?” He looked at me is if I had no brain at all and said, “No, I am BROWN.” OOOPS!! Granted, the San are not deep black, but they are a lot darker than many other Africans.
After returning to Ondangwa, we prepared for Term 3. I have been having a lot of ankle pain & swelling and had gone to a doctor before our trip. She gave me anti-biotics & pain pills. No improvement, so I had decided that I needed a cortisone shot. One of our Filipino friends knew a pharmacist who would give me one, but when he saw me, he said it would not be a good thing to do. I then went to a second doctor who put me on anti-biotics again, as well as pain meds & said that if it did not go away, it would be at least localised & he would cut into it to see what he could see. 2-3 days later I had black vomit & stools. BacK to Dr #2 who put me in the hospital for an over-night for IV & observation. Tests indicated that I had Stage 4 Chronic Kidney Disease, but he didn’t think that I was in danger of kidney failure, so sent me home with meds for stomach--ankle pain fell by the wayside. When our Executive Director found out, he insisted on taking me to a different doctor who is a highly regarded professor who lectures at South African medical schools. Dr. #3 re-tested & said kidneys are fine, but did a sonogram just to make sure. All okay there. But he wanted to be absolutely sure all was fine, so I had an endoscopy this morning & he found an ulcer and strongly advised us to go home. He was very convincing without scaring us, so I hope to be able to get a flight soon & we'll take it from there.
It’s an even longer story than I have related here, but it’s been fun (??) watching God working. While we are both disappointed, and leaving the kids is going to be hard…and I truly dread telling them…we are okay with it. When I talked to them before heading for hospital, I gave them work to do in my absence & they promised to be good, I saw the worry in their faces & I received many well wishes & prayers. When I returned, I couldn’t go to classes--I have to rest-- but they check up on me & know that I will be well soon.
Yesterday at a big school celebration, we, along with some other teachers, received certificates of appreciation. When they called Jim to come forward to receive his, you should have heard the cheers!!! It was pandemonium. No surprise, but it made him feel good since at times he is pretty hard on the learners.
Okay, that’s all.
Thank each of you for the support you have given us--whether prayers, money, thoughts or interest. We could not have done this without knowing that we had support from home. It will be a pleasure to share our experiences with you, although I think I’ve covered the basics through the blogs.
God bless you.
Jim & Sharon
Monday, September 19, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Update from Namibia
With great joy I great you all—oh, my goodness, I am becoming Namibian!!! They spell ‘greet’ as ‘great’. Jim & I have caught each other saying things the way they do & getting confused over spellings. But soon we will be back in the land of American English & we can get straighten out.
So, the great joy…our principal resigned this week. He is going to pursue his education on a full-time basis. Jim & I had to struggle not to show our extreme relief, happiness, excitement… Of course, the devil we don’t know could be worse than the one we know. He just didn’t do his job.
But to balance the good news, we have found out that the beatings continue. Don’t know if I ever explained, but ‘beating’ does not mean the same thing here as at home. It does not mean pummeling someone ‘til they are bloody with broken bones & near death. It is just any form of hitting, which we find just as wrong, but isn’t as bad as maybe you imagine from the term ‘beating’.
I witnessed our maintenance lady lining up 5 primary level children and methodically hitting each in the middle of the back. I was some distance away & heard the hits, so they weren’t gentle taps. I immediately reported to Principal. Shortly after that, Jim witnessed another incident, so we told all of our classes that if they are hit or punished in any physical way, they need to tell us & we will report it, not giving away their identities.
We have received a sickening number of reports. Our so-called school counselor pulled & twisted the ears of several learners, (and we are afraid she might become the temporary principal). She has a set of twin girls in Grade 5 who have reported incidents to Jim. When I told Grade 5 to report incidents to us, I was afraid of what the girls would tell their mom—apparently I didn’t need to worry!
One incident was especially disturbing: the same teacher who slapped the face of every learner in a class last year because one of them had been ‘disrespectful’, hit the ends of the fingers of about 15 learners last week with the wooden side of a chalk-board eraser. They deserved this punishment because they got 5 or less answers right on an activity that they wrote for her. It is that incident that we are afraid is going to go by the wayside due to the principal's leaving. (He resigned 3 days ago & he is leaving in 4 days). When Jim reported, the principal appeared concerned. He said that he wrote up a report on this teacher (also named ‘Sharon’) last year as her first warning & now she is back to her old tricks. We are meeting with the school Executives this weekend to make sure that this does not fall through the cracks.
At a parents’ meeting 2 weeks ago, the parent of a primary-level learner complained of the use of Corporal Punishment & the principal reiterated that the teachers have been informed, so they no longer employ that method of punishment. That is another issue with us: they only want to “punish”, not “discipline’.
Okay…so a volume later, I get to my point: please, please, pray for the people here. It isn’t just the physical punishment, it’s also the constant criticism, laughing at learners who cry, berating them—in front of others! Insulting them, embarrassing them, threatening them. It goes on & on. Some realize that it is wrong, but “that’s just the way we are, it’s what we do.” And never a kind word, or encouragement, or praise. Or if praise is given to one, the others are berated for not being like this one.
My heart is heavy today. The one thing that we thought was won for the learners…wasn’t. It was going on behind our backs & is just now coming out in the open. It is definitely time to leave. It is becoming unbearable. The learners are turning to us for help in so many ways & we have no way to help them. We can give them food, money, school supplies, a kind word, an open ear, but we cannot fix their problems. We are becoming impatient, resentful, powerless. We aren't looking for results to feel good, we just want these kids to be treated as they deserve. More than ever, we are begging for prayers—not for us, but for the teachers, learners & new principal.
Our love to all of you.
sharon
Saturday, June 4, 2011
P.S.
I remember what it was…I had run into a website that included some musings of one of our WorldTeach colleagues. In comments made in response to her, someone from the States was surprised that Alana was so upset by the corporal punishment here, that it is common in the Southern states. I couldn’t believe it. Did some surfing and found out that, if I remember correctly, 17 of our states do not ban corporal punishment and it is alive & well in those states. Of the states that ban it, most have only been in the last 30 years. And I have been telling our colleagues here that ‘oh no, corporal punishment has not been used in the States for at least 50 years.’ I found horror stories of ’legal’ punishment in our country--so much for self-righteous indignation.
sharon
sharon
Ramblings from Namibia
Greetings! I hope everyone’s summer is beginning well. Our winter is proving itself very enjoyable.
The nights get down to mid-40’s & days heat up to low 80’s. Our concrete-block walls absorb the day’s heat & keep it very pleasant throughout the night. Rarely do we even need a fan during the day. Everyone else here is freezing, wearing jerseys & heavy coats in class. And gloves! They share them, so most wear one on the hand that they don’t use to write. They don’t realize it, but they are missing out on a great excuse for not getting their written work done!
For whatever reason, God stays very close by--could it be your prayers??? I find myself reflecting on our time here and getting frustrated with not having the impact that I know we could have, if the teachers would just change!!! So, one day last week, Olivia (with whom I have had a distant relationship due to her obnoxious classroom behaviour) asked if she could talk to me. I figured it was going to be “Miss, why do you hate me?”, and I was flabbergasted when she started out with “my dad beats my mom”. How, in heavens name do you respond to something like that? After many tears and expressed hopes for a harmonious (yes, she used that word!) family life, I asked her what I could do. “Please, just listen to me and advise me.” Okay, God, I get it, you are still using us. Since then, 2 more have asked to talk ‘in private” and another very unlikely candidate asked Jim if she could talk to him ‘sometime’.
I had a disappointment last week, also. Some LRC’s (Learner Representative Council) asked me to draft a letter to teachers asking permission to hold a meeting with all Grade 5-10 learners to gather input for making some changes. I was so excited to see some initiative! They got permission, although the meeting has not yet taken place because the Head of Department dismissed the school early the day of the meeting. Anyway, I got the ‘brilliant’ idea to guide this group to form a council similar to the student councils that we have at home. I offered to become their sponsor teacher (their previous sponsors quit over some money issue--a very long story). Then, the principal came up with guidelines for the “Guardian Teacher” for the LRC’s & I quickly withdrew my offer. The expectations for that group do not have room for anything that vaguely resembles representation of the learners. As Guardian, I would be expected to make sure that all the LRC’s keep their shirts tucked in, wear school-appropriate hairstyles, and generally exemplify model learners in order to monitor their fellow-learners’ appearance & behaviour. No, thank you.
We had a wonderful time with Maureen, Dane & Bobby. Dane loved school, & learners have been asking when he will be back. Maureen ‘taught’ one of Jim’s classes while he went to the dentist. She now understands our love for these children. Bobby talked with Grade 8 & 7, sat in a Grade 9 English class, and he saw the other side. Did not want to attend any more classes. Laughing at people is acceptable here. Knowing that it’s “the culture” doesn’t make it any easier to swallow. I had some very serious talks with those grades. Everyone already knew my stand on that issue. They had been punished numerous times for laughing at fellow-learners, so it is at times like that when I get discouraged.
During our travels to meet our family, we entered an area that was new to us. It was refreshing to see the differences between our area & that strip of land that jets over to Zimbabwe & Zambia. The rural areas look more “African” with almost exclusively round mud/stick homes with thatched roofs arranged into family settlements. The area looked cleaner, and there were FAR fewer ‘shebeens’--non-licensed bars. The rest of Namibia laughs at the Caprivi Strip, they are considered to be uneducated & poor, but it looked inviting to me. We visited the Himba’s again. Each time we see another facet of their lives. This family of about 50-60 had a very large herd of cattle & goats. We arrived as the animals were being brought back to the homestead for the night. The baby goats were kept in a very small & crowded kraal during the day, then as goats came home, three children were in the kraal & handed the babies out to others who very often tossed them to the ground for the baby to find its mother. After feeding, the babies were herded back into their kraal. They are kept separate so the babies don’t keep feeding--the people need the goats’ milk for themselves.
We took them to an open market where Maureen had her cel phone stolen. Our fault, we failed to warn her. She took a picture of a fruit stand & a guy demanded $$ for her taking the picture. She refused because she didn’t take picture of him…her phone was in a mesh pocket of her purse the last time she saw it. When she called it, he answered, but of course hung up as soon as he realized that it must be that rich American…whose phone he swiped!! Still, we have been so lucky. I believe, partly, because Jim is known throughout our town & he is quite the Ambassador!! He wears an ugly bright yellow & blue ‘Quicksilver” hat that makes him distinguishable…and he looks considerably different from most of our neighbours.
I am getting a Spelling Bee organized. Making some changes from last year & have quite a few new learners signing up. Hoping for more teacher support, but I’m okay without it. I know that if we are not replaced with a volunteer next year, this will be the last. This activity is not required by the syllabus, so there is no need to have it.
As soon as I send this off to you, I will remember what I really wanted to tell you, but right now, of course, I can’t.
Keep those prayers coming--the Lord is listening to them. We can handle anything if we know that He is with us.
With love & prayers for you,
sharon
The nights get down to mid-40’s & days heat up to low 80’s. Our concrete-block walls absorb the day’s heat & keep it very pleasant throughout the night. Rarely do we even need a fan during the day. Everyone else here is freezing, wearing jerseys & heavy coats in class. And gloves! They share them, so most wear one on the hand that they don’t use to write. They don’t realize it, but they are missing out on a great excuse for not getting their written work done!
For whatever reason, God stays very close by--could it be your prayers??? I find myself reflecting on our time here and getting frustrated with not having the impact that I know we could have, if the teachers would just change!!! So, one day last week, Olivia (with whom I have had a distant relationship due to her obnoxious classroom behaviour) asked if she could talk to me. I figured it was going to be “Miss, why do you hate me?”, and I was flabbergasted when she started out with “my dad beats my mom”. How, in heavens name do you respond to something like that? After many tears and expressed hopes for a harmonious (yes, she used that word!) family life, I asked her what I could do. “Please, just listen to me and advise me.” Okay, God, I get it, you are still using us. Since then, 2 more have asked to talk ‘in private” and another very unlikely candidate asked Jim if she could talk to him ‘sometime’.
I had a disappointment last week, also. Some LRC’s (Learner Representative Council) asked me to draft a letter to teachers asking permission to hold a meeting with all Grade 5-10 learners to gather input for making some changes. I was so excited to see some initiative! They got permission, although the meeting has not yet taken place because the Head of Department dismissed the school early the day of the meeting. Anyway, I got the ‘brilliant’ idea to guide this group to form a council similar to the student councils that we have at home. I offered to become their sponsor teacher (their previous sponsors quit over some money issue--a very long story). Then, the principal came up with guidelines for the “Guardian Teacher” for the LRC’s & I quickly withdrew my offer. The expectations for that group do not have room for anything that vaguely resembles representation of the learners. As Guardian, I would be expected to make sure that all the LRC’s keep their shirts tucked in, wear school-appropriate hairstyles, and generally exemplify model learners in order to monitor their fellow-learners’ appearance & behaviour. No, thank you.
We had a wonderful time with Maureen, Dane & Bobby. Dane loved school, & learners have been asking when he will be back. Maureen ‘taught’ one of Jim’s classes while he went to the dentist. She now understands our love for these children. Bobby talked with Grade 8 & 7, sat in a Grade 9 English class, and he saw the other side. Did not want to attend any more classes. Laughing at people is acceptable here. Knowing that it’s “the culture” doesn’t make it any easier to swallow. I had some very serious talks with those grades. Everyone already knew my stand on that issue. They had been punished numerous times for laughing at fellow-learners, so it is at times like that when I get discouraged.
During our travels to meet our family, we entered an area that was new to us. It was refreshing to see the differences between our area & that strip of land that jets over to Zimbabwe & Zambia. The rural areas look more “African” with almost exclusively round mud/stick homes with thatched roofs arranged into family settlements. The area looked cleaner, and there were FAR fewer ‘shebeens’--non-licensed bars. The rest of Namibia laughs at the Caprivi Strip, they are considered to be uneducated & poor, but it looked inviting to me. We visited the Himba’s again. Each time we see another facet of their lives. This family of about 50-60 had a very large herd of cattle & goats. We arrived as the animals were being brought back to the homestead for the night. The baby goats were kept in a very small & crowded kraal during the day, then as goats came home, three children were in the kraal & handed the babies out to others who very often tossed them to the ground for the baby to find its mother. After feeding, the babies were herded back into their kraal. They are kept separate so the babies don’t keep feeding--the people need the goats’ milk for themselves.
We took them to an open market where Maureen had her cel phone stolen. Our fault, we failed to warn her. She took a picture of a fruit stand & a guy demanded $$ for her taking the picture. She refused because she didn’t take picture of him…her phone was in a mesh pocket of her purse the last time she saw it. When she called it, he answered, but of course hung up as soon as he realized that it must be that rich American…whose phone he swiped!! Still, we have been so lucky. I believe, partly, because Jim is known throughout our town & he is quite the Ambassador!! He wears an ugly bright yellow & blue ‘Quicksilver” hat that makes him distinguishable…and he looks considerably different from most of our neighbours.
I am getting a Spelling Bee organized. Making some changes from last year & have quite a few new learners signing up. Hoping for more teacher support, but I’m okay without it. I know that if we are not replaced with a volunteer next year, this will be the last. This activity is not required by the syllabus, so there is no need to have it.
As soon as I send this off to you, I will remember what I really wanted to tell you, but right now, of course, I can’t.
Keep those prayers coming--the Lord is listening to them. We can handle anything if we know that He is with us.
With love & prayers for you,
sharon
Monday, April 25, 2011
Easter in Namibia
Greetings to all.
Hoping this finds everyone in good health and enjoying life. Palm Sunday is right around the corner…wasn’t Ash Wednesday just last week??? We were blessed with a Mass last Sunday. The priest was scheduled for another town, but the church was surrounded by water, so he came to us instead. There is a good side to everything. Now don’t laugh, but on Easter Sunday, after Jim reads, I will be proclaiming the Gospel and giving the Homily. Absolutely amazing. And what can I possibly say to these people?? They know suffering, they know deep, deep joy, they fully understand their total dependence on Our Lord, they know what it is to rise with Him. I find it hard to believe that the Namibians are not the true chosen people. I will say one thing for our God, He knows how to humble a person!
It wasn’t that long ago that I wrote, but I see the long list of e-mails waiting for replies & I just can’t get to each. First, thanks for all the b’day & anniversary greetings. It was so nice to be remembered. We didn’t celebrate much. We were in the throws of end-of-term stuff.
We were into the last 2 weeks before term exams when I asked our Head of Department how often was the school septic tank emptied & when was the last time. About 2 hours later, the word spread that we were starting exams the next day. It was only by luck that Jim & I were at least partly ready with our tests. All of our teaching had to be suspended, and there were assessment tasks that both of us needed to do with our classes to calculate their grades. Okay, next day, somewhat ready for exams, we asked for the copies of the exams…oh no, we had no toner. Back to classes. 2 days later, we started exams. I announced to one class that they would not be having Oshindonga (language) tests. About 2 hours later, a teacher brought the exam to the staff room for someone to ‘invigilate” (proctor). All of this mess & confusion was due to their fear of the school septic tank filling up. Did anyone know when it was last emptied? Did anyone know how often it is emptied? Do you really need the answer? Then, this was one of their more ingenious moves…they released the learners 1 hour early one day so that they would not be using the toilets. So we had 400+ kids running around the school, using the toilets, anyway, because their transport was not notified of the early dismissal & they all had to wait for their rides. Then the Executives were informed that we gave exams early with the intent of closing the school if the tank filled. They threw a fit, said there would be no closing, & they found a way to have someone partially empty them. We had use of our own facilities for a while, & now we’re into day 6 with a full tank again & icky brown water backed up into our shower. Off we go, trudging across the yard to the school toilets in the middle of the night, again.
Back to classes…after the kids finished the exams, they didn’t want to settle down for classes again, so, we simply said that they wouldn’t have to come the last 3 days. And do those days need to be made up? The Ministry of Education requires 205 days…well, nobody checks, & all the other schools do it, so no, we don’t need to make up those days. Today, not even half of Grade 8 English was there for my afternoon class. Nothing will happen to those kids, and no one will have heartburn over it, except Jim & I.
This is Friday. Jim & I had a movie party for Grade 7 yesterday, Grade 8 today, & tomorrow will be Grade 6. It’s the reward for the top 10 in each class who completed the most assignments. So, after tomorrow, we have no more work to do, but we still have to sit in the staff room from 8:00 - 12:30 M,T,W because it is a scheduled school day, no learners, but we had to be there. Then report cards will be given Thursday, and we are FREE!!.. We are soooo ready for a break!!
The rains have mostly stopped, the waters are receding, and hopefully in 2-3 weeks things will be back to normal. In order to get off the school property, we have to walk over a very precarious ‘bridge’ made of sandbags, broken pallets, warped planks, roofing materials…and the flood waters have brought numerous snakes. I have been blessed not to have seen a live one, but the kids have seen quite a few.
Twenty-four days ‘til we meet Maureen, Bobby & Dane in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. We are so excited. Shortly after their landing, Jim, Bobby & Maureen will be going on a Lion Walk while Dane & I will have a lion cub ‘viewing’--I was so hoping that Dane could walk along with the lions, but they say he is too young. The next day we will view Victoria Falls & then go to Chobe Park in Botswana for an evening game drive or river cruise and a morning game drive. We will have a couple gruelling days of driving, some significant hours over gravel roads, and we will visit the Himbas. Back to Ondangwa for a couple days of classes for the boys. They will have taken in the flavour of Namibia along the way. They will see women carrying large parcels or containers of water on their heads, children herding cattle & goats, people wearing ‘African’ clothes, tin shacks, mud huts with thatched roofs, at least 1 million shabeens (bars), villages, settlements, people walking everywhere, little children walking in the middle of nowhere (where do they come from, where are they going; & don‘t they get lost??)…and very little more than poverty everywhere they turn (however, our accommodations are quite nice, which is actually a shame). They will see people who have learned how to cope without things that we take for granted every day and I truly hope that this will impact their lives to become conscious & concerned for the ways that some other people on our planet live. I truly hope that they will not just be thankful for what they have and think, “oh my, those poor people.”
We are too quickly coming to the end of our time here. We are becoming very conscious of that. There is so much we wanted to do & couldn’t. We see so much that needs to be done here, we see such potential, we understand so much more than we did before, but we are puzzled by far more than what we understand. God has used us to make a difference, and we are grateful for being allowed to know that. We will have a hard time leaving, but we have asked Him to make that time bearable & I believe He is preparing us for that. We are getting tired. We are sometimes crabby. We are more often discouraged, angry at our colleagues for not caring, less patient with those kids who give up too easily. And then, I worry about leaving them…who will Saara tell her “boy” problems to? Who will confront Ombili, Sagaria, Elina, & nearly all the rest of the kids about their incessant lying? Who will encourage them, forgive them, be kind to them…All these things that Jim & I have done, not because we are so wonderful, but because it’s just the right thing to do--all these ways of being are foreign to the teachers here.
I started this ‘book’ April 14 & now it’s the 25th. We made it to Holy Thursday & Good Friday services. Both were in Oshiwambo although I offered to read parts in English, but they only gave me one short reading. We were able to identify some of the parts, but not being a regular Mass, we were just guessing. Good Friday was a dramatisation of the Passion. Like last year, the congregation was laughing at their friends’ acting. I thought we were prepared for that, but we weren’t. When they laughed hysterically at “Mary’s” grief & wailing (which was way over-done) I was ready to leave. But we knew there would be the Veneration of the Cross. There were about 500 people there, after 1 ¼ hours, maybe ¾ of the church had gotten to the one cross & we could not sit any longer. The benches are hard wood, no backs, no kneelers & there was no standing or other movement by the congregation for 3 solid hours. I kept telling myself that if Jesus could hang there for 3 hrs, I could sit. Both Jim & I are painfully much weaker than our Lord.
We then passed on the Easter Vigil as it held no hope for English parts. We could not confirm the 7:15 service Sunday morning ‘til late Sat. afternoon, & then we didn’t know that there would be no Mass until 7:15 that morning. I had a homily prepared, so it was okay, but I was hoping a priest would show up & assume his role. All went well. The Filipino community was mostly there, so we joined them for breakfast. What wonderful people! Gentle, loving, extremely hospitable, very intelligent, the children are unbelievably polite and friendly with no trace of being over-bearing. Today Jim is fishing with them at Ruacana Falls, leaving at 4:30 this morning. There is speculation that there are crocodiles in the area due to the flooding…and some roads are under water…am I worried??? Well, not anymore! He just called. They caught a 6-8 lb catfish as well as a 20 lb & then something that looked like a Northern Pike. He said the catfish looked a bit strange. No crocodiles & the roads are fine.
I have much to do today to be ready for next term, so I guess I better get at it. Hope everyone’s Easter was joyous & Spring is bursting with life.
You are in our prayers,
sharon
Hoping this finds everyone in good health and enjoying life. Palm Sunday is right around the corner…wasn’t Ash Wednesday just last week??? We were blessed with a Mass last Sunday. The priest was scheduled for another town, but the church was surrounded by water, so he came to us instead. There is a good side to everything. Now don’t laugh, but on Easter Sunday, after Jim reads, I will be proclaiming the Gospel and giving the Homily. Absolutely amazing. And what can I possibly say to these people?? They know suffering, they know deep, deep joy, they fully understand their total dependence on Our Lord, they know what it is to rise with Him. I find it hard to believe that the Namibians are not the true chosen people. I will say one thing for our God, He knows how to humble a person!
It wasn’t that long ago that I wrote, but I see the long list of e-mails waiting for replies & I just can’t get to each. First, thanks for all the b’day & anniversary greetings. It was so nice to be remembered. We didn’t celebrate much. We were in the throws of end-of-term stuff.
We were into the last 2 weeks before term exams when I asked our Head of Department how often was the school septic tank emptied & when was the last time. About 2 hours later, the word spread that we were starting exams the next day. It was only by luck that Jim & I were at least partly ready with our tests. All of our teaching had to be suspended, and there were assessment tasks that both of us needed to do with our classes to calculate their grades. Okay, next day, somewhat ready for exams, we asked for the copies of the exams…oh no, we had no toner. Back to classes. 2 days later, we started exams. I announced to one class that they would not be having Oshindonga (language) tests. About 2 hours later, a teacher brought the exam to the staff room for someone to ‘invigilate” (proctor). All of this mess & confusion was due to their fear of the school septic tank filling up. Did anyone know when it was last emptied? Did anyone know how often it is emptied? Do you really need the answer? Then, this was one of their more ingenious moves…they released the learners 1 hour early one day so that they would not be using the toilets. So we had 400+ kids running around the school, using the toilets, anyway, because their transport was not notified of the early dismissal & they all had to wait for their rides. Then the Executives were informed that we gave exams early with the intent of closing the school if the tank filled. They threw a fit, said there would be no closing, & they found a way to have someone partially empty them. We had use of our own facilities for a while, & now we’re into day 6 with a full tank again & icky brown water backed up into our shower. Off we go, trudging across the yard to the school toilets in the middle of the night, again.
Back to classes…after the kids finished the exams, they didn’t want to settle down for classes again, so, we simply said that they wouldn’t have to come the last 3 days. And do those days need to be made up? The Ministry of Education requires 205 days…well, nobody checks, & all the other schools do it, so no, we don’t need to make up those days. Today, not even half of Grade 8 English was there for my afternoon class. Nothing will happen to those kids, and no one will have heartburn over it, except Jim & I.
This is Friday. Jim & I had a movie party for Grade 7 yesterday, Grade 8 today, & tomorrow will be Grade 6. It’s the reward for the top 10 in each class who completed the most assignments. So, after tomorrow, we have no more work to do, but we still have to sit in the staff room from 8:00 - 12:30 M,T,W because it is a scheduled school day, no learners, but we had to be there. Then report cards will be given Thursday, and we are FREE!!.. We are soooo ready for a break!!
The rains have mostly stopped, the waters are receding, and hopefully in 2-3 weeks things will be back to normal. In order to get off the school property, we have to walk over a very precarious ‘bridge’ made of sandbags, broken pallets, warped planks, roofing materials…and the flood waters have brought numerous snakes. I have been blessed not to have seen a live one, but the kids have seen quite a few.
Twenty-four days ‘til we meet Maureen, Bobby & Dane in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. We are so excited. Shortly after their landing, Jim, Bobby & Maureen will be going on a Lion Walk while Dane & I will have a lion cub ‘viewing’--I was so hoping that Dane could walk along with the lions, but they say he is too young. The next day we will view Victoria Falls & then go to Chobe Park in Botswana for an evening game drive or river cruise and a morning game drive. We will have a couple gruelling days of driving, some significant hours over gravel roads, and we will visit the Himbas. Back to Ondangwa for a couple days of classes for the boys. They will have taken in the flavour of Namibia along the way. They will see women carrying large parcels or containers of water on their heads, children herding cattle & goats, people wearing ‘African’ clothes, tin shacks, mud huts with thatched roofs, at least 1 million shabeens (bars), villages, settlements, people walking everywhere, little children walking in the middle of nowhere (where do they come from, where are they going; & don‘t they get lost??)…and very little more than poverty everywhere they turn (however, our accommodations are quite nice, which is actually a shame). They will see people who have learned how to cope without things that we take for granted every day and I truly hope that this will impact their lives to become conscious & concerned for the ways that some other people on our planet live. I truly hope that they will not just be thankful for what they have and think, “oh my, those poor people.”
We are too quickly coming to the end of our time here. We are becoming very conscious of that. There is so much we wanted to do & couldn’t. We see so much that needs to be done here, we see such potential, we understand so much more than we did before, but we are puzzled by far more than what we understand. God has used us to make a difference, and we are grateful for being allowed to know that. We will have a hard time leaving, but we have asked Him to make that time bearable & I believe He is preparing us for that. We are getting tired. We are sometimes crabby. We are more often discouraged, angry at our colleagues for not caring, less patient with those kids who give up too easily. And then, I worry about leaving them…who will Saara tell her “boy” problems to? Who will confront Ombili, Sagaria, Elina, & nearly all the rest of the kids about their incessant lying? Who will encourage them, forgive them, be kind to them…All these things that Jim & I have done, not because we are so wonderful, but because it’s just the right thing to do--all these ways of being are foreign to the teachers here.
I started this ‘book’ April 14 & now it’s the 25th. We made it to Holy Thursday & Good Friday services. Both were in Oshiwambo although I offered to read parts in English, but they only gave me one short reading. We were able to identify some of the parts, but not being a regular Mass, we were just guessing. Good Friday was a dramatisation of the Passion. Like last year, the congregation was laughing at their friends’ acting. I thought we were prepared for that, but we weren’t. When they laughed hysterically at “Mary’s” grief & wailing (which was way over-done) I was ready to leave. But we knew there would be the Veneration of the Cross. There were about 500 people there, after 1 ¼ hours, maybe ¾ of the church had gotten to the one cross & we could not sit any longer. The benches are hard wood, no backs, no kneelers & there was no standing or other movement by the congregation for 3 solid hours. I kept telling myself that if Jesus could hang there for 3 hrs, I could sit. Both Jim & I are painfully much weaker than our Lord.
We then passed on the Easter Vigil as it held no hope for English parts. We could not confirm the 7:15 service Sunday morning ‘til late Sat. afternoon, & then we didn’t know that there would be no Mass until 7:15 that morning. I had a homily prepared, so it was okay, but I was hoping a priest would show up & assume his role. All went well. The Filipino community was mostly there, so we joined them for breakfast. What wonderful people! Gentle, loving, extremely hospitable, very intelligent, the children are unbelievably polite and friendly with no trace of being over-bearing. Today Jim is fishing with them at Ruacana Falls, leaving at 4:30 this morning. There is speculation that there are crocodiles in the area due to the flooding…and some roads are under water…am I worried??? Well, not anymore! He just called. They caught a 6-8 lb catfish as well as a 20 lb & then something that looked like a Northern Pike. He said the catfish looked a bit strange. No crocodiles & the roads are fine.
I have much to do today to be ready for next term, so I guess I better get at it. Hope everyone’s Easter was joyous & Spring is bursting with life.
You are in our prayers,
sharon
Saturday, March 19, 2011
March update from Namibia
Greetings to all from flooded Namibia!
Hope this finds everyone well & thriving in whatever field in which you labour.
Our field is flooded, and we are facing some of the challenges that our poor neighbours face frequently. Jim has just left to get some bread & we are hoping that he is able to get out of the school yard. This rainy season is more what I had imagined, but I failed to imagine the complications that it presents. We still have many sunny days, but like Illinois, it can change very quickly. The rains are driving (it doesn‘t just fall, it‘s as if it is being slammed) & have been lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to hours when it lets up a bit, then drives with a greater vengeance. Not to be totally disgusting, but our septic tank is full and the truck that empties it cannot get to it with all the water--it would most likely get stuck in the mud & they are unwilling to risk it. Fortunately, we are not too far from the school toilets & they are on a different septic tank. Please, God, don’t let that one get full!! We will have to use our big laundry buckets for ‘bathing’. We are able to divert the kitchen sink drain to the yard, and that is a blessing. The smell of sulphur permeates the air. When the wind blows just right, the kids start covering their noses & groaning & generally acting up!
I have learned that it is not smart to offer suggestions for anything, because then you become totally responsible for it. We had an Independence Day celebration yesterday (Friday). It was not brought up until 3 days prior--did anyone have any ideas as to what we should do? Well, since they pass up so many opportunities to teach outside the classroom, I thought it would be great if each class had to research a person who was instrumental in fighting colonialism under the Germans, and later, rule under the South Africans. Sure, great, yes, everyone would help their class to do something then, each class would present to the rest of the school in our Hall--very nice large building where all can gather. The kids did a fantastic job--without any teacher support. Well, pre-grade & a couple Lower Primary classes had teacher input. I asked for teacher presence & support during the presentations--I had to drag several of them to the hall & then they stood in back, talking---loudly! Have you ever tried to control 450 kids confined in a hot, humid hall with all of them talking & generally ignoring the presentations? Mr. Principal was to give opening remarks. I stalled for awhile, as we were already running late, made some general comments regarding the seriousness of the day & the expected behaviour of everyone, introduced the 1st presentation, then Mr. P strolled in and talked for 20 minutes, when he had given us 1hr 15min for the program. We had 11 presentations prepared…..We released the kids (after they missed 4 classes) just in time for their break. Classes resumed & then we found out at 12:45 that Mr. P. told someone (who?) that we could leave at noon. I was teacher in charge this week--was I the one he told???
We have been having some interesting conversations in the staff room. We have 3 strikes against us: we are white, American and old. These young pups feel that they have to explain to us that change takes a very long time. REALLY????? So let’s throw up our arms & not even get started!
Yes, this is a very negative blog. We love the people & have found many Namibians who are just as frustrated as we are. And the kids are so great. Some try so hard, and they are succeeding! Some are so far behind they just give up. I love it when they come to me and say, “Miss, I didn’t do my homework,” and the smile on their face makes it very hard for me to be stern. And how very grateful I am that they feel comfortable enough to actually approach me & say it--up front, no lying, no making up excuses. To admit that, to another teacher, would mean hard labour (and just exactly what is the connection between digging in the garden & doing homework?) or no break (and that is the only time they have to eat). I swear that I will not give them any more chances, but I do!
We are looking forward, with great anticipation, to May 9 when Maureen, Dane, & Bobby arrive for a 10-day whirlwind tour of Namibia. I started to make plans for the trip, but am overwhelmed, so trying to contact an agency to plan it all out.
This is a 3-day weekend (Independence Day is Monday), but with end-of-term rapidly approaching, and flooded roads all over, we are staying home & knocking out some work. This morning I was finding performances of Chopin, Liszt, Schubert…to play for Grade 8 English so they can hear the sounds that a text is describing. Their writing is getting better, but are struggling in using creative language to describe--anything. I love it when they respond to a piece of poetry.
Usually have a hard time getting them settled for class, so for English 7 & 8, I am reading each one a book. I walk in, open the book, & start reading for 5 minutes. They are SILENT within 10 seconds. They actually do not want to miss anything. They are not easy books, either, but they are getting the gist & working out the figures of speech & vocab. Yea, it’s exciting!!!!!!
Had our first incident with theft (which is rampant here). We were in Windhoek (only large city, capital, 225,000 pop), Jim bought a pair of shoes, re-parked the car & when we got back to it, the back passenger door was open a few inches. They reached over the back seat to grab his shoes, some chip dip (THAT made me mad!), and some sticky stuff to hang posters. Someone told us that there is a way for someone who is watching you to “intercept” your keyless locking device while you are locking your car & they then have access. We cannot remember if Jim ‘unlocked’ the doors as we were approaching the car or not. The store where we purchased the shoes had closed, so we found the same pair at another place--for N$100 more! So, he got 1 pair for the price of 2 ½!!
Yesterday he went to a doctor to have a strange growth on his arm checked out. His birth-family had a lot of skin cancer, he had one minor incident a few years ago, he is in the sun a lot, so I threw a fit & he went. It is a wart! On his forearm! Doctor said that she treats kids all the time, but usually on feet or hands. She is concerned that the stuff she gave him would burn his skin (it’s the WHITE thing, again!) but it’s been fine--you know, he’s so tuff!! I may have had one on my wrist, actually. A bump appeared shortly after we had visited the Himbas the first time, & almost disappeared while we were home--that was nearly a year.
Okay, this is way too long, but I have enjoyed rambling. My resolve was to write at least 1/month…
‘til next time, stay safe, healthy, & know that you are missed
God bless each & every one of you, and your loved ones.
sharon
Hope this finds everyone well & thriving in whatever field in which you labour.
Our field is flooded, and we are facing some of the challenges that our poor neighbours face frequently. Jim has just left to get some bread & we are hoping that he is able to get out of the school yard. This rainy season is more what I had imagined, but I failed to imagine the complications that it presents. We still have many sunny days, but like Illinois, it can change very quickly. The rains are driving (it doesn‘t just fall, it‘s as if it is being slammed) & have been lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to hours when it lets up a bit, then drives with a greater vengeance. Not to be totally disgusting, but our septic tank is full and the truck that empties it cannot get to it with all the water--it would most likely get stuck in the mud & they are unwilling to risk it. Fortunately, we are not too far from the school toilets & they are on a different septic tank. Please, God, don’t let that one get full!! We will have to use our big laundry buckets for ‘bathing’. We are able to divert the kitchen sink drain to the yard, and that is a blessing. The smell of sulphur permeates the air. When the wind blows just right, the kids start covering their noses & groaning & generally acting up!
I have learned that it is not smart to offer suggestions for anything, because then you become totally responsible for it. We had an Independence Day celebration yesterday (Friday). It was not brought up until 3 days prior--did anyone have any ideas as to what we should do? Well, since they pass up so many opportunities to teach outside the classroom, I thought it would be great if each class had to research a person who was instrumental in fighting colonialism under the Germans, and later, rule under the South Africans. Sure, great, yes, everyone would help their class to do something then, each class would present to the rest of the school in our Hall--very nice large building where all can gather. The kids did a fantastic job--without any teacher support. Well, pre-grade & a couple Lower Primary classes had teacher input. I asked for teacher presence & support during the presentations--I had to drag several of them to the hall & then they stood in back, talking---loudly! Have you ever tried to control 450 kids confined in a hot, humid hall with all of them talking & generally ignoring the presentations? Mr. Principal was to give opening remarks. I stalled for awhile, as we were already running late, made some general comments regarding the seriousness of the day & the expected behaviour of everyone, introduced the 1st presentation, then Mr. P strolled in and talked for 20 minutes, when he had given us 1hr 15min for the program. We had 11 presentations prepared…..We released the kids (after they missed 4 classes) just in time for their break. Classes resumed & then we found out at 12:45 that Mr. P. told someone (who?) that we could leave at noon. I was teacher in charge this week--was I the one he told???
We have been having some interesting conversations in the staff room. We have 3 strikes against us: we are white, American and old. These young pups feel that they have to explain to us that change takes a very long time. REALLY????? So let’s throw up our arms & not even get started!
Yes, this is a very negative blog. We love the people & have found many Namibians who are just as frustrated as we are. And the kids are so great. Some try so hard, and they are succeeding! Some are so far behind they just give up. I love it when they come to me and say, “Miss, I didn’t do my homework,” and the smile on their face makes it very hard for me to be stern. And how very grateful I am that they feel comfortable enough to actually approach me & say it--up front, no lying, no making up excuses. To admit that, to another teacher, would mean hard labour (and just exactly what is the connection between digging in the garden & doing homework?) or no break (and that is the only time they have to eat). I swear that I will not give them any more chances, but I do!
We are looking forward, with great anticipation, to May 9 when Maureen, Dane, & Bobby arrive for a 10-day whirlwind tour of Namibia. I started to make plans for the trip, but am overwhelmed, so trying to contact an agency to plan it all out.
This is a 3-day weekend (Independence Day is Monday), but with end-of-term rapidly approaching, and flooded roads all over, we are staying home & knocking out some work. This morning I was finding performances of Chopin, Liszt, Schubert…to play for Grade 8 English so they can hear the sounds that a text is describing. Their writing is getting better, but are struggling in using creative language to describe--anything. I love it when they respond to a piece of poetry.
Usually have a hard time getting them settled for class, so for English 7 & 8, I am reading each one a book. I walk in, open the book, & start reading for 5 minutes. They are SILENT within 10 seconds. They actually do not want to miss anything. They are not easy books, either, but they are getting the gist & working out the figures of speech & vocab. Yea, it’s exciting!!!!!!
Had our first incident with theft (which is rampant here). We were in Windhoek (only large city, capital, 225,000 pop), Jim bought a pair of shoes, re-parked the car & when we got back to it, the back passenger door was open a few inches. They reached over the back seat to grab his shoes, some chip dip (THAT made me mad!), and some sticky stuff to hang posters. Someone told us that there is a way for someone who is watching you to “intercept” your keyless locking device while you are locking your car & they then have access. We cannot remember if Jim ‘unlocked’ the doors as we were approaching the car or not. The store where we purchased the shoes had closed, so we found the same pair at another place--for N$100 more! So, he got 1 pair for the price of 2 ½!!
Yesterday he went to a doctor to have a strange growth on his arm checked out. His birth-family had a lot of skin cancer, he had one minor incident a few years ago, he is in the sun a lot, so I threw a fit & he went. It is a wart! On his forearm! Doctor said that she treats kids all the time, but usually on feet or hands. She is concerned that the stuff she gave him would burn his skin (it’s the WHITE thing, again!) but it’s been fine--you know, he’s so tuff!! I may have had one on my wrist, actually. A bump appeared shortly after we had visited the Himbas the first time, & almost disappeared while we were home--that was nearly a year.
Okay, this is way too long, but I have enjoyed rambling. My resolve was to write at least 1/month…
‘til next time, stay safe, healthy, & know that you are missed
God bless each & every one of you, and your loved ones.
sharon
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Back home in Namibia
Well, we are back in Namibia with one week under our belts. Today we started serious teaching & things look promising. I have English 7 & 8; Jim has English 5 & 6 as well as Grade 9 PE, 8,9,10 Religion & Moral Ethics. I also have Grade 6 Social Studies & one class per week of Grade 5 Life Skills. We are quite happy with our schedules. Most of mine are in the mornings (before it gets too hot) and Jim has mostly afternoons—so we can each work at home with no interruptions (except learners coming to door for whatever strikes their fancy). Wish we could report major changes in administration/colleagues, but we can’t. Things are just too much like last year, with evidence of some possible changes coming into play, but we just won’t hold our breath.
This is rainy season. Unlike last year at this time, it is HUMID & not so hot & has been raining nearly non-stop. We did get a break over the weekend, however, so we did all of our laundry. Jim got some of his tan back hanging it all out. We did a small load in the middle of the week & it ended up hanging on the line for 2 days & we finally brought them in, rinsed them & dried them inside. But that’s when the rains stopped! They should begin again in another day or 2. If they remain as heavy as last week, we will have some serious flooding. Already there are some businesses that are not open as they are surrounded by water. We have ants building hills up the walls inside our flat. That presents its own challenge.
The trip back was exhausting. I don’t know how that can be avoided. It’s just a lot of miles to cover. I think that we are recovered, but still find ourselves more tired than we think we should be. Some of you were aware of Jim’s health issues while we were home. No need to go into all of that, just to say that he is fine. His test results were favourable, and he is doing well.
Being home was yet another learning experience for us. It was wonderful to see family & friends, of course. We did not spend enough time with anyone, so there was a certain amount of frustration in that. We found ourselves restless & unable to focus, maybe a bit lost, out-of-sync. The first few days I felt like a stranger in our own home—that definitely caught me off-guard. Never did reach a level of comfort in the different culture. There’s no question, we love Namibia & missed it. When we arrived back in Windhoek, we met the new WorldTeach volunteers who were wrapping up their orientation. One young lady has spent extended periods in several countries and she said that her experience has been to have minimal ‘culture shock’ upon arrival in the foreign country, but every time that she went back to US, she had difficult adjustments. That was comforting, because in living both in Germany & Namibia, I also did not feel the ‘culture shock’ that might be expected, but then struggled upon our return. Our Lord has a job to do next Dec/Jan!!
Went to church Sunday—how wonderful it is to have a car, making trip soo much easier! It was wonderful. The “crèche” was still up: a small thatched roof held up by poles imbedded in empty oil buckets filled with sand. The ‘decorations’ consisted of garlands of various colours of tinsel, attached to the church walls and roof of the ‘hut’ with wide brown postal-type tape. In compositions that learners wrote, most mentioned that they decorated for Christmas only a day or 2 before-hand. The simplicity moves my heart, but what I have seen isn’t what I would normally call ‘beautiful’
Time to fix dinner (sweet & sour chicken stir-fry—not exactly traditional Namibian!), then come up with spelling lists for the 4 English classes. Spelling is not stressed (obviously, in even their official documents) so Jim & I post lists each week & quiz them for points they can earn for a movie party at the end of the term. Bribery is rampant here—we’re just moving with the culture!
It is now a week later. I just discovered that, while I wrote, I failed to send it. But, I see that I was talking about bribery. Jim just told me about his experience with it. He was speeding, got pulled over, and the fine was going to be N$1400. Of course, he didn't have that on him, so he pointed out to the officer that it was Sat. afternoon & the office to accept fines probably would not be open & he couldn't wait around 'til Monday (he was a distance away), and he had to be back Monday to teach, so how would $N200 be? The officer agreed, pocketed the money & Jim went on his merry way. Officer didn't pat an eye.
Apparently our principal is going to be more conscientious this year, & the teachers are NOT liking it! There is a push to re-instate corporeal punishment as they don't know what else to do. I have a copy of "Alternative Methods" from the Ministry of Education (mind you, THEIR MoE) and am charged with providing copies to them to review & possibly get some ideas. I am grateful that I have something with Namibian origin, or it would not be considered.
Went to dinner at our Executive Treasurer's house last evening. He was the person to greet us when we first arrived & has been very supportive of us. He has spent extended time in several European countries, so he understands our frustrations & agrees with our desire to see some changes made. He is an insurance agent & one of the 2 founders of the school, so we had pictured a rather nice home. Oh my. He has a lot of land with many imported trees, most of which produce fruit, goats, chickens (& cows that he keeps elsewhere). But what seems typical, junk all over the place. They just do NOT throw anything away. (we had 2 pillows that were here when we arrived, and when I pulled them out of our 'storage', smelled very badly. Jim put them on the burn pile & they were snapped up by our house mates and he was sternly reminded not to throw anything away). The house is a large sprawling complex of additions with probably 15 rooms. Several rooms are arrange like a motel--a row of rooms with doors to outside. These he has for people who have nowhere to stay, like transients or 'homeless". But there was no room that I would say is finished. Either the ceiling is just bare wood, or piles of things on the floor because they have no adequate armoires, or it's not painted...It was a little depressing, but they said, "our home is small, but our welcome is great". It was a delightful evening. Our dinner started with rolls (wonderful German brotchen) with peanut butter, jelly, and cheese as accompaniaments. Thought maybe that was it, except for the cake & some other sweets that were on the table. But then, their children were cooking meat & brought a small plate with what looked like breakfast-sausage links. So we had our 2nd course of just the meat, which was very tasty. Then after much conversation, were were served huge pieces of cake. After much more conversation, they put wine glasses on the table, but we discovered the time & headed home. We were there over three hours & seemed like maybe one. This couple have 2 children of their own, plus probably 6 that they have adopted or simply taken in. Interestingly, whenever we have eaten in a local home (Namibian or Filipino), the children did not join us. even the adult children. But they did cook & serve us.
Okay, it's past time for me to get to work. It has been fun sharing with you. OOPs, one more thing. A new building is being added to our school, nearly completed. All labor was done by hand, in the hot sun, and the workers are paid N$5/hour. That is about $0.75 US/hour. Any construction workers out there who want to come work in Namibia?
With love,sharon
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