A parable

There was a king over a beautiful kingdom. His people loved him and he loved them. But when the king was off to war, his enemy came and took over his kingdom. He deceived the people into thinking the king would never return. He convinced them that whatever their hearts desire, they could take, with no regard for anyone else. Medicines were used up and forgotten so sickness and disease became epidemic. The food supplies were used up and people started going hungry. Soon anarchy reigned and people completely forgot about their king and the peaceful lives they lived under his rule.

Eventually, word came to the king on the battlefront about the state of his kingdom. He knew that if he sent a detachment of troops from his army that the people would fight for their newfound 'freedom' to fulfill their every desire and there would be many casualties. So he decided to send his son, the prince, to start a subversive movement among the people to remember their love for him.

So under the cover of darkness the price returned to the kingdom disguising himself as a peasant. He brought with him many medicines that had been forgotten under the current regime and healed many sick people. He re-taught them how to plant seed and tend gardens so the hungry were fed. And all the while he reminded the people how much better life used to be with the king, inviting them to return to that life, and promising that the king would return from war and restore things to how they should be.

Soon the prince began to gather quite a following for the king. When the evil tyrant heard of this subversive movement he had the prince arrested and brought to the castle for trial. He was declared a traitor and according to the laws of the land the only sentence for treason was death. Once again, word came to the king about the plight of his son. When he heard this the king’s face fell and he said, “My people have betrayed their king. And it is for their act of treason my son must die."

~An excerpt from Sunday's message on the gospel

Hitchhiker's guide to poverty culture

I took a day off and went in to Swakop today. It was great to spend some time alone and to get back behind my camera again. I took about 250 shots walking around town, visiting shops, watching kids play on the beach. It’s easy to take photos in Swakop because everyone’s used to tourists with cameras and the town is so photogenic. And I even ran into my friends Marcus & Jojo from Okahandja who were also taking a little weekend downtime, so that was a blessing.

I’ve frequently been asked about hitchhiking from people in the States who are a little leery or surprised or shocked. It always makes me smile because it’s just natural here. I suppose if America had more people without cars than with then hitchhiking would be more common there too. It got me thinking about how much of poverty culture is shaped by necessity. It’s understood that those who have help those who don’t. This concept is largely lost in an individualized, materialistic, self-propagating culture. Everyone looks out for number one and doesn’t even notice the needs of others. Perhaps our culture would be more shaped by necessity if we were a little more aware of the needs of those around us.

Photo of the Day

Photo of the Day

New Roommates & New Adventures

This week Tom and Peter moved in to Mantown. They are volunteers from the UK with African Inland Mission staying here in Arandis through November. Tom just graduated high school and is taking a year off before going to university next year. Peter just graduated from university and is taking some time off before joining the workforce. It’s nice to have some other guys around who are closer to my age. They’re also working with Boniface planning some leadership training for the student leaders in the youth group and also an afternoon soccer club.

Next weekend the Jr. Town Council is planning an Arandis Sports Weekend. Among the many competitions will be a volleyball tournament including teams that have been invited from Windhoek and Walvis Bay. My new friend Allen asked me to play with his team, so this could be interesting. I love these opportunities to get involved in the community that other missionaries tend to pass up.

Being an elementary school teacher hasn’t been so bad, granted I only teach one class 3 days a week for seven 4th-5th graders. So far we’ve covered creation and the fall and we’ll finish up this week with the flood on Friday. We’re also memorizing the books of the Old Testament. This week we started off easy with just the first five books – although pronouncing Deuteronomy has been a bit of a challenge for some. I know, I’m such a mean teacher, aren’t I.

No Grootfontein

Apparently someone on the other end got sick so this weekend’s outreach has been cancelled. It’s really too bad because I was looking forward to the discipleship opportunities it would present within our team, especially those who’ve never been on an outreach before. There’s plans in the works for an outreach to Keetmanshoop in the south, so hopefully that one will work out.

Sodium Chlorawhat?

Starting next week I’m going to start teaching the 4th and 5th graders at Talitha Kumi Primary School, the private school started by Hope’s Promise. I wanted an opportunity to teach the Bible to young kids trusting that it will help me better teach the Bible to teens and adults. Sometimes it’s easy to complicate the message with complex ideas and big theological sounding words. With kids, that’s impossible. If I have to explain it to a child, I have to have a pretty simple understanding of it myself.

I’ll be teaching a much simplified version of the Old Testament curriculum I’m working on. I hope it will give them a framework and a timeline to understand how all the pieces fit together. Often we hear a story here and a story there, but have no overarching knowledge of redemptive history. The lessons are designed to teach major biblical themes while chronologically studying through Old Testament history.

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For those of you who know her, congratulations are in order for Clara. She took the gold medal at the National Science Fair competition in Windhoek last weekend! Not only that, but Arandis’ Kolin Foundation Secondary School is now the top school in the nation for science, even over Windhoek High School and St Paul’s prep school. That’s pretty big news and people here are quite exited about it.

Photo of the Day

Kids playing soccer with a tennis ball in the amphitheater.

At the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments

In Scripture Union this week I’ve been teaching on Daniel. I only have 15 minutes so it forces me to be succinct and to the point. We’re looking at what it means to take responsibility for your own spiritual growth. Oftentimes students expect that going to church or Bible study will automatically make them good followers of Jesus. I keep reminding them that Boniface and I won’t be knocking on the window when they’re with their boy/girlfriend just to check in. Ultimately it’s their choice whether to serve God or whatever other gods the world sends their way.

Daniel and his three friends offer some great examples for us as they choose to go against the flow to serve God. Their unswerving commitment is impressive, if not inspiring. I love their response to Nebuchadnezzar, one of my favorite in all Scripture, “We know God is able to save us, but even if He doesn’t we still won’t bow to your statue.” Their courage stood not on a guaranteed salvation, but on the character of their God. Outstanding!

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This Friday afternoon I’ll join a group of the youth from our church along with some youth from a church in Swakop on an outreach to the town of Grootfontein. It sounds like we’ll mostly be doing street evangelism and evening programs. Fabiola has encouraged us to pray hard because this area is covered in a great spiritual darkness. So please be in prayer for our group this weekend, for protection in traveling, provision for all our needs, openness and receptivity in the community, and good conversations among the team.

Along with the prayer items, I received an encouraging praise note today. Fabiola, Pastor Banda’s wife, has been going through tests for ongoing health problems. Lately she’s felt much better so today’s tests were more for reassurance and just to check. She writes, “Praise God! The doctor was really looking for cancer in his speech and actions and did a mammogram and sonar. God is good; nothing was found, no abnormalities!” Thanks for your continued prayers and support.

Weekly Happenings

After a months time, it’s starting to feel like I actually live in Arandis and I’m not just visiting. I’m starting to remember the names that go with the faces I see every time I’m here. I’ve got all my walking routes down and random kids greet me by name.

I don’t know that there is such a thing as routine here in Arandis, but if nothing comes up I typically spend some time in the library in the morning working on my curriculum project. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I go to Scripture Union during the break at the secondary school. Many of the kids ask about past team members and when they’re coming back. I love those connections that go beyond a short-term trip. In the afternoons I’ll hang out with some of the Hope’s Promise families, youth group kids, or teach some guitar lessons. And evenings are usually spent at church prayer meeting, Bible study or playing volleyball.

Next week I’m teaching for Scripture Union, so I’ll be working up 3 ten minute lessons. In a couple weeks I’ll be teaching on ‘Salvation’ at youth group. At first I wanted to pass and take a different topic, but lately I’ve become quite passionate about the truth of the gospel. There seems to be so much false or incomplete teaching when it comes to the gospel, but I think that might be a topic for another post. I’m also looking forward to an outreach in Grootfontein next weekend with some of the Arandis Christian Center youth. It’ll be a great opportunity to get to know those youth better and also to see a new place I’ve never been before.

So that’s a few of my happenings and upcoming events. How’s your schedule shaping up this mid-September?

It's about time

I’ve been waiting for this day for over six months. I’ve followed the news articles through the draft, free agency, training camps, and now the long awaited day has finally arrived, Opening Day at Gillette Stadium. The highly anticipated come-back of the only team in NFL history to go 18-1 begins today. The only negative is the vivid reminder of why we’re opening on Sunday rather than last Thursday.

With the fateful picture of Plaxico Burress cradling the ball in the end zone burned in my mind, I’m ready to put that all behind and start seeing Randy Moss cradle some touchdown passes of his own. I thank those of you who are concerned that I’ll miss so much of the season. Fortunately, thanks to wireless internet technology, I’ll be able to watch most of the games online. I realize watching a helmet move slowly across the screen is not nearly as stimulating as seeing Laurence Maroney burst his way through the defensive line, so ESPN has just the fix for the fanatical follower. On Monday and Tuesday afternoons they replay a few games from the weekend, so hopefully I’ll be able to catch a few of the Pats night games with my fellow football loving friend, Steve Graham.

Here’s to my record setting, best team of the decade, three-time Super Bowl champion Patriots! Here’s to predictions of another great season! Here's to opening day! Hank Williams Jr, I’m ready for some football!

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The clocks moved ahead last night catching a few by surprise. So now we’re back to a 6 hour difference, meaning I’ll catch those 1:00 games at 7pm.

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Happy Grandparents Day!

Wedding Day

Some days you think you have a plan; others you never see coming. Today, I was on my way to the library to do some writing when I ran into my friend Sam who was coming fresh from the barber shop. Sam and his fiancée are getting married on December 13 and I was sooo disappointed when he asked me to do his photography because I’ll be back in the States by then. It would’ve been an awesome cultural experience and it’ll be a killer party. But alas, I must remind myself like when I left, I’ll always miss out on something.

But this morning, he asked me again. As I was about to remind him that I wouldn’t be here, he said they were having their public ceremony in December, but their official ceremony was at the magistrate’s office in Swakop today. Since I had no plans that couldn’t be rescheduled I jumped at the opportunity. So with enough time to change my clothes and grab my camera, I joined Sam and Boniface to catch a lift into town.

We should’ve known when the rear passenger side door had no handle. And if not that, then it should’ve been a dead give away when none of the windows rolled down, the passenger door didn’t shut right, and you couldn’t open either back door from the inside. But we needed the ride, so after a stop at the Arandis ‘petrol station’ (some guy that sells gas by the 5 liter jug out of his house for an outrageous profit) we were on our way.

Not five minutes down the road the engine died and we coasted to a stop. We climbed out of the stuffy back seat, after someone opened the door for us from the outside, and told the driver, ‘thanks, but we’ll find another ride.’ After we prayed, the very next car was a pickup truck that Providence sent for us. The groom hopped in the front and Boni and I in the back and we were finally on our way.

The ceremony was lovely. They signed a few papers, exchanged rings and kissed, and it was over before a Vambo could eat a fat cake. The next couple in line asked me to take some photos for them too, which was slightly awkward, but hey, now I can say I’m a professional if I get paid for my work, right? :)

So congratulations to Sam and Victoria! I’m super excited for you and wish I could be here on the 13th. I pray for God's continued blessing on your life together.

Photo of the Day

Sam and Victoria's wedding bands

Change for the Hospital

Our ‘Change for the Hospital’ campaign started this week. In case you missed the earlier post, I challenged you to collect all your change this month and donate it to our ministry at the Swakopmund hospital. At the end of each day, empty your pockets, wallets, purses, and couches of all the spare change you can find, fill up a jar and at the end of the month send that money via Christ’s Church to help us continue serving at the hospital.

For the past month or so, Fabiola has mobilized the youth of Arandis Christian Center to help clean and restore old sections of the hospital. Saturday mornings we wash and paint walls, clean windows, and scrub grime to share God’s love in a practical way. The change you donate will go towards fuel for traveling to and from Swakop, equipment and supplies, and lunch for the workers. If there’s enough we also want to ‘adopt’ a children’s ward and buy story books and toys for the children. Thanks in advance and I’m excited to see how God’s going to use this ministry to change lives as well.