This article is from the website Real Namibia and I thought it might give everyone an opportunity to learn a little about Christmas in Namibia. Enjoy
When asked what he or she wants for Christmas, the average Namibian will give the automatic response ‘rain’. This answer does not just mean rain during the coming year. It also specifically hopes for rain on Christmas Day.
It is rare that Santa delivers on this request, and if it does rain it will quite likely be in a place where you are not. I asked a local weatherman what the prospects were for rain on Christmas Day this year, and he laughed at me. He said there is a very slender chance, but only for those people living in the far north-eastern Caprivi. Lucky them!
The period from about a month before to a month after Christmas is usually bone dry and very, very hot. Tempers tend to get ragged as the oppressive temperature rises and people begin to dry out. Fortunately the prospect of Christmas keeps everyone in a fairly good mood.
As in most countries that celebrate Christmas, the shop decorations begin to come out in October, just in case you forget to do your Christmas shopping. The decorative town lights, in larger centers, follow shortly afterwards.
Sometime in early December, the taxis begin to make a show of Christmas, with tinsel on their dashboards and baubles hanging from their mirrors. More festive, heat-resistant souls don Father Christmas hats in spite of the heat, as do many people working in retail.
Office Christmas parties usually take place in late November and last into the first week of December. This is due to the certain knowledge that those who can will take their summer holiday. In the second week of December, bonuses and 13th cheques begin to arrive, bringing with them the spirit and bottles of Christmas.
The most conspicuously Namibian aspect to Christmas is the mass migration from Windhoek. This alters the shape of towns and families across the country and messes up Santa Claus’s delivery schedule no end.
Roadblocks appear on all major roads. These are put in place to monitor the safety of vehicles, check vehicle worthiness, check drivers’ licences, fine and turn back overloaded vehicles and, at the coast, to check for excessive catches and illegal crayfish catches. None of the roadblocks has ever delayed Santa.
Those who have family ties to communal farms will if possible go back to the communal areas. Migrant workers will take gifts with them and the firm intent to do whatever repairs and improvements are necessary. Long distance taxis do very good business.
Everyone else who can afford to do so or who is not manning an office or shop will head off for the coast, to ‘get away from it all’. Once at the coast, they will complain that they might as well have stayed where they were because everyone they know is at the coast. On the other hand, the coast has the advantage of cool, misty mornings and evenings.
The people who live at the coast complain about all the people coming to Swakopmund, and how the prices always go up tremendously about a week before the holidaymakers arrive. Shopkeepers however stay silent and allow their very broad grins to speak for them.
Namibia celebrates two Christmases. Many of the Namibian Germans celebrate their Christmas and give gifts on Christmas Eve. For the rest of Namibia, the celebration is on Christmas Day. Churches follow the pattern of services on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.
If anything else is common to the Namibian Christmas, it is the fact that Christmas is a time of red meat. Although turkey has made its appearance in some households, it is not a major phenomenon. In rural communities it is not unusual to slaughter a goat. Beef is fairly common, though this will usually be purchased from a butcher, rather than slaughtering a valuable head of cattle. The traditional accompaniment for the vast majority of Namibians is ‘pap’, a stiff maize porridge or porridge made from Mahangu, Namibia’s version of millet.
The typical commercial Christmas tree is evident in many Namibian homes, however, as a point of interest, many people opt for branches of the Camelthorn tree which are entirely more suited to the spirit of a Namibian Christmas. The normally wicked, long white thorns make excellent hooks for decorations, and the feeling is that the tree ‘belongs’ rather than being an import.
Namibia is a country of many cultures, so there is no ‘one’, socially acceptable form of Christmas. That being said, the common strands are family, even if it involves long distance travel, a desire for rain and meat.
Like every country, Christmas in Namibia is a time of good cheer. If you are from abroad, have a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. If you are a local, I also hope it rains.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
How to Support Us
There are a number of ways to support our mission work in Namibia.
1.) Prayer-Please put Penny and I on your parish prayer list and keep us in your prayers.
2.) Invitations to speak at Christian Ed events or dinners on topics of mission, and the Millenium Development Goals
3.) Pledges of support-Please make a financial committment to our work. Each year we are asked to raise $26,000 to support our mission. Donations of $25, $50, $100 or $200 a month add up quickly. Checks can be sent through the Diocese of Alabama with a memo for Mission Namibia. Please consider asking your parish to support us through their outreach budget.
4.) Tell your friends about us and tell them about Namibia.
1.) Prayer-Please put Penny and I on your parish prayer list and keep us in your prayers.
2.) Invitations to speak at Christian Ed events or dinners on topics of mission, and the Millenium Development Goals
3.) Pledges of support-Please make a financial committment to our work. Each year we are asked to raise $26,000 to support our mission. Donations of $25, $50, $100 or $200 a month add up quickly. Checks can be sent through the Diocese of Alabama with a memo for Mission Namibia. Please consider asking your parish to support us through their outreach budget.
4.) Tell your friends about us and tell them about Namibia.
Why we are going to Namibia
These photos were forwarded to me last week from my friend The Rev. Lukas Katenda. They were sent to him from Nancy Robson at St. Mary's in Odibo. They were accompanied by an email thanking the young m
an who donated all the Beanie Babies and noting that only 5 or 6 of the children in these photos had ever had a toy of their own. These are the children of the Joy to the World Kindergarden in Onekweya. When we visited in last June we met many of these children and their teacher Sr. Gertrude. At that time she was the only teacher for 56 students. They had no books, and no toys but Sister Gertrude (pictured above) was doing her best to teach the children. They sang us songs and spoke to us in english. Many of these children are AIDS orphans from the nearby area. The latest estimate is that by next year when we move to Namibia there will be 100,000 orphans in the country. With a population of only 1.8 million that means that close to 6% of the population will be orphans.
an who donated all the Beanie Babies and noting that only 5 or 6 of the children in these photos had ever had a toy of their own. These are the children of the Joy to the World Kindergarden in Onekweya. When we visited in last June we met many of these children and their teacher Sr. Gertrude. At that time she was the only teacher for 56 students. They had no books, and no toys but Sister Gertrude (pictured above) was doing her best to teach the children. They sang us songs and spoke to us in english. Many of these children are AIDS orphans from the nearby area. The latest estimate is that by next year when we move to Namibia there will be 100,000 orphans in the country. With a population of only 1.8 million that means that close to 6% of the population will be orphans.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Mission Namibia
Two times in my life The Rev. Bill Yon (seated right with Fr Simon Haimbodi of Onandova) has asked me to consider something. The first was in 1999 at a Diocesan convention in the Diocese of Alabama. “Have you ever considered going to seminary?” My initial answer was no but as the Spirit would have it I left my career in law and was ordained to the priesthood in 2004. The second time Bill asked me to consider something was in an email conversation in late 2006. “Would you consider going to Namibia to work training clergy”? This time my answer was a hesitant “yes”, but I had very little expectation that anything would come of it. Well again as the Spirit would have it my wife Penny and I have accepted the call and will be traveling to work in Namibia as Episcopal Church missionaries beginning in the summer of 2008.
This has been a wonderful and sometimes scary time of discernment in our lives. Bill originally asked us to be part of a consultation team to travel to Namibia in June 2007 to help the Diocese create a strategic plan for clergy training. Our team consisted of The Rev. Bill Yon, The Rev. Jeremy Lucas, and Penelope Lucas, R.N. from the U.S. The Rev. Simon Gatenby, and The Rev. David Sharples from the Diocese of Manchester England and The Rev. Lukas Katenda from the Diocese of Nambia. Bill had been contacted through Trinity Grants after they met with Bishop Nakwatumba in 2006. The Bishop explained that Namibia is experiencing an extreme clergy shortage and that without help and planning would be unable to meet the pastoral needs of its people. So for three weeks in June we met and traveled in Namibia to gather information for a strategic plan. This plan has been approved by the Diocese and has been submitted to Trinity Church as a three year grant request.
While in Namibia we were overwhelmed with the hospitality and spirit of the people. We were able to meet all but one of the Etameko 11(see photo) that Bill and Lib helped train in late 1980's. We worshiped at both St. George’s Cathedral and at St. Mary’s Odibo and could truly feel how God was and is working in Namibia.
We had originally thought that we would go to Namibia and work only on clergy training but as conversations continued possibilities opened. This year Bishop Nakwatumba has asked The Rev. Mike Yeats to act as the new Dean of St. Georges Cathedral. As Mike is currently Executive Director of KAYEC, it would be difficult to take on full responsibilities as Dean of the Cathedral. During our trip I met with both the Bishop and Mike and was asked to take the position of Associate Dean in Residence of St. George’s. Mike and I will work doing team ministry each taking different responsibilities of the Dean. Penny and I will live in the Deanery and I, along with the council, will be responsible for day to day operations.
Throughout our trip I was astounded at the spirit of the people of Namibia. Under the weight of so much crushing poverty and so much death there was a positive sense, and hopefulness that is hard to understand. We visited the Health Clinic at Odibo and found care being offered without the most basic of necessities. We dove through the old township of Katatura and say the place called Babylon. Thousands of tiny metal shacks with no water, no electricity, and no plumbing. It is estimated that half of the population of Windhoek, over 150,000 people, live there. More people come everyday from rural areas looking for work in Windhoek. At Onekweya we met Sister Gertrude running the Joy to the World Preschool. She was the only teacher for 56 children aged 2-6. Many were AIDS orphans. There were almost no books, no paper, no pencils, no toys. We spent one morning playing soccer in the sand yard of their school. The children laughed and sang and played. Their voices truly were Joy to the world.
I was once told by another African missionary that in Africa the people adapt to the environment, in America we adapt the environment to ourselves. This is true, I think, but it doesn’t make it right. I don’t believe that God ever intended for any of his people to “adapt” to thousands of children dying each day from preventable diseases, I don’t believe that God ever intended any of us to “adapt” to huge discrepancies between the rich and poor, or the hungry and well fed. I know that in many places these things are seen as a sign of God abandoning parts of the world. It could certainly seem that way, but in reality God is there with them waiting on His Body to act in His name to make a difference. What we experienced were people who knew on a deeper level than most ever will that God was with them. This did not make what was going on around them alright but it did give them hope. As Martin Luther said “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope”
Penny and I will not be able to change everything or solve every problem in Namibia. We are not going to try and save the world. But we do have hope and hope helps you realize that you can make a difference. If we didn’t think we could have some type of positive impact there would be no point in going in the first place. We are taking these steps in faith that God will be with us on our journey. Please keep Namibia and us in your prayers as we make this move. You can keep up with our work in Namibia on our new Blog called Mission Namibia. The address is http://www.missionnamibia.blogspot.com./ We will be updating the blog frequently with new photos and stories. We also provide information on how to become a mission partner to support our ministry. As part of its new mission strategy the Episcopal Church is asking missionaries to raise a majority of their own support from local congregations and diocese. This helps invest congregations in the work of mission and makes connections on a more grassroots level. We hope that you will prayerfully consider becoming a partner with us in this new missionary endeavour to Namibia
This has been a wonderful and sometimes scary time of discernment in our lives. Bill originally asked us to be part of a consultation team to travel to Namibia in June 2007 to help the Diocese create a strategic plan for clergy training. Our team consisted of The Rev. Bill Yon, The Rev. Jeremy Lucas, and Penelope Lucas, R.N. from the U.S. The Rev. Simon Gatenby, and The Rev. David Sharples from the Diocese of Manchester England and The Rev. Lukas Katenda from the Diocese of Nambia. Bill had been contacted through Trinity Grants after they met with Bishop Nakwatumba in 2006. The Bishop explained that Namibia is experiencing an extreme clergy shortage and that without help and planning would be unable to meet the pastoral needs of its people. So for three weeks in June we met and traveled in Namibia to gather information for a strategic plan. This plan has been approved by the Diocese and has been submitted to Trinity Church as a three year grant request.
While in Namibia we were overwhelmed with the hospitality and spirit of the people. We were able to meet all but one of the Etameko 11(see photo) that Bill and Lib helped train in late 1980's. We worshiped at both St. George’s Cathedral and at St. Mary’s Odibo and could truly feel how God was and is working in Namibia.
We had originally thought that we would go to Namibia and work only on clergy training but as conversations continued possibilities opened. This year Bishop Nakwatumba has asked The Rev. Mike Yeats to act as the new Dean of St. Georges Cathedral. As Mike is currently Executive Director of KAYEC, it would be difficult to take on full responsibilities as Dean of the Cathedral. During our trip I met with both the Bishop and Mike and was asked to take the position of Associate Dean in Residence of St. George’s. Mike and I will work doing team ministry each taking different responsibilities of the Dean. Penny and I will live in the Deanery and I, along with the council, will be responsible for day to day operations.
Throughout our trip I was astounded at the spirit of the people of Namibia. Under the weight of so much crushing poverty and so much death there was a positive sense, and hopefulness that is hard to understand. We visited the Health Clinic at Odibo and found care being offered without the most basic of necessities. We dove through the old township of Katatura and say the place called Babylon. Thousands of tiny metal shacks with no water, no electricity, and no plumbing. It is estimated that half of the population of Windhoek, over 150,000 people, live there. More people come everyday from rural areas looking for work in Windhoek. At Onekweya we met Sister Gertrude running the Joy to the World Preschool. She was the only teacher for 56 children aged 2-6. Many were AIDS orphans. There were almost no books, no paper, no pencils, no toys. We spent one morning playing soccer in the sand yard of their school. The children laughed and sang and played. Their voices truly were Joy to the world.
I was once told by another African missionary that in Africa the people adapt to the environment, in America we adapt the environment to ourselves. This is true, I think, but it doesn’t make it right. I don’t believe that God ever intended for any of his people to “adapt” to thousands of children dying each day from preventable diseases, I don’t believe that God ever intended any of us to “adapt” to huge discrepancies between the rich and poor, or the hungry and well fed. I know that in many places these things are seen as a sign of God abandoning parts of the world. It could certainly seem that way, but in reality God is there with them waiting on His Body to act in His name to make a difference. What we experienced were people who knew on a deeper level than most ever will that God was with them. This did not make what was going on around them alright but it did give them hope. As Martin Luther said “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope”
Penny and I will not be able to change everything or solve every problem in Namibia. We are not going to try and save the world. But we do have hope and hope helps you realize that you can make a difference. If we didn’t think we could have some type of positive impact there would be no point in going in the first place. We are taking these steps in faith that God will be with us on our journey. Please keep Namibia and us in your prayers as we make this move. You can keep up with our work in Namibia on our new Blog called Mission Namibia. The address is http://www.missionnamibia.blogspot.com./ We will be updating the blog frequently with new photos and stories. We also provide information on how to become a mission partner to support our ministry. As part of its new mission strategy the Episcopal Church is asking missionaries to raise a majority of their own support from local congregations and diocese. This helps invest congregations in the work of mission and makes connections on a more grassroots level. We hope that you will prayerfully consider becoming a partner with us in this new missionary endeavour to Namibia
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