Ondangwa Mission Trip

Around 50% of the population of Namibia inhabit the northern part of the country, making it a strategic location for missions. This area has fewer big cities, but is flooded with small villages. This more 'rural' dynamic, along with the travel time (min. 8hr drive from Windhoek) and language barrier (less people speak English) make it a more difficult setting for visiting missionaries. Yet, when an elder from my church asked to bring two of his teenage grandchildren on a mission trip, this is exactly where we went.

Being welcomed to the village by the youth and children

We partnered together with a NETS alumni who is a local pastor in the small town of Ongha. One of his major tasks since arriving only 1 year ago has been discipling his congregation who are very young in their faith. He is also the pastor for a few 'out stations' [sister churches] around his area. (Think, for example, of an itinerant preacher who would rotate between different churches each week.) So he organized for us to preach at a few different churches and also lead workshops on topics like forgiveness and how to lead a youth ministry. We were also welcomed into the homes of some of the church members to share meals together. The visitors got to try mahangu pap and 'marathon' chicken for the first time ('marathon' because you had to catch it first!). The families' generous hospitality was overwhelming, but a true display of an African welcome into the community and the family.

Teaching on forgiveness at New Jerusalem Church

Walking home with some students after school

Mahangu flour (before) on the left and pap (after) on the right

Catching dinner

Gospel Outreach Bible School

We also worked together with a small Bible school in Ondangwa called Gospel Outreach Bible School. We taught their morning classes for the week going through the book of Jude verse-by-verse and also looking at how Christians today should understand the Old Testament in light of the gospel. We also led a marriage seminar for community couples which was very well attended. One lady responded afterward that she had never heard anything like this before and was very thankful. On our last afternoon we had a joyous celebration together. The students prepared a traditional meal for us, then we played volleyball and another traditional game where one team was trying to fill up a bottle with sand as many times as possible while the other team was trying to throw you out with a tennis ball. Everyone was smiling and laughing and it was good conclusion to our ministry week.

Couples attending a marriage seminar

Teaching Bible school students about the book of Jude

Playing volleyball together

Playing the dodgeball-bottle game

As usual, we also spent our last few days playing tourist, debriefing the trip, and preparing the team to return home. Both of the teens expressed how their experiences in the village altered their perspectives on American life and material possessions and how they really had nothing to complain about. A recurring word used to describe the experience was "recalibrating." Even though I stay here in Namibia, I could say the same. The village life offers a simplicity and relationship-centeredness that helps recalibrate my priorities and values that get quite bent by urban life. How often the West thinks they have so much to teach, but don't realize how much they really have to learn.