December- Botswana!
Population: 2 Million, Total Area: 231,803 sq. miles (9 people per sq. mile!) (a little smaller than Texas)
Languages- Setswana, English, Shona, San, Khoikhoi, isiNdebele
Religions- Christian 70%, nonreligious 20%, traditional beliefs 6%, other 4%.
Weather- Hey, lookie there, more rain. December is the beginning of Botswana’s rainy season? (Wait.. World atlas, but all the pictures look pretty dry… #Confusing) 70% of Botswana is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Average temp. this month is 77* F.
From Pictures, the land of Botswana looks dry I’m talking real dry. Desert like. From stalking WR Blogs it looks like a month of tent camping and roughing it! Being a rec. major, I dream of camping in ‘off the beaten path’ kind of places so Africa is a dream come true! For me I count this as a WIN! Hopefully I can help comfort my teammates who don’t exactly have the same dreams. 😉 I know about being cautious when it comes to bears, raccoons, and rattle snakes but my knowledge on lions, elephants, black mambas, cobras, and Nile crocodiles could use some work. #PrayersForSeptRoute5
People- 1 in 4 Adults are living with HIV/AIDS. Life expectancy is 56 years. The economy experiences an overreliance on diamonds. Beef is exported to Europe.
From the World Race: Although it’s one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, Botswana has the second highest HIV infection rate, next to Swaziland, its southern neighbor. The land itself struggles with drought and desertification yet boasts the largest elephant population in the world in one of its national parks. The majority of the people identify themselves as Christians but very much need people like you to advance the kingdom with love and in power.
Possible Mission and What race life may look like:
We may be working with an international boarding school, doing daily outreach projects, prison ministry, work at a nursery for abandoned babies, walking Hut to Hut evangelism, or host abstinence classes. I know every month on the race will require an enormous amount of faith but especially with this list of possibilities we will not know what our purpose or mission will be until we arrive or, if we are lucky maybe a few days in advance.
Peace and Blessings,
Beth Milam
#BethBeyondBorders #InBotswanaAsItIsInHeaven
Then I heard the voice of The Lord saying,
“whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. SEND ME!”
Isaiah 6:8
P.S.- I can’t wait for Christmas in Africa!!!
