Namibia is our story of God making a way when there seemed to be no possible way. Long story short: we made plans to work with an organization in Namibia, but later found out that we didn’t have enough money in the budget to get there. Between bus ticket prices, bus schedules, and housing options in Botswana and Namibia, the factors that determined whether we would go to Namibia or stay in Botswana for the entire month kept changing. The uncertainty was hard on our hearts, because we loved Botswana so much and didn’t want to leave, yet at the same time we were excited for the opportunities God had for us in Namibia.
Through the generosity of the church family in Otjiwarongo, we were able to make our week in Namibia fit into our budget. Three families offered their homes to let us stay with them at no cost, and six wonderful families invited us over for delicious dinners each night of our stay.
Steve & Karrie Graham are the missionary couple that hosted us in Namibia. Ever since we contacted them out of the blue (after finding their organization online), they worked so hard to get us to Namibia. I think we told Steve “Yes, we’re coming” and “No, we’re not coming” at least five times, and he was always willing to do whatever he could to help us get there. The Grahams are an American family from Virginia who have been missionaries in Namibia for seven years. They left America with their four children; then they have added numerous children to their family while they’ve been in Namibia. They are one of the most loving, and on-fire-for-Jesus couples I have ever met. (Although they would probably disagree because they are so humble.) Steve is the youth pastor at the church in Otjiwarongo, and he also gives music lessons in the community, and does tons of other stuff. Karrie does ministry with the children at the town dump, and in the surrounding neighborhoods.
While we were there, we got to VBS activities at both the dump and the neighborhood that surrounds it, Ombili. Jenna, Lindsey, Britteny and Sprads went to Ombili, where they ended up having over eighty children. Megan, Ashley and I went to the dump site, where we had 20-25 kids each day, who were mostly teenage boys. God really broke my heart for those boys. They were so sweet and polite, but their living conditions were unimaginable. They live in tin shacks on the outskirts of the dump, and spend all their time in the dump, searching for things they can sell to make a little bit of money. They never have enough food or water, most of them have dropped out of school, and many of them sniff gasoline in order to get high in order to numb their hunger pains. During a time of prayer and worship at our friend John and Rosie’s house on Tuesday night, God started speaking to me about their identity as sons of God. So the next day at the dump I led the lesson, and I spoke on their identity in Christ–how they are more than what the world says they are, and that they’re not who the enemy says they are. I read Scripture after Scripture to them, and told them that they are God’s children, loved, treasured, valuable, priceless, chosen, adopted, holy, righteous, blameless, new creations through Christ, co-heirs with Him, overcomers, the light of the world, temples of the Holy Spirit, and so much more. As I spoke the truth of who they are over them, I could feel their spirits rise, and they held their chins a little higher. My prayer for them is that they always remember who they are.
We also had a lot of other great opportunities to share the Gospel with others in Otjiwarongo. The day after we arrived was Father’s Day Sunday, and Sprads and I got to tag-team the sermon about the Father heart of our God. Steve said that was a great topic to preach on because Namibia is such a fatherless nation; they need to know God as their perfect Father. Ashley got to lead a Bible study about grace for the cell group that meets in the house where she was staying on Tuesday night. Jenna got to share her testimony with 700 high school students at their assembly on Wednesday morning, and we got to pray with the students individually afterward. I also got to give a devotion for the students at the Christian school on Friday morning.
It was such an incredible week, and I am so glad that we got to experience Namibia. It was clear that God orchestrated everything for us there. He set it all up for us, and He made a way for us to get there. And now we have awesome stories of God’s plans and provision.
