Church and more (1-29)

Sunday I went to church with Helena (Sart was working.), as it was my first Sunday in the village and I thought it would be important for her to have me go with her. It also gave others in the village an opportunity to see me. The church is just behind the homestead; so it’s a short walk. It’s a Lutheran church. I was told that the three main churches in Namibia are Lutheran, Catholic, and Anglican. I’ve also seen a few other smaller denominations. When I’ve talked with people about the wide variety of Christian churches—and other religions—in the U.S., they are amazed. Angel asked me if there are churches in America and was astonished when I started listing all the kinds of churches.

Sunday morning the church bell was rung from 7:15 to 7:45. When we arrived at 9:50, the minister, a woman, was speaking. The service officially started at 10:00, and the bell was run again for a few minutes. It looked like about 200 people attended, all dressed up. Women wore dresses, and many wore fancy hats. Before we left, Sark asked if I had my Bible to take along; it’s in storage. Then he gave me his hymnal, which was nice even though it’s in Oshiwambo. He also asked if I had money for the collection. I did.

The service included seven hymns and a few Bible readings and prayers. During the hymns and readings, Helena made sure I followed along in the books. I was pleased that I was able to do so, thanks to Willbedone’s language training. The minister and another woman each spoke for twenty minutes consecutively. All this was getting to be a long time sitting and listening to a language I don’t understand, but my time with the Thai Buddhists was good training. When the collection was taken, people walked to the front and put their donations in the baskets. After the collection, the choir sang for fifteen minutes, which was the highlight of the service for me, as it was beautiful. Helena instructed me to take a photo. The whole service lasted almost two hours. I made a point of telling everyone that I will not go every week, which Helena understood to mean that I would go only this one time, because I have my own church and I can’t understand what is being said in their church.

I spent the rest of the afternoon at school wrapping my textbooks, planning, and using the Internet for work and pleasure. This will be my main Sunday activity.

Monday morning Mrs. Reinhold announced that she “had to” visit my class. I thought it was a bit early for an official visit, but I guess she wants to know what I’m doing since I’m an unknown quantity. Starting at 11:00, students cleaned the grounds; so there were no classes the rest of the day. Mrs. Reinhold had told them to bring hoes and rakes for this purpose because the yard was very dirty with all the grass. (The litter from their snack bags wasn’t mentioned.) Their task was to dig up the grass—at least some of it. They enjoyed having photos taken while working—or not working. 

And, like young people their age in most places, they enjoyed clowning around for photos.

In the afternoon, Angel took me to town to meet Mrs. Reinhold to take care of my official paperwork. We also took my fan back. After several attempts, the woman at Customer Service pulled the “missing piece” out of the stand. I was embarrassed until she said that I wasn’t the only person who had brought the fan back. In the evening I put it together, and what a difference it made. We got my tax ID number, had copies  stamped at the police station, and delivered it to the regional office. Task accomplished. Mrs. Reinhold told me to keep the original copy of the tax ID number because it is my number and can be used if I return to Namibia to teach after leaving.

On the way to meet Mrs. Reinhold, Angel dropped off a container of millet to be threshed by machine, as it’s easier that way.

When I returned, the replacement refrigerator was sitting outside my room. They hadn’t told us that it would be delivered that day; so I hadn’t made any preparations. I decided to turn it on to make sure it worked better than the other one, which didn’t get cold. It did. On Tuesday, several grade 9 boys moved it into my bedroom. It didn’t take long to enjoy having cold water and being able to keep food properly cold easily. I will enjoy being able to have more vegetables—even frozen ones—on hand.

Wednesday afternoon my wardrobe, which had not been delivered with the other furniture prior to my arrival, was delivered. So I could finally unpack the clothes for this season and other items to put in the drawers instead of the suitcase. The room started to look and feel more like home.

I finally figured out my host’s name. People kept calling him a name I didn’t recognize, and I realized after time that the name he had originally told me was his full three names; so I asked Angel to help me sort this out. Once I learned the name he is called by everyone, Kamonga, I asked him about his name. He explained that Sart is his English name.

Saturday morning I went to town again. Sart had decided that he should go with me to show me places. Before leaving, he came to tell me that he didn’t have money and ask if I could pay for his transportation, which I had planned to do, but it was nice of him to ask in advance. He had the driver take us to the Shoprite mall, which I hadn’t yet been to. I purchased a small, rechargeable lantern so I have a littlelight in the room when Helena doesn’t turn on the lights until late and/or turns them off early. Having that bit of light makes a big difference. Also, it’s getting darker in the morning and I need a light. So I was happy to find this. Then I bought my groceries and a few other items at Shoprite, one of the big grocery stores in Namibia. I felt a bit self-conscious buying so much when Sart had no money; so I didn’t purchase many extras. As I finished, Sart asked me to purchase two newspapers for him. After Helena’s telling me to give her money for church the previous week, this didn’t sit well with me, as I felt like they always expect me to provide money when we are together. My compromise was to say I would pay for one newspaper in English so we could both read it. While I stopped at another store, he went off to do something for his job. Then we got a ride with one of his friends to the meeting place for getting a ride directly home. While we waited for the bakkie to leave, Sart went to a shop to chat with his friends. The wait was 50 minutes, which meant that my frozen vegetables thawed completely. Angel had shown me this meeting place, but, considering the long wait, I’m not sure it’s any faster than waiting to hike on the main road.

At home, Helena asked me if I had a gift for her. I didn’t. Later she came over and sat on the couch for a while. Rachel had told us that Namibians often just sit together and that chatting isn’t necessary. But her presence meant that I had to stop washing clothes to sit with her. After a while, she got up to leave, saying “No gift.” I don’t want her to be in the habit of expecting and asking for something from me every time I go to town. It’s awkward. Later, when Wilhelmina mentioned that her children would want a treat when she picked them up after being in town, I mentioned Helena’s wanting a “gift” as being the same behavior. She responded that it is not their custom, which I had wondered about.

Clouds were rolling in from the east as I finished washing clothes Saturday afternoon. The rain lasted only a short time, but the wind was fierce. I’ve been told by several people that early February is when the main rainy season starts. Coming soon.

For now, the skies have more brilliant, white clouds. 

And the clouds enhance the sunsets, resulting in more photos.

Sunrises have become a little later—6:40; so I see one every morning these days.

An excitement this week was realizing that, since the Internet connection is pretty good most of the time, I could download Downton Abbey again. Two episodes finished on Friday; so I had them for Saturday night entertainment. I think weekends will be long; so some entertainment will be good.