First of all I would like to apologize for the delay in posting! So much has happened over the past two weeks, it is difficult to know where to begin. We have settled into our new home in Rundu where will be living for the next couple of months. Internet access is pretty limited, hence the lack of blog postings J We have been trying to keep in touch with loved ones, but it has been a bit challenging. After our week in Windhoek (Namibia’s capitol), we met the missionaries we will be working with and drove on up to Rundu. Daryl and Sabrina are a married couple from Canada and they instantly made Tricia and I feel welcome and comfortable. Daryl works as pharmacist and Sabrina as a massage therapist at the hospital in town. They are also in charge of running the OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) project in the nearby village of Kaisosi.
We have come to be extra pairs of hands and feet at the project. There is a team coming in August to serve for two years. They will be adding a tutoring program, as well as continuing to train the volunteers to run the project. Tricia and I have been doing administrative work to prepare for the team to arrive. We have been updating files, gathering information about the kids and analyzing data regarding attendance. Our hope is to have everything updated, so the team is able to begin working as soon as they arrive. We also have the opportunity to serve at the project. We are there to play with the kids and demonstrate the love of Christ to those we meet. We have had the blessing of working alongside volunteers from the community. I have truly enjoyed getting to know them and learning about their experiences and culture. Tricia has been serving a lot with wound care. Most of these children have very little access to medical care. Injuries and illnesses often go untreated. At the project, kids will visit “wound care” when they have an injury or have been feeling sick. I am SO thankful that Tricia (who is a nurse) is here for that job! I am pretty sure my Red Cross Certification expired back in 1999 (every credible babysitter had to have one) and I would not feel qualified to deal with some of the intense wounds that we see. I love the way that God’s plans work in such a personal and unique way.
God’s plan has continued to unfold in the area of social work, as well as nursing. There is a family here in town that has been dealing with extreme conflict and complicated family issues. For those of you who don’t know, I have been working in the social work field for the past three years and recently completed my Masters in Dispute Resolution. I have been serving families with children who have severe emotional disabilities. Sabrina began describing some of the issues that the family was dealing with: physical and emotional abuse, power struggles, alcohol addiction and oppositional behavior. I couldn’t help but think how similar this family was to the families that I have been working with back in the states. I was invited to come to the next meeting with the social worker. It was extremely intense and emotional. The pain and hurt experienced by each family member was so evident as each issue was discussed. I was so surprised how natural it felt to be in the meeting. I truly felt as if I was back home at Seven Counties, only there was a language barrier and several cultural differences. I have attended two meetings since then and we are working towards ensuring the safety of these children and restoring relationships within the family. The wildest part was when we learned that the social worker was going to be out of town for an extended period of time. She asked if Sabrina and I would continue monitoring the family and scheduling meetings. I happily agreed and I am really excited to see how God is going to work in the lives of this family!
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