Packing List

I've been packing these past few days and am so surprised at how easily everything is fitting and cleaning up...my room is bare, my hangers are empty, and the drawers are ready for the next guest. It's weird how smoothly the packing for home has gone and yet I feel like even though all my clothes and souvenirs are fitting, so many things are being left behind that aren't really packable. I've been trying to take pictures of everything that is sigificant to me in this town, but that's not really possible. And it's sad to think that if I don't take a picture of this small detail that I love, I will probably forget it within a few weeks and then that moment or memory will just disappear because certainly no one else is going to remember it and remind me of it. I sometimes wonder how many incredible things have passed through my mind at one time or another that I've forgotten--like, if I could watch a slideshow of every significant memory I've ever had--can you imagine the things I would see and be amazed that THAT has been in my mind at one point! Happy, sad, overwhelming, joyful, full of laugher, and so on...I wish I could categorize my memories and go into the files to watch the ones I want when I felt like it. So many things I've already forgotten about my time in Namibia...I'll re-read a journal entry or look at pictures from February and be amazed at what I was feeling or thinking so long ago and also be surprised I forgot it so easily.

Anyway--that's just a little of what's going on in my mind as I pack up and get ready to go. Do you think I could fit this town in my bag? I've packed my neccessities but have to leave behind the truly important stuff.

love,b

ocean waves

Chaco tan line (:

The sunset on our drive home

Sunset on the Atlantic

The sand dunes

I visited the Atlantic Ocean last weekend and was reaffirmed in my belief that if they existed and if I didn’t love my life so much, God would have made me a mermaid. We drove into Swakopmund, a little German town on the Namibian coast, and I poked my face through the tiny window in the back of Heidi’s bakkie, just breathing in the salt and waves in the air. And after the hot, 5-hour drive crammed next to bodies, luggage, and/or the stick shift bumping into my knee up every hill--the fresh air was much appreciated! We arrived at the Finnish Guest House (which used to be a school for Finnish missionary kids, I believe) and moved into our home away from home: a beautiful 3-bedroom flat with a fully furnished kitchen--complete with wind chimes hanging from the ceiling!--two rocking chairs covered in leopard print fabric, candles sitting on the piano, multi-colored woven rugs, and a giant dining table next to the grandfather clock. The house is just two streets over from the beach, so after we had unpacked, I ran across the road and down to the shore to watch the waves roar in from sea before dissipating on the sand and rocks. That day and early the next morning had the fiercest and most intense waves I have ever seen. Multiple times I ran shrieking up the sand to escape a surprise wave that would end up drenching me well above the knee…Poor Stephen wore his brand new tennis shoes and managed to keep them dry until the very end, when he stopped a few feet from the water to put them and his socks back on and almost made it--before a big wave passed its boundaries and completely soaked him up past his ankles. I laughed really hard and had no sympathy--who wears tennis shoes to the beach?

We spent our long weekend browsing the souvenir shops, quad-biking in the sand dunes, drinking tea, walking in the waves, reading good books, and baking. I unfortunately got a cold the morning we left for Swakop, but I still had a wonderful time exploring and relaxing. On the way home, we strapped some bags to the roof of the bakkie, so it was a much more pleasant drive.

Water relay

Me and Sheryl-Lee--one of the regulars at the Youth Center

Two days after we got back, we hosted our first day of two of a mini-daycamp for the community. Only 11 kids showed up (we had a hard time with advertising since school let out at the end of April) and then 30 the second day…It was a small group, but those children are some of the most well-behaved, respectful, happy, excited, fun, and adorable kids I’ve ever worked with! The two days of the camp have been two of the best days I’ve had in Rehoboth, and I am so happy I got to see the Youth Center finally come alive with children inside laughing, singing, painting, praying, and playing. We did skits, played relay games, learned Origami, had Bible Study, ate popcorn and ice, face-painted, and danced our socks off. I really can’t put into words how incredible the kids were--they listened instantly and were excited about every single thing we did with them. We also had Jerome, Ralph, Larissa, Elreda, and Koosi volunteering from our Youth Group, so they helped out a ton by translating all day long to make sure the kids understood what was going on. What a wonderful way to end my time with the Youth Center. Adults are great. I do like them. I hope to marry one someday. But kids…Kids make my heart happy and my soul laugh. Every time I do something like this daycamp, I am amazed all over again at how much joy I get from being around them.

Well, apparently I’m in the final countdown to come home. I have a few days left in Rehoboth before I head down south for the Farm Camp with our YG. That’ll last for 5 days and as soon as I drive back into Reho, I’ll leave for Windhoek and then fly out May 19. About a week-and-a-half total left. AH! I don’t know how to explain what I’m feeling…I had my final Bible Study today and almost cried to say goodbye to these beautiful young girls who have such an honest interest in learning more about the Lord and His love for them. Every week I met with them, they amazed me more and more with their questions, their eagerness to share, their willingness to pray and read aloud, and simply how much FUN they are to be around! It was an interesting mix of girls but the group dynamic was so great, and I loved getting to know them. I don’t know how I’ll handle my final goodbye to Rehoboth…it seems so unreal that it’s almost here. Five months, at the beginning, seemed a bit long. But five months, at the end of it, has not been near enough time to do all I want to do now. Unfinished roads to walk, unfinished friendships to build…I am starting to see a bigger picture on the horizon, but I have to leave before I can really grasp it. It takes a lot of building to get to this place, and it’s frustrating to know that anywhere I go now, I have to start that building again. All the work, time, tears, hugs, and love I’ve poured out here…
I’m starting to understand that this will be a lot harder than I first thought.

Prayer Requests:
*The Farm Camp May 13-17 for safe traveling, lots of kids, and good ministry

*My heart, as I say goodbyes and pack

*Health in general…I’ve had a cold for a week now and then I’ve been hearing about the Swine Flu stuff a lot and I’ll be traveling soon, so just that I can get and then stay healthy!

Goodnight dear friends.
Britt