DTS Outreach - Windhoek

So we have finally arrived here in Windhoek, Namibia. Our trip up here has been blessed and we had no problems, we could even cross the border without any problems in a record time (according to African standards). Well because of a delay at the office of Home Affairs here in Namibia, we couldn't get Charles' visa on time. So it was a difficult desicion to make, but I left him and Mario in South Africa while the rest of us came to Windhoek as our ministry responisiblities required it of us. No don't worry I didn't leave them there, after 3 days they got the visa and joined us. What a happy feeling it was to see them get of that bus.

We are currently in Windhoek working with Beautiful Gate, a ministry that workls with AIDS orphans. We are running adventure camps for them. We will do 3 camps in one week. Hectic, but fun. We already did the first camp, and somehow survived. The camps are really busy because that is the only way too keep the kids out of trouble. Every single minute is filled. There are about 40 kids on each camp and we divide them into 4 families. So they are the kids we are the parents of the family. We have to take care of them for the whole time, even go and sleep in their dormitories when they are here. Throughout the morning and in the afternoon we do a lot of adventure games with them. Swinging from ropes, climbing on and over poles. Of course each game has a valuable life lesson they can take with them on their journey in life. We also have worship and teaching times . We sit in our families and have our meals. If they have torn clothes we give them new ones. If they don't have blankets we give them some. We want to create a "family atmosphere" for them. It's really hard work to be parents of 8 - 10 kids. Always keeping an eye on all of them. Making sure they go to the toilet, taking showers, drinking enough water, don't fight with each other. But at the end of the day as we go dead tired to bed, we all go with a satisfied heart.

We will do 2 more camps for ages 11-13 and then 14-17. Next Monday we will go to Ongwediva for our next outreach stop.

Oh and yesterday , Tim, Per and Martine went hiking in the mountains here on the base and as they were walking Tim stepped on a snake but apparently as he step he also jumped (I wish I could have seen that) God was really good to us because as we told some of the staff at the base what has happened they told us that from our description of the snake it must have been a black mamba - only one of the most poisoness snakes in Africa....