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 My site with the local elder, my interpreter and myself. |
 One evening I had over 600 people in attendance. |
 When the youngster got tuckered out the just laid on the ground to sleep. |
 Corrugated metal provided makeshift housing. |
 It is not much but it is home. |
 The baptismal class started after a few days and grew. |
 10 children were dedicated on the last Sabbath morning. |
 As there were not enough gowns some were baptized in their regular clothes. |
 The afternoon was reserved for baptism. |
 Pastor Hesekiel and his wife will continue to work with new members and interests. |
 Rural members add gospel tracks to the produce the sell. |
 The Himbas are a nomadic matriarchal society. |
 Once almost exterminated the Hereros were the garb of early Lutheran Missionaries. |
Vast Expanse and Opportunities
December 16 2008 / ShareHim in Namibia, Nov. 7 - Nov. 22 '08 #339by Heinz A. Volk
Campaign Site Narrative from Golf, Oshakati in Namibia. The speaker assigned to this site was Heinz A. Volk.
The mission in Windhoek considered Ovanboland unentered territory, an area where evangelism had never been done before. No one was sure of the results. In fact, the local pastor suspected that responses would be few because of intimidation. If people were seen at the meetings, they and their families would be threatened with excommunication.
Yet Jesus had commanded us to go into all the world, and in faith we set up the site, not far from the Muslim mosque. Besides the local elder, my interpreter, who had been an Adventist for only a year, helped with the meetings. As they were held outdoors, people living in the surrounding houses could hear, and if interested, could come. The region had suffered disastrous flooding in April, with numerous casualties. One girl asked me to pray that God would help her do well in her examinations. She said she tried to study, but all she could think of is her little brother, who was among those who had drowned.
Many people had lost their homes and were living in make-shift housing made of corrugated metal. They were longing for a better home, and ready to listen to what God had in mind for them. A few days into the ShareHim series, the elder and my interpreter started a baptismal class. There also was a baby dedication, held on the last Sabbath.
As it was the dry season and all water had to be bought from Angola at great expense; three sites got together for the baptisms while 30 kms away two other sites joined for the rites. The few baptismal gowns were not enough for the 19 candidates at my site, so some were baptized in their regular clothes. All received a Bible for further study, in addition to their baptismal certificate.
The 41 new members, as well as those taking further studies to prepare for baptism, are now left in the care of the local elders and Pastor Hesekiel, whose territory spans 1,700 kms inhabited by people of different tribes and ethnic origins. Besides the original Ovambos, there are Angolan refugees, family oriented San, nomadic Himbas, and pastoral Hereros, a people who had been almost exterminated during the early days of European colonization. Yet despite different dialects and backgrounds, they are all our brothers and sisters, waiting to hear the Good News about their Father, who loves them and wants them to come home.
Yet Jesus had commanded us to go into all the world, and in faith we set up the site, not far from the Muslim mosque. Besides the local elder, my interpreter, who had been an Adventist for only a year, helped with the meetings. As they were held outdoors, people living in the surrounding houses could hear, and if interested, could come. The region had suffered disastrous flooding in April, with numerous casualties. One girl asked me to pray that God would help her do well in her examinations. She said she tried to study, but all she could think of is her little brother, who was among those who had drowned.
Many people had lost their homes and were living in make-shift housing made of corrugated metal. They were longing for a better home, and ready to listen to what God had in mind for them. A few days into the ShareHim series, the elder and my interpreter started a baptismal class. There also was a baby dedication, held on the last Sabbath.
As it was the dry season and all water had to be bought from Angola at great expense; three sites got together for the baptisms while 30 kms away two other sites joined for the rites. The few baptismal gowns were not enough for the 19 candidates at my site, so some were baptized in their regular clothes. All received a Bible for further study, in addition to their baptismal certificate.
The 41 new members, as well as those taking further studies to prepare for baptism, are now left in the care of the local elders and Pastor Hesekiel, whose territory spans 1,700 kms inhabited by people of different tribes and ethnic origins. Besides the original Ovambos, there are Angolan refugees, family oriented San, nomadic Himbas, and pastoral Hereros, a people who had been almost exterminated during the early days of European colonization. Yet despite different dialects and backgrounds, they are all our brothers and sisters, waiting to hear the Good News about their Father, who loves them and wants them to come home.