Farewell visiting and good works

I am spending a few days in Okahandja which
is on my way to the capital and which will
eventually lead me to home.
I am visiting with the home stay family that I lived
with when I first arrived in Namibia back in February
2009.
When we are trainees we stay with a family
which can last anywhere between 8 to 10 weeks.
I have stayed in touch with the family over the years
and have visited with them several times. I was
invited to the baptism of a baby girl from one of the
family members. I will post info on that a little later.

 The main topic of this post is shown in the
picture posted above.
In the photo is Tony and he is sitting within his
restaurant right here in Okahandja. It is called
the Garden Cafe and I first went there in February
2011. At that time I was spending a week at the
training of a new group of volunteers. I heard about
the cafe and since then, every time I am in town, it
is a must stop ... daily.
The cafe was opened and managed by Tony and
his wife Catherine. They opened it in November
2010 and have seen it grow and prosper ever since.
The cafe is more than just a cafe and it is actually
the foundation of what would best be described in
the USA as an ... 'inner city project'.
The project is religious based and I am not going
to write on that aspect but instead, I will focus on the
developmental side of it.
The project that Tony and Catherine are offering is
one that which takes youth between ages of 19 to 29
and gives them training and skill to become workers
within the restaurant/lodge industry.
Here in the cities of Namibia it is very difficult for
the youth to find a job and let alone get any work
experience to be able to develop any form of CV
(resume). It is the proverbial catch 22 and a huge
challenge for the youth.
 
The course is a 12 weeks course and it consists
of improving English, mathematics, hospitality,
cooking and basic restaurant management plus
some time for the bible and character building.
Also upon completion they have a chance to
work in the restaurant and build up the CV a bit.
It has been an overwhelming success with three
groups completing the course and another one
soon to finish. As of now of the 34 youth that
have enrolled in the program only 1 had dropped
out. The one had to drop out as a result of a life
situation and not because of a lack on interest.
The number of participants is limited to a maximum
of 10 per course, more or less and this insures a
quality learning experience. Tony and Catherine
say that they prefer to have their program
emphasize quality over quantity.
With the struggle of finding employment and
in essence, a path in life, some of those that have
completed the course have mentioned that before
they joined that they were contemplating suicide
due to frustration and despair.

The news of their course has reached the
capital and a few of those whom participated
have gotten jobs in lodges. Also, the reputation
of their project is expanding and many businesses
are inquiring and are ready to accept any of
the youth, virtually sight unseen. An incredible
compliment for their program.

It is funny how we meet people. They are from the
mid-west of the USA and if they weren't here and
of course, I wasn't here, we never would have met.
We both have the same goal of helping and it is
refreshing to meet people who are concerned
about the youth of Namibia.

I only will put my reputation on the line for people
or projects that I feel are good, run well and have
the honest goal of helping. Well, this is one of those
projects.

They do have a blog address and I encourage
anyone to 'Click Here' if you'd like to visit it.
It is religious based but there is some contact info
if anyone is interested or have inquiries.

It has been a great honor for me to have met
Tony and Catherine.

It is a good feeling to see people such as these
doing the good work they do, selflessly.

Out of the village

The time came to depart the village after three
years. It was rise at 5 then sitting with Bob the
Romanian guy to drink a cup of tea and
reminisce.

Then at 6:30 a.m. I left Bob's mission
(in the picture, window of left was my room)
to walk the one and a half kilometers to the
road to catch a hike out.
Bob walked along and after about an hour
a person stopped and I hopped on.
At that moment, all references to the village
was spoken in the past tense.

I have to say that out of the four tours I have
had in different countries, this one was the
most challenging. It was challenging for many
reasons and for that, I am happy. I was in a place
that had needs.

The main reasons were HIV/AIDS and the issue
was that many people didn't seem to take it seriously
despite the fact that they've seen people living
with it, dying from it and still, they contract HIV.
The frustrating part was they knew everything
about prevention but just ignored it especially
if alcohol was involved.

Which leads into reason two ... degree of alcohol
abuse. So much so as to the point where people
would buy it over making the choice of purchasing
food. Some wouldn't eat for days, just drink.
Another critical issue was the change in life style
of the San from traditional hunter gatherers. The
situation is so similar to that of the native Americans
over a 125 or so years ago. It has resulted in a
social crisis, especially between their generations.

I am not fooled to think that I saved the world
while I was there and I know ... they were
surviving before I arrived and will continue after
my departure.

I have found that it is about moments in time. It
is about living those moments, realizing and
enjoying that which is all fleeting. It is about doing
one's best, never giving up and caring for the people.
I feel that I have left it all on the field, so to speak, in
that village.

A few people said some nice words before I left
and I was totally surprised of what they spoke.
One said, that it wasn't only the physical or
financial help that he felt was important but the
ideas that I gave to help make his people better.
Another who was a soldier during the time the
South African Defense Force used the village as
a military base. He said that during that time there
were apartheid treatment and segregation in
the living areas. The black Africans in one
location and the whites in another.
Through that experience and since, he never
thought that he would see a white person ever
take time for black people. He said that I was
the first white that he'd seen go over to a black
person's house to sit, talk and socialize. He
stated that I changed his mind concerning white
people.

I was really surprised with these statements.
Always wondered if anything would come out
of my time here. I am blessed to have heard
these words. I have a kind of a going out on
top feeling to take with me.

So, as that moment in time has receded in the
rear view mirror, my thoughts are that of
gratitude to have even had the opportunity
to experience it at all.

Now, it is off to Okahandja.

Hasha ira mbadiko

What that means is ... 'better than nothing' in
the Thimbukushu language.

The village is majority San (Khwe) but there
are also quite a few Mbukushu people and
of course, Thimbukushu is their language.
I used the Thimbukushu language because
I know how to say ... better than nothing ... in
that language. The Khwe language (Khwedam)
I am not too sure of. I asked and they told me,
I have forgotten but if I use my word for word
translating English to Khwedam then it would
come out something like hasha (the Khwe use
the same word as the Mbukushu) ghambe hru.
The hru (don't know if it's spelled right) is
pronounced like who but with a small rolling 'r'.
But to translate it direct hasha ghambe hru then
it means better nothing thing.

Ok, all that jive about language but the real point
is in the picture above, a one-third
finished traditional San/Bushman hut.
David the cultural group leader and his brother
Paulus whose real last name is 'Rambo' (really),
worked hard to just get it to that point with the
limited time they had.

So here's how I see the construction:
First, they dig holes around a predetermined
circle to anchor the poles in the ground. Also,
it gives a foundation as later they will have to
bend the poles and they need the resisting force
to keep it from moving.
Then they tie two poles together from opposite
sides after they have been bent to the desired
shape and height.
Then, they tie thinner more flexible poles around
like you see on the outside but also on the
inside so when they put the grass on it won't
fall in.
Then they add a few more layers and the top
is grass that is centered then bent over where
the ends are on either side so the water won't
leak in.
David also said that at night they make a little
fire in the center and with the heat that the
house retains, the people can sleep inside even
on the cold nights, without a blanket.

Despite the fact that the hut wasn't finished by the
time I left, I am totally happy to be able to see even
that. I have to thank my time in the Peace Corps
for teaching me to accept things the way they are
much better. It taught me to not stress about those
little things and not to get attached to the idea
that the hut had to be finished .

As you can see the blogging has been a bit fast and
furious the last few days and that's only because
all these things are happening all at once. But it
should slow down as the last few days are just going
to be reflecting and preparing to depart.

Despidida - bush style

Despidida is a Spanish word and it means
a going away party / present.
That's what happened the other night, in fact,
it was a surprise despidida.

As mentioned in some of the recent blog posts,
we were trying to get the djwara project finished
but it just didn't work out.

There was a flurry of situations in the village that
took David's (cultural group leader) time. But he
did make a great effort and in the next blog post
I will show you a picture of a one-third finished
traditional hut.

The other night David called and told me to go to
the djwara and bring my camera. I figured that
maybe there was some progress on the traditional
hut because that was the last thing we needed to
do and which I wanted to see. I thought that maybe
it would be my last chance to see one in person.
When I got to the djwara I could see that something
was up and found out that in fact it was a despidida
for me.

I really don't like despididas and really prefer to walk
out quietly with my thoughts. But this time I had no
choice and I am glad that I didn't
As you can see in the picture, the kids danced in
the night the traditional way with the two fires.
It was truly a night to remember. The kids danced
especially motivated and energetic and in fact, it
was the best that I've seen them.
The drums were beating, the kids were singing and
dancing and the place under the dancing tree was
aglow with the light of the two fires.

This time, I have no words that I can use to describe
exactly what it was like.

I am so grateful to have been able to experience a
pretty close to the 'Old Way' traditional night of the San
(Khwe) people.

I usually don't get this way but it was a bit emotional.
The project of the San cultural group has been one
of my favorites. No matter how the kids in the group
end up, either good or bad, all we can truly say is that
... we tried. Leaving that project behind will just make
me wonder if we've done anything good.

But, as all things must end, and this one ended in a
way that I can probably describe as magical. To be
able to see something resembling what the Khwe
had practiced for thousands of years, how can it
get better?

It was a farewell party but to me it really was ...
a present that I will never forget.

A taste of the Old Way

In the Old Way of the San/Bushman (Khwe)
people, at night the kids would sit around the
fire while the elders passed out the societal
wisdom.
The elders would pass the information out in
the form of stories.
In the picture you can see such en event. The
other night we went to the almost completed
djwara and just kind of hung out.
They started a fire as the night was cool
seeing as the southern hemisphere is entering
it's winter time.
I am not sure what they were talking about but
I think that they were passing out some wisdom
as to the benefits of staying in school and
studying seriously.
Despite the fact that I've been here three years
there are still activities like this that are a first
time see.
This type of passing of knowledge doesn't happen
anymore in the 'New Way' and I am kind of lucky
to have seen an example of it. Maybe it isn't as
authentic as it used to be because the people
would be wearing skins and the such.
But it is ok, I am still tickled to have at least seen
a facsimile.
This life living in places such as here just gives one
the opportunity to see and experience things like
this first hand.
It's just amazing to be able to.

The last run

In the picture you can see Bob the Romanian
guy finishing today's run.
I have been running at the village's old runway
for about a year and a half just to stay fit.
(The village used to be an old South African
Defense Force Base and that's why there is
the runway.)
A few weeks ago Bob decided to start running
with me so he could also stay fit.
So, as my time here is coming to an end
activities like this are also having their last hurrah,
so to speak, and today was the last run.

As I was running I was thinking of how life just
sometimes has a path for us.
I believe I've written about this in a prior blog post
but I am going to write about it again here.
Before I arrived in Namibia I spent two and a half
years in Romania. There is a link on the right hand
side of this page to the blog I wrote when I was
there.
Upon leaving Romania in December 2008 and
while in the airport in Bucharest with another volunteer
named John, we both agreed that it was probably
going to be the last time we will ever speak a word
of Romanian.
Fast forward to August 2009 and while living 70
kilometers out in the bush of Namibia, a pair of
white guys show up in the village. The crazy thing is,
that it was Bob and another guy and guess where
they were from, yup, Romania.
It's just difficult to understand how this could be. I am
probably the only American in the area that can speak
Romanian and here they come.
I have to say that during the three or so years that my
Romanian has improved greatly as I have always
spoken to Bob in Romanian and he has spoken
English to me.
So I am wondering that when I told Bob that as I am
returning to the States and that I will probably never
speak another word of Romanian again, if it would
be true. But as experience has taught me in Bucharest
in '09', who ta hell knows?
But also, it has been a great time working with Bob
over these last three years. I was there when they
started their mission in a building that had been
abandoned for over 20 years. I saw the resurgence
from the ashes just like the Phoenix. I also helped
him as much as I could and felt that by helping people
who are helping other people, then I am helping
development of the village.
It has been an honor to be able to have worked with
Bob and there is the memory of that special certain
time of seeing progress go forth throughout the village.
As I am leaving all I can do is wish Bob and his
mission all the luck in the world as they continue to
help the people in the village.

Djwara update

The djwara project continues and today we
finished the platform which you can see in
the picture.
David the cultural group's leader is in the
forefront with Mavandje (one of the girls
from the group) in the back with the pink
shirt cooking on the fire.
The platform isn't exactly authentic and that
is regarding the height. The one in our djwara
is about 6ft of 2 meters. Normally it would be
something like 3 meters.
The platform's purpose was to store food/meat
and when the young members of the San/Bushman
group would go out to hunt or gather, they would
put the elders on top.
The reason for the elders staying on the platform
was for protection against hyenas or lions. From
the platform they had an advantage as the could
thrust downwards with their spears to ward off
the attackers.
We still have the house to build and hopefully
tomorrow we will be able to complete it.
The djwara is starting to come together and is
really looking good. With that house it should be
just about complete.
Then I think it is the going away get together. Only
a few days left.

It's the little things

That seem to pop up kind of frequently that just
make being in these villages and living within
different cultures, interesting.

Today when we were working on the djwara
project I saw a few of the young girls fastening
a few vines together then all of a sudden, they
are jumping rope (or vine).

I just enjoy seeing these little innovative things. No
need to spend amounts of money to have fun, just
got to think a bit.

the vine (above)
after stripping leaves and fastening several together ....
the girls are jumping vine (below).

Djwara progress

The time is really winding down now. There is just
about a week left.

The only activity left to do is finish the djwara/cultural
center project. It doesn't look like it will actually be totally
finish as I mentioned in the last blog post.
But it will be finished enough for me and I will leave
content.

As you can see in the picture, the fence of poles are
almost all installed. In the back there is a section that
needs to be completed but all the poles are there and
it is a matter of just planting them.

Today is Friday and it is the last weekend for me in the
village so ... if anything is going to happen on the
djwara it will happen this weekend.

The big hope that I have is that tomorrow we will be able
to construct one of the traditional huts. So, I guess
'we'll see' is the mantra for that hope-wish.

There have been some pretty good changes going on
in the village over the last few months. One big one
is that they installed two 10,000 liter water tanks for
the school. The school had been struggling for a
decent water supply for years. It took a demonstration
from the students to get it fixed.
It was really a combination of efforts by the school's
assistant principal and the students that got it the
attention it needed to get action.
But it was David, the leader of the San Cultural
Group who talked to the students and told them, that
if they wanted to get something done then they
had to get active, to light the spark. It worked and
the students refused to go to classes for 3 days,
threatened to contact the TV station and the newspaper.
It got it going, miraculously it got priority from those
responsible .

With a week left I am feeling pretty good about the
village and I am very optimistic about it's future. There
seems to be more people discussing the issues
concerning the development of their part of the
world.

It is a gift to see this, I can leave feeling good
about the future of the friends I will leave behind.

A couple weeks left

There is more or less two more weeks left for me
here in the village. It really has been busy and at
least the people are taking advantage of my help
before it is too late.
In the picture you can see the djwara project and
it looks like it's not going to be finished before I
go. But I think that we will be able to build a hut
in the traditional style though. That is programmed
for next Saturday and with fingers crossed ...
Also in the picture you can see the dancing tree.
I guess I don't have to explain that the tree
doesn't dance but that is where the kids do their
practices and performances for the village.
I do have to say that when you are under that tree
it just feels like it has some special energy.

Also, with two weeks left there is still real life that
goes on. This morning we attended a burial for
a girl named Atalia. She was in one of my first
blog articles way back in May 2009. If you click
here it will bring to the page and in the photo with
the four girls in it, she is the one on the left in the
back.
HIV is never very far away here and she passed as
a result. During my time here I've worked side by
side with a few people at the clinic that have HIV
but it took over two and a half years to find out.
They are taking their ARVs and I never knew a
thing.
Well there are those that take it and those that
don't seem to understand, I guess. Atalia was
one that took ARVs then stopped for no particular
reason. Then she became pregnant and then
started taking them again as part of the PCMT
or prevention of mother to child transmission.
She had a miscarriage and then stopped taking
them again. Then after a while she got pregnant
again and the same thing happened.
About a month ago she comes into the clinic and
looks totally terrible and it was too late at that time.
She weighed about 100lbs when healthy but
weighed a little over 60 at the end.
Just wonder what was in her mind about the ARVs.
Did she really want to live with HIV or ... She had
all the info about it and ignorance wasn't a factor.

It is what happens out in villages. It does
kind of take the luster off the ending of my Peace
Corps tour. But it is the reality and she's not the
first to have passed as a result of HIV since I've
been here. It just seems that many of the people
just decide to stop taking the ARVs.
I am hoping that some of her friends have learned
something so that she didn't die without  leaving
something that could maybe save others.

Sometimes this is the reality of life in the Peace Corps.