I’m currently sitting outside the Shaves’ house in a perfect temperature of Namibian warmth, reflecting on just how grateful I am to be here. I’m sure I’ll talk about this in my last ‘Namibia’ blog post at least, but I’m feeling so glad right now that I chose to take a gap year and had the chance to experience such a rich amount of life before I go to university.
It’s funny, Namibia continues to surprise me and teach me yet I feel so comfortable and used to being here now. It’s really lovely. With the plans and trips I have in place for the next few weeks, I know the rest of my time is going to fly by extremely fast. I feel like I’m trying to savour every moment I have left, even with four weeks still to go. I won’t dwell on it though as I genuinely want to cry a little just thinking about it... oh dear.
I have been enjoying the best of my day-to-day Namibian life this week. I just had pretty much the most amazing hair appointment ever, complete with head massages, a view over the Windhoek hillsides, a super helpful hairdresser and a killer new haircut which makes me feel awesome. Seriously Namibia, you’re not allowed to give me any more reasons to make me want to stay… okay?
Thursdays are my chill days; days when I can take time a good chunk of time out to read a bit of the bible and reflect on what it says. Caz joined me on my ‘Thursday chill’ this week and we ventured to Okapuka Lodge, just outside Windhoek. I came to Okapuka six years ago when we were here on holiday, so I remembered what a perfect place of escape it was. We even saw giraffe - yay! Caz and I sat in the car for a good 20 minutes watching them and I can say that they really are such beautiful and unusual animals. Those three hours in Okapuka were well spent watching warthogs wander about the grounds of the lodge (they're so cool), reading the bible and chatting about lots of faith questions with Caz. Definitely bringing my Momma here when she comes to visit in three weeks!
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| Okapuka Lodge |
We went to a big tourist exhibition in Windhoek on Friday; it’s quite a major event that most in the city seem to attend at some point in the week, so much so that the city just seemed empty that evening. The Shaves go every year and they totally love it - loads of freebies, food, drink and competitions… they’d be walking around and constantly saying “ooh is this another competition? Let’s enter…” - haha. While we’re on the subject, please vote for Emily’s photo here!
She’d love you forever..!
On Friday evening I joined Emily at her church youth group called ‘YWAP’. One of my favourite things about this trip is being able to meet loads of young adults and chat to them about their lives… at events like YWAP, I hear so many encouraging stories from people about what they've experienced throughout their lives as Christians and I absolutely love that. The church even have a group of teens from Texas joining them this week to get involved in various things and I’m really hoping to get to spend some more time with them if possible. The opportunity I'm having to meet so many young Christians from across the world, hear that they experience such similar things to me and realise that I’m actually pretty normal is really, really cool.
This week was also the first Saturday where we didn’t really have anything going on, so we made the most of the freedom and, courtesy of Mr Geoff Shave, ate pancakes for breakfast and a cooked breakfast for lunch! Oh yes. After a worship band rehearsal in the afternoon, Caz and I had just enough time to leg-it (well, drive-it) to the top of one of the hills in Windhoek, where there’s a lovely restaurant with blankets for the chilled Namibian evenings. The Shaves and I spent a little bit of down-time there watching the sun go down over the city and chatting about life together. It was quite breath-taking. Saturday was also fab as I got to hear a little from my boyfriend, Alex, who just moved to Virginia for 9 weeks to help lead one of the summer camps. He has zero wifi at the camp but of course managed to find a Starbucks (classic America) and at least type something to me through Skype!
I can also announce to you all that finally, five weeks in, I had the guts and determination to get my running gear on and actually attempt some exercise. Hear the trumpets sound!! I found out Mum’s been running at least 3 times a week back home and I’m not going to lie to you all and say that it didn’t encourage me, even just a little bit, to get out and run too. There’s a school opposite the Shaves’ which is great for doing laps (about 1km round). Granted, I only circled the school twice yesterday… and perhaps only half of that was running… but at least I made it out of the house with those running shoes on! This is progress! I blame the altitude. ..
Caz is also helping me with learning to play guitar, as I’d love to get to the point where I could lead worship at church with a guitar as well as sing. It’s embarrassing how weak my fingertips have gotten though; it’s been far too long since I’ve played my poor violin. This trip is certainly a personal development in all areas, I’m telling you!
I’m heading out on another few days of retreat next week with some of the university students from UNAM and Poly. It means I probably won’t blog until next Thursday (kinda surprised I’ve managed to keep to the schedule this far anyway!) Please be thinking and again, praying if you’re someone who prays, that this would be another great time of learning and transformation for me (if I can possibly ask for any more!)
Until next week…
Lots of love,
Charis
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| CCC Namibia Staff Retreat last week! |
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| Leading worship with Caz and the band |
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| Hanging out with Emily & Nate at EXPO |
Exercise is bad for you. I ran once, next day I was stuck to the toilet in the humanities library (oh the humanity jokes unappreciated) due to leg cramps. Totally against this running lark.
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