Namibia: Week 7

Being back in Swakopmund after six years reminded me just how much life I’ve lived since my last visit.  I love Swakop.  It’s the beachy part of Namibia that I know, filled with cutesy souvenir shops and colourful houses.  The Shaves and I spent a few days of escape there this weekend to play on the beach, take hundreds of photos of flamingos (well, a good 70/80!), wander about the shops, look at pink salt pans, play games and eat good food.  If you’re ever passing through Namibia (as ya do…), be sure to visit The Tug restaurant near Swakop’s jetty and also Anchors, a cafe in Walvis Bay.  Good meat and chocolate can be found in abundance.

I really don’t know how I will bear the parting from Namibian sunsets, I’m telling you… I was graced with a sunset from the top of a sand dune and two from the beach this weekend and I truly think I’ve discovered an earthly heaven.  Even as I write this, Caz has just called me outside of our house to look at another… and it’s blazing orange.  England, you’re lovely, but I’m sad to say you’ll never impress me with your sunsets in the same way again.  Africa is where it’s at.

Quality time was also spent with two particular girls this week: my Namibian-adopted little sister Emily, who traipsed many Swakop shops with me in search of cute gifts; took some lovely snaps on my camera; and strolled along the beach with me, talking about life and all its adventure.  She reminds me so much of my 13-year-old-self and is such a wonderfully compassionate girl with a big heart for other people.  She also really makes me giggle (and so does my adopted little brother, Nate).  Glad to have spent eight weeks experiencing what life might have looked like with a little sister!  I also got the chance to have coffee today with a gorgeous girl (inside and out) called Haley, who I think is basically an American version of myself.  We talked of our mutual love for ballet, love for God, confusion about life, and hearts for Africa (not necessarily in that order!)  I think meeting new people is a favourite pastime of mine.  Thanks for being a new friend to me, Haley!

beautiful Emily

I’m also speeding through a great book at the moment called ‘Out of the Black Shadows’ - an autobiography of a man, Stephen Lungu, who fell into deep trouble and despair as a young boy, became heavily involved in a violent gang as a teen, but speaks in his book of the way he ‘met God’ in the middle of all this, one night in Zimbabwe.  It totally changed him and within a day, his life became solely about telling others his story - of the day he discovered who Jesus was and the way he could change lives.  It’s one of those stories that is so shocking it takes your breath away… yet one that is hard to deny.  These are the kinds of books I want to read at the moment.  I’m gripped.

Thank you, by the way, to those who prayed for my strange aches and pains last Friday.  I chose to visit the doctors in the end, feeling slightly anxious as I searched for my travel insurance and remembering my hope that I would never have to dig out those papers!  Thankfully the doctor said it was merely a strange reaction to a Namibian bug, so I’m all recovered and back to normal after a little bit of rest.  I told Caz on Sunday that I was feeling “more better”, at which point she suggested that I’ve been living in Namibia too long!!

Also, after receiving some very kind donations from church friends at home, I finally ventured out to purchase a bulk-load of blankets today for a Red Cross appeal in Namibia.  The guy in the shop jokingly offered us as many blankets as we needed: “even a hundred”… Caz and I paused with a grin on our faces and said: “er… yes please!!!”  He was a very sweet guy, totally taken aback by our request but so willing to help us out. After stuffing 109 thick blankets into the car (see photo), we still have 20 more to buy!  The Red Cross team are so excited to have them and I’m so looking forward to dropping them off on Friday.

But of course, the big news of the week is that MY BEAUTIFUL MOMMA IS COMING OUT HERE TO NAM ON SUNDAY AND I’M GOING TO GIVE HER THE BIGGEST SQUEEZE EVER.  I fear the end of an 8-week separation is going to be rather too much to handle and that all the people heading to Windhoek Airport on Sunday should perhaps brace themselves.  Cannot wait to be reunited.

Here’s to my final week in Namibia.

Lots of love,

Charis

Swakopmund 2009

Swakopmund 2015