Back from Namibia…Headed to the U.S.!
I’m back in Botswana after nearly a month in Namibia…but not for long! I will be heading to the U.S. for three weeks leaving next Thursday the 22nd! I was invited by E.J., YFC Botswana’s National Director, to attend YFC International’s General Assembly conference in Denver the last week of September. It will be a meeting of all the National Directors and key staff from each country of YFC around the world. I’m really looking forward to learning a lot, being challenged, and deepening my own walk with Christ at this multicultural gathering that happens every 3 years.
While in the States, I am going to stop by Minnesota for about 10 days (Saturday October 1- Monday October 10) in order to get my jaw checked out at the specialist again and to get my jaw appliance repaired, staying long enough for a follow-up a week after the appointment on the 3rd. [My jaw appliance started breaking earlier this year, and my jaw is still a bit out of line as a residual from the first accident]. So…I’m excited to see friends, family, and familiar places in Minnesota. I’ll be attending Messiah Church in Highland Park those Sundays so I look forward to seeing some of you there! For now, I don’t have anything else planned besides the doctor appointments. If you’d like to meet up, let me know and we’ll try to schedule something.
On October 10, I’ll fly to Michigan on the way back through to Botswana. It worked out that it was actually cheaper to add that extra leg to Michigan than to fly straight back to Botswana from Minnesota! So I’ll be in Michigan essentially just October 11 and 12, flying to Botswana on the 13th. We are working on plans now for either an open house at my home or I may speak at a church. I’ll let you know the details once we’ve got it sorted out.
Now I’ll backtrack and share some of the stories from my time in Namibia:
Leadership Camp for 52 Teens!
As part of the YFC staff training in Namibia, we were split into two staff teams who facilitated two simultaneous 3-day camps of teens at the YFC camp there. The 52 Namibian students in our leadership camp were organized through the government, whereas the other group of campers was a church youth group. It was an intercultural experience, with our diverse team of staff hailing from Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the U.S.
The second night, the YFC Namibia leaders were away so we had full responsibility to run the camp. They requested that one of us lead a Powerpoint presentation on Leadership as a Calling. The others in my staff team nominated me to do it, and it ended up being a natural opportunity to share my own calling story with the teens. I shared how God called people in the Bible, such as Abraham, Moses, and Paul. I asked if they thought God still calls people today? Then I shared my own story of how I sensed God calling me to leadership in Botswana. While many of the students were not Christians, they seemed open and interested to hear my story. I also shared how those called to leadership will likely face challenges and obstacles, but that leaders overcome and don’t give up. I shared about my two rollover accidents and my dad’s unexpected death, but how, by God’s grace, I’m still leading where I know I’m called to be—Botswana.
A few students gave me handwritten notes in response. Here’s an excerpt from a young man in another team than mine:
Dear Emily, I just want to thank you for what you have taught us…You have taught me that no matter what happens, God is always there for us and that He loves us very much. Thank you!!
Here’s an excerpt from a young lady from another team:
Dear Emily,
Emily I want to tell you how much you impacted me and I think God for that…I am very happy that you have came and taught me and tells us of being a leader and I know I can be a leader one day. I have realized that I can be a better person. And I know that I can perform better in my school work and behave well where ever I go.
Here’s an excerpt from a young lady in my team:
Dear Em, I just have some very confirming words to say to you. You are just like a mother to me. Whenever I want to be sad I just think about your words that you told me.…Wherever I go and whenever I am sad, I will just think about your words.
It's amazing to me how just sharing your story of how God has worked in your life can have such a positive impact on someone else.
In small group and one-on-one discussions with these teens, it was evident how much they were thirsting for love and affirmation, as many of them do not receive it from their parents (if they still have parents). The last morning, the YFC Namibia National Director felt we should scrap the scheduled plan for a bit and just offer to hug and speak affirming words over any of them who feel they need that. It was a beautiful time as teen boys and girls came forward and embraced us, many of them breaking into tears as we spoke affirming, encouraging things into their ears (i.e. “You are so valuable”; “God has good plans for you”).
Fire at the YFC retreat center—snuffed out!
A night or two after the campers left, the camp manager at the YFC retreat center where we were training was walking the long walk (perhaps half mile) back from locking the gate at the exterior of the camp. For some reason, he turned and looked back down the driveway, only to see flames illuminating the dark sky back near the gate. Namibia is a desert country with a lot of dry brush and grasses. To illustrate, the “river” down the road from the camp is completely dry. I ran there often and walked across the river on dry ground (almost like Joshua and the Israelites in the Bible crossing the Jordan, except for the detail that God didn’t need to part the water!). All that to say, it’s a dry area. Fire in the bush grasses spreads quickly and dangerously. Thus when the camp manager saw the fire, he was rightly alarmed and alerted others back at camp.
The fire alarm sounded quickly afterward and those in the camp drove up there with all the fire extinguishers from the camp we could find. In just a matter of minutes, the fire was put out! An area about 30 feet by 20 feet was blackened and burnt, but that was all. Literally just inches away were trees. The potential was very real for a raging wildfire that could’ve consumed acres of the camp. BUT, the camp director had looked back just in time. Based on the footprints in the sand, we can see that it was not just a random fire, but in fact, someone had deliberately set fire to the property. We are thankful to God that his/her destructive plan was foiled…“snuffed out” in infancy.
Back in Botswana – reuniting with youth!
My first day back at the Junior Secondary School where I help with the Scripture Union club, I was welcomed back by one of the young girls screaming “EMILY!!!!” and running from 20 feet away to hug me! It’s nice to be back! On my first run back in Mochudi, I had my posse of 8 kids emerge from their yard shouting “EMILY!” and high-fiving me as we started running together down the dirt paths. Two of the older boys wanted to race and gave me quite a workout, but eventually the one was like, “Emily, you are running too fast!” as he stopped and turned back for home.
And Tuesday I experienced one of those moments where the verse about how God orders our steps makes more sense. I drove to the Main Mall in Gaborone to pick up packages from the post office. I parked, and who should be sitting in the car next to me, but the student I mentioned a few posts ago whose father passed away recently! Remember I’d shared the encouraging text message that she had sent soon after his death? She moved from Gaborone several months ago to attend school in a village maybe 30 minutes away, and I haven’t seen her since. We had just been keeping in touch via phone. I’d messaged her right before Namibia, but hadn’t heard from her since.
When we reunited yesterday, she told me that she’d lost her phone and therefore didn’t have my number anymore. So we were especially grateful to have crossed paths, since I was able to give her my number so we can keep in contact. How cool is that?!! I was just there for a 5 minute errand, and yet of all places to park there (out of TONS of spaces), I parked next to where she happened to be sitting and waiting in a car…far from where she now lives and attends school! God is good!
It’s been a blessing also to have one-on-one meetings again with each of the three young women I’m mentoring– Tumelo, Slim, and a University of Botswana (UB) student who I started mentoring in May. She was actually promoted a couple months ago to the chairperson of the Face the Nation Club at UB (Face the Nation is the AIDS prevention program of my church with whom YFC works closely together).
Concert at University of Botswana this Friday night!
Tomorrow night, the Face the Nation Club is holding a Christian concert event at UB with many artists, dancers, drama teams, poets, etc. I am also on the program to sing two of my songs. It was just thought to be a small event with a few artists in a small amphitheatre, but it has grown into a large event, with many artists, in the large amphitheatre, advertised on the national radio and I heard that the national TV station might also be there or advertise it! We are praying that this has a big impact on the campus, and even those who attend from off-campus. Prayers are especially appreciated for all of us who are performing, and for all those in attendance to experience the presence of God. Just a couple weeks ago, that same amphitheatre was the site of a massive party that turned violently out of control; we are praying that this concert called “Radically Different” will set a new trend and direction for UB. Last night and this morning I’ve developed a bit of a sore throat, so prayers are welcome that I can still sing well tomorrow night!
Thanks for your continued interest and prayers.
Blessings,
Em
P.S. I'll also add pictures from Namibia into my last post (I wasn't able to upload them while in Namibia)
