May 22-May 25 in Swakopmund, Namibia open house

On Thursday, May 22nd, we boarded a flight to Windhoek, Namibia. We had been invited to attend an open house of a new Church meetinghouse. We arrived, rented a car at the airport and then headed for Swakopmund. We did this because Sean said driving would let us see the country and there were many interesting things to see along the way. The drive took four hours and the landscape was like Arizona...no houses...no service stations...no people...all the way, just some mountains with desert landscape and lots of dirt and bushes. There were some game reserves, but nothing to see that we hadn't seen over and over again in Arizona. We realized that because it is so different than the Johannesburg area that Sean probably really does enjoy driving through the desert, because it has a certain beauty to it. It actually was an easy drive, but only two lanes, so lots of trucks to pass.



We arrived after dark, which we were trying to avoid, but luckily the hotel we chose was on the main street coming into town and we just stayed on it until we got to the hotel, which was right before the beach. Swakopmund is a town first settled by Germans. Apparently Germany ruled there for many years until they finally just gave the land back to the people because it was too much trouble. The German influence is everywhere you look. The hotel we stayed in was called "Zum Kaiser" and the lobby had a large painting of a German guy in uniform (Zum Kaiser, I presume).

We got settled into the hotel, which was quaint, but nice, and then we headed to the restaurant for dinner where another painting of Zum Kaiser was hanging over a fireplace. We were the only ones in the restaurant when we arrived, so we didn't know what to expect, but the food was delicious! We talked about our schedule of events and what we needed to do. We had an extra day scheduled so we could see something of the area (maybe ride a camel on the sand dunes), so we discussed what we might do.


The next morning we slept in a little and it was cloudy and a bit chilly, so we decided to fore go the ocean until the weather got a little nicer. We could see the ocean from the window in our room, but it was too foggy to see much. We needed to go and prepay the caterer for the dinner after the open house, so we decided to head over toward the church building. Our GPS did not say anything but Swakopmund, but we figured it much be the church, because supposedly all  church buildings in Africa were downloaded onto our GPS.


The problem is that we were looking for a church building and this place was a small office complex. We drove around a little before we saw signs that directed us to it. We got a phone call that we needed to go to Tina's bed and breakfast and pay for the food. It was not far away, but hard to find, so it took us a little while. Elder Kyle finally paid for the food and we headed back to the 'church' to see if there was anything we could do to help.

Branch President Noble

These members were not even a Branch. They were called a Group, but the leader of the group, Hans Noble was a devoted Latter-day Saint. They had been meeting for years in his home until finally the Church rented this office space for them to use. It was a fairly new building, so the office space was very nice and they turned these offices into a really nice Church meetinghouse. There was a little kitchen, rooms for each auxiliary, a large room for Sacrament meeting that had the usual set up for a chapel. We brought them some posters with bullet points for the various areas (Relief Society, Primary, Young Men/Young Women, Sunday School, etc.). We asked what they needed us to help with but most of them had already done a great job of setting everything up.

President Noble's sweet daughter

The Group consisted of mainly three active families and we could not believe how much they had accomplished when they had to do everything themselves. Brother Noble told us how one day his family arrived for church and they were the only ones there at starting time. He prepared and blessed the sacrament and his son passed it. It was fast and testimony meeting. His family consists of five children, so he and his wife and children sat there wondering what to do. He has an 11-year old girl who has down syndrome. She got up and went to the podium and began to jabber and make hand movements to express herself. She cannot speak very well. When she finished and sat down, the other children got up to bear their testimonies and then Mom and dad bore theirs. A few more people arrived late, but everyone there bore their testimonies and it took up the whole time with no gaps in between. Later they remarked that it was a miracle, because there was a lot of time to use up.

We did all that we could to help. Everything was set up so nicely, with materials about the church and posters on the wall. One of the sisters wanted a food storage set up in the RS room, but I told her we could work on that the next morning and we then agreed to come back early the next day to finish up everything.









We went back to the hotel... and the restaurant there. This time they had a fire burning in the fireplace. It was very cozy and once again the food was delicious!

The next day, we joined the same people at the meetinghouse, busily finishing their setups for each room. We found ourselves going to the grocery store a couple of times to get things they needed.




There were a lot of children moving about having a great time. None of them complained that they had to be there all day. We got some balloons and they occupied themselves for quite awhile playing with the balloons. These children were so beautiful and sweet. Watching them play and run around the building was very entertaining.

Mission president's wife helping them use digital piano

They had the digital pianos in several of the rooms, but confessed that they really didn't know how to use them to play hymns or primary music. Because I had some experience with one at my ward in Texas, I sat down and tried to figure it out. About this time, Sister Wilson, the mission president's wife came and between her and I we figured out how to play the songs they wanted to play. This sister was so excited.






We met some really nice people. I loved all the families that helped put on this open house. The fact that they cared so much was very inspiring to me. They have been faithful members for so long and don't even have Branch status yet. I am sure with all their faith, it will come. In the meantime they are heroes to us. I loved the primary president and her children. Her husband told me about how they met and it was a great story. She is the beautiful lady in the photo on the right.




The other sister that worked so hard with her family to set up for the open house was also great. She was so excited that her neighbor was going to come to the open house. She kept waiting for her to come and told me all about her. I could tell that she thought this open house might be the way to get her friend into the church. It was very sweet.

Me with two sweet girls of very faithful members

I had fun getting to know the children. These two beautiful girls were my buddies. I know they don't look happy, but they were shy and their mom insisted we take the photo. They sang primary songs to me and their brothers sang songs they learned at school that were hilarious. What a fun bunch.










The last time we went to the store, I purchased some things for the food storage set up to make these girls mother happy and I set it up in the Relief Society Room. Finally it was time for the open house and the people started coming.









We had put the cookies out for the refreshments while people came through the open house and the children of the members were eating them quickly. There were a lot of cookies, but they disappeared fast. Every child I saw had several cookies in their hands...a sugar high for sure.

Classes given to visitors by members of branch

Although it wasn't a huge crowd, it was steady and plenty of people came through, but the best turnout was the dinner after.  Several Opinion leaders were there and impressed by the tour.














We were so grateful to spend the day with these wonderful people. By the end, we felt we had made some good friends. It is a very sweet 'group'.








Then the food started coming from the caterer and I was shocked at how much food there was. Brother Noble said he told her 30 people, but it seemed like so much more. The price charged was about right for 30 people and the variety of food she brought, but there was so much! Afterwards he spoke to the caterer and she said she made food for 100 people! Brother Noble said he had somewhere he could take the food to donate it...someone ate great that night, because it was really good.


We offered to help Brother Noble explain the Church (kind of what usually goes on at a dinner like this), but he said he had it covered and he pretty much did it all with just a little help from the Mission President. They showed the Introduction to Mormons DVD and it is a very good way to introduce people to the Church. President Wilson spoke and did a good job. Everyone seemed to have a good time. We gave them Tabernacle Choir Cd's at the end and everyone left happy.

Just another day in Swakopmund

We went back to our hotel room tired but satisfied that the event was a success. From the window in our hotel room, we could see the school across the street, so I took these photos of the children getting out of school and either being picked up, walking or waiting for transportation to their homes.They all seemed happy and ready to go home and have some fun.

Drive on highways, dip in ocean or rent a camel!

This area was full of contrasts. Where the hotel was seemed like a tropical, ocean setting with lots of palm trees and the cute little city by the sea.

But, five minutes away you could find a camel for hire in a desert setting.

Swakopmund, Namibia

The buildings were very German and made you feel like you had been transported to some quaint European town. The city was very clean and cute. Shops lined the street the hotel was on, sporting all the latest fashions and chic stores, but mixed in were the Shop rites and other discount stores. There were many historic building all in very good shape. It was obvious that the people who live here care about their city. It would not even have seemed we were in Namibia, Africa if not for the people.



On Sunday, we attended Church at this office building meetinghouse and felt like we were in the grandest of churches. President Wilson and Sister Wilson spoke. Brother Noble's son and the other member's sons passed the sacrament. The room was full, mostly of visitors. My new friend with Downs Syndrome, but with the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met, greeted us warmly and sat on my lap for awhile. I could see what a blessing she was to this faithful family. What lessons we learned from this small group of saints.

View on the trip to the Airport

We packed our suitcases and said goodbye to the city. We drove the rental car and followed the directions to the airport in Walvis Bay that was supposed to be only 30 minutes away. Only a few minutes outside the city we saw the camel stand above and as we traveled along the ocean we finally found all the sand dunes everyone was talking about in Namibia. It was straight out of a movie, miles of huge sand dunes on one side of the highway and the ocean on the other side...beautiful!

Airport???

It was a very scenic drive and we finally came to a turnoff to the airport on a two-lane road to what seemed like nowhere...just miles and miles of sand dunes. We didn't see a tower or anything else, but we kept driving and driving and finally we turned left onto this road towards these warehouse-like buildings...once again, no tower, no sign of an airport. We were thinking the GPS steered us wrong when we saw a sign about airport parking and rental car return. We looked at each other and said, "Your kidding right?" We drove into the dirt parking lot with little signs signifying rental cards of the different rental car companies. We turned over the car to the rental company and got out luggage (onto the dirt) and tried to maneuver it into the warehouses.

Inside the "Airport" Terminal

It's hard to explain the weirdness of coming to this place that did not come close to resembling an airport; however, people were acting like this was normal and they were pretty efficient for the circumstances. Apparently they are building a new airport and this is temporary, but who knows how long they have been operating this way and how long they will have to keep doing it. There is one runway, so it's not extremely busy, but the plane was fine and it was easier than trying to find your way through a large airport. When we checked our baggage, the agent looked at Elder Kyle and said, "It's your birthday! We really party on our birthdays here. Ha.

One thing we can say about all these trips we have taken...They are NEVER boring. What great memories we are making and what tender moments. There are so many amazing things we are learning about members of the Church in Africa!