A Walk in the City

Imagine a place where Pocahontas runs with the Amish. And women from the renaissance mingle with gangsters from the 80s.

 These are the streets of Windhoek, the most interesting city in the world.

The Namibian Dream

The jeep slowly makes its way up the path. 

 Bump bump bump.

 Women with buckets on their heads walk alongside.

 And children run by barefoot, with babies strapped to their backs.

 Bump bump bump.

 Men burning their trash outside of their homes.

 Their homes made of tin line the mountains.

Where their chicken and dogs roam free.

 We get to the church, at the highest point. It too is made of tin, and held up by branches.

The people of Havannah have nothing. And want nothing, but to worship out God in Spirit and Truth.

"How excellent is our God- We love you Lord!"

They sing and dance in 20 part harmony, till I think the roof will cave!

What do you need?? "We need Bibles!"

What can we get for you??? "Get us preaching materials!!"

 How wonderful is our God- we love you Lord!" They dance on. 

 Jesus knew. He said blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!

Of spiritual poverty, St. Augustine de Sales writes:

       Woe to be rich in spirit, for theirs must be the bitterness of hell. By rich in spirit I mean him whose riches   engross his mind, or whose mind is buried in his riches. He is poor in spirit whose heart is not filled  with the love of riches, whose mind is not set upon them. Do not let the mind which is in the likeness of God cleave to mere earthly goods!

That afternoon the people of Havannah gave me so much. 

"How perfect is our God- we love you Lord!"

Silvunga's Smile

He sits and tells stories. Once a journalist and news reporter, he speaks of the details of his life vividly. His town attacked, he had to dodge missiles. There was a warrant for his head, dead or alive, so he had to flee in the night. Although weak with malaria, he ran on foot to find his family. Together they escaped to a camp, where there were not enough rations to go around. Everything is ok now. The war is over and his family is safe.

His eyes have seen the horrors of this depraved world. Yet they sparkle and dance when he talks. His smile is as big as his face, and his laughter as loud as the thunder. They say that this is the way its always been. 

If I am ever to suffer I want to do so as Silvunga, with as much faith as I can muster, and all the joy to be had.