I am currently reading a book recommended to me by my favorite staffer at THE BOOK DEN in Windhoek – a lovely, independent bookstore and sanctuary in Namibia’s capitol. They even order books internationally – I was so happy to find this place!
The book is called Finding Inner Courage by Mark Nepo with a front-cover recommendation by one of my favorite authors, Parker Palmer. (His book, The Courage to Teach is an absolute classic, and one I think of every day that I am either preparing to teach, or teaching. It is truly outstanding and illuminating on the deeper, more spiritual aspects of teaching as a vocation.) Nepo’s book really spoke to me last weekend.
One of the quotes that caught my attention was this:
“There are pearls in the deep sea, but one must hazard all to find them.
If diving once does not bring you pearls, you need not conclude that the sea is without them.
Dive again and again.”
– Ramakrishna
It reminds me of the quote about apples that I recently posted, which urges you to savor all of life’s intricacies, the joys as well as the sorrows, to experience them all with wild abandon, and suggests that is why we are here – to unabashedly and determinedly face life head on, to experience all it has to offer, and to give our lives in service.
Nepo goes on to talk about the story of Jacob in Israel, where Jacob was forced to “wrestle with God,” go to the depths of his soul, and was deeply tested. This is all about facing ourselves and our shadow sides. Nepo states that, “if we can hold on to our darkest elements – in fact – embrace them – we might become whole.” He goes on to say that if we do not, they will in the end will possess us. That which we do not face becomes manifest and negatively affects each of our human interactions. We inadvertently take out on others the internal work which we do not want to do.
Similarly, the passion and the force within each of us is there to be expressed – it must be brought forth. A favorite quote of mine from the Gnostic Gospels is when Jesus said:
“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth WILL SAVE YOU.
If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth WILL DESTROY YOU.”
Martha Graham put it this way,
"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a strange divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others."
On a slightly different note, Nepo tells the story of John Woolman, who was a Quaker who advocated tirelessly against slavery, which led the Quaker community eventually to shun slavery much earlier, and in a more peaceful way than the war and abolition that eventually transpired. The story of Woolman is truly inspirational – he peacefully traveled the country and spoke out against the injustice of slavery. He would not eat food prepared by slaves, and insisted on paying for services if he inadvertently benefitted from the work of slaves. The story of Woolman makes me reflect on Namibia and South Africa and wonder about, honor, respect and pay tribute to all of those, both known and unknown, both recognized and not, who resisted apartheid. In my own country, it makes me think of the many heroes who resisted slavery such as Harriet Tubman and those working with the Underground Railroad system which brought slaves to safety and freedom. It makes me think of Miep Gies, who harbored Jews and kept them safe, even despite the great risk of personal peril for herself and her family under the Nazi Germany regime. There are many examples of tremendous courage throughout history.
Let’s honor and pay tribute to these heroes as well as the “real Rosa Parks” (see essay by Paul Lowb) the ordinary citizens who stand up for justice every day. They are everywhere, right in our midst. Let’s respect and recognize them – let’s aspire to BE one of them.
Below are photos from the April/May school holiday. (Sorry some of the photos are sideways...)
First, there was Camp Glow, which is a week-long leadership and youth empowerment camp for Namibian youth. Each day has a theme, such as leadership, health, futures and careers, or gender equality. Below, you can see one of the campers working on their team banner and a group of campers.
Next are some photos from Etosha National Park. Here, you can see a HUGE male elephant that was scary-close to our car as well as one of the elegant giraffes.
And a number of photos from Tweyfelfontein, the first U.N. World Heritage Site in Namibia. Soussevlei, one of the most famous and pictured red sand-dune parks in Namibia, is also applying for this status.
Near Tweyfelfontein are these funny “organ pipes” – strange geometric rock formations.
Just outside of Khorixas, headed to the Skeleton Coast, we stopped by a petrified forest. It might look boring, but these are super-ancient trees that have petrified into rock. They are quite interesting in person. The dry plant is a Welwitschia plant. (Namibia also has the “Little Prince” famous baobab trees!)
Finally, we reached the famed SKELETON COAST. This name is VERY fitting as the place is EXTREMELY remote. It has an eerie, freaky feeling about it – you seriously pray that nothing will happen to your car because you don’t see other people for long, long stretches of vast, deserted, Mars-like road. At one point, we stopped to camp at what turned out to be one of the most deserted a creepy spots on the planet – we quickly left to find a hotel!
You will see that the shipwrecks which used to be quite common along the Skeleton Coast due to its treacherous coastline have largely disappeared. The best we could see was the help of a ship below. Most of the shipwrecks have slipped beneath the sand, but if you are a diver, you can see more underwater.
One of my favorite places was this stunning, abandoned diamond mine. I love the way the glittery sun frames the abandoned mine pillars.
Completing our loop around Namibia, and headed back to the capitol city of Windhoek, we stopped at beautiful Spitzkoppe. This is a red-rock formation complete with arches, hiking, bushman cave and rock paintings and the cutest campsite ever. We really loved our time spent there, and definitely recommend this place to any of you coming this way!
After the road trip, it was time for Namibia’s All Volunteer Conference. This was exciting because the new group of volunteers were sworn in. A highlight was the traditional dancing featured during their ceremony, shown below. The other photo is my host mom, another volunteer, and me.
And finally, after the Peace Corps conference, I headed to Botswana for a final few days. I stayed with some other volunteers in the far north in Maun, which is a launching point for game drives and tours of the Okavango Delta. One day was spent exploring the Delta via boat, which was really gorgeous. After the dryness and heat of Namibia, the lush expanse of jungle-like greenery and swimming in the refreshing Delta was a really amazing contrast.
You can see below a traditional Botswanan village and the traditional “Mokoro” carved-wood boats, which are also a popular way to explore the Delta.
A funny bar we passed...
Crossing the border...
It was an invigorating, relaxing and opening break from school. Namibia is truly diverse, and truly stunning. I feel fortunate to have this opportunity, and want to invite YOU to visit!
As a final leg of the schol holiday, I traveld to Botswana! We visited Maun in the north, and toured the Okavango Delta. Southern Botswana looks a lot like Namibia - scrubby bushlands and savannah. Northern Botswana is lush and green and the Delta is full of wildlife - the big 5, birds, and beautiful, green trees and plants.
Photos to come soon!
I recently read a fantastic book by Kuki Gallman, it is called I Dreamed of Africa. It is the story of an Italian woman and her family who move to Kenya, build a farm there, and eventually become conservationists. The book made me fall in love with Kenya all over again! The story is ultimately an inspiration, but Kuki endures seeminlgly unbearable pain throughout the course of her life journey. I will not spoil it by telling you what happens - you must read it yourself! Below are some of my favorite quotes from her book:
- "My African adventure had begun, and I could only accept whatever came with in...something had begun to grow in me which I could not stop, asif my childhood dreams had finally found a place where they could materialize. I had arrived where I was always meant to be"
-"I surrendered to the design of destiny and to the agony of his loss, knowing fully that Africa had just begin to claim her price, and I could only accept it, pay it, and try to learn from it."
- Kuki often went on hunts with Paolo, her husband, it became "the penetratinga and gradual discovery of this continent and its secret creatures and drama, its strong emotions and the unavoidable facing of my inner and most protected truths. She speaks of "inescapable solitude, loneliness, and having to adapt to different values and routines."
- About her husband, she says "I loved him with a subtle pain, the premonition that it would not last."
- After an accident, she must go through extensive physical therapy, but says "I could see with great clarity that a will is a way, and that having a worthy goal is what truly matters."
- Speaking of a female friend, she says "She gave the immediate impression of being an original and gifted woman with the courage and drive to live her life as she chooses."
Kuki makes me think of courage, and of women and men paving the way for us to live courageous and inspired lives! I feel that today, where we are has everything to do with the vision, inspiration, courage and hard work of our foremothers and forefathers. As Newton said, "If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
Very much in the same vein, I also recommend Out of Africa! It is a classic, and the movie is also excellent. Meryl Streep plays very much the original and gifted woman with the courage Kuki cites above. She is defined by noone but herself. Her partner, played by Robert Redford, also portrays a dynamic, strong man, equally unwilling to be defined by a partner. YET, the love melts between them. They work so well together, despite - or perhaps because of - their strength and independence.
Their lives are like this:
“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won't either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.”
― Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum LP
While Remond's character does pass away, and Kuki's book carries much tragedy and death within its pages, it is better to have felt the full height of human emotion than to never have risked anything at all. These books teach us about living courageous, inspired lives of service.
On our recent visit to Etosha National Park, some friends and I stayed at a campground/guest farm called Sachsenheim. It got me thinking about apartheid in Namibia, and the post-apartheid Namibia of today. The farm is 26 years old - Namibia gained independence in 1990. Thus, the farm was built three years before apartheid fell. As I enjoyed a quiet morning at the farm, I wondered what it was like at the farm, and all across Namibia, when apartheid finally fell. Was it a slow and steady acceptance of the new power structures and societal norms? In some places, did essentially nothing change? Was there a dramatic and sudden clash? Did any of the workers on the farm leave? Policy is policy (and very important), but it does not make a difference for the people on the ground until it is promulgated and put into action. Just as slavery in many tangible ways did not end when it was abolished (see Slavery by Another Name by D. Blackmon), I would guess that much at the farm stayed the same. Even today, the blacks and whites live very separately, clear across the farm from one another. This is also the case in my community here in Namibia. It makes one contemplate Namibia's future, and hope for a truly integrated and respectful, dignified society for ALL of its citizens.
I wanted to share some notes from the Group 37 Peace Corps Namibia swearing-in ceremony which took place yesterday. Our MC Ehrens Mbamanavandu began by remembering the words of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, the founder of Peace Corps. Kennedy urged Americans to “dream to serve not only your country, but the world.” Today, more than 1,200 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Namibia.
The Right Honourable Hage Geingob, Prime Minister of Namibia, was the keynote speaker. He reflected on where Namibia is today after such a long struggle for independence. He said that during the liberation movement, Namibia was a country of hatred, but reflected on how far the country has come. Today, Namibia is a peaceful, democratic society. He talked about the “new Africa” and honoured the Namibians who were sent into exile, jailed and even killed, paying the true price for freedom. He said his vision for Namibia’s future is to address unemployment, income inequality, structural inequalities, issues of safe and secure housing, and to bolster science, innovation and technology.
The United States Ambassador to Namibia, The Honorable Ms. Wanda Nesbitt was also present, and said that, “for many Americans, the Peace Corps remains the highest ideal of public service.” She affirmed the mission and vision of Namibia, and praised Namibia as an ideal partner country. Nesbitt reminded us that the Peace Corps is worthy of our very best efforts, stating that “the challenge of the Peace Corps will be one of the most rewarding of your life.” She encouraged us to remember the ideals embodied by the U.S. Peace Corps: freedom, tolerance and respect. She also urged us to remain genuinely ourselves and to remember to honour and respect the role models that inspired us to pursue the Peace Corps. To the many people who have helped, encouraged and inspired me to pursue this path: THANK YOU!
During Camp Glow** last week, we had a speaker named Jackie, who is living positively with HIV/AIDs. “Living positively” (as related to HIV/AIDs) is commonly used to describe people who, although they are HIV positive, still maintain a healthy lifestyle, take their anti-retroviral medications, and basically move forward in a strong and empowered manner despite their status. Jackie says that “being HIV positive does not stop me from being a successful person.” In this, she is a courageous example for Namibian youth. Of course, prevention is the key, but Jackie provides a positive example of the positive lifestyle that one can lead despite being HIV positive.
Jackie talked about her hopes and dreams. She told us her story – she was born an orphan, is a survivor of rape, and has been HIV positive since she was 31. She talked about “Bridge FM Radio” – a dream she has to “bridge from low self-esteem to healing.” She encouraged the youth at Camp Glow to follow their dreams relentlessly. She said that “we all have dreams, but some of our dreams have died,” and encouraged us all to dust off our dreams and to pursue them relentlessly. She encouraged the campers to find their own voices, “if you have something to say, but you don’t have the courage to speak out, it dies inside you.” At one point, she asked them to repeat after her:
“The well-begin of this nation’s future depends on ME.”
This is so true – the youth at Camp Glow are the current and future leaders of Namibia – the future of Namibia depends very much on them! She encouraged everyone to respect themselves and to foster emotional healing and self-confidence. “Face your fear, and the fear disappears,” she said. It is “time for women to stand up and speak out for themselves.”
In a stunning conclusion, Jackie stated that she is a born-again Christian who is “cured through Christ.” She no longer believes she is HIV positive, and has stopped taking her ARVs. An interesting discussion ensued: science vs. faith, logic vs. a belief in miracles. What do YOU believe? (Note that the leadership of Camp Glow clearly stated later to the campers that AIDs IS an incurable disease and that we condone only safe, preventative behaviours.)
Here, the cultural, religious and stark differences in worldview were apparent. It was interesting to note the differences in belief that surfaced between the Namibians and those of us from the U.S.
** Camp GLOW seeks to encourage youth leadership through self-esteem building, development of good decision-making skills, and promotion of goal setting and career planning. It is funded every year through grants and private donations. If you have any questions please contact Elisabeth Wise at wiseliz@gmail.com. ONLINE: http://glownamibia.blogspot.com/
It is school holiday, and I have been traveling to the Etosha National Park for a safari, to the Skeleton Coast of Namibia, Spitzkoppe mountain. We are now at the All Volunteer Conference (AVC) and a new group of volunteers were just sworn in!
I will post photos as soon as I can, and will add more in-depth posts soon.
