Computer Games

Good Morning...
I picked up Aunt Gert on Wednesday afternoon with no trouble. She walked right through customs, into the pickup truck and went right to the center and began helping the children with their reading. She has already bought herself a clipboard and paper and pens and seems to have picked up where she left off teaching in Mt. Vernon, NY 15 years ago. In the evening, we returned to the house, put her things in our room, and then she treated me, MaryBeth, and the new girl, Ana, to Joe's Beerhouse. She had the game platter that I have described in the past with various wild game served on a skewer and she thought the food was "wonderful." On the way back to the house she rode in the back of the pickup truck. It is great having a familiar face around and she and I have our own room to share at the end of the house so she can snore all night and no one will hear her.
With her she brought a huge duffel bag full of clothes and computer games donated from people out in Montauk, NY. The clothes are beautiful but I was ecstatic to see so many great, useful educational software to use in the computer room. Some of the games are games that had been lost or stolen and many of the games were new ones. Since coming back in December, I have resumed the role of running the computer room so to see all the new software was especially gratifying to me because I have seen the same six games being used week in and week out.
Every child is enthusiastic about getting into the computer room for a 30-minute session on one of the eight computers. Everything about the computer room has become organised and efficient, thanks in large part to the one or two helpers I have everyday. I have my work cut out for me now, as I have to check out every one of the games to see which is appropriate for which age group, etc.
The first picture is of two kids in the computer room. The second is of Esme running back from the tennis courts during a torrential downpour yesterday. Enjoy the weekend!

Bread

Good Morning...
Another testament to MaryBeth's ability to make things happen occurred today. This morning I went to the local supermarket, Pick-N-Pay, to pick up a couple of bags of old bread for the kids at the BNC and I ended up driving away with three shopping carts full of bread! The back of the pick-up truck is stacked with bread. There must be enough bread in the truck to feed the kids for a week- all of it a day or two old and unsellable but still good.
MB started to get bread over the Christmas holiday to feed the kids at the center because over the holiday there was no one serving soup. That started with about 100 rolls with peanut butter and now we have reached truck loads of bread. The people at Pick-N-Pay have been friendly and helpful, though sometimes there does seem a slight resentment that a white guy is walking out the backdoor with tons of bread.
The kids love the bread and Romachell is in charge of handing it out to all the kids. He usually takes a few volunteers to help him cut it and pass it out. That is another positive thing that has been happening at the center- the kids have been taking charge and being responsible. The older kids and the kids that have been there longer keep their eyes open and lead the newer and younger kids by example. Romachell does the bread and even helps run the assembly when the kids first arrive. Jennifer, Elfriede, and Hilde help keep control. Wendy and Charlotte help run the computer room. And Edelsine practically runs the center by herself. She is about 10 years old, weighs no more than 60-pounds, and she is MaryBeth's personal assitant. (See picture) The days MaryBeth is late or not there, I literally hand Edelsine the keys and ask her to take care of things. She is always one step ahead of MaryBeth, reminding her of an open door, a child that needs something, or finding something that MaryBeth has misplaced. She is very sharp and always at MaryBeth's side. It is great to see the kids taking control of the center, hopefully they can keep it afloat when MaryBeth leaves and keep the adults from running it into the ground!

Soccer

Good morning all,
Another week has begun and I am getting ready to head back to the BNC. The weather here has been really hot lately- temperatures right around 100 and some days I don't even see a cloud in the sky. Despite the heat, the past few days have been nice. Thursday night MaryBeth and I were invited over to the Maryknoll Sisters house for dinner. Afterwards I took a ride at night on the bike into town because the nights are so beautiful here. Many stars and the temperature dips to 70.
The rest of my weekend was hilighted by soccer. Being the miracle worker that she is, MaryBeth managed to get us time playing on the grass soccer field in Katutura. That doesn't sound like much to us Americans who take grass for granted, but here the children play on fields of dirt and stone. There is one field in Katutura which is grass, but it is gated off and for two years the city has told MB that the field is off limits because it is being "groomed" which is B.S. because almost every Saturday there is an event going on there. Finally they have let us use the field and one weekend a month it is ours to use the whole weekend and some Friday afternoons! This Friday was the first time the kids got to play and they played three games. They are all so ecstatic to be running around on the grass that not one of them complained about winning or losing. MB has an amazing ability to make things happen for these kids. From grass fields, to donated day-old bread from the supermarket, to free pool passes, she gets things done and gets people involved and inspired.
Saturday was more soccer, but back on the dirt and stone field. I referreed a few games, one of which was the BNC Boys Under-10 team. These little guys are great players who know how to pass and shoot. It didn't seem like there were that many teams there on Saturday and we were done with soccer by 2pm. Afterwards MB rode off to play tennis with her friend and I stayed in the neighborhood with the kids for a few hours just walking through the streets and hanging out under the shade of a tree. Esme was by my side the whole time... she is so precious and deserves her own blog entry! Everyime I sat down she would come and sit on my lap or lay down at my side. One time there was another girl sitting next to me and Esme tricked the girl into moving over and she slid right in next to me. At times I feel bad for the environment these kids live in and I daydream about bringing them back to the US. But at other times, like when we were walking through the streets, I realize how resiliant these kids are. It is amazing and heartwarming to see how the kids look out for each other. Older or younger, boy or girl, it doesn't matter- they are accepting of each other and are often more involved in each others' lives than the adults in their lives. They keep each other company and entertained.
Sunday was the slow day of the week because it was the only one without the kids. Sappy as it sounds, its true. MB and I did head over to UNam (University of Namibia) to play soccer. Playing with those guys is a challenge but a lot of fun- I only wish I played soccer as a kid- it really is a fun sport and great exercise.
Finally, the other day I told Salome that my auntie was coming to Windhoek for a few weeks and that my auntie reminded me a lot of her granny- by which I meant older and loving. With complete sincerity Salome asked, "Your auntie is fat and strong, too?"
The first picture is Salome and Esme at the soccer field. The second is the BNC boys team warming up before their match. Then there is the girls' Pumpkin Teams playing against each other. And again, Salome with a silly pose.

Education

I just got confirmation this morning that Aunt Gert is arriving in Windhoek next Wednesday at 12:55pm. I would love to bring a contigent of children as a welcoming committee, but they have school. Her arrival is the same week as three other volunteers so the BNC will be full of helpful individuals.
Yesterday was a nice day at the center. It was the first day of the new school term, so kids were showing up in their squeaky clean uniforms. Catholic Aids Action pays the school fees for most of the children at the BNC, including school supplies, tuition, and uniform. Overall, 20,000 kids in Namibia are put through school by CAA. At the center yesterday a group of about 20 college students from Furman College in South Carolina came to the center to check it out. These one day visits always seem weird to me, like the children are on display at a poverty museum for white Europeans/Americans to observe "in their natural habitats" for a few hours. I understand it is important for awareness and even financial donations, and those that come to gawk...er.. observe mean well, and to be fair I was probably similar the first few days, but it is always a little weird. The kids eat it up though because they get spoiled with attention and 20 people are willing to take their picture. Anyway, I got talking with one of the students and he was asking about how things can change in a country like this. I told him to mind his own business and punched him in the face for asking such a dumb question. As he walked away crying, it occurred to me that maybe his question wasn't so dumb and I reflected on it. I began to think about the major social problems of a place like Namibia and one of the biggest, along with AIDS, alcohol, and abuse, is education. Just yesterday Macrenne came up to me with a beaming smile on his face and with pride told me he passed to the next grade and showed me his report card. Indeed, he had passed.... with a 30% grade in every class. I would be interested to know how all of Macrenne's grades were exactly the same. While, at minimum, they imply he is not performing in school, to me it sounds like the grades were a bit subjective that all came out to exactly 30%. To that end, there seems a fault in the teacher's ability to evaluate the kid- either she doesn't care that much or simply is not that able to effectively teach. In this country every child up to grade 9 or 10 passes automatically to the next grade. So regardless of literacy or grades, a child is pushed from one grade to the next. How can a country raise kids into succesful adults by doing this? The school books are of poor intellectual quality- one book Salome showed me of hers had a poem about a child taking pride in beating another child. The math book I saw had simple, unedited errors and typos. Knowledge is power and as long as these kids are in the dark, they will struggle to grow out of their environment of poverty. I think education and health should be the top priorities in this country- and every country. Even if Macrenne passed with a grade of 70%, as long as the mentality is only on "passing" or "failing" and not on achieving higher grades and excelling, I think there will be major flaws in education. Foreign aid to countries like Namibia should put heavy focus on education and teacher training and the countries that receive such aid should be held accountable and be micromanaged to ensure that results are achieved.

Back Online

Hello, again everyone. The internet has been down for a few days now, but I am now able to write an update on the past few days. Things have gotten into a bit of a routine lately. The house is quieter than it was last year which is fine by me- I don't have as much money to throw around as I did before. By the end of this month though, things will begin to get hectic at the house with 3 young volunteers coming to stay at the house and work at the BNC. Their arrival, coupled with that of MB's family in February and maybe Aunt Gert, will mean a very full house in February.
The last week or so has been enjoyable. On Friday I went with Salome to visit her granny at the auto-body shop she runs. The woman is a sweetheart and she clearly loves and cares for Salome. I also met her mother and father who, though they seem very nice, are a bit less active in her life.
The computers are up and running in the computer room at the BNC. We have six computers running at one time but the problem seems to be the limited amount of games. Since I left in March, many of the games have disappeared. Some of you have asked what you can do to help or donate and one great thing would be to send computer games for Windows-based PCs. The games would have to be educational games for young children- grade 4 and lower. Anything having to do with phonics, reading, math or logic would be great. Simple games like Reader Rabbit, Arthur, etc. work. But if you have anything or might know someone with access to used computer games- email me (jmcken82@hotmail.com) and describe the game and I will let you know if it is of any use.
I have also been riding the bike a lot lately which is great -when I am able to avoid the taxis. Sometimes it feels like I am playing a real-life game of frogger out there. Everyone seems like they are in a rush when they are in a car- even driving through read lights if they know it is about to turn green- but this same sense of urgency doesn't seem to carry over into getting things done quickly or into arriving places on time. In the evenings after leaving the center I sometimes meander down roads or find a little park or patch of grass to hang out in for a little bit.
Sunday I went with MaryBeth to play soccer with a group of guys she plays with every Sunday at the University of Namibia. The temperature read 40 degrees celsius (104 F) and I learned that the elevation of Windhoek is higher than that of Denver, Colorado! Needless to say, the two hours of soccer was exhausting, but we played on a grass field which was a nice change of pace from the rocks and stones that the kids play on. All of those guys are very skilled players, and despite my lack of soccer prowess, it was nice to be out running around. Afterwards we rode about 10K north to Katutura where MB was invited to a meeting of a group called the Namibian Youth Group. It is a community group of young Namibians who got together to do acting, community work, and a soup kitchen instead of hanging out on the street drinking. It was nice to meet so many community-conscious young people.
In the evening, MB went off to a dinner with some friends so I stayed in Katutura to see if any of the kids were out and about. I met up with Salome, Esme, Wendy and Eddelsine and hung out with them for a bit. They are all adorable.
So I managed to get a few pictures up today of the kids. The first is Salome with her granny. The second is me with Romancia at the BNC. The third is Milandri, Julianna, Romancia, Martha, and little Sanna up front. Milandri and Sanna are sisters and the other three are sisters and Milandri and Romancia are best friends. Then there is the group in front of a puzzle that took them two hours to do. The woman who donated the puzzle said it took her two months! Finally there is me with the three sisters. Sha, the oldest, is in the back, Tete, the youngest is on the left and Miraldi is on the right.
Hope all is well back home... Stay in touch!

Law of Attraction

Just finished reading another great book. It is called The Law of Attraction by Esther and Jerry Hicks. The book basically discusses three universal laws, the most important of which is the law of attraction. This law says: that which is like unto itself is drawn. In essence, we control our entire lives by the way we think and we attract the people and events in our lives simply by how we feel and behave. Positive attracts positive, and negative attracts negative. The book really has some interesting insight. It is important, according to the authors, to always focus on the positive things in life- those things which bring us joy and those things that we want- without giving thought to the negative.
I am not sure why I mention the book now. Perhaps just to mix this blog up a bit. There is one interesting part of the book that applies to my trip here, in which the author discusses those in need: "Which is superior, uplifting another by believing in their success, or adding to their discouragement by noticing where they are? The greatest gift that you could ever give another is the gift of your expectation of their success." I came back to Namibia not out of guilt or out of sympathy for these children, but because I love them and I do believe that they are capable of great things. Their journey is harder and longer than most of ours, but they are capable. Hopefully when you read my blog you don't feel bad for the children, but instead you are inspired to do what you can to help others achieve their dreams. The most amazing thing about working with children is their purity- their ability to laugh, dream, and learn. In many ways it is difficult living day to day in a third world country, but at 1pm everyday my reasons for returning to Namibia are reinforced. A hug from Esme or throwing Salome in the air or hearing Tete laugh recharges my spirit.

The Past Few Days

Good morning...
Today is Monday and all continues to go well here in Windhoek. Friday night we had a braai at the house for Kenny, who was leaving, and Joe, a peace corps volunteer, who had just arrived. Steve from the center came over as well as Fr. Rick and some more of MB's friends. We had a lot of food and it was a nice evening.
Saturday was a long day of soccer in the hot sun. Afterwards we went back to the center to play bingo while MaryBeth played tennis with her friend. While most of the kids behaved, a few were out of control and I had to send a few home and deal with the stress of all the kids after a hot day in the sun- by 5pm I was happy to see MB come back and we left to bring Kenny to the airport. Kenny brought along 5 children to the airport but couldn't fit any of them in his carry on luggage so he was forced to leave them behind. At the ticket counter the informed him that his flight was overbooked and that he could not fly- even though he had three more connecting flights to catch after that! So his departure was postponed for a day and we drove back to Windhoek. On the ride back in the back of the pickup the night sky was clear and there were thousands of stars and even some shooting stars. Rafalia was one of the kids in the back with me and she curled up in my lap to sleep and stay warm from the night wind. Holding her and keeping her warm reminded me of how great it is being here with the kids and made the stress of the bingo wash away.
Sunday Kenny and I went to the gym to work out. The old Tobias from last trip (there is a new one I just met today) bought a membership that is good through May so I will be able to use it as much as I want to. The rest of Sunday was quiet and relaxing and we got Kenny to the aiport again and sent him off. Seeing the kids saying goodbye at the airport reminded me that I will be doing the same in a little while. We dropped the kids off in Katutura around 9:30pm and the whole neighborhood was out and about. As we drove through, we saw a group of kids from the BNC so we pulled over and in the group was Dora back from the farm. Dora is a sweetheart who wrote me when I was back in the USA a lot- it was so great to see her.
So thats it for now... nothing too exciting, just news from the past few days. I would try to throw some pictures up but the internet is too damn slow this morning!

Swakopmund

Hello Again!
This morning is my back home from Swakopmund- Kenny and I went out Wednesday morning around 5:30 and returned Thursday afternoon. It is about a three hour trip the each way through the desert- it is a hot, dry land out there, but beautiful in its own way. We took the truck and I drove- which was interesting driving on the opposite side of the road. We got into Swakopmund around 9:30 and we checked in at the same backpacker's lodge from my last trip out there in March. During the day we drove to Walvis Bay- which is a port town 20 minutes ride south, and then we walked around Swakopmund, eating lunch by the lighthouse, window shopping, and taking a walk on the beach. (Re-reading that last sentence I feel the need to assure you that I am not gay- not that there's anything wrong with that.)
In the afternoon we signed up to do quad-biking in the dunes which turned out to be an amazing two hour experience riding through the dunes, kicking up sand, and racing down the sides of the dunes. It was somewhat expensive but worth every penny. The dunes are so awe-inspiring and to be surrounded in all directions by them is a great feeling. It was definitely the best tourist thing I have done in Namibia to date. If and when I return to Swakopmund, the only thing better to do will be to skydive!
Afterwards we went to the lodge, showered and went to the sundowner bar to watch the sunset. (Seriously, I'm not gay, it is just a cool bar and I happened to be accompanied with by a strapping, young Hawaiian surfer) We then went to dinner by the seashore under the stars (I'm not... oh the hell with it, believe what you want.) and out to a few bars.
On the ride home yesterday we stopped in Okahandja for more authentic replicas of African art. The car ride back was immensely hot and even in Windhoek it was probably the hottest day I have ever had here. Kenny and I were both anxious to get back to the BNC and when we pulled in I had a great surprise waiting for me- Esme was back at the center... the first time I have seen her since I returned- she is precious. (See photo) Steve, the 40-something volunteer from Seattle was also back and it was great to see him.
Finally, last night MB and I played tennis for almost 4 hours. We started by playing doubles with her two lady friends- doubles is slow and less fun. But the friends left around 7:30 and then MaryBeth and I played a match under the lights. I lost (grrrr...) 7-5, 6-4 but I can feel myself getting better and smarter- I hve 2 1/2 months to beat her... it could happen. I could barely move at the end, but it is a great workout and we have lots of great volleys, it is enjoyable.
Hope all is well back home. Got news from Aunt Gert that she is thinking about maybe giving the thought to considering coming out. I would love for anyone to consider coming out... the cost is a little steep, but if you do think you might consider it possibly, send me an email with any questions. (South Africa Air has a buy one get one free promotion going on!)

Happy New Year

Good Morning... Most of you are probably returning to work today so to help distract you I will try to make this blog extra long. The past few days have been very nice and we have spent a lot of time with the kids.
Friday was a typical day at the BNC and at night we had Tara over for a delicious curry tofu dinner. She is a Namibian woman about my age who comes to the center twice a week or so to sing with the kids. MB would like to see her hired in place of Nelson who currently runs the center because, unlike Nelson, she takes an active interest in the kids, is reliable, responsible, and loving. Saturday was soccer day again. In the morning Kenny and I each coached one side of an under-12 team. I was also put in charge of refereeing a game and even got to play a game in the afternoon. When we got back, Kenny, Sarah, and I all went to Joe's Beerhouse for dinner. I went there last time I was here- the menu has all sorts of different game on it. The food was good and it was nice hanging out with the two of them. Afterwards, Kenny and I walked around town looking for a bar to go to but we couldn't find one that was open on a Saturday night- go figure.
Sunday was a great day- we surprised the kids with another pool party. We took about 60 children to the swimming pool and had a great time- I got my second sunburn. MB has thought about bringing the kids to the pool on a regular basis because they are always so well behaved and they have such a wonderful time. After the pool we returned to the center and Sarah handed out goodie bags to the kids since it was her last full day. The bags had toothpaste, a toothbrush, a bar of soap and a stuffed animal. She was very generous with her time while she was here and she is considering coming back in the spring. It was nice to have her around and the kids were sad to see her go.
For New Year's Eve we went over to Barbara and Uli's house for a raclette (spelling?). Many of the people that were at the Christmas party were at Barbara's- it was enjoyable. The New Year's celebration here is very similar to New York, except instead of a ball being dropped, they drag a lion carcass through town and cut off the head of a virgin- it's very quaint.
Monday we went right back to the BNC, but we got there early so Sarah could say goodbye and take a few children to the airport. With MB off to the airport, I was in charge of the center for the first time. It is a little hectic, but I kept things under control without any fatalities. For the most part, the children know now what to do, and how to do it, so they basically run themselves, I just oversaw everything. When MaryBeth's family comes to town in February I will be at the center running things for her- a challenge I am looking forward to. The key is confidence- the children can smell fear and prey on it.
In the evening Kenny, MB, and I were invited to the Maryknoll Sisters' house for dinner along with Fr. Rick and Fr. Dick and two Maryknoll Brothers. They are all interesting people and I enjoyed the conversations. The food was fantastic, too- more or less a Thanksgiving feast with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy.
I have really enjoyed the first 10 days- everything has been low key and fun. Everyday we bring rolls with peanut butter and chips to the center for the kids which is welcome treat for them considering the soup they usually receive is not served during the holiday. The first picture is of Romschel, Sarah, and Daphne outside the center- Daphne really took a liking to Sarah. The second picture is of me and Kenny emptying out the peanut butter into a giant tub. The last picture is at the Maryknoll Sisters' house. The idea of the picture was for everyone to make a silly face- and as you can see, those crazy nuns really know how to be wild.