Mission trip in Namibia Africa: Day 7

So Friday has arrived, GOOD MORNING AFRICA !!!!!!!!!!!
We had a rocky meeting last night, The ladies were addressed, We understand our situation isn't normal in the American sense But we have to get with the more go with the flow attitude, Were in Africa, one bathroom, no real showers or water, when we say were leaving at a certain time were leaving, So This morning 8am is the time to shoot for, It's currently 7:20 and half are up moving eating breakfast, I have been up since 6, bucket showered, semi clean clothes, meditation/prayer and morning video blog, It has been humorous sitting back watching them all trying to scurry around trying to get ready for the 7:30 load time, In fact I hear a song playing in my head, maybe you know it, Beastie Boyz "body moving, get your body moving" If you know it you will be singing it all day now, Well I must Thank the
LORD for another great day alive, we will do our best to serve you and continue bringing other along with us
This morning our crew really did the split, most went to the church building site, I went with the Shalleys to get supplies, First stop for me was the building material supply house, They had everything you would need to build a modern African house/hut, But not what we needed, so we traveled to another, Second stop had our steel roofing material, bolts, nuts, and washers, One sheet of corrugated steel was $147.49ran (I love that number)Pretty decent price, that's like 20 bucks American, we then traveled to the tire store, they spell TIRE "TYRE", two flats so far, the roads here are rough, Also they have all the normal stuff like any American tire place, Just no 20's and low profile, mostly aggressive tread truck stuff, Glad for this stop, you see I have been hand pumping them up for a few days, No air tools either, all the old way brute force, lug wrench and scroll lack, got to love it, Grocery store next, got bread meat, ice, milk, butter and more snacks, The milk here is funny, it comes in a carton like soy milk and says long life on it, No refrigeration needed, All ready to go out to the village, I'm riding in the bed to hold down the steel, we don't need no OSHA or Safety police, We got GOD on our side.

Once at the village it was time to roof the church, Since I just brought that they were waiting on me, so I better get moving, get my body moving, This is going to be a day of adaption to our African construction condition's, Adaptation that is a great skill to have in life, In fact I think it's a key to life success, Especially here in Namibia Africa,,, You see no jack lifts, or multi-level scaffolding with built in ladders, no cordless drills, impact guns, Just standard skill brand drills with nut drivers and ladders that don't reach the peak of the roof,,, So here we go again throwing all the OSHA rules out the huge window, Step one put a ladder in a pickup truck, send the tall man up it, He then pulls him self up on top of the peak, Step 2 move the truck and send another man up it to a lower spot, and step 3 you set the make shift scaffolding up for a third man, the final step is for all who's left to pass up the steel, sliding it up to the peak and let the screwing begin, Can you guess who the tall man was ??? You guessed it the plumber, Here in the states RULE #1 when you start as The plumber 's your feet never leave the ground unless your standing on a scissor lift, So I climbed up there like a nimble little spider monkey, using self taping screws with rubber washers, sliding backwards sheet by sheet, one side complete, Lunch time came.

Today they slaughtered a goat just for us, so the meat it fresh off the bone, The liver has to be eaten first, it's an honor thing, It tasted good, although I thought it was overcooked, we also had hoagie rolls with hot dogs and potato chip mix, It was all good especially since or with the hard work, once break time was over it was time to climb again, We needed a new plan, The spider monkey's plumbing needed a re-prev, Since he enjoys being intimate with his lovely wife someday again, besides I felt we were pushing our luck and faith with the risks we were taking, new plan,,,

One man on the scaffolding standing on a box, the other 2 men each on a ladder in the pickup, opposing each other, short side tall side, tying of to the perlins, Great plan and we began rocking and rolling, sheet by sheet,pickup moved down scaffolding moved, and so on, Roof complete, Now it will be time for dedication,,, (to be continued)

Mission trip in Namibia Africa: Thursday day 6

So woke up and Thanked GOD for another glorious day, all in all performed my normal routine of a bucket bath, put on semi clean pants, sock, underwear, a totally new T shirt, Filled everyone's buckets, Meditated/prayed and finally made my morning daily vlog, Then loaded up the truck with materials, food and water for the day, Best of all this is done before 8am, So breakfast was usually done by now, today White bread with the center cut out and where the bread center was, is a fried egg, There was always regular scrambled eggs with spam and cheese, dry cereal, coffee and tea. Now in our world you may know I don't usually drink tea or coffee because I don't need caffeine to get me going, since life primarily makes me high and if I'm feeling down I go for a run, But (this is where the true N.Y. plumber will come out) Coffee or tea Will help me drop the kids off at the pool, if you catch what I'm laying down, After 5 days of no drop off the chocolate children are getting angry so I must do something about the backup at the "OK corral", we all brought stuff for Montezuma's revenge but not anything for the current situation, We think it due to the malaria pills were all taking, I'm drinking the tap water today and hoping It will make the river flow, if not I can chill and go with the flow, I hope the local water will work just better not let the missionary's catch me, you see they say the water is bad for us Americans,,, I'm not buying that besides I'm the plumber and drink all kinds of water to check for taste when a customer thinks something is wrong, So I'm thinking I will taste the pollutants right away, bring it on Montezuma !!!

Well we head off for the village, The children that don't go to school came running as soon as the saw our vehicles hit the cattle road, We unloaded, set up the scaffolding, ladders, generator, welder, drills, hand tools, painting supplies, Had one of the ladies prep a nut to a bolt, while others painted the steel, As we started installing the perlins and roof structure, We all worked until lunch, Which was African sloppy Joe's with African cheese puffs and canned fruit salad, After lunch back to the the task at hand, The school children began to arrive back at the village, so the ladies get to switch modes, this always made them happier because the didn't really enjoy listening to us men any way.

Today they made an art project with yarn, paper plates and pictures from hallmark cards, Everyone was wearing them around there necks like trophies, It was neat watching from high atop the roof line, I'm not down helping the ladies but surely enjoying there beautiful work, just watching the children and adult Himba ladies create art then play the school yard games is so so AWESOME

finished work in the village for the day, washed up and headed back to town, first we stopped at the grocery store for the normal, water, ice, snacks, soda, Oh and I got some hand wash laundry soap so I can wash some clothes in the morning, Returned to camp, As others went to settle in, shower, and start dinner, I went back to Macgyver plumbing mode, Fixed many thing and none up to our American plumbing standards, I won't tell any one if you don't, If anything they will want me to come back again, Dinner bell rang, tonight, A meat stew like thing, Now I say meat because it comes from a 4 legged animal but I wasn't asking witch, we also had African Doritos, buttered bread with fruit jam and desert rice crispy treats, We conversed and split off as usual, I decided to do my laundry tonight, It helped put real American life into perspective, I'm really enjoying this walk with Christ, I think this lack of hot showers and washing machines would make us all smelly, I ask for a ladies to be 100% honest and let me know if I got the funk, They say I'm not so I must trust them just as I trust in GOD, Tomorrow brings a new day and each more challenging, So bring it big guy, I hold you in the highest and will walk the path no matter where it leads,,, Good night all, I love you

Mission Trip in Namibia Africa: Day 6

So morning came to me again and I thank GOD for another day, Sleep was not a strong one, The Illegal night club went until 2am and at 3 the roosters began to do what they do, In fact what is that noise they make even called, crowing, cackling, howling, calling, I'm not sure, I guess sometimes the city boy in me comes out, the cot was comfy though, The temp at night was hot but as the night went on the temp dropped, kind of like a high desert like environment, Also I had to decide what to use as my pillow, you see there wasn't enough of them and I gave mine up for one of the ladies, So use my blanket rolled up and be cold, or be warm and not use something under my head, I chose the no blanket be a little cold, I'm in Africa land of real tough men,,,

But that's not the half of the night time adventure, you see in the middle of the night I hear an old voice calling Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, I thought to my self how can I be in Kevin's dream, and Jesus is calling him and he won't wake up,,, man am I tired and now I'm going delirious, It was Bob calling through the steel window since we had our door locked, He said Dee our nurse needed help she was bitten by something on her foot, She was in severe pain and didn't know what to do, Kevin and Paul went since they were from Africa, They searched with there flashlights and found a small albino scorpion, It stung her twice on her foot, They say the small ones are the worst, be prepared for 24 hours of discomfort and maybe some swelling, but an Adult won't die.

I came to Africa prepared with some knowledge and as you know knowledge is power, Well the men loaded up the cars, the ladies prepared breakfast, eggs with spam and cheese, pancakes, we then headed to the grocery store for ice and corn maze for the tribe offering, Then drove 30-40 k's to the village of Oskorsove, I began to feel like now were in Africa, the middle of the wilderness, huts, cattle, sheep, dressed people,, naked people, half naked people, children, adults, Real Africa "JDP" is here,,, We arrived at the final little village, unloaded all the equipment, laid at the tools, the steel, generator, welder, concrete, Began working, building a building of worship, The men worked hard, the ladies tried the best they could, it was hot, and the work was hard

In the afternoon the children started to arrive from there 10-15k walk from the school, Then the women switched to teacher/art teacher mode, this was good to get them smiling and doing more what they know what to do, They played games, like duck duck goose, hopscotch, head shoulders knees and toes, and some other American childhood school games, We worked until 5 and made the trek back to camp, the ladies prepared dinner, I filled all the water jugs, buckets and went back into plumbing mode, I also worked on the missionary's truck, Learned an African mechanical trick, Grease your lug nut studs to help with the dusty conditions, I was told you do this " so in Africa so you don't have to fight to get your nuts off by hand every time you want to get them off",,, No jokes people but I thought the same thought when it was said to me,,, We ate dinner, conversed about the great day we had and split off to bed at about 11pm so good night all !!!

Mission Trip in Namibia Africa, Touchdown to camp

So It's currently day 5 Wednesday 9-21-2011, 5:30am. We rolled into the town of Opuwo around 6:30 pm, Got everything unloaded and separated, Ladies in the guesthouse, which is a building with 5 rooms, 4 for sleeping and a large room for the kitchen/dinning room, It has two smaller rooms one with a toilet and a sink and the other a shower(well kinda a shower) Reminds me of a mexico Esque hunting camp, 10 beds so looks like the ladies will be all good, well wait we have 9 women 4 men,,, That leaves Paul and I out since our wives are home, The other two Kevin and Bob will have to choose who stays and whom goes, Cots in the classroom for 3 who will it be ???

Paul, Kevin and I got the cots in the class room/dining room/main kitchen witch is one door over closer to the sanctuary, We had to well the ladies had a bunch of cleaning to do, The play was a mess, Different culture or priority don't know which yet, We men got to fixing bed frames, wooden tables and chairs so we can eat and meet in a civil manner, Then it came, my calling, I did travel all this way to do the skill GOD made me for, I know what my hands were made for each day, At a young age I thought trouble, But it was just training for the days of fixing things, So on to plumbing, Well they take me to this cistern tank, whose job it is to fill during the day and have water for the night when the water is turned off ???

Apparently the local municipality shut the whole towns water off from approximately 7pm to 7am if there lucky. you see it can be shut off or on any time so the storage tank is real important, The water piping supplying it is leaking about 90% of its water all over the ground, which means some days the tank is never full and if the main isn't on for a few days there S.O.L.(if you catch me) Well well I said what do we got to fix this. So I looked at the supply we had, I prayed my Macgyver skills will be strong, began working without shutting the main,,, well because there's no valve and within a half and hour got the line 90% fixed with only a 10% leak, But knew I would find the parts to make it 100% leak free or I'm not "JDP" I then asked while I'm In my groove what else you got, Even though the tools I got are barbaric, the parts are all metric and not like a Home depot part, I was here to be the best I could and I would not back down, So I service 2 toilets, repaired a propane cook stove, That in itself would have made Macgyver and Macgruber proud, It was funny as I was working I knew if I kept my "I can do it" "I can do Anything" "I'm unstoppable" attitude, This trip and experience will be AWESOME !!!

I did what I set out to do, Presto it was done and better than when I arrived. Now nothing was done to America standards and I'm pretty sure Osha and the engineering inspectors would say "You can't do that" OR "That won't work" But were not in the U.S.A. were in the small town of Opuwo Namibia Africa, 5000 or so people, with 100,000 or more acres, where every once of water counts, So I'm thinking no one and I mean no one will say a thing, Now one will think I sucked, Right now I'm pretty Awesome to them right now, By The time I leave here they will want to know Why I keep referring to my work as Macgyver, I'm having fun feeling needed Hoping this feeling will continue

Meanwhile the ladies with Mrs Shalley were cooking, Now I'm prepared for whatever I'm served, It was some kind of Sausage stuff, potato, frozen peas -corn mix, African mac-n-cheese and a cakey spiced desert. We had prayer of course and formed the line, Ladies first I thought but not here men first,,, again were in Africa not much women's lib, So I will have to stay busy so I eat towards the end, We then had several hours of conversation, set the plan kinda for tomorrow, The women retired, we retired to our cots, boots off and up from the floor to keep the scorpions out of them, flashlight and knife I hid in my suitcase close, Final prayer and meditation to set my own personal intentions for the next day,,, Good night all where ever you are, I love you baby

Mission trip In Namibia Africa

So were on the road to Opuwo, about 4 hours in lunch time is calling, so we stopped for lunch, Who would guess in the middle of Africa a KFC ??? I know I thought it too, That's a stereotype, Were in Africa not the U.S.A. The menu was different but the same premise, no bucket family deals, All set combos with no substitutions. About 50 ran per combo give or take a couple, No wedges only fries or chips as they called them, Oh and 50 ran is about $7.15 U.S. But no biscuits, Mack n cheese, mash with gravy, Just chicken original and extra crispy, on a roll or in a wrap, The special African one was called the Master-box, I got this for a more culture experience, It was a chicken strip with a fish strip on a wrap with lettuce tomato cheese and spicy mayo. All orders came with chips, red vinegar,tomato sauce and a soda, they also had no deserts, even though they had a soft serve ice cream machine BUT said it was broken,,, We thought it probably has never been used


This next portion I got to drive for about 300K's This was a nicer scenic drive, we were in cattle country, goats, cows, huge bulls and donkeys just roaming free, across the road when ever they want, I had to be on my toes. The lady tinkle breaks were just getting even more funny the Bush was less available, This trip will get the prissy out of any one of them, Next time we will be in Opuwo, see you then !!!

Mission trip to Namibia Africa: now the road trip, let the rubber meet the road

My job in the Comb-bee (Van for you Americans) Map reader navigator, So let the rubber meet the road, woo hoo !!! 1000k's ahead, First stop ladies bush potty break, That's right in Africa the rest stops are in the bush no real privy's for you weaklings, The ladies will really learn about ruffing it, just watch out for the thorns, scorpions and black mambo snakes ladies, Hey when in Rome right, It was actually funny knowing the bladder's one against the squeamish fears, Second stop Okahandja, This down has a real gas station rest stop, so those who wouldn't hit the bush used the toilet, But I think the bush's were cleaner and had less germs, snacks our first in Africa, Soda's no Pepsi, only coke or Africa brands, Most chose a ginger beer, which is like ginger ale without the ale part, Also this town is know for BILTONG, which is there version of beef jerky, except that they have it in every eatable African animal, real soft lightly salted, no spice or teryaki

We were on the road again, next stop Otijwarongo, never know if I'm spelling it right, but I have learned the W sounds like a V, we got gas here, the attendant pumps it, it is illegal for you to do it, 11 liters $340 ran, translation 4.5 litters are 1 gallon and $340 is $48.50 U.S. I got a strawberry cream-cycle at this stop, caught sight of our first sunset and know It was my time to drive so no writing for a few hours

Once we arrive at the missionary's house at about 9:30pm I drove for about 3 hours, what a trip, driving on the wrong/left side of the road, gear shifting with my left hand, all the controls reversed and in the dark, boy o boy they where trusting, Every time any of us men would go to signal we would turn the wipers on so that the oncoming traffic knew we we foreigners, The two things that really made it uncomfortable was not having the window sill to lean your left arm on and the seat-belt reverse rubbing you while you drive, Very very wild and fun

The meet and great was great, Mrs Shalley had pizzas waiting for us, She knew how to make us Americans feel at home, coffee and chocolate nut cookies for desert, We then unloaded and sorted all our trinkets and art supplies for the people, we also had our meeting to set our kinda sorta plan for the work, brief internet to email home and update FB, Then bed time at 2:30am alarm set for 6:30am, we got work to get too, sleep is for the lazy !!!

6:30am up and showered with hot water, this has to be the last time for this, Breakfast egg quiche and apple fritters with coffee or tea, grub over and back to the road, Did some vehicle maintenance with tools like Macgyver, They did not expect to be traveling with the world famous "Macgyver JDP" if were lucky 8 hours driving to our base camp Opuwo

Mission Trip to Namibia Africa: still traveling

The b&b shuttle us back to the airport, This part was pretty painless, straight through, not much checking of our bags like the U.S., I didn't even have to take my shoes off again, weird ???

This is the first time I have boarded a full size plane out on the tarmac, I got the isle seat again and An empty row, The big gut has been thinking about my long legs hasn't he :-) well I guess I don't get the whole row, A small African boy came and he gets the window seat, The flight attendant informed me I would have to be responsible for him during the flight, I jokingly said what if I don't want too ? He didn't get me joking, I said it would be fine but thought I guess I can't get some more shut eye, So I helped him with his buckle, trying to ignore him, surely impossible, He was wanting to play And I guess I looked friendly, he told me he was 6, his birthday was yesterday (9-17-2011)He just left his father whom works in Johannesburg, His mom would be waiting when we landed, He proceeded to tell me all the cool things I could do in Namibia, Drink cart came, I got a tomato juice, asked him and he said coke, This is where as a parent I would have said no you must have juice But he's not mine so coke it is, The meal and once again real silverware, At this point I could have a setting for six, they where nice and heavy, Choices chicken, fish, or pasta, I chose pasta, he chose beef but only ate the salad and desert

So we land and exit the plane walking across the tarmac, we must fill out some forms entering the country as non citizens, they have general info questions, who, what, where, how much etc etc , Then you wait in the appropriate line waiting for the custom agent, My turn and she asks first time in Namibia Africa, yes, What are you going to do, Just see the sites, She then proceeds to tell me some stuff I should check out, I told her that's what the boy sitting next to me on the plane said, she said who, I pointed, She said oh he's a brat, I said no no he's just a curios young boy and I appreciated him telling me some stuff, She then told me he was Namibian royalty, the grandson of this guy who's name I couldn't pronounce or spell, I said I'm sorry I didn't know who that was but the boy was no bother, She stamped my passport and said have a nice stay,,, I think the boy saved me the normal travel pat-down,,, Thank you Jesus !!!

We picked up our luggage, mine was gone through some where on this journey, I'm a neat packer and it was mish moshed, Now we had to play the rental game which was setup before we left, we get not what we had planned but a 13 passenger van and a trailer, Fine Paul and I load the trailer and away we go