an experience

i have pictures to share.
i didn't take as many as i wanted to.
we were terrific-ly busy in africa.
a lot of my photos are taken
from the window of a van.
i had a wonderful time there -
and wanted to sell everything
and turn around and go back
as soon as i got home.
life here seems so much more -
wasteful.
so here is what will probably be
my longest post ever...
the purpose of our trip was
to build a school.
we travelled to namibia
with a large group - students & adults -
43 of us to be exact.
which really is a LOT of people
for a not so people person.
don't get me wrong - i like people -
but i also need alone time.
i got no alone time.
we worked from sun-up
to sun-down - and beyond.
we cooked,
and cleaned  -
and did laundry for the whole group -
by hand.
i burned my foot - badly,
when i stepped into a village fire.
we spent time with the local children
doing a vbs program,
with songs, crafts, and games.
we did various and asundry trips to town -
local villages, and an orphanage.
i did some nursing -
and i am not a nurse.
it was all very exhausting -
but also very rewarding.
i came home confused about
whether i was helping or hindering.
i saw sad things.
i saw kids with no mamas.
i also saw some wonderous things -
we spent the last two days of our trip travelling.
we went to the beach, and sand dunes.
we drove through a safari type park.
we spent a bit of time in the foothills
of spitzkoppe - a beautiful mountain.
we shopped in a small town -
for local crafts,
and iced coffees,
and biltong, (jerky)
and hand spun wool,
and books,
and art,
and ice cream.

Jacob

Selma

Maria

love the hairdo's

firewood

me with my burnt foot in a bucket of water

baobab tree

Swakopmund

quilt shop

lunch