School Leavers Camp

I met young Pastor Gerson several months ago through my friend, the matrone. After getting to know me a little, he invited me to present some sessions about decision making and goal setting for his School Leavers Camp. The camp was this weekend and I had lots of fun getting to know a new group of young adults. Even better than me having fun, several of the young people told me they learned some new things from my sessions and that I gave them some things to think about. They all told me they loved me and I must see them again. I want to make that happen.

As I keep learning in Africa, nothing was what I was expecting but it all worked out anyway. Pastor Gerson said I could make a slide show since a projector would be available. I prepared one, but I also made a hardcopy of the slides and another with the slides and notes. It’s a good thing because there was no projector.

I was to be picked up Friday in a mini- van from a local private school. I was picked up, 1.5 hours late, in a bakkie (a pickup truck) that was filled with a weekend’s worth of food and gear. Somehow, we managed to pack six young adults among all the gear for a 70km ride to the Okawaka Guest Farm. I envisioned grounds like Waterberg (I camped there in March) with a dark, star-filled sky at night. The guest farm has beautiful grounds and land, but we set up our tents in the yard of Ms A. She lives in the workers homestead where there are multiple families with children and chickens running around. It was fun, but unexpected.

After the bakkie was unloaded of its people and gear, it made another 40km trip to Okakarara to pick up the remaining young adults to complete our camp of nineteen campers. While that was happening, the youth at hand started the fire and preparing dinner. They all worked together so nicely, singing, making jokes, getting it done with no complaints.

I thought it would be a group of twenty 12th graders, but there was an 8th grader, a 10th grader and an 11th grader, about eight 12th graders, and the rest are in 1-3yr programs following secondary school. Some of that group only completed 10th grade and then started their programs. I don’t understand the details, the programs are not college or university, so I assume it is along the lines of a trade school. One is doing computer technician, several are business administration, and others are agriculture. The younger ones were related to the older ones and including them was necessary for the older ones to attend. Pastor Gerson must be very flexible to reach his flock.

Throughout the weekend, if I tried to do something for myself like make a cup of tea, someone would say, “Sit Miss, I will make it for you” or if I tried to wash the mug, “Sit Miss, I want to wash it for you.” I kept trying but they kept catching me and telling me ‘Sit Miss’.

On Saturday we took a three-hour hike to the top of little Waterberg and back. It was strenuous, especially in the hot Namibian sun, but definitely worth it! Getting to the top, seeing the beauty, sharing the tough journey with others, was a very special time.

The idea from my sessions that seemed to stick the most was teaching them how to make their goals specific, measurable, and time-bound and also to write them down and to share it with someone. They really resonated with the idea that goals that are written down and shared are more likely to be achieved.

All for now with all my love,
Ellen