It seems incredible to me that it has been over one week
since we returned from Africa – the experiences are still so fresh and
vibrant.
On June 23 (the day after we visited the Oniipa pre-school, Pastor
Henok’s Kindergarten, and Oshigambo High School) I wrote an entry entitled
“Learners, Libraries, and Laptops.” In
that entry I mentioned how it had all come together for me – this whole effort
to bring educational resources to learners and teachers half a world away. I remember I wrote that I felt just “a little
edgy.” It’s a bit hard to describe. This feeling is still with me.
The morning we were headed to Oshigambo, there were a couple
of people in our group who asked me “what do you think this will be like?” They meant our bringing in 20 laptops, all
those calculators, soccer balls, and all.
I didn’t have an answer for them.
I simply didn’t know.
As I look back now, I am so very glad that the entire
student body and faculty were in a government required lyceum on HIV/AIDS. You may recall we spent time only with a few
faculty, along with choir members and the computer science students. We interacted with just the few folks we
needed to connect with and yet we experienced so much.
A thank you note arrived about a week later from Mrs. Alice
Chizengeya, the computer science teacher.
She expressed deep regret that the other learners in the school were not
present to welcome us and share their thanks.
I wondered and smiled as I read this e-mail, sharing it with Ethan, and I remember
thinking then as I do now, that the day as it was, was just so right. There wasn’t a big flourish or anything like
that. No announcements. No splashy fanfare. Plenty of shared hugs to be true, but nothing
that would make anyone feel awkward.
We met some wonderful new friends, celebrated with just a few, rejoiced with music, and later left. Pastor
Henok set the pace. This lovely wonderful
man does have a gentle sense about him.
He’s got a velvet glove as a mentor of mine used to say.
The needs are great at Oshigambo as we learned that day from
Principal Shikongo. They need to rebuild
their sewage system; they need new hostels for the learners; and they need to
rebuild or refurbish many classrooms.
They have 375 learners and 20 teachers.
The school is 50 years old and showing some age. But Oshigambo is still one of the very finest
high schools in all of Namibia, and when students graduate from Oshigambo, they
can make it. They can get into a university
and they can significantly advance their prospects in life.
As a math and science high school, the students who study
there have aspirations to become doctors, engineers, accountants, researchers, teachers,
you name it. Tuition, room, and board
for one year is $7,900 NAD or about $1,000 USD.
Most students cannot afford even a fraction of this amount and they
depend on legions of relatives (nearby and far away) to help them with this
cost. But “making it” and going onto
University after graduation is a goal for each and every one of those learners
. . . and if you had any doubt they will be sure to set you straight! There is a lot at stake for these learners,
and they know very well the sacrifices their families are making.
As we toured the library and saw all those books on the
shelves, and heard from Miss Sarah about her book lending system – I recall Ann
Highum whispering to me “I can’t imagine what you and Ethan must be feeling
right now.” She must have asked this a
few times, because I recall I couldn’t quite muster an answer. It all seemed so unreal.
And it still seems unreal.
It still seems for me a little bit edgy.
But the needs are there for these ELCIN schools and it is plainly obvious
that our efforts are appreciated. So we
will continue to do this thing called Empowering Learners. It matters too much to stop. And as long as we continue to do what they
need and invite us to do . . . well then, our partnership will surely be a
lasting one.
Pictured below are some of our Luther College alumni and
family who are also Oshigambo graduates. All these friends would have studied
at Oshigambo before freedom when this high school was in the middle of a war
zone. And that’s another story for
another time.
Empowering Learners.
Pictured left to right with Ethan and me: Kauna (Kafidi) Heita (Nampa’s sister), Nampa
Nengola ’98, Mirjam-Nelao Dumeni ’90, Usko Shivute ’82 -- who also taught at
Oshigambo, and Cornelius Heita (Kauna’s husband). Not pictured is Frieda Simataa, mother to Sam
Simataa ’13.
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