Instead, the couple is taking a journey, and they are inviting others to come alongside.

The Luke 24 Journey is a one-month programme designed to help people interested in mission work gain clarity and direction, and the van Vuurens are calling it a journey, not only because of the journey two men take to Emmaus with Jesus in Luke 24, but also because the couple see themselves as taking one more step in their journey of faith.

As a result, both Japie and Ronel expect this new programme, which launched in September 2017, to be as much a learning experience for them as for the participants who come in from the outside. While it is modelled on other OM Africa discipleship programmes, such as Missions Discipleship Training (MDT) and the Africa Trek, it’s different in that it has no set schedule, which Japie says will hopefully allow students to focus on fellowshipping with God and clarifying the direction in missions they want to go.

That was certainly the case in September, when their first Luke 24 Journey took them and two students around Namibia with no plans other than to hear from God and follow Him each day.

“We didn’t say, ‘We will take you on a journey.’ All four of us were on the journey together,” Japie says. “And that’s what changed everything—that we were all on this journey with Jesus.”

Just as Jesus used all of Scripture to explain those things about Himself to the two men on the road to Emmaus, so also the Luke 24 Journey emphasises a chronological teaching of Jesus, from Genesis to the book of Acts. But even the teaching, Japie says, is not the type of classroom setting you would expect in a discipleship programme. All of the learning, as with the practical outreaches, is on-the-go.

Case in point: For their first Luke 24 Journey in September, Ronel says that the only preparation she and Japie made was getting a ride to a local farm and “starting” the journey there. Beyond that, the programme was as open as the horizon. On the first day, they took the two participants—a Namibian woman and a man from Switzerland—shopping for food.

Things like ‘off-days’ and ‘outreach-days’ don’t exist in the Luke 24 Journey, Japie says. “We’re always busy with this journeying.”

Having such a flexible schedule allows participants to see moments of teaching that were there all along, that they might have otherwise missed, Japie says. Travelling down a long stretch of road, the four of them were reflecting on the day’s lesson about faith when their car broke down. Rather than fixing the problem while the students waited, Japie asked them, “What are we going to do?”

“It was our lesson in faith happening right there,” he says. “Because you’re not fixed to a programme, when something happens, it’s no big deal.”

While the fluid schedule of the Luke 24 Journey has quite an appeal to those looking for clarity in their relationship with God through missions, Japie says that it “wasn’t all easy going”—meaning both the first journey and all the planning leading up to it. The process of defining what Luke 24 Journey would be was years in the making, as Japie and Ronel wrestled with their own understanding of what an effective discipleship programme looked like.

And even though the journey itself gave plenty of little challenges for the team of four, Ronel says the flexible schedule also allowed for the building of community.

“People offering their homes for a night, or cars to use—it was a great blessing,” she says. “And God put us in a situation then where we can bless other as well—something we didn’t plan.”

Japie also says that the Luke 24 Journey gave them a more accurate picture of “real life.”

“On this journey, we didn’t plan an outreach; it was on a daily basis that we reached out to people. It was more applicable to real life than a discipleship programme.”

The next Luke 24 Journey will begin February 4, 2018, and last one month. All of the journeys will be one month, Japie says, and the couple is planning on facilitating several each year. Five have already been scheduled for 2018.

The one-month window, Japie says, will allow anyone to participate, without the pressure of committing to a three- or six-month programme. People on holiday, students and anyone else with four weeks to spare will find an opening with the Luke 24 Journey.

And no two journeys will be alike.

“I’m excited about what I can still learn,” Ronel says.

In a country with the second lowest population density on the planet (three inhabitants per square kilometer), an every-man-for-himself attitude may seem more practical, but in larger villages and towns, denser populations offer more opportunities. One pastor in Katima Mulilo hopes to change the mindset in his community.

The local pastor, Itii, has come alongside four locals in Katima who have expressed a desire to work together as business partners—a venture that could, with planning and supervision, break the mold and open the door to a new and improved way of life for native Namibians.

The project—a chicken farm for the raising and selling of both African and broiler chickens—will take four men away from inward-focused lives and into partnership with each other. What would be, in any other environment, four individuals selling chickens by themselves, is now a joint venture with the potential for multiplication. While they have sectioned off just one area for their chickens, rather than four separate locations for each partner, their enclosure will consist of various coops for chickens in different stages of growth.

The men currently have one cock and several hens; ideally, they will have another cock as they begin to grow their business. African chickens cost, on average, around 150 Namibian rand (US $11); the more hens they have, the more chicks will be born, continuing to multiply their brood. At the beginning of the business venture, the men don’t plan on selling eggs, Itii says. The first order of business is to establish a growing flock. Only when everything is in order, he says, will they begin to look at alternative ways to grow the business, such as selling manure or starting a vegetable garden.

Itii, who is working closely with Katima-based OM Namibia missionary Linda Taljaard, has more on his mind than simply selling chickens. His goal is not only to train the men in business (a new concept unfamiliar to most rural Namibians), but to disciple them in life skills with the aim of bringing the gospel to a central focus in every aspect of life.

Itii says the men tentatively plan to start with 50 chicks, in a pen that will be big enough to house them in their young stage. The property that will serve as their coop—at the house of one of the partners—is large enough to expand as their numbers grow from 50 to 100 and more. Local leaders, Itii says, have given them permission to begin the business as while they determine whether the land can be put to that use. So far, the men have developed the business with no expense, but chicks a few weeks old can cost anywhere from 20 to 30 rand, so the men are looking at startup costs of 1,000-1,500 rand (approximately US $75-100). While Itii joins the men only as a mentor, not as a business partner, he is working with Linda and OM Namibia to help in any way they can.

It’s a small effort to begin with, but it will open up opportunities for development both in business and in the men’s personal lives.

Over the past two hundred years, the Topnaars, a clan of the Nama people in Namibia, have migrated along the Swakop and Kuiseb rivers in search of sustainable living. They found it in the form of the nara pumpkin, which defies the surrounding desert to grow in abundance in the dry riverbed.

Approximately 1,500 Topnaars remain in Namibia, a third of which have settled on the Kuiseb, where the pumpkin stands as their sole source of community income. In addition to harvesting for food, the Topnaars collect the plentiful seeds and use them to make oil, which claims a good price at market. The seeds themselves are also considered a delicacy in the area.

As a community, the Topnaars are committed to preserving the purity of the land; religiously. No one takes more of the nara pumpkin than is necessary to ensure their survival.

Martin and Gertrude Bull, a local Topnaars couple, also harvest the pumpkin, but their purpose for making their home on the riverbank is fueled not by a pursuit of income, but by their quest to make Jesus Christ known among their neighbours.

Despite the presence of a historical Lutheran church a few kilometres away, the Bull family are the only Christians in their community of 500. Martin, a goat-herder and mechanic, is committed to building relationships in the community and sharing Christ, alongside Gertrude, who operates a school with around 20 children, where she also offers English classes.

It’s relationships on which the Bulls have founded their ministry. While the locals are friendly neighbours, almost all are turned off to the gospel—due in part to their belief that the nearby pastor-less church ensures their right standing before God, despite the fact that services are infrequent and poorly attended. And so, while preaching the gospel outright is nearly impossible, the Bulls have created an avenue of witness through the school and Martin’s mechanical abilities, which have put them in close relationship with most of the community.

While OM Germany and OM Namibia help fund the school, where tuition costs students just 20 Namibian dollar (about US $1.50) per month, the Bulls survive on their nara pumpkin seed profits—usually around 3,500 dollar (US $250) per year. Martin also owns around 20 goats, which he sends out into the riverbed every day.

Tensions are rising on the Kuiseb. The Topnaars, a small group of people spread out over kilometres on the riverbank, are underrepresented in the Namibian government. Though power lines run in close proximity to the community, the government refuses to provide electricity to the Topnaars, despite the fact that the country pumps water further up the river, denying the Topnaars the resources of their land.

Among the Topnaars themselves, poverty has driven some of the younger families to abandon old traditions of respecting the land. Given the good income the nara pumpkin ensures, thieves have travelled along the riverbed in recent years, harvesting the pumpkin far beyond their allotted land. Martin and Gertrude, like the rest of the honest Topnaars, have been forced by the thieves to expand their own area of harvest to accumulate the same amount of pumpkins—most nara plants, a collection of thorns and weeds, are stripped bare by those seeking to exploit the land for profit. Martin, in answer to prayer last season, found a nara bush with nearly five times the amount of fruit as usual; most of the Topnaars, however, are not so fortunate.

Martin and Gertrude have committed themselves to living at peace with all, and sharing the light of God with those they interact with every day. As funding permits, they are seeking to expand their school to reach more children and adults with the gospel.

Rodrieck, who currently works full time at the Walvis Bay harbor, and his wife, ‘unofficially’ became OM Namibia staff in 2014, when they had the opportunity to travel to Germany to receive aquaponics training. After attending OM’s annual Love Africa conference the next year, the couple dedicated their endeavors with aquaponics toward creating a self-sustaining method for funding missions.

Helping missionaries on the field has been on their hearts since they were married in 2007. While they have always supported missions as much as they could, Rodrieck and Geraldine are driven by a desire to give more. They currently support a local couple who operate a primary school in a nearby Topnaars community, but not to the extent that they would like. Aquaponics (a method of farming in which fish excrement is converted into fertiliser) could offer them a new source of income—all of which the Snyderses are committed to giving away.

Aquaponics fits perfectly as a sustainable income for missions in Namibia specifically, OM Namibia Field Leader Josh Kruger says. The country—Walvis Bay, specifically, bordering the Namib Desert—features harsh landscapes unwelcoming to plant life. Much of Namibia’s produce is imported from South Africa, driving up the prices of fruit and vegetables and limiting the average Namibian’s diet.

In contrast, aquaponics offers reusable resources, as filtered water recycles back into the fish tank to be used again. The water not only continues to carry nutrients for the plants, but a greater crop can be harvested with a fraction of the water usage.

“With the current water shortage our country is facing,” Rodrieck says, “this is the future of farming in Namibia.”

The future, for Rodrieck and Geraldine, has started slowly and incrementally. As their endeavors with aquaponics, which they call “the bubble project” in reference to the dome-shaped greenhouse, began last year, they felt led to start small, with a modest investment in their back yard. The project fit within their means and the calling they received from God, and they began to take the first steps, but they received a setback when someone hopped their fence in the night and broke into their bubble.

The couple realised they needed to take the bubble project elsewhere; safety was their concern, but the break-in allowed them to assess the system and plan accordingly. A move geographically allowed them to learn from their mistakes, and they decided, on a word from the Lord—“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9; NLT)—to expand the bubble into a much larger system.

Rodrieck and Geraldine are currently renting space from a farming couple outside the city; not only is the area safer and sufficient for a bigger bubble, but the farmers are renting the space for the equivalent of a few vegetables each month, Rodrieck says. God’s blessing in providing a location, he says, is a reminder that He will fulfill His promises.

That reminder will be at the forefront of the Snyderses minds as they move forward. They are in the process of raising approximately $40,000 US dollars for the aquaponics system they need. Trusting God for his provision, they are moving forward with their dream to become a reliable source of funding for people serving on the mission field.

“But that doesn’t explain the relationship she has with the kids,” Josh says.

The woman in question, Uatjaa Zilliox, and her husband, Philippe, have opened their home freely to the children of their community in northwestern Namibia, where the presence of tribes such as the Himba bring ancestral worship and witchcraft. Prayer is the central focus of their ministry—even when Philippe is traveling for his job as a tour guide, which takes him away from home for up to six months per year, Uatjaa continues to pray with the children who visit—but their influence in the children’s lives goes beyond the time they spend in prayer.

The children who come to pray, mostly young boys in the community, often stay for hours at a time, praying and fasting. At times, students have chosen to spend their weekends praying with Uatjaa instead of going home.

Uatjaa’s journey to the ministry she has now didn’t begin easily. A difficult question stood in the way from the moment she moved to Okangwati with Philippe on a word from the Lord that Philippe was to serve as a missionary in that community: “Why?” Uatjaa herself had no idea what she would do there. One thing she knew: she wouldn’t move along any path God did not lead her down.

“I told the Lord, ‘I won’t do anything you don’t tell me to do,’” she says.

Committed to being guiding by God, Uatjaa’s time in Okangwati started slowly. It wasn’t until a local school teacher approached her that she got her first opportunity to serve, by leading Bible readings for students. She agreed, on the condition that she could take the children up a nearby mountain to pray.

The mountain was not without its significance—locals believed the spirits of deceased ancestors resided on it. In the face of such belief, Uatjaa says, prayer is not only a powerful tool, but essential.

The day of prayer that followed—a revival that brought students and teachers alike into God’s presence—fueled what has now become Uatjaa’s well-known prayer ministry in Okangwati. The mountain has served as a location for multiple prayer retreats, and Uatjaa says local boys will venture up to pray in solitude.

But the Zilliox house remains the hub for her work in the area. More than just a prayer house, its doors are open for anyone who needs help. Philippe and Uatjaa disciple the children who come through in all areas of life; they always give food or a bed when a child asks, but they also give the children responsibilities, such as cleaning the house or preparing meals. The children come from various backgrounds; some have fathers who are witchdoctors. Uatjaa says it is positive role models that the children—especially boys—need the most; a reality made more urgent by Philippe’s absence for much of the year. By herself, Uatjaa is in ministry 24 hours a day—and it’s not always easy.

“Sometimes the kids can give you a hard time,” she says, "but it’s also the kids you’re ministering to.” She says that the constant interaction she has with the local children remind her that this is God’s purpose for her—the reason why she and Philippe were called to Okangwati.

The difference Uatjaa is making in the children’s lives is tangible. Now some of their parents are beginning to come with them to see the woman who has brought about such drastic change in their lives. Uatjaa is ready to show them not a woman but a Saviour.

Several of the ship’s ladies shared their own experience of Christian life, and others performed a dramatised look at biblical women who displayed their faith in unique ways; using the examples of Ruth, Esther, Deborah and Rahab.

Many participants were moved to tears as they watched a video account of 'the invisible woman', who detailed the frustrations of toiling for a family in many unseen tasks, but had to be reminded that her duty and sacrifice is really made for God.

“It was just wonderful,” said Karen Smith, a pastor’s wife. “In busy lives, every mother - whether they have status or not - is going through that. But you’re not doing it for them, you’re working for Him. I am thanking the Lord for showing me that.”

Another local woman felt God speak to her through the testimonies of women who are at different stages in life: “I believe the Holy Spirit meets everyone where they are, through events like this. I will take away from this evening that I’m to embrace where I am in life, and let God use me, whatever season I am in,” she smiled.

The fellowship meets in a shelter built on the side of the pastor’s house. Atlantic coast weather had damaged the cardboard and tarpaulin roof, so the team of volunteer builders’ first task was to dismantle the existing structure – which they attacked with gusto!

As they dragged the rotting planks and broken boards, cracked plastic and torn tarp into a pile, the team experienced a reality check when they learnt this ‘scrap’ was valuable: The materials would be sold to people who live in nearby settlements, to strengthen their makeshift homes of cardboard and tin.

It became clear that for Pastor Augustinus Geingob, who started the church a decade ago, the rebuild was about more than fixing storm damage. His wife died nine months ago, and he and his congregation have just emerged from a phase of depression and diminished motivation.

“I was thinking about closing the church,” says the minister, “My wife, Olga, had always encouraged me every time I was weak. She was a mother to the whole church. It was a huge loss.”

Spending time fasting and seeking God’s will, Pastor Augustinus was reminded of his call to reach Namibian people who may be religious, but have yet to experience a real relationship with Christ. Slowly, the 120 members began attending more regularly and the cloud of grief lifted.  

“I miss my wife, but it’s not like it was in the beginning,” the pastor smiles, “People are strong, and there’s a lot to do as we try to be light in the darkness. Having a more solid building is a new beginning for Rock of Faith Ministries.”

The Vice President of the republic, Dr. Nickey Iyambo, said: “Namibia is a friend to all and an enemy to none. Hence, you too are welcome, not just as visitors, but we are declaring you Namibian friends.” 

The three-week stop in Walvis Bay marks the first visit since sister ship, Doulos, called in the country in 2002. Logos Hope’s director, Seelan Govender (South Africa), told those attending the opening ceremony that crewmembers looked forward to sharing good news, through sharing their stories:

“Jesus makes the difference in the life of everyone on board so that they can make a difference to those they encounter.”

The community on board represents almost 60 nationalities, which the Vice President remarked was a genuine expression of international goodwill. Dr. Iyambo said it was “extraordinary that so many young people volunteer their life, soul and labour – choosing not to work for a salary, but to do unpaid work for the good of mankind.” He told the crew there were some situations of dire need in his country, and that they had come at the right time to help.

Dr. Iyambo was delighted with his gift of a Bible, and presented Logos Hope with a decorative egg to represent the hope of new life the ship carries within it. Commending the projects planned in children’s homes, elderly care centres and among those living with HIV, the Vice President said: “May your Christian-based philanthropy be an inspiration to churches and communities.”

Eight young men from Angola, Namibia and Nigeria hiked from 6-15 June in the Gaub area of southwest Namibia as part of the Wilderness Therapy Programme.

OM worker Japie Van Vuuren led the group in this physical and spiritual challenge, which helps participants find their true identity and destiny, while breaking cycles of lies in their lives and providing an opportunity to receive healing.

The programme starts with an eight-day hike, during which trainees receive daily teachings. While hiking, they reflect on what they’ve heard, and around the fire in the evenings, they share how they will implement what they have learnt in their lives.

The hike is followed by a year-long mentoring programme, during which participants meet weekly with a mentor at school.

The boys were identified by their school as potential leaders and thus selected for the programme. Most come from difficult backgrounds, and all come from nations in which many men share the common problems of promiscuity, mistreatment of women and irresponsibility. These issues stem from various social causes, such as lack of jobs, a violent society and the general sinfulness of man.

After facing lies that had created many stumbling blocks in his life, participant Nkiami*, from Angola, said, “I want to break the cycle of a fatherless nation!”

“We believe this programme gives [the trainees] an opportunity to change their lifestyle,” said an OM Namibia team member. “It’s not only good for themselves but also makes an impact in the community.”

Please pray for these young men and the Wilderness Therapy Programme. Pray that these teenagers will become godly men who will realise their full identity in Christ and reflect Him in their communities.

*Name changed

“My ‘minas’ are my life, my wife, Hannah, the resources He has entrusted to us to do His work, and these 13 trainees to invest our lives in that He has placed into our care to love, nurture and disciple for the next couple of months.”

Eduard and Hannah, accompanied by other leaders, have led several OM Africa Treks since 2011, taking young adults from different countries on trips around Southern and East Africa to expose them to what God is doing in Africa by combining mission opportunities and personal discipleship.

This time, on the first trek of 2014, the 13 trainees passed through Namibia, where they helped local ministries and ministered to some of the unreached tribes with the Gospel.

Participants stayed at the home of local missionaries Gertrude* and Martin*, while they spent time among an unreached group called the Topnaars. The team showed the JESUS film in the people’s native tribal language.

The team did the same among Himba and Herero peoples. They prayed for people afterwards, and some of them reported being healed!

For many of the local people, it was their first time learning about Jesus. Most of the people where touched by God, as the Trek team spent time with them and shared Jesus’ love, using the minas He has given them. 

*Last name not included for security reasons

At team of 15 people from over 12 different nations comprising The Africa Trek reached out to these people in 2013. The team helped to plant a church among the Damara, and they started by sharing Bible passages and laying spiritual foundations.

The team found the hearts of the Damara people to be open, and locals encouraged the team to continue sharing. People said they also wanted to share from the Bible, talk about God and pray for people.

Oped, one of the locals, commented on what the team’s visit meant to him: "To me the mustard seed is what you guys are planting here. When you leave, we will continue meeting together to pray, read and listen to the Bible. The mustard seed will continue growing into a big tree amongst our people. Thank you for encouraging us.”

God also sent rain while the team was there. On the verge of tears, looking at the now-watered sand of his native town, this man concluded, "You didn't just bring us money or food. You brought us the Word of God. You brought us truth. If I could choose between Bible and money, I would choose the Bible. You also brought us rain!"

The first time I met Rayola she was a sad form in a dirty blanket. Her hands were small nervous fists and her eyes were a blank space. She was a confused girl, her whole body shaking with a constant cold. When she tried to speak, only her mouth moved, as if to mimic the miracle of sound, but we couldn’t hear any words.

Our outreach team was told that Rayola suddenly became mentally sick at the age of 18, after a witch doctor put a curse on her. Five years later, she is barely able to take care of herself. Her elder sister is responsible for washing, feeding and clothing her, and making sure she visits a doctor once a month.

Rayola stood before me unsteadily. My smile was met with an empty look. Her arms flopped at her sides, while her sister sat her wobbly body down on the floor. Her sister explained that even though Rayola takes medicine for epilepsy, she believes the problem is far deeper.

We started to pray. The next morning Rayola shared, through her slow and muffled voice, that when we prayed she saw something like light filling her mind. We kept on praying.

During my three-week stay in the village of Okangwati in the north of Namibia, I saw Rayola change. She started to form words and respond clearly to our questions. She dressed herself. She gave hugs. But the greatest surprise was Rayola’s smile. It was beautiful. It was one small proof that the darkness that had been her shadow for so long was slowly disappearing.

One day while we were sitting outside, she suddenly pointed to my eyes and said softly, “You have a light in you.” I told her it was the light of Jesus living in me, and that we were all once in a place of darkness and sickness. The next day she asked for a Bible; she wanted to learn more about this Light named Christ!

This transformation reminded me that even if our faith is as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Nothing will be impossible for us!

At the end of the three weeks, Rayola and I stood with our arms around each other, and I asked her what she wanted to become once she was healthy. She replied in perfect English: “I want to be a nurse.” Then she paused and added, “And I want to be happy.”

We both knew she had finally found her answer to happiness.

Madeleen Olwage, from Namibia, has worked with OM for a few years, serving as a member of one of OM’s ships and then in South Asia. For the last year she has served with OM Namibia.

Mahahe is a lovely village at the banks of the Kavango River. Strong, tall Eucalyptus trees surround the small homes made of reed and stone. All around us are scenes of village life: young girls carrying containers of water on their heads, skinny dogs napping in the shade, chickens cackling, men whistling while they build a new house.

We were on our way to visit the chief of Mahahe. Because he is the leader of a village, I was expecting to meet a man of the military: strict, straight-to-the-point and proud. But when his son brought us to his father’s hut, I found myself in the company of a grandfather. He had the old, patient face of someone wise. He was soft-spoken and smiled often.

It has been six months since one of OM Namibia’s field workers, Linda, decided to live in the Mahahe community. She insists that it’s very important to build a good, trustworthy relationship with the chief. “I feel like a daughter to him,” she says fondly.

I could see why. He immediately accepted us, as if we were his own children. When we asked a little more about his past, he chatted enthusiastically about old miner days in South Africa. Since a missionary couple arrived in Mahahe three years ago, he has shown incredible favour towards their work. He is not a Christian, but they are grateful for his positive attitude.

It was on one of these visits that Linda noticed the chief’s tired feet. The heels were dry and hard from calluses. His toenails were yellow and bent. We realised that there was no longer a woman to take care of him as he became older. Linda gently asked him if she could take care of his feet. He nodded his head solemnly, and as if to affirm his answer, he looked down at his dirty feet.

Linda and I arrived with a bucket, salt, lotion and toenail clippers. We slowly cleaned his feet, scraping away the old dirt. He bravely showed me one of his fingers, the top completely missing from an accident many years ago. As I held his hand in mine, I thought about how much God loves this wrinkled hand.

I was putting lotion on his hands and feet when he asked about the sweet scent. The lotion had the aroma of a magnolia flower. “This is a very good madie,” he concluded. I stared at him. Madie is my name! “Madie” is the word for a fragranced cream or ointment in the local language.

In that moment, I felt God’s spirit encourage me. Sometimes we feel like we have nothing more to give in ministry except these small, unseen efforts. Sometime we just have to clean a chief’s feet and let God do the rest. When we work alongside Jesus—no matter where we go, or what we do—people will remember us by the sweet fragrance we leave behind. And that’s enough. 

Madeleen Olwage, from Namibia, has worked with OM for a few years, serving as a member of one of OM’s ships and then in South Asia. For the last year she has served with OM Namibia.

Many women in Namibia are single mothers leading and caring for their families. These single mothers lose their husbands because of death, divorce, migration or abandonment. Those most adversely affected are the poor whose families are condemned to a vicious cycle of poverty.

Linda is part of a team working in the community of Mahahe that meets regularly with ladies who get pregnant at a very young age, raise their children alone and live isolated lives in the middle of their communities. They gather the second Saturday of every month to learn about God's guidelines for life and acquire new skills in craft and needlework.  

On one particular occasion, the team shared from Genesis 2 about God's creation and His purpose for women. Before the meeting the ladies were challenged to bring a new friend to the study along with an empty tin to decorate. Most of the ladies brought friends, and they wrapped the tins with butterfly paper and planted flower seeds in them. Like the new seedlings, these women have experienced life-changing opportunities, thanks to the work in the area led by Linda and the OM team.

The God of the Bible ordains His people to take care of the widows, orphans and aliens (Deut. 14:28-29; Deut 24:17-22). Would you like to be part of this “butterfly effect”? Would you like to help equip single mothers in Namibia? Let´s help these women care and provide for themselves and their children, breaking the chains of poverty by giving them a new future and a renewed hope.

To learn more, contact: info.africa@om.org.