on the way to Lüderitz

Monday 21st of January

Off to Luderitz!!! But first a quick stop at Reichel’s for a bye-bye babies, no, meant ladies;) There I found my bank-thingy-thing, I haven’t mentioned I lost it…but I did, called my bank in Norway, back and forth, blablabla, and banks are a hassle, especially when your head is not screwed on the right way, as in my case. Anyways, got going! Papa D picked us up at Reichel’s and we started off with scaring Astrid(Biancas 16 yrs old sister) by being our crazy selves. She was going to sit in the middle in the back, moahahaha! After Papa D’s tetris-like packing we we’re on our way!

What is a long drive without singing Celine Dion out loud?? We think of Herlen and sing even louder! It’s a small car, we sit tight, but we have fun! We’re so GLAD we got to go with friends!

Astrid & Pappa D(by the way the only elder i Luderitz,

 is it then disrespectful calling him Papa D? 

We didn't get his name first, surname Damons, figured Papa D was good)

 Nature is fantastic! The changes of the landscape, the animals! We see ostriches, wild horses, kudus and all sorts! The rough and rocky landscape, hot! A stop in Keetmanshop where grandma Cookie lives. How does she survive? It’s only sand and sun, “Without Jehovah I wouldn’t” she says with the biggest smile ever! A pause under the trees by a petrol-station, enjoy an ice-cream, and we’re on the road again. Straight roads with minimal action, driving in 130 km/h but we don’t really notice. The only evidence of it is taking pictures while driving, this proves to be mission impossible.

Ashley (Papa D) tells us that when we get closer to the coast the temperature drops like that, he snaps his fingers. We find it hard to believe. Trine and Astrid falls asleep. And as by the snap of a finger the temperature drops, brings some hope, sooooon ocean!

 

 The rocky desert changes in to soft sand dunes. 

 We pass “The Ghost Town”, we hope we’ll have a chance to have a closer look.

The sun is starting to set, and then suddenly over a hill and there is the ocean, and Luderitz! We haven’t seen the ocean in nearly 2 weeks, and we have already started to miss it. We are home.

We get to our apartment.

“Oh, yeah!”(in a Barry White kind of voice)

Walk the little winding stairs, get to the bedroom.

“Oh, yeah!”

With a view of the ocean, harbor and waterfront we like it a lot! It looks just like Lysekil(Hanna’s hometown). Are we really in Namibia? In Luderitz? It’s a huge apartment compared to what we are both used to, a bit different to what we expected. We meet our neighbors, Paul, Liz and Silvia. Over-social Trineohanna thinks that maye they would like some tea. They didn’t seem to be interested , so we have some on our own. Time for bed, a blue one and a pink one (who’s whose?)

Thank you Papa D, Bianca and Astrid!

Plan for tomorrow:

Buy breakfast

Fieldservice

Good plan

Things we didn't know how to today:

Be polite

Think ahead

Understand how Hanna allways end up in towns that looks just like Lysekil

Lessons:

Be silly and even shy teenagers softens 

The roads in Namibia are very straight, still,

Windhoek-Luderitz is not so very far when Papa D is driving

Jehovah takes care of Hanna's saftey-addict-tendencies by putting her in places that are just like home(if its to far away, he puts Trine there)

assembly and bye-byes

Sunday 20^th January

 

What a wonderful program! The 4^th time about the conscious for Trine, we’re starting to think that Jehovah is trying to tell her something. Apparently a discreet hint does not work? Or what are we to think?

First talk, brother Derek, second brother Bo and the third with brother Helmut, we are surprised that we’ve met and talked to most of the speakers at the assembly, it truly feels like a big family.

Hanna  in second row

We spend our lunch in the tjizire of the trees on the outside, in the shadow for those who haven’t kept up with the hereo-lessons on the blog. It’s us Elins studies one of the Anders’. Dennis and Herlen joins after a while, Bianca to. She gives us an update on tomorrow. It’s been decided that we’re going with her family to Luderitz tomorrow! So we don’t have to go by taxi/bus-thingy.

 

Obed and Linda

We get very serious when we're with Michaela and Jacki. This seems to amuse some...;) 

 Michaela, Trine, Mr Penguin, Jackie, Miss Very-proud-I-got-a-penguin-hug-yesterday;) For the ones that don't know this, Penguins don't usually hug, and neither does dragonflies.

Ben(very nice and friendly driver), Ms I-found-the-tallest-brothers-at-the-assambly-and-will-have-a-conversation-with-them(they have a tendency to talk over my head) and Lutz with his huge fan.

 The mandatory backseat-picture, Jessica from Omaruru

We spend the evening at Hotel Hertzberger with the gang.

The Fonz wasn't able to join.

Trine after some food, a lovely creature!!!!

 And then dinner at a fancy restaurant were Trine gets to taste some game,

 zebra and springbuck to be more précis.

Let's swap personalities for 2 seconds;) We like grumpy britts! 

Things we didn't know how to:

Trineohanna is not the best at saying bye-bye, but, 

Trineohanna is getting the hang of Windhoek, time for some 

changes and do something we don't know how to in Lüdritz!!!!!!!

Lessons:

Except for the lovely assembly we sadly think we have stoped learning

in unassigned territory

Saturday 19^th of January

Unassigned territory for the day with the herero-congregation. 43 happy volunteers met up at half past 7 and were divided in 6 cars, how many is that on the back of a buckey? Back on the bumpy roads towards Okahandja but a little turn and we are just on another little dusty road to where-ever. Today we have to keep a close eye with the weather, if it starts to rain Lars-Erik’s car won’t make it back, in more than one place the road crosses dry rivers and there the road will turn to mud.

We place a lot of literature and get many phone numbers, the herero congregation have a lot to follow up.

Some instruction and asking Jehovahs blessings in the shade of a tree

Pandera might be the coolest kid we've met.

...and also and excellent excuse for a break.

 

 Loads of butterflies everywhere! In all colours, but they are small and fly away.
Tricky little creatures.

 Does this picture remind you of a religious painting? It should, but we cant remember what kind of bitter "new-thinkers" they were. Feel free to comment and help us with this one, you know, nwith the hay-thingy and the church?

 Preaching to a herero-woman in traditional outfit. Do you see the funny hat??

 Andy & Anders a well deserved food break

....And this is David Lillenes, did you know there's a you walking around in Namibia? Vettu.

 allow me to state the obvious(this is our right as blog-owners) this is a man with a donkey.

This is a rare sight in the dry country Namibia. It's a lake. Still stating the obvious, live with it.

Afterwards we go to a Farewell-brii for the girls. They have been here for almost 5 months and have to leave. A month in Botswana and after that they hope they can return and maybe become temporary residents. So barbeque, pool, dancing and good company, what more can we ask for after a day in field service?

First thing that met us when we got to the bri was Julian without a shirt, he seemed to like to have it that way. Andy's 2 seconds without a shirt was captured. The norwegians know where to be without a shirt, changing clothes or in the pool, the prude scandinavians thank you;)

When we get back home food is going to be prepared for tomorrow’s assemblyday. Elin thinks of everything! (om du leser dette håper vi at du skjönner hvor stort pris vi setter på dere!!! Nydelige mennesker!!!)

For every day that passes we grow to love our brothers and sisters down here more and more! Love, joy, peace, enthusiasm and warmth. Brothers including us in everything and all the energy they put in and share! We are unbelievably grateful for experiencing the love of Jehovah and his people! 

keeping track of twins

Friday 18^th of January

Meeting for field service at 9, Jonathan the Twin took good care of us, we lost the other Twin, but it all worked out well. Jonathan is a very mild and encouraging brother, I doubt you can enrage him, very nice, polite, happy. He gave away how to tell them apart, a few centimeters. Very helpful when they’re not standing next to each other. Then again, they most often are.

We have returned the car, very worried that we wouldn’t get the deposit back because of a liiiiiiittle bump, but hey,hey,hey! It worked out fine, then again, why recommend going to Etosha in that car? Crazy!

At Merua Mall we met the Reichels, Derek and Marlene, whose house we stayed in when they we’re on holiday. So we got a ride home. Got introduced to Bella the GPS. Have we by the way mentioned that we since Tuesday are staying at Hauklien’s house? Anyway, we are, always gets too late before we get to bed, ‘cause these people are great!

Michaela’s parents arrived from New Zeeland Wednesday night so they’re taking them to all the places you need to go in only 2 weeks. Tonight Joe’s Beer House is on the menu. 


VERY NICE! 


Found out that Michael is a penguin (for many good reasons) Elin is a warthog and Lars-Erik wants to be a lion but truly is a housecat. Very productive evening I must say!

 Nolan, Dennis, Trine, Debbie, Michaela, Herlens head on a plate.

 Mrs Warthog and mr  Houscat

Lars-Erik, TrineoHanna , Elin in a very good and matching mood.

The back of Michaela's head, Anders very understanding, Jaquline very vibrant as usual, Mickey has got her back, Scarlett having a good time, not breating dust for a while(I hear that's what you do if you live in Keetmanshop) Andy trying to catch a fly in his mouth(?) Lars-Erik listening with enthusiasm to Remi's prayer(see the hands?)(you are all welcome to correct me if I'm wrong in any of these cases)

ohhhhh, all of us.

Things we didn't know how to:
trineohanna don't know how to keep track of twins

Lessons:
the way to tell jonathan&david apart is a couple of centimeters
favoriteanimals can tell a lot about a person, or make the person tell a lot about themselves