Knightly News July 2007

KNIGHTLY NEWS JULY 2007

Ark Okahandja
The children are doing fine in their school work. Francina is taking some extra classes including Math. Maria, Andreas and Francina had an opportunity to travel to Swakopmund for 5 days for a workshop with the School Choir. Andreas and Violet took part in a Talent Show, organized by Youth for Christ, with a dance and walked out with a trophy! Toivo passed with a good grades and will be in grade 10 next year (his school year starts in September, same as the northern hemisphere). Victoria is playing netball and is doing very well. Selma has found it very difficult in school as she cannot read very well at all. We are trying hard to help her, but it doesn’t seem to be making a difference, please pray for her that God will do a miracle in her life and cause her to be able to read! All of the children will start their exams at the beginning of August and they are already busy preparing. After exams they will have a break for 2 weeks. Bonnie (14)and Praise (2) both celebrated birthdays this month.
We have 2 extra children (8 and 12 years old) who were placed in the Ark temporarily. Their mother works at a farm outside Okahandja and leaves her 3 children alone to care for themselves. Their living conditions were very poor and they were often without food. Their older brother was stealing and causing a lot of trouble in the neighborhood. Social Services is investigating and trying to help the mother understand the need to care for her children. We are not sure how long they will stay in the Ark.
Violet is still working with Choose to Wait and Kids Club. Mari from Japan is helping Violet with Kids Club and is helping in the Ark (some of the special things she helps with are: cooking and organizing games for the children). Bob and Ania from the UK are helping in the Ark. They will be here for 3 weeks. Bob has helped with maintenance things, such as, fixing windows and doors in the Ark!
The staff are all doing well, some have suffered from the flu and colds but they are still able to manage their work. Auleria has been hired as staff after volunteering for over 7 months at the Ark and with Care and Compassion.
Care and Compassion:
This program has been really growing in Okahandja. The group at 5 Rand has grown to 29 from 4 at the end of last year! The women who are coming are interested in the Word of God and not just a hand out! Praise God! The group in Nau-Aib has grown to 12 and there is a new group started in town and there are 4 attending on Friday afternoons. Auleria (also known as Kapango) has been hired on as staff at the Ark and she and Rachel partner in leading Bible Study at the gatherings. It is exciting to see the growth and we pray that they will continue to develop in their leadership skills. Charlene has started a beading project with some of the ladies from the Ark and one in the community with a percentage of the sale of jewelry going to C&C. Please pray for the successful development of this project.
Teams:
Table Rock Church team blessed us with fixing things around the Ark and being a part of the different ministries of the Ark. The UK team painted on the wall outside of the Ark and also joined us in each of the different ministries.
Blessings:
Pick n Pay donated bread to the Ark. Ministry of Environment donated meat. Coral Coating Company donated paint for the wall.
Report compiled by:
Ndemufayo

Jonathan Goes Back to South Africa!
On the 30th of July, Jonathan got on the Cape Liner Bus and headed south to South Africa! The night before he left we had a surprise Braai with a bunch of his NEW Namibian friends who were ALL sad to see him go.
His time in Namibia was spent helping with fixing things at the Ark, putting in cupboards at Pelgrina’s and renovating at the International Center! He met many volunteers during his stay here (mostly from the USA).
He spent a lot of time with our boys and they were VERY sad to see their big buddy leave! Trevor especially who shared his room with Jonathan. You can tell he misses him, he moved into Tavis’ room!
He arrived safely in South Africa and spent a few days in Cape Town, and he is currently back near East London dealing with some issues that are not so positive... His hut burned to the ground while he was here, and most of his luggage and his plane ticket were in it. He is in need of an affidavit from the police that he can take to the airline (sounds simple enough, but this is Africa… nothing is simple!). Please pray for him as he sorts out this issue.

Pete’s Ministry
This month marked the resignation of our National Director and a new interim director Berdian Beukes took his place. It is a lot of work at the moment but we are extremely hopeful that there will be a great improvement as time passes!
There was a team from the UK here for the month of July (the Bluecoat team of 15 people, mainly teenagers!). Pete organized having them at Care and Compassion, Choose to Wait and some time at the Ark with the children. They seemed to have a great time.
There have been many meetings with our new director. There are many changes to make in the area of finances for the Ark and so Pete is trying to get the Local Board more involved in helping with making decisions and becoming signatories for cheques. Things that should be simple but seem to be very difficult to accomplish for some reason!
Pete also took a trip north to Oshikuku with Berdian and Juliet as there is a Dutch team there working. The Netherlands and Germany have been very supportive in getting this ministry going in the north! The visit was good, and there was lots of talk about how our family fits in this ministry. We will see how GOD leads in regards to this move.
Pete spent every weekday morning at the Ark during Staff devotions this month. He is going through an excellent book called “What Jesus Demands of the World” by John Piper. It is excellent in laying out foundational truths that have been very helpful for the staff at the Ark.
He also spent a great deal of time with the C&C team. He is trying to help them develop leadership skills.

Doctor Visit
Meagan and I took a trip to Walvis Bay July 9 to 11. I had extensive testing done to see what is wrong with my insides. Basically everything came back negative and looking like I am a picture of health! However, I was experiencing a great deal of pain in my abdomen. One of the tests seemed to indicate that I was suffering from Brucellosis (something you get from unpasturized milk)… however when I was retested in Windhoek it showed up negative. Very frustrating as it seemed to fit the bill with all the symptoms I was experiencing. The doctor decided to put me on a shock treatment for all different kinds of parasites and bacteria and I feel much better, however, we had done the same thing in Angola and it would go well for a while and then come back… so we’ll see if this has taken care of it all for good or not. Both Tavis and Meagan went on the same treatment and their stomachs are feeling better also!
On our way home from Walvis, Meagan and I stopped at a Camel Farm and took a half hour ride on lumpy bumpy camels. After our ride the lady who owns the camel farm asked if we would like to have tea with her! We sat and visited for almost an hour, she gave us a couple of tortoises to take home and we were on our way!

School Choir Concert
Andreas and Maria sang at a School Choir Concert in Okahandja. It was a large group of kids and they have been practicing for a long time together. Bob and Ania (from the UK), Mari (from Japan), Jonathan, Uncle Lazarus and Auntie Leila, Ndemufayo, Meagan and myself attended while Pete stayed at the Ark and babysat! I think it is one of the most beautiful choirs I have ever heard. The harmony was beautiful and the kids seemed to enjoy singing and performing! We really hope that one day they will be able to produce a CD. It was top notch. The only downside to the whole evening was the OTHER teenagers who attended the concert. They were very noisy and disruptive and had absolutely no respect for those who had worked so hard to prepare such a wonderful concert or those who had paid to come and listen! The concert was a combination of hymns, Afrikaner songs, and traditional African songs.
Andreas has a beautiful voice and sang one solo part. All the girls in the audience screamed when he started singing!
I wish you could have joined us for the evening… one day I will find a way to put video on one of our websites!

Charlene’s Ministry
This month marked a BIG change for me (and our family). Our volunteer coordinator returned home to Switzerland after her 2 year commitment, and since we have not found someone to replace her I have been asked to do the job! It is a BIG job (more for someone married without children or single), however by God’s grace I will be able to fill in until someone ‘hears’ God’s call and gets on over here to Namibia.
My new job includes picking people up and dropping them off at the airport (an hour and a half from our house), orientating new volunteers, debriefing those who are leaving, preparing files to send to Home Affairs for work visas and permits, organizing which Ark volunteers will go to, helping to do the same for teams coming to Namibia… etc!!! There is a lot of time spent on the road. One of the Arks is a 7 hour drive south, another is a 2 hour drive south and there is also Oshikuku an 8 hour drive north! As you can see the Knightly News is late this month and it is due to running all over the country… currently I am on the road to Keetmanshoop (7 hours south) and Juliet (our national director’s wife) is driving for me and I am typing up our report.
I am also still responsible for the CHI bi-monthly reports, Prayer Coordinator, and I had just begun a beading/craft project to help raise money for C&C. I will be training someone in Keetmanshoop to start the same thing we began in Okahandja. We have raised close to N$1000 for C&C Okahandja through this project already. I would like to expand it, but will have to wait now until someone comes to take over the Volunteer Coordinator job! Oh and I have a family… but I have been too busy to see them lately, although I have been dragging Meagan with me on all of my trips lately. She makes good company and it gets her out of Okahandja! She is here with me on this trip as well! It will be her first time in Keetmanshoop… mine too!
I am hoping to organize a trip to South Africa for our family at the end of August… Lord Willing… as we need to get away for some family time and stress reliever time! Pray for us please!!!

Knightly Kids
Meagan… as I mentioned she is traveling with me now. She is learning the job of Volunteer Coordinator! She has been great company. We are looking into putting her in school in Windhoek in the coming school year (January 2008) but she will have to board there. We are seriously looking into this as she needs structure and peers! She is currently learning to play the guitar!
Trevor… spent a lot of time with Jonathan at the center (watching him work), worked hard at a business plan for entrepreneur day at the school, beaded necklaces, is learning to play the keyboard and studying for exams! He is also doing very well in wrestling and they have someone who came from Oregon who is teaching them some new techniques. He is doing very well.
Tavis… has a new puppy, he suggested to Jenny that he would really like a dog and she showed up for work one morning with a little puppy! He also spent a lot of time at the center with Jonathan and had a very successful entrepreneur day at the school. He is still very interested in the night sky, and would also like to learn to play guitar!

Talitha is in British Columbia for the summer, she has had a wonderful time visiting family and friends. When she returns to New Brunswick she will be living with Charlene’s parents in Sussex and going to a new school. One of the boys at her school in Chipman thanked her for leaving because now he has a chance at being valedictorian next year. :)Please pray for her as she adjusts to a new place and new school!

Beading Project
A few months ago I began this beading project thinking that it was something I would do with a group of ladies here in Okahandja! Well… our new director and his wife Juliet are very excited about where this project could go! They have asked that I write up a proposal and manual and get it going nationally here in Namibia! I have already typed up a bunch of ideas for both the proposal and manual, but don’t have time to put it all together now. I have divided the income into 3 different percentages… 33% goes to C&C, 33% goes to the one who created the jewelry, and 34% goes to restocking! It is working out very well! Volunteers and teams are excited to purchase things made locally (especially by someone they know) and they are thrilled that some of the money is going to help the Care and Compassion ministry! There is great potential for this project and I am hoping that I will be able to assist it nationally in the near future! Mari is a very creative young lady. She has developed many new designs and taught the girls how to do them also! It is wonderful to see the creativity.

Prayer and Praise
Praise…
*There is more harmony in our family these days, however now we are very busy and not spending enough time with each other (perhaps that is the reason for the harmony :))
*Some resolve to my health issues!
*Finances! It is summer in North America and traditionally our support goes very low! Not this July! PRAISE GOD!
*Strength to face the new challenges!
Prayer…
*Continued strength for doing the task of Volunteer Coordinator. Especially pray that things like peoples visas won’t be forgotten or that I won’t forget someone at the airport!!!
*Please pray for our plan to take a break as a FAMILY at the end of August, for financial provision as well as the strength to ‘plan’!
*For the ministries of Ark Okahandja… for success in each ministry as well as growth in the area of leadership skills! If we move north we will need to have people trained to successfully run these ministries on their own. This is a challenge but we believe that GOD can do anything!
*Please pray for Uncle Lazarus as he is dealing with some serious family issues in the north. His sisters are living in a town where there has been some terrible things going on, very serious spiritual warfare, very frightening things happening. He has traveled north to see what he can do to help his family that lives in the middle of it all.
*Pray for the new leadership of CHI-Namibia, Berdian and Juliet Beukes and their little boy, Dante. Especially for strength and wisdom in leadership! We do not want to see them burn out, so they need wisdom in gauging themselves. They have a lot of passion and vision for ministry but there are a lot of issues to work through first!
*Please pray for people to come and fill the positions of Volunteer Coordinator, COO and CFO (Chief Operating/Financial Officers)!!!!

Financial Information:
We are in the transition phase with our finances and would appreciate your prayers during this time. Currently we are unable to receipt those who live in Canada (but we are working on it!).

For those who desire to support our ministry financially you can do so by
DIRECT DEPOSIT (either through Internet Banking or at the Royal Bank) into our
account or sending cheques to Ron and Marge (Pete’s parents).

Ron and Marge Knightly
Box 4, Ft. Steele BC V0B 1N0
Phone:250 426 4782

If you live in the USA you can mail your donation to CH-USA and you will receive a receipt for tax purposes. The address is PO Box 52038, Longwood FL, 32752-0328, please include a ‘separate’ paper indicating that your donation is for the
“Knightly Family-Namibia”!

Thank you for your support! We are continually overwhelmed by God’s provision for not only our daily needs but for the ability to help meet the needs of others through the generosity of those who give financially to our ministry here in Namibia. May God richly bless you!


Serving with Christ’s Hope Namibia
www.christshope.org


Knightly Family
C/O Christ’s Hope
PO Box 9979
Eros Windhoek
Namibia

Knightly’s in Namibia
Charlene's Cell 264 81 301 8798
Pete's Cell 264 81 317 4600
Meagan's Cell 264 81 314 6890
E-mail: knightvision6@gmail.com