Saturday, March 29, 2008
ARK OKAHANDJA
Volunteers
Currently we have four volunteers: Anna and Lisa from Germany as well as Jelma and Willianne from the Netherlands. They are all actively participating in Kid’s Club. Willianne is also helping with Care and Compassion and Jelma is helping with Choose to Wait Discipleship Club.
Anna is serving with us until August. Lisa is serving with us until mid-April. Willianne will serve for five months but she is planning to extend her work visa to stay for six months. Jelma is serving with us until Feb/March 2009. These girls are doing a great job in the Ark, they are great help and we appreciate all the work that they do. They have servant hearts and are willing to go the extra mile!
Staff
Auntie Sophia continues to work in the laundry; she is doing an amazing job. Auntie Victoria in the kitchen, she prepares delicious meals and everyone enjoys it, they especially enjoy her homemade bread!
Auleria and Rachel are doing Care & Compassion. Pelgrina is teaching Choose to wait at Aurora Primary School.
Principal Lazarus is doing a good job running the Ark; Leila is on leave as she just gave birth to a beautiful little boy, James!
Ndemufayo is administrator as well as house parent. She is always extremely busy and works very hard.
Ministry Coordinator Peter Knightly is a great help in this ministry, he does almost everything.
Children
The children are doing fine. The Swartbooi family lost an Uncle. It is very sad for them, they buried him on Saturday. Victoria decided to join the school choir this year, which is good for her. Jannis has been behaving very strange month. At school he has been challenging. The Principal called Lazarus in to discuss the matter. The Principal explained to Lazarus that Jannis found someone’s school bag lying on the ground, he took the bag and cut the text books and other books with scissors and his friend cut the bag. The Ark will pay for the books and text book. Other than that all the children are doing fine in school.
On the 21st of March, the Ark Okahandja had an Independence Day celebration Braai down at the river. It was a day to remember. It was filled with plenty of activities like soccer, volleyball and American Football (a sport unfamiliar to the children). There was a volleyball match between the boys and the girls. Unfortunately for the girls the boys won, but only by a close margin.
At the fire, Uncle Pete prepared mouth watering steaks. The lunch as a whole was very delicious, it consisted of all kinds of salads, lamb, boerewors, rooster brood and brochen. I have to say the children enjoyed the dessert, which included cakes, chocolate and marshmallows.
The children were thrilled by everything and this is what some of them had to say:
“I like the games, they were good, I enjoyed myself,” Jannis.
“It was lekker (nice) and the food tasted really good. The balloon game was fun,” said Bernard. “I like the fact we all came together and just had a great time. Playing American football with Uncle Lazarus and Uncle Pete was fun,” Toivo.
In conclusion I would like to say that the children had a great time and were very grateful for everything. It’s a day they will always remember, and everyone hopes for another day like the 21st of March!
Ndemufayo
PETE’S WORK
Other than cooking mouth watering steaks on the Braai… Pete has been relatively busy this month!
The beginning of the month he spent time in Rehoboth for training as well as Prayer and Fasting with the other CHI staff and volunteers.
They have started a Choose to Wait Discipleship Club on Fridays. The girl who was to assist has left now to pursue a career, so he has more on his plate than he bargained for. However, he is very excited about a partnership with Reach 4 Life. They have developed a great Discipleship/Bible which is used in AIDS prevention.
He continues to help with Care and Compassion. He is hoping that one of the local staff will get a driver’s license before we leave!!!!
They are hoping to start a new OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) program here in Okahandja. The desire that we have is to see these children being taken care of IN their communities! They are going to work with long term Care and Compassion patients who love Jesus, these women will help to care for and feed children in their neighbourhood who are in need! Pete is very excited about this new program!
Kids Club is also going very well. There are 3 volunteers and 1 CHI staff member who are leading it this year. The kids love the new program!
Pete continues to supervise each of the ministries in Okahandja as well as come along side people like Lazarus to help him be able to keep things going when we leave! As Ndemufayo said in her report… “Pete does almost everything”. He of course rolls his eyes in his head!
KNIGHTLY KIDS
Meagan has started to work on her online schooling! She is not excited about it yet… but I pray that will come! She spent a week in Windhoek helping new parents with their baby! They were all surprised at how much she knows! She was surprised with them putting a string on the baby’s forehead to help stop the hiccups! HA! It was all she could do to keep from laughing to death! Meagan has developed bad allergies since coming to Namibia. She really reacts badly to the water (I think it is the chlorine). It is quite nasty actually!
Trevor is enjoying school. He has found some new friends and is more relaxed! He is really enjoying wrestling this year. Pray for his health… he has had a really bad cough for the last couple of months, I think it is from the weather, but it would be nice to have him checked out!
Tavis has settled into school a little better since one boy left and went to another school! Having the two together was big trouble. He really enjoys his friend Opa. He still enjoys cooking meals. He struggles with things like handwriting and it makes him very frustrated! Please pray for him as he tries to work through stress in his life… he is slowly learning to overcome, but it has been a ‘very slow’ process!
CHARLENE’S WORK
This has been a busy month. Juliet says “when you want something done give it to a busy person”… HA I say!
The beginning of the month I was a tour guide on a trip to Etosha and Swakopmund.
During the month we have had visitors from Angola; I have been able to help them with organizing vehicle rentals and shopping as well as having a Braai here and having people overnight. I am seriously considering purchasing a big house when we come back and doing a missionary guesthouse on the side! :0)
I helped Juliet by complete the Vat returns for the last period. There were a lot of amendments to make as many things had been missed in the previous return.
Easter weekend we had the Braai with the Ark, went to a house warming Braai in Windhoek at Berdian and Juliet’s, went to Eastside Baptist on Sunday morning and were invited to Todd and Erin’s (American missionaries) for lunch afterward.
I have spent DAYS at the computer, lots of correspondence, and work for CHI. I have edited the volunteer manual, prepared National Prayer and Praise reports, and the National Bi-Monthly Newsletter. As well I have tried to keep people updated and informed on our Home Assignment, and trying to arrange cheap flights and the many other things that will need to be taken care of upon our return!
I was sick with the flu for a week and managed to sew 8 aprons, a couple of handbags, a duvet cover and curtains.
I have also met with the C&C ladies to do beading, and in my absence Meagan has gone to help supervise (which has been very helpful).
The month is gonzo… where did it go?
THE SAFARI
I was a tour guide for a few days while Adrianna, Rachel, Jennie and Hennie (2 volunteers from Holland) were here to visit Namibia! We were told that because it was rainy season we would not see many animals! Well, God was good to us and we saw basically everything except for the Rhino! Everyone seemed to have a good time, I did especially! I don’t think I have laughed so much in the last 3 years! These girls were crazy! At one point Adrianna spotted a lion coming out of the bushes to cross the road… I slammed on the breaks, backed up and was able to get ONE good picture. However, the funniest part was that Rachel had been sitting out the window, and I was YELLING “get back in the car”… “roll up the window”. They had a great time making fun of me after that! I really didn’t want Rachel to be the lioness’s lunch!! I managed to get some great pictures of animals and scenery which I hope to have made into Calendars, prints, postcards etc… when I get back to Canada. Perhaps this will help with some income during our time at home!
NEWS IN NAMIBIA
I don’t know if you have seen it on the news but there has been a lot of rain in Angola and Northern Namibia. So much so that people are losing their homes, gardens, vehicles and their lives. Cholera has been rising steadily, as well as malaria. In the north some schools have closed because the water is too high for the kids to get to school. One of my C&C beading ladies said that the water is up to the necks of children. Some people are wading through hip-high water to go 10km to work! Even clinics have shut down due to the flooding. Some people are camped out in soccer fields, living in tents. When disaster strikes poor communities the effects can be devastating. They do not have insurance to cover what little they do have, so they are left with nothing!
Please pray for the people in the flooded regions!
JENNY
This month Jenny has been experiencing pain in her heart (heart palpitations), high blood pressure, as well as headaches! I am sure that it is because of the stress that her family as well as outsiders give her!
This month her mother and brother have been the biggest part of the problem. Her mother would like Jenny to do everything for her (she did after-all give birth to her!). We are trying to get her mother to return to Rundu. However, she will leave behind the 3 boys and 1 girl for Jenny to care for! Jenny is young and already has Queen and Tommy to care for! However she already pays for all the school fees, food, and whatever else they may need.
My biggest concern is that when we leave she will no longer have the steady income from housecleaning. Please pray for Jenny… pray that she will be relieved of the stress in her life, that she will have a steady income, and that she will shine for Jesus! Her testimony through all of this is amazing!!!
PRAISE AND PRAYER
Praise:
We were blessed to have 2 girls come from Vernon BC. They visited for 2 weeks. We were able to show them some of the ministries we are involved in as well as some of the beautiful country that we live in.
We are very blessed to have our needs met each month, and we praise God for how and whom he chooses to be a blessing!
We were able to get Meagan registered with on-line school in Saskatchewan.
Our computer was sent down from Angola, which helps with school! Thank you God and thank you Goertzen’s!
We are thankful that the boys are now settling into school. Trevor is really enjoying High School!
Prayer:
Please continue to pray as we work to get things prepared for going back to Canada on Home Assignment! We are trusting God that He will provide (spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially)!
Please continue to pray for the staff that we will leave behind. Pray that they will be motivated and strengthened to do the work. Pray for Berdian and Juliet that more people will come on board with CHI-Namibia to help with the work as well as supporting them personally!
Please pray for Talitha as she finishes up the year and graduates in June. Pray that she will seek the Lord’s guidance and direction for her future!
Please pray for our family as we seem to be riding an emotional rollercoaster these days! Pray for God’s peace as we seek to do His will in our lives! Pray that I (Charlene) will not be overwhelmed with the task ahead of planning and preparing to go back to Canada!
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 (CHI has just been approved as a charitable organization in Canada… it will take some time to work things out… but we hope that things will be ironed out soon! We thank you for your patience).
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).
Royal Bank information:
Please email for details!
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 Christ’s Hope USA, Inc. Regional Office PO Box 2238 Traverse City, MI 49685… Phone Inquiries: Phone: (877) 544-0914 Fax: (877) 698-0692,
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!
Volunteers
Currently we have four volunteers: Anna and Lisa from Germany as well as Jelma and Willianne from the Netherlands. They are all actively participating in Kid’s Club. Willianne is also helping with Care and Compassion and Jelma is helping with Choose to Wait Discipleship Club.
Anna is serving with us until August. Lisa is serving with us until mid-April. Willianne will serve for five months but she is planning to extend her work visa to stay for six months. Jelma is serving with us until Feb/March 2009. These girls are doing a great job in the Ark, they are great help and we appreciate all the work that they do. They have servant hearts and are willing to go the extra mile!
Staff
Auntie Sophia continues to work in the laundry; she is doing an amazing job. Auntie Victoria in the kitchen, she prepares delicious meals and everyone enjoys it, they especially enjoy her homemade bread!
Auleria and Rachel are doing Care & Compassion. Pelgrina is teaching Choose to wait at Aurora Primary School.
Principal Lazarus is doing a good job running the Ark; Leila is on leave as she just gave birth to a beautiful little boy, James!
Ndemufayo is administrator as well as house parent. She is always extremely busy and works very hard.
Ministry Coordinator Peter Knightly is a great help in this ministry, he does almost everything.
Children
The children are doing fine. The Swartbooi family lost an Uncle. It is very sad for them, they buried him on Saturday. Victoria decided to join the school choir this year, which is good for her. Jannis has been behaving very strange month. At school he has been challenging. The Principal called Lazarus in to discuss the matter. The Principal explained to Lazarus that Jannis found someone’s school bag lying on the ground, he took the bag and cut the text books and other books with scissors and his friend cut the bag. The Ark will pay for the books and text book. Other than that all the children are doing fine in school.
On the 21st of March, the Ark Okahandja had an Independence Day celebration Braai down at the river. It was a day to remember. It was filled with plenty of activities like soccer, volleyball and American Football (a sport unfamiliar to the children). There was a volleyball match between the boys and the girls. Unfortunately for the girls the boys won, but only by a close margin.
At the fire, Uncle Pete prepared mouth watering steaks. The lunch as a whole was very delicious, it consisted of all kinds of salads, lamb, boerewors, rooster brood and brochen. I have to say the children enjoyed the dessert, which included cakes, chocolate and marshmallows.
The children were thrilled by everything and this is what some of them had to say:
“I like the games, they were good, I enjoyed myself,” Jannis.
“It was lekker (nice) and the food tasted really good. The balloon game was fun,” said Bernard. “I like the fact we all came together and just had a great time. Playing American football with Uncle Lazarus and Uncle Pete was fun,” Toivo.
In conclusion I would like to say that the children had a great time and were very grateful for everything. It’s a day they will always remember, and everyone hopes for another day like the 21st of March!
Ndemufayo
PETE’S WORK
Other than cooking mouth watering steaks on the Braai… Pete has been relatively busy this month!
The beginning of the month he spent time in Rehoboth for training as well as Prayer and Fasting with the other CHI staff and volunteers.
They have started a Choose to Wait Discipleship Club on Fridays. The girl who was to assist has left now to pursue a career, so he has more on his plate than he bargained for. However, he is very excited about a partnership with Reach 4 Life. They have developed a great Discipleship/Bible which is used in AIDS prevention.
He continues to help with Care and Compassion. He is hoping that one of the local staff will get a driver’s license before we leave!!!!
They are hoping to start a new OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) program here in Okahandja. The desire that we have is to see these children being taken care of IN their communities! They are going to work with long term Care and Compassion patients who love Jesus, these women will help to care for and feed children in their neighbourhood who are in need! Pete is very excited about this new program!
Kids Club is also going very well. There are 3 volunteers and 1 CHI staff member who are leading it this year. The kids love the new program!
Pete continues to supervise each of the ministries in Okahandja as well as come along side people like Lazarus to help him be able to keep things going when we leave! As Ndemufayo said in her report… “Pete does almost everything”. He of course rolls his eyes in his head!
KNIGHTLY KIDS
Meagan has started to work on her online schooling! She is not excited about it yet… but I pray that will come! She spent a week in Windhoek helping new parents with their baby! They were all surprised at how much she knows! She was surprised with them putting a string on the baby’s forehead to help stop the hiccups! HA! It was all she could do to keep from laughing to death! Meagan has developed bad allergies since coming to Namibia. She really reacts badly to the water (I think it is the chlorine). It is quite nasty actually!
Trevor is enjoying school. He has found some new friends and is more relaxed! He is really enjoying wrestling this year. Pray for his health… he has had a really bad cough for the last couple of months, I think it is from the weather, but it would be nice to have him checked out!
Tavis has settled into school a little better since one boy left and went to another school! Having the two together was big trouble. He really enjoys his friend Opa. He still enjoys cooking meals. He struggles with things like handwriting and it makes him very frustrated! Please pray for him as he tries to work through stress in his life… he is slowly learning to overcome, but it has been a ‘very slow’ process!
CHARLENE’S WORK
This has been a busy month. Juliet says “when you want something done give it to a busy person”… HA I say!
The beginning of the month I was a tour guide on a trip to Etosha and Swakopmund.
During the month we have had visitors from Angola; I have been able to help them with organizing vehicle rentals and shopping as well as having a Braai here and having people overnight. I am seriously considering purchasing a big house when we come back and doing a missionary guesthouse on the side! :0)
I helped Juliet by complete the Vat returns for the last period. There were a lot of amendments to make as many things had been missed in the previous return.
Easter weekend we had the Braai with the Ark, went to a house warming Braai in Windhoek at Berdian and Juliet’s, went to Eastside Baptist on Sunday morning and were invited to Todd and Erin’s (American missionaries) for lunch afterward.
I have spent DAYS at the computer, lots of correspondence, and work for CHI. I have edited the volunteer manual, prepared National Prayer and Praise reports, and the National Bi-Monthly Newsletter. As well I have tried to keep people updated and informed on our Home Assignment, and trying to arrange cheap flights and the many other things that will need to be taken care of upon our return!
I was sick with the flu for a week and managed to sew 8 aprons, a couple of handbags, a duvet cover and curtains.
I have also met with the C&C ladies to do beading, and in my absence Meagan has gone to help supervise (which has been very helpful).
The month is gonzo… where did it go?
THE SAFARI
I was a tour guide for a few days while Adrianna, Rachel, Jennie and Hennie (2 volunteers from Holland) were here to visit Namibia! We were told that because it was rainy season we would not see many animals! Well, God was good to us and we saw basically everything except for the Rhino! Everyone seemed to have a good time, I did especially! I don’t think I have laughed so much in the last 3 years! These girls were crazy! At one point Adrianna spotted a lion coming out of the bushes to cross the road… I slammed on the breaks, backed up and was able to get ONE good picture. However, the funniest part was that Rachel had been sitting out the window, and I was YELLING “get back in the car”… “roll up the window”. They had a great time making fun of me after that! I really didn’t want Rachel to be the lioness’s lunch!! I managed to get some great pictures of animals and scenery which I hope to have made into Calendars, prints, postcards etc… when I get back to Canada. Perhaps this will help with some income during our time at home!
NEWS IN NAMIBIA
I don’t know if you have seen it on the news but there has been a lot of rain in Angola and Northern Namibia. So much so that people are losing their homes, gardens, vehicles and their lives. Cholera has been rising steadily, as well as malaria. In the north some schools have closed because the water is too high for the kids to get to school. One of my C&C beading ladies said that the water is up to the necks of children. Some people are wading through hip-high water to go 10km to work! Even clinics have shut down due to the flooding. Some people are camped out in soccer fields, living in tents. When disaster strikes poor communities the effects can be devastating. They do not have insurance to cover what little they do have, so they are left with nothing!
Please pray for the people in the flooded regions!
JENNY
This month Jenny has been experiencing pain in her heart (heart palpitations), high blood pressure, as well as headaches! I am sure that it is because of the stress that her family as well as outsiders give her!
This month her mother and brother have been the biggest part of the problem. Her mother would like Jenny to do everything for her (she did after-all give birth to her!). We are trying to get her mother to return to Rundu. However, she will leave behind the 3 boys and 1 girl for Jenny to care for! Jenny is young and already has Queen and Tommy to care for! However she already pays for all the school fees, food, and whatever else they may need.
My biggest concern is that when we leave she will no longer have the steady income from housecleaning. Please pray for Jenny… pray that she will be relieved of the stress in her life, that she will have a steady income, and that she will shine for Jesus! Her testimony through all of this is amazing!!!
PRAISE AND PRAYER
Praise:
We were blessed to have 2 girls come from Vernon BC. They visited for 2 weeks. We were able to show them some of the ministries we are involved in as well as some of the beautiful country that we live in.
We are very blessed to have our needs met each month, and we praise God for how and whom he chooses to be a blessing!
We were able to get Meagan registered with on-line school in Saskatchewan.
Our computer was sent down from Angola, which helps with school! Thank you God and thank you Goertzen’s!
We are thankful that the boys are now settling into school. Trevor is really enjoying High School!
Prayer:
Please continue to pray as we work to get things prepared for going back to Canada on Home Assignment! We are trusting God that He will provide (spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially)!
Please continue to pray for the staff that we will leave behind. Pray that they will be motivated and strengthened to do the work. Pray for Berdian and Juliet that more people will come on board with CHI-Namibia to help with the work as well as supporting them personally!
Please pray for Talitha as she finishes up the year and graduates in June. Pray that she will seek the Lord’s guidance and direction for her future!
Please pray for our family as we seem to be riding an emotional rollercoaster these days! Pray for God’s peace as we seek to do His will in our lives! Pray that I (Charlene) will not be overwhelmed with the task ahead of planning and preparing to go back to Canada!
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 (CHI has just been approved as a charitable organization in Canada… it will take some time to work things out… but we hope that things will be ironed out soon! We thank you for your patience).
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).
Royal Bank information:
Please email for details!
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 Christ’s Hope USA, Inc. Regional Office PO Box 2238 Traverse City, MI 49685… Phone Inquiries: Phone: (877) 544-0914 Fax: (877) 698-0692,
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!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Well it is that time for us to return to Canada for a year of home assignment. Here are some of the postings that I placed on my Facebook Group called "Knightly's on Home Assignment". Just a quick progress report... we now have $366.28 toward our tickets to Canada... that leaves $9633.72 left to go. I know, it looks like a lot... but every little bit that gets deposited will put us one step closer. We appreciate your love and support!
What is a home assignment anyway?
Well, it is a time that missionaries take to go back to their country of origin and travel around seeing their supporters, friends, and family sharing what they have been doing in a foreign land for the past few years! They bore people with their pictures, dress up, show native trinkets, sings songs in a foreign language, and share stories! Ok it is more than that... but when I was a missionary kid that is what I thought furlough (the oldfashion word for Home Assignment) was! I did enjoy meeting people and telling them wild tales about eating raw meat and stuff though!It is also a time of rest (not that you feel very rested when you return to your work, but it is a change of scenery which helps you put things back into perspective) regrouping and ministering to those who have been faithfully supporting us through the years of preparation as well as our time on the field. We appreciate all of those who have prayed, written letters, sent packages, and financially helped us to meet our needs and the needs of others!! We look forward to seeing you all and spending some quality time with you!If you have any questions about HOME ASSIGNMENT... please ask! There are no stupid questions! We will do our best to keep you up-to-date with our progress on THE RETURN OF THE KNIGHTLY'S!
Progress Report
I updated the blog a week ago with the information concerning Home Assignment. Since then I have had a couple of people email for our bank details, and last night friends of ours transferred 90 Euros. That translates into about $150... so we have $9850 more to go and our tickets will be paid for! :-) As the finances come, we will continue to update. We want you to know that we are trusting God for our return and we are excited to share how HE is doing it!!!So here is where we are at:
1. We project that the Return One Year Opened Ended Tickets will cost $10,000 for the 5 of us!2. We will need to lease or purchase a vehicle upon return (we have a contact in NB who has offered to sell us a vehicle and buy it back when we leave... so that is a blessing and a great option).
3. We are looking at staying in Cranbrook for the school year (as Pete's parents own a house that we may be able to stay in).
4. We hope that Pete can go the middle of June for Talitha's graduation.
5. We hope that the rest of us will follow in July (that way the children can have one FULL school year in Canada).
6. We hope to travel across Canada visiting friends and supporters between July and August, and we would like to attend Pete's niece's wedding the end of August in Alberta.
7. Meagan is registered with on-line schooling now and we hope to have her brain stimulated enough to re-enter school without any problem :0)
8. The boys will have to leave half way through the school year here (Jan to Nov is the school year on this side of the equator), and we would like to have some Afrikaans resources to take back with us when we go, so they don't lose the language!
9. We have a lot of planning to do in regards to filling a calendar with speaking engagements and visiting!
10. We hope and pray that on the way 'home' (to Namibia) we will be able to visit some of our friends and supporters in Europe (UK, Holland, and Germany).
There... that is probably enough information for now! We will let you know how things go as we find out! I am not sure when to book the tickets... that is always the scary thing... book before the money comes in... or wait and risk having the tickets cost more? Oh the difficulties and excitement of planning a Home Assignment!
Preparation for Leaving Namibia
There are many things that we need to do before leaving Namibia for one year! Here are some of the things that I can think of at the moment, and I will continue to update as we realize the things we have forgotten!
1. Pete is the Ministry Coordinator in Okahandja. There will need to be a replacement before we leave, or at least someone within the ministry already who can take over the responsibilities that he has. He also manages The Rock (the Multi Purpose Ministry Center), where several ministries (CHI and Apex) function during the week. We get the security calls, he is responsible when things break or stop working, organizing and scheduling events, etc! He also does a lot of the driving for events during the week, like Care and Compassion.
2. I have the beading ministry and some people (mainly from the Ark) are just learning to sew! I need to find someone to replace the administrative end of things, financial issues as well as training, restocking and supervising!
3. We have to consider what to do with the house (we are hoping we can find someone who will rent it for the year, as finding a place here is not an easy task... unless we could consider purchasing when we return) and the 'stuff'!
4. We also have a contract for our Internet, and we will need to find someone to take that over while we are gone.
5. We are considering renting out our vehicle to missionaries who come down from Angola, or people who come to Namibia with CHI on short term missions. We'll see how that works itself out... but it would be nice if it got used for the year that we are gone. We also need to consider perhaps replacing it with a 4x4 upon return, especially if Pete returns and starts doing village evangelism (we'll see what happens).
6. We will need to say good-bye... and that is NOT something that I look forward to! A lot can happen in a year and good-bye's are not an easy task!
7. We would like to make one more trip up into Angola before we hit the road for Canada!
8. We need to help Jenny get fully established without needing the money she gets from cleaning here each month, or find her another job.Well, that's all that I can think of for now.
Preparation for Re-entry to Canada
This is something that may sound funny to you, but it is scarier than coming to Africa for the first time! Lots of things have changed in 3 years (I know because I returned after a year and a half and a lot had already changed). There are a lot of things to think about...
1. Should Pete get a job? If so, how does that work when we need to go visiting churches and people?!?!
2. How much of a budget do we need to project? It will be more than living here, and fuel will be a big part of it.
3. Getting the kids registered for school in a new place (completely unfamiliar).
4. Getting used to hormones in the meat, preservatives, fast food, etc!!
5. Seeing a tropical specialist and getting all our digestive problems worked out! :0) And of course the money to pay for that.
6. Finding a dentist who can work on our teeth and not unload our pocketbook!
7. The kids will have to learn to wear shoes to the shopping mall again!
8. We can't carry things on our heads anymore.
9. Learn to drive on the right side of the road again, and to enter the vehicle on the 'drivers side' not the passenger side (looking like an idiot... did that when I went back in Dec 06). Watching for traffic when walking... looking BOTH ways and remembering which way the traffic is COMING from!
10. Finding a church to get involved in and help serve while we are home! It will be important for us to find a body of believers who is going to stand behind us and support us physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially when we return! High priority!Oh I can think of a ton of things... you may think they are funny, but seriously... some of those little things are what makes life difficult to adjust upon return! Well, enough for now! We'll keep you posted!
How Can YOU Help?
Here are some quick suggestions, if you can think of others please feel free to leave your ideas too... These are just some suggestions of how you can have fun raising some money for our One Year Home Assignment! Let us know if you have done something fun to raise money for the 'cause'! We look forward to hearing from you!!!
1. Have a yard sale
2. Have a dinner party... host some friends, share what the Knightly's do in Namibia, give them each an information sheet on how to contact us directly or include our banking details
3. Put some of your 'stuff' in the Buy and Sell
4. Have a spaghetti dinner at your church, youth group, or any other group you belong to
5. Have a challenge with your friends
6. Do a penny drive
7. Save ALL of 'your' change in a bucket
8. Collect bottles
9. Spring clean for people
10. Do a service auction... house cleaning, car repair, house painting, etc
11. Sponsor an African night with your friends (you can think of ideas, things you could do)
12. Cancel your cable for 3 months
13. Drive past the restaurant, go home and make sandwiches
14. Walk or take the bus for one month
15. Stay home and watch a movie
Questions????
Ask us questions if you don't understand, or want some clarification. We will be happy to answer as best as we can!
Hope you have found this to be helpful!
We'll keep you posted!
God Bless,
Charlene
What is a home assignment anyway?
Well, it is a time that missionaries take to go back to their country of origin and travel around seeing their supporters, friends, and family sharing what they have been doing in a foreign land for the past few years! They bore people with their pictures, dress up, show native trinkets, sings songs in a foreign language, and share stories! Ok it is more than that... but when I was a missionary kid that is what I thought furlough (the oldfashion word for Home Assignment) was! I did enjoy meeting people and telling them wild tales about eating raw meat and stuff though!It is also a time of rest (not that you feel very rested when you return to your work, but it is a change of scenery which helps you put things back into perspective) regrouping and ministering to those who have been faithfully supporting us through the years of preparation as well as our time on the field. We appreciate all of those who have prayed, written letters, sent packages, and financially helped us to meet our needs and the needs of others!! We look forward to seeing you all and spending some quality time with you!If you have any questions about HOME ASSIGNMENT... please ask! There are no stupid questions! We will do our best to keep you up-to-date with our progress on THE RETURN OF THE KNIGHTLY'S!
Progress Report
I updated the blog a week ago with the information concerning Home Assignment. Since then I have had a couple of people email for our bank details, and last night friends of ours transferred 90 Euros. That translates into about $150... so we have $9850 more to go and our tickets will be paid for! :-) As the finances come, we will continue to update. We want you to know that we are trusting God for our return and we are excited to share how HE is doing it!!!So here is where we are at:
1. We project that the Return One Year Opened Ended Tickets will cost $10,000 for the 5 of us!2. We will need to lease or purchase a vehicle upon return (we have a contact in NB who has offered to sell us a vehicle and buy it back when we leave... so that is a blessing and a great option).
3. We are looking at staying in Cranbrook for the school year (as Pete's parents own a house that we may be able to stay in).
4. We hope that Pete can go the middle of June for Talitha's graduation.
5. We hope that the rest of us will follow in July (that way the children can have one FULL school year in Canada).
6. We hope to travel across Canada visiting friends and supporters between July and August, and we would like to attend Pete's niece's wedding the end of August in Alberta.
7. Meagan is registered with on-line schooling now and we hope to have her brain stimulated enough to re-enter school without any problem :0)
8. The boys will have to leave half way through the school year here (Jan to Nov is the school year on this side of the equator), and we would like to have some Afrikaans resources to take back with us when we go, so they don't lose the language!
9. We have a lot of planning to do in regards to filling a calendar with speaking engagements and visiting!
10. We hope and pray that on the way 'home' (to Namibia) we will be able to visit some of our friends and supporters in Europe (UK, Holland, and Germany).
There... that is probably enough information for now! We will let you know how things go as we find out! I am not sure when to book the tickets... that is always the scary thing... book before the money comes in... or wait and risk having the tickets cost more? Oh the difficulties and excitement of planning a Home Assignment!
Preparation for Leaving Namibia
There are many things that we need to do before leaving Namibia for one year! Here are some of the things that I can think of at the moment, and I will continue to update as we realize the things we have forgotten!
1. Pete is the Ministry Coordinator in Okahandja. There will need to be a replacement before we leave, or at least someone within the ministry already who can take over the responsibilities that he has. He also manages The Rock (the Multi Purpose Ministry Center), where several ministries (CHI and Apex) function during the week. We get the security calls, he is responsible when things break or stop working, organizing and scheduling events, etc! He also does a lot of the driving for events during the week, like Care and Compassion.
2. I have the beading ministry and some people (mainly from the Ark) are just learning to sew! I need to find someone to replace the administrative end of things, financial issues as well as training, restocking and supervising!
3. We have to consider what to do with the house (we are hoping we can find someone who will rent it for the year, as finding a place here is not an easy task... unless we could consider purchasing when we return) and the 'stuff'!
4. We also have a contract for our Internet, and we will need to find someone to take that over while we are gone.
5. We are considering renting out our vehicle to missionaries who come down from Angola, or people who come to Namibia with CHI on short term missions. We'll see how that works itself out... but it would be nice if it got used for the year that we are gone. We also need to consider perhaps replacing it with a 4x4 upon return, especially if Pete returns and starts doing village evangelism (we'll see what happens).
6. We will need to say good-bye... and that is NOT something that I look forward to! A lot can happen in a year and good-bye's are not an easy task!
7. We would like to make one more trip up into Angola before we hit the road for Canada!
8. We need to help Jenny get fully established without needing the money she gets from cleaning here each month, or find her another job.Well, that's all that I can think of for now.
Preparation for Re-entry to Canada
This is something that may sound funny to you, but it is scarier than coming to Africa for the first time! Lots of things have changed in 3 years (I know because I returned after a year and a half and a lot had already changed). There are a lot of things to think about...
1. Should Pete get a job? If so, how does that work when we need to go visiting churches and people?!?!
2. How much of a budget do we need to project? It will be more than living here, and fuel will be a big part of it.
3. Getting the kids registered for school in a new place (completely unfamiliar).
4. Getting used to hormones in the meat, preservatives, fast food, etc!!
5. Seeing a tropical specialist and getting all our digestive problems worked out! :0) And of course the money to pay for that.
6. Finding a dentist who can work on our teeth and not unload our pocketbook!
7. The kids will have to learn to wear shoes to the shopping mall again!
8. We can't carry things on our heads anymore.
9. Learn to drive on the right side of the road again, and to enter the vehicle on the 'drivers side' not the passenger side (looking like an idiot... did that when I went back in Dec 06). Watching for traffic when walking... looking BOTH ways and remembering which way the traffic is COMING from!
10. Finding a church to get involved in and help serve while we are home! It will be important for us to find a body of believers who is going to stand behind us and support us physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially when we return! High priority!Oh I can think of a ton of things... you may think they are funny, but seriously... some of those little things are what makes life difficult to adjust upon return! Well, enough for now! We'll keep you posted!
How Can YOU Help?
Here are some quick suggestions, if you can think of others please feel free to leave your ideas too... These are just some suggestions of how you can have fun raising some money for our One Year Home Assignment! Let us know if you have done something fun to raise money for the 'cause'! We look forward to hearing from you!!!
1. Have a yard sale
2. Have a dinner party... host some friends, share what the Knightly's do in Namibia, give them each an information sheet on how to contact us directly or include our banking details
3. Put some of your 'stuff' in the Buy and Sell
4. Have a spaghetti dinner at your church, youth group, or any other group you belong to
5. Have a challenge with your friends
6. Do a penny drive
7. Save ALL of 'your' change in a bucket
8. Collect bottles
9. Spring clean for people
10. Do a service auction... house cleaning, car repair, house painting, etc
11. Sponsor an African night with your friends (you can think of ideas, things you could do)
12. Cancel your cable for 3 months
13. Drive past the restaurant, go home and make sandwiches
14. Walk or take the bus for one month
15. Stay home and watch a movie
Questions????
Ask us questions if you don't understand, or want some clarification. We will be happy to answer as best as we can!
Hope you have found this to be helpful!
We'll keep you posted!
God Bless,
Charlene
Monday, March 10, 2008
February Update!
Home Assignment
It is time for our family to return to Canada for one year home assignment. We are asking our family and friends to consider helping us financially with the tickets to return. The cost is going to be a whopping $10,000. It seems unreachable… but with God all things are possible! We would like to fly home by July… and if possible send Pete for Talitha’s graduation (which is June 15). There are a LOT of details to work out, but for now we would like to see if we can get commitments and pledges toward the airfare. If 100 people pledged $100 they would be paid for… 200 pledged $50 again… paid for! We will keep you posted on the progress in the weeks ahead!! If you want to deposit directly into our account please do so into our savings account, as opposed to our general running account!
Please email for bank details… knightvision6@gmail.com
Pete’s Work
This has been a busy month. The usual Ark, Care and Compassion and Choose to Wait responsibilities as well as looking after The Rock (MPMC).
With the help of Sylvia they started a Choose to Wait discipleship club on Fridays. The young people who have gone through Choose to Wait have been invited to come and get involved in a continuing program where they can continue to build on the foundations they have already learned.
On the 17th Pete headed north to Oshikuku to help with installing the solar panels that were shipped in the Dutch container. He stayed there until February 22nd. They are installed and functioning well. They power the appliances that were also sent in the container.
There were some stressful times with Come and See volunteers. They came to Namibia to save the world, and didn’t want to follow the chain of command… which created a lot of difficulty and stress in Pete’s life!
At the end of the month he traveled to Rehoboth for training and our monthly Prayer and Fasting.
Jenny
This month has been extremely stressful for Jenny. The list of difficulties is long and I don't know how she survives! When someone is determined, successful and hard working like Jenny they get so much opposition on this continent! Here are some of the things she has had to deal with… her older brother beat her up, he stole a bunch of her stuff from the market, her mother beat her little brother until he was unconscious, she is paying for her 3 little brothers and younger sister to go to school (fees, supplies and uniforms), she works here at the house for me and at the carver market and for another beading ministry in town, she had a couple of men try to break into her house one night (threatening to rape her and her sister), she has not been sleeping at night, and her children have been sick. She needs help! We would like to purchase a piece of land for her so she can get off the property that she shares with her mother and the man who tried to break in. The cost is roughly $700 CN for the land, and then we would like to put a fence around so probably another $150 CN. If you have a desire to help please contact us.
Visitors From Canada
Adrianna and Rachel from Vernon were planning to go to Kenya, however, with the unrest the airline cancelled their tickets. Several years ago (something like 18 years) I was a bridesmaid in Adrianna’s Aunt Linda’s wedding, and so they contacted me to see if coming to Namibia would be an option! The girls arrived on February 24 for a 2 week stay! They blessed us with treats like chocolate, Starbucks, socks and underwear, etc! They shadowed us the first week, checking out the different ministries here in Okahandja. The second week the girls and I took a road trip with a couple of Dutch ladies included! More on that NEXT issue! It was nice to meet new people and share our lives with them! We hope they enjoyed their time with us!
Charlene’s Work
This month has been very busy. I did a presentation for the Country Directors on the beading ministry, as well as drew up and presented a proposal for an embroidery machine… which would enable us to make our own t-shirts, hats, etc for CHI International.
I traveled to Keetmanshoop (6 hour drive) alone to do some training. Pete was gone for almost a week to Oshikuku.
I made SEVERAL trips to the airport and Windhoek. Booked airline tickets for people, planned a Namibia tour, etc…!
I also managed to help Ndemufayo get caught up with her Bank Reconciliations for most of last year. I also figured out the Vat Refund (tax) for CHI Namibia, hopefully I did it right :-)! Juliet said that if you want something done give it to a BUSY person… I think I will go into hiding next month :-)!
I also emailed an update with a personal note to 500 on our mailing list! I could barely move my arms afterward. It was very nice to hear back from almost 100 people!!! What a blessing!
I also did some enquiring as to airline tickets for our family to return to Canada for a home assignment.
Also hosted several visitors during the month.
Can’t believe the month went so fast… it’s all a blur! Better busy than bored I guess!
Training in Keetmanshoop and Rehoboth
February 10 to 14 I went on a road trip to Keetmanshoop in the south of Namibia. It was nice to see the Care and Compassion ladies again and to spend ALL day with them on the 12th, teaching them new beading techniques and sharing more on colour coordination. It was a success! I taught 6 ladies 3 new stitches. On the way home on the 14th I stopped in Rehoboth to teach 2 Care & Compassion leaders, the Ministry Coordinator and 4 volunteers how to bead. They did a great job! We are hoping to have a kit sponsored so that they can get started with something at Ark Rehoboth. Currently the C&C program is not yet running (due to lack of finances), so hopefully they can get to work on generating their own funds with this program!
Knightly Kids
We have done all we can for Meagan, but she is still not in school! I am trying to keep her busy by helping with the beading ministry. We are going to have to find things for her to do that will help her with Life Skills until we can get her back to Canada and enrolled!
Trevor is really starting to enjoy High School. He wrote a really nice little report on how he has adjusted to High School. It is good to see, as school has been such a struggle for both of the boys. Most of the time they feel like they are not learning anything!
Tavis is struggling… often the teachers don’t show up to the class and the peer ‘leaders’ are in charge of the classroom, which is incredibly stupid. It causes a great deal of frustration and rowdiness in the classroom. Tavis needs structure and he has not been getting that at all this year.
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 (CHI has just been approved as a charitable organization in Canada… it will take some time to work things out… but we hope that things will be ironed out soon! We thank you for your patience.)
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).
Email for Bank Details…. knightvision6@gmail.com
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!
Praise and Prayer
Praise:
We are thankful for a busy month!
We are thankful for visitors!
We are thankful for finances to cover our expenses!
We are thankful for good health!
We are thankful for safety on the road (many miles have been traveled)!
We are thankful for the many blessings that God has given us!
We are very thankful for our supporters who are giving sacrificially to the Lord and HIS work through us!
We are thankful for the prayers and communication which helps to keep us encouraged throughout our journey here in Africa! Thank you!
Prayer:
Please pray for Trevor’s friend, Darryl, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour!
Please pray for Jenny!
Please pray for our prospective Home Assignment and the necessary preparations that need to be made ASAP… and the finances that need to be raised!
Please pray for our work here in Namibia, especially that we can train those who will take over the ministries that we are currently in charge of!
Please pray for strength and wisdom in trying and difficult times!
Please pray for the kids… especially in returning to Canada and the adjustments that they will need to make!
Please pray wisdom in knowing how best to help the people that God places in our path!
It is time for our family to return to Canada for one year home assignment. We are asking our family and friends to consider helping us financially with the tickets to return. The cost is going to be a whopping $10,000. It seems unreachable… but with God all things are possible! We would like to fly home by July… and if possible send Pete for Talitha’s graduation (which is June 15). There are a LOT of details to work out, but for now we would like to see if we can get commitments and pledges toward the airfare. If 100 people pledged $100 they would be paid for… 200 pledged $50 again… paid for! We will keep you posted on the progress in the weeks ahead!! If you want to deposit directly into our account please do so into our savings account, as opposed to our general running account!
Please email for bank details… knightvision6@gmail.com
Pete’s Work
This has been a busy month. The usual Ark, Care and Compassion and Choose to Wait responsibilities as well as looking after The Rock (MPMC).
With the help of Sylvia they started a Choose to Wait discipleship club on Fridays. The young people who have gone through Choose to Wait have been invited to come and get involved in a continuing program where they can continue to build on the foundations they have already learned.
On the 17th Pete headed north to Oshikuku to help with installing the solar panels that were shipped in the Dutch container. He stayed there until February 22nd. They are installed and functioning well. They power the appliances that were also sent in the container.
There were some stressful times with Come and See volunteers. They came to Namibia to save the world, and didn’t want to follow the chain of command… which created a lot of difficulty and stress in Pete’s life!
At the end of the month he traveled to Rehoboth for training and our monthly Prayer and Fasting.
Jenny
This month has been extremely stressful for Jenny. The list of difficulties is long and I don't know how she survives! When someone is determined, successful and hard working like Jenny they get so much opposition on this continent! Here are some of the things she has had to deal with… her older brother beat her up, he stole a bunch of her stuff from the market, her mother beat her little brother until he was unconscious, she is paying for her 3 little brothers and younger sister to go to school (fees, supplies and uniforms), she works here at the house for me and at the carver market and for another beading ministry in town, she had a couple of men try to break into her house one night (threatening to rape her and her sister), she has not been sleeping at night, and her children have been sick. She needs help! We would like to purchase a piece of land for her so she can get off the property that she shares with her mother and the man who tried to break in. The cost is roughly $700 CN for the land, and then we would like to put a fence around so probably another $150 CN. If you have a desire to help please contact us.
Visitors From Canada
Adrianna and Rachel from Vernon were planning to go to Kenya, however, with the unrest the airline cancelled their tickets. Several years ago (something like 18 years) I was a bridesmaid in Adrianna’s Aunt Linda’s wedding, and so they contacted me to see if coming to Namibia would be an option! The girls arrived on February 24 for a 2 week stay! They blessed us with treats like chocolate, Starbucks, socks and underwear, etc! They shadowed us the first week, checking out the different ministries here in Okahandja. The second week the girls and I took a road trip with a couple of Dutch ladies included! More on that NEXT issue! It was nice to meet new people and share our lives with them! We hope they enjoyed their time with us!
Charlene’s Work
This month has been very busy. I did a presentation for the Country Directors on the beading ministry, as well as drew up and presented a proposal for an embroidery machine… which would enable us to make our own t-shirts, hats, etc for CHI International.
I traveled to Keetmanshoop (6 hour drive) alone to do some training. Pete was gone for almost a week to Oshikuku.
I made SEVERAL trips to the airport and Windhoek. Booked airline tickets for people, planned a Namibia tour, etc…!
I also managed to help Ndemufayo get caught up with her Bank Reconciliations for most of last year. I also figured out the Vat Refund (tax) for CHI Namibia, hopefully I did it right :-)! Juliet said that if you want something done give it to a BUSY person… I think I will go into hiding next month :-)!
I also emailed an update with a personal note to 500 on our mailing list! I could barely move my arms afterward. It was very nice to hear back from almost 100 people!!! What a blessing!
I also did some enquiring as to airline tickets for our family to return to Canada for a home assignment.
Also hosted several visitors during the month.
Can’t believe the month went so fast… it’s all a blur! Better busy than bored I guess!
Training in Keetmanshoop and Rehoboth
February 10 to 14 I went on a road trip to Keetmanshoop in the south of Namibia. It was nice to see the Care and Compassion ladies again and to spend ALL day with them on the 12th, teaching them new beading techniques and sharing more on colour coordination. It was a success! I taught 6 ladies 3 new stitches. On the way home on the 14th I stopped in Rehoboth to teach 2 Care & Compassion leaders, the Ministry Coordinator and 4 volunteers how to bead. They did a great job! We are hoping to have a kit sponsored so that they can get started with something at Ark Rehoboth. Currently the C&C program is not yet running (due to lack of finances), so hopefully they can get to work on generating their own funds with this program!
Knightly Kids
We have done all we can for Meagan, but she is still not in school! I am trying to keep her busy by helping with the beading ministry. We are going to have to find things for her to do that will help her with Life Skills until we can get her back to Canada and enrolled!
Trevor is really starting to enjoy High School. He wrote a really nice little report on how he has adjusted to High School. It is good to see, as school has been such a struggle for both of the boys. Most of the time they feel like they are not learning anything!
Tavis is struggling… often the teachers don’t show up to the class and the peer ‘leaders’ are in charge of the classroom, which is incredibly stupid. It causes a great deal of frustration and rowdiness in the classroom. Tavis needs structure and he has not been getting that at all this year.
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 (CHI has just been approved as a charitable organization in Canada… it will take some time to work things out… but we hope that things will be ironed out soon! We thank you for your patience.)
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).
Email for Bank Details…. knightvision6@gmail.com
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!
Praise and Prayer
Praise:
We are thankful for a busy month!
We are thankful for visitors!
We are thankful for finances to cover our expenses!
We are thankful for good health!
We are thankful for safety on the road (many miles have been traveled)!
We are thankful for the many blessings that God has given us!
We are very thankful for our supporters who are giving sacrificially to the Lord and HIS work through us!
We are thankful for the prayers and communication which helps to keep us encouraged throughout our journey here in Africa! Thank you!
Prayer:
Please pray for Trevor’s friend, Darryl, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour!
Please pray for Jenny!
Please pray for our prospective Home Assignment and the necessary preparations that need to be made ASAP… and the finances that need to be raised!
Please pray for our work here in Namibia, especially that we can train those who will take over the ministries that we are currently in charge of!
Please pray for strength and wisdom in trying and difficult times!
Please pray for the kids… especially in returning to Canada and the adjustments that they will need to make!
Please pray wisdom in knowing how best to help the people that God places in our path!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Pray for Jenny
Hi,
I spoke with Jenny this afternoon and she is so tired and worn out! Her life has been a fight for the last several months! Her brother is one of the biggest problems in her life right now... he moved into her shop and started selling her things and keeping the money. He has also been stealing things from her, coming to her house late at night and keeping her awake, eating her food, and then a couple of weeks ago he beat her up! She fought back though along with her sister and brothers... so he ended up going away for several days, but before he left stole a bunch of her stuff from the shop! Then there is a man that also lives on the same property as Jenny, he has 2 little girls and he keeps forcing Jenny to let them sleep in her house (so that he can fornicate with the women he brings home from the bar), they eat her food and keep her in a constant state of stress! Her mother is not supportive, just a drain... she keeps telling Jenny that since she gave birth to Jenny that she owes her! Jenny continues to support her brothers and sister, food, clothing, school fees, school supplies, etc etc etc! Queen has been getting sick regularly.... and Jenny looks terrible! The people from the woodcarver market are being mean to Jenny and making her life completely miserable (they just cannot stand to see people get ahead here, or have ambition)... they will do ANYTHING to drag someone down who is succeeding. It is sickening! Today she shared with me that she would like to kill herself. She is tired of fighting and tired of the constant pain!
I don't think I can take too much more... watching this all makes me angry, and to see how powerless she feels makes me so sad! The only thing that we feel we can do to help is this: help her to get her ID, purchase land and build a fence! The location will be far enough from her mother to bring the needed separation, and she will take her sister to help her! She needs N$1500 to get onto the land... but the total price for the land is N$5000 ($715CN), either she can pay it all at once or she can pay in installments. My suggestion is the whole thing! I realize there are a lot of way we can use our money and there are a lot of needs (thinking about coming home on home assignment, life in general, and a billion other needs)... but this is URGENT! If you are willing to help PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE... email us knightvision6@gmail.com and let us know what you are willing to put toward helping Jenny! Although there are many others in the same situation... JENNY is who God has placed on our doorstep... and I feel that now is the time to GIVE without expecting anything in return! She has worked hard for everything she has gotten up to this point... she needs a GIFT!
Please let us know if you are willing to help.
God Bless,
Charlene
I spoke with Jenny this afternoon and she is so tired and worn out! Her life has been a fight for the last several months! Her brother is one of the biggest problems in her life right now... he moved into her shop and started selling her things and keeping the money. He has also been stealing things from her, coming to her house late at night and keeping her awake, eating her food, and then a couple of weeks ago he beat her up! She fought back though along with her sister and brothers... so he ended up going away for several days, but before he left stole a bunch of her stuff from the shop! Then there is a man that also lives on the same property as Jenny, he has 2 little girls and he keeps forcing Jenny to let them sleep in her house (so that he can fornicate with the women he brings home from the bar), they eat her food and keep her in a constant state of stress! Her mother is not supportive, just a drain... she keeps telling Jenny that since she gave birth to Jenny that she owes her! Jenny continues to support her brothers and sister, food, clothing, school fees, school supplies, etc etc etc! Queen has been getting sick regularly.... and Jenny looks terrible! The people from the woodcarver market are being mean to Jenny and making her life completely miserable (they just cannot stand to see people get ahead here, or have ambition)... they will do ANYTHING to drag someone down who is succeeding. It is sickening! Today she shared with me that she would like to kill herself. She is tired of fighting and tired of the constant pain!
I don't think I can take too much more... watching this all makes me angry, and to see how powerless she feels makes me so sad! The only thing that we feel we can do to help is this: help her to get her ID, purchase land and build a fence! The location will be far enough from her mother to bring the needed separation, and she will take her sister to help her! She needs N$1500 to get onto the land... but the total price for the land is N$5000 ($715CN), either she can pay it all at once or she can pay in installments. My suggestion is the whole thing! I realize there are a lot of way we can use our money and there are a lot of needs (thinking about coming home on home assignment, life in general, and a billion other needs)... but this is URGENT! If you are willing to help PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE... email us knightvision6@gmail.com and let us know what you are willing to put toward helping Jenny! Although there are many others in the same situation... JENNY is who God has placed on our doorstep... and I feel that now is the time to GIVE without expecting anything in return! She has worked hard for everything she has gotten up to this point... she needs a GIFT!
Please let us know if you are willing to help.
God Bless,
Charlene
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Home Assignment...
Greetings from rainy Namibia!
We have been looking into flights to return to Canada on Home Assignment for one year! They range from $2000 to $5000 per person! Of course the $2000 is the only option! This is for a one year open ended ticket, which is a very good deal!
We feel it is time to share the need! God has been moving us in the direction of returning for a one year Home Assignment for many reasons, and although to me it seems like a waste of money and time (for flights, vehicle, and all the other particulars and complications regarding a return) I also see that it is something that is necessary! As all of you know, this has been an incredible journey so far… and we really feel it is time for a break and there is a great need to reconnect with our supporters and also to gain new supporters! Not only for our family, but also for Christ’s Hope in general!
So let’s break the HUGE amount of $10,000 down into bite size chunks that make it less overwhelming to all (including me)! If everyone on our email list gave $20 we would have the tickets paid for… however the likelihood of that is…well…perhaps NIL? If half of our list gave $40… same story! Now if 100 people gave $100 our trip would be paid for! That doesn’t seem so bad does it? That’s two ‘dinner and a movie’ nights for a couple!
Please pray that CHI-Canada will get the receipting in place SOON… so that those who would like to give can do so with the benefit of a tax receipt. If you feel that God is laying on your heart to give, or if you want more details… please send us an email. knightvision6@gmail.com When we have enough commitments/pledges/promises we will go ahead and book the tickets (in faith). Of course the longer we wait the more those tickets may become… so please pray with us!!!
We thank you all for your love and prayers,
The Knightly’s
We have been looking into flights to return to Canada on Home Assignment for one year! They range from $2000 to $5000 per person! Of course the $2000 is the only option! This is for a one year open ended ticket, which is a very good deal!
We feel it is time to share the need! God has been moving us in the direction of returning for a one year Home Assignment for many reasons, and although to me it seems like a waste of money and time (for flights, vehicle, and all the other particulars and complications regarding a return) I also see that it is something that is necessary! As all of you know, this has been an incredible journey so far… and we really feel it is time for a break and there is a great need to reconnect with our supporters and also to gain new supporters! Not only for our family, but also for Christ’s Hope in general!
So let’s break the HUGE amount of $10,000 down into bite size chunks that make it less overwhelming to all (including me)! If everyone on our email list gave $20 we would have the tickets paid for… however the likelihood of that is…well…perhaps NIL? If half of our list gave $40… same story! Now if 100 people gave $100 our trip would be paid for! That doesn’t seem so bad does it? That’s two ‘dinner and a movie’ nights for a couple!
Please pray that CHI-Canada will get the receipting in place SOON… so that those who would like to give can do so with the benefit of a tax receipt. If you feel that God is laying on your heart to give, or if you want more details… please send us an email. knightvision6@gmail.com When we have enough commitments/pledges/promises we will go ahead and book the tickets (in faith). Of course the longer we wait the more those tickets may become… so please pray with us!!!
We thank you all for your love and prayers,
The Knightly’s
Monday, February 18, 2008
TOO many creatures in our house...
The other creatures I don't have pictures for are... the SNAKE... the SCORPIONS (7 of them)... yah, it's pretty much a mad house around here! They have been hunting for Baboon Spiders... I thought... Ok that doesn't sound so bad... but well... they are actually tarantulas! :-) Isn't that lovely! BOYS!!!!
Our Director...
On the Road...
Rehoboth
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Ark Kids over for a visit
One rainy Friday morning I was checking my email and ALL of these children came rushing in and sat in my livingroom, wondering if they could watch a movie! It was sports day at the school and they got rained out! So instead of going back to the Ark they decided that they should come to Uncle Pete's and Auntie Charlene's!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Bead Training in Keetmanshoop and Rehoboth
Last week on Sunday I traveled to Rehoboth and Keetmanshoop. Rehoboth is about 2 hours from Okahandja and Keetmanshoop is about 6 hours from here! I was able to give a lift to a volunteer from Germany who is staying Rehoboth. It was nice to visit on the way down. I spent the night in Rehoboth on the way down, and was off to Keetmans at 9:00AM (alone). I cranked up the tunes and bounced down the highway... stopping for brunch in Mariental.
After arriving in Keetmans I spent a little time with Susanna (the Care and Compassion Coordinator) and shared some ideas with her and gave her some bead books to look through. Then I spent some time visiting with the Ark staff and volunteers. It was nice to spend time with Rita (the house mother... she is from Belgium and doesn't feel confident in English, but we still had a great time visiting!!).
On Tuesday morning the Care and Compassion ladies began to arrive at 8:30AM, they went for a devotional time and I spent that time organizing their bead room. Around 9:30 they returned and we began a day of learning new beading designs. It was great... in pairs they learned a new stitch... so all together they learned 3 new stitches. The end result was beautiful... I am just hoping that they can get it started again! They were going to stay until 1 PM but ended up staying until 5PM. It was a long day, but fruitful! In the evening, Rita and I went to a restaurant in town and spent several hours visiting!
Wednesday morning I headed back to Rehoboth for another training. Okahandja spotted them some supplies to get started. Four volunteers, 2 local ladies (who will work with Care and Compassion) as well as the Ministry Coordinator, Marlene, learned to bead in the afternoon when I arrived. I taught one stitch and they all did very well. They will be able to help each other, but I will return and show them some more in the next couple of weeks. Since it is only 2 hours away! After bead training I was on the road to Windhoek, and spent the night with Berdian and Juliet. We had a nice evening visiting.
Thursday morning I was off to the airport (after having Berdian change a flat tire, going to get it fixed and picking up Meagan) to deliver a TAAG ticket for a gentleman who flew in from Canada and was to continue on to Angola. Unfortunately his luggage did not arrive from Johannesburg, but hopefully they will send it up on the next TAAG flight to Lubango on Sunday! After the airport run, Meagan and I did some shopping in town, and then we met up with Pete (who had been in Rehoboth to help with a container), but since he had more to do in Windhoek we went home. In the evening we went to a restaurant for Valentines Day... at first we went out and they had no space... every restaurant in Windhoek and Okahandja was FULLY BOOKED! Valentines is a big day around here! Okahandja Lodge had a cancellation so we ended up being able to go for dinner together.
Well, it has been a long week and after all the traveling and stuff I woke to find myself completely exhausted on Friday... so I took a day off! It was nice! Totally relaxing! Feeling better today!
Blessings,
Charlene
After arriving in Keetmans I spent a little time with Susanna (the Care and Compassion Coordinator) and shared some ideas with her and gave her some bead books to look through. Then I spent some time visiting with the Ark staff and volunteers. It was nice to spend time with Rita (the house mother... she is from Belgium and doesn't feel confident in English, but we still had a great time visiting!!).
On Tuesday morning the Care and Compassion ladies began to arrive at 8:30AM, they went for a devotional time and I spent that time organizing their bead room. Around 9:30 they returned and we began a day of learning new beading designs. It was great... in pairs they learned a new stitch... so all together they learned 3 new stitches. The end result was beautiful... I am just hoping that they can get it started again! They were going to stay until 1 PM but ended up staying until 5PM. It was a long day, but fruitful! In the evening, Rita and I went to a restaurant in town and spent several hours visiting!
Wednesday morning I headed back to Rehoboth for another training. Okahandja spotted them some supplies to get started. Four volunteers, 2 local ladies (who will work with Care and Compassion) as well as the Ministry Coordinator, Marlene, learned to bead in the afternoon when I arrived. I taught one stitch and they all did very well. They will be able to help each other, but I will return and show them some more in the next couple of weeks. Since it is only 2 hours away! After bead training I was on the road to Windhoek, and spent the night with Berdian and Juliet. We had a nice evening visiting.
Thursday morning I was off to the airport (after having Berdian change a flat tire, going to get it fixed and picking up Meagan) to deliver a TAAG ticket for a gentleman who flew in from Canada and was to continue on to Angola. Unfortunately his luggage did not arrive from Johannesburg, but hopefully they will send it up on the next TAAG flight to Lubango on Sunday! After the airport run, Meagan and I did some shopping in town, and then we met up with Pete (who had been in Rehoboth to help with a container), but since he had more to do in Windhoek we went home. In the evening we went to a restaurant for Valentines Day... at first we went out and they had no space... every restaurant in Windhoek and Okahandja was FULLY BOOKED! Valentines is a big day around here! Okahandja Lodge had a cancellation so we ended up being able to go for dinner together.
Well, it has been a long week and after all the traveling and stuff I woke to find myself completely exhausted on Friday... so I took a day off! It was nice! Totally relaxing! Feeling better today!
Blessings,
Charlene
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Knightly News Update January 2008
Ark Okahandja
The Children and Staff are back! Summer holidays are OVER and it is back to school and back to work! It seems that ALL of the children had a wonderful time with extended family and friends! They are happy to be back and settling in very well! Jannis and Stephanus were accepted in a special class at Okahandja Primary (this is a BIG answer to prayer). We are still searching for a place for Selma, as she needs extra help! Francina passed with good points and is in grade 11 this year! Andreas is in his final year.
During the holiday time, Auntie Victoria and Auntie Sophia came to the Ark every day and made sure that everything was ok. What a blessing to see the dedication of these 2 women on their holiday time! One evening the geyser sprung a leak and was flooding the yard, thankfully Auntie Victoria came to switch on the lights in the evening and found the FLOOD! The next morning we arrived to clean up the mess in the kitchen but found that it had already been done. Auntie Victoria also spent a whole day helping us sort through clothing at The Rock (MPMC).
We have 3 new volunteers at the Ark as well as Anna from Germany will be with us until August. Kerstin is from Germany, Bianca and Yvonne are from Holland (these 3 will stay one month).
Auntie Leila is due with her 3rd child in April, she spent a few days in hospital with high blood sugar levels.
The Ark is in desperate need of a NEW vehicle, please pray with us!
GOD is at Work
Sometimes I think that we get so bogged down with life that we forget that GOD is at WORK! There are many practical ways in which we can join Him in what He is doing! One to up and sell everything and move to Africa (if that option is not for you… keep reading). Two is to take time out of your busy day to sit and write a note of encouragement to someone you know in Africa! Three is to give back to God a portion of what He has so generously given to you and supporting financially someone who has gone off to Africa!
May God bless you as you partner with us in what GOD is doing!
Pete at Work
After a very quiet month in December things have certainly picked up the pace in January. Pete and Meagan went up to Oshikuku with Berdian Beukes for New Years celebration with the team from the Netherlands. When the team was finished in the north they came to Okahandja for a night before they flew out. Pete cooked a fantastic spaghetti dinner for the team of 30 people, as well as our family and the Beukes family.
At the beginning of the New Year the container arrived from the Netherlands. It was a rented container so it had to be unloaded as quickly as possible, however the backhoe did not want to start so the unloading ended around 1 AM, by the light of car headlights! It was quickly packed into 2 containers and then sorted through later into 1 container to have sent north to Oshikuku!
Pete was able to join the Country Director’s at a farm 100 km’s from Okahandja for 5 days of prayer and fasting. Upon their return a 2 week training has been taking place at the International Center with a lot of very helpful information being shared!
The Ark is back in full swing and programs are beginning to get started again after summer holidays. Pete has been busy with the routine things like Staff Bible Study in the mornings and Care and Compassion.
It has been a busy and fruitful month!
Our Things In Angola
I just had to write something regarding our stuff that is still sitting up in Angola. We were thankful in October to receive the things that had been shipped out in a container from Canada in April 2006. What a blessing! Then we were saddened to hear that when they opened the other container that our household goods were being stored in, that it had been a haven for rats! BIG RATS. They must have been, they even ate through cans of food! They also peed on and chewed many other things! As you may remember our things were only to be stored for 1 or 2 months and have now been up there for 16 months. Now that our friends, the Goertzen’s, are there the situation has changed. They have taken an interest in the fact that we are without our things. Every vehicle that leaves Angola now seems to have a little of what is salvageable included in it!
Although it is only ‘things’ we appreciate having them. Things like pots, cookware, plates , our beds, etc are not easy to live without… we have borrowed some things, and purchased things like ‘plastic’ plates… the cheapest we could find, knowing that our decent things are still in Angola and might come some day. So although we have lived without things for 17 months, it hasn’t been fun or easy.. So we look forward to the return of the last of our earthly belongings. Not that we hang on to ‘things’ but sometimes it sure makes life easier!
Knightly Kids
Meagan is still waiting to be registered in a school here in Namibia! This has been a difficult challenge! However, she has been a big help to us with containers, hosting people, entertaining Dante Beukes, helping around the house, organizing beads, etc…!
Trevor has entered grade 8. High School! He actually ‘passed’ in Afrikaans last year, which made him very happy! He loves his new pogo stick a Christmas gift from friends of ours. He can jump over a 1000 times without stopping, I think he has worn it out already!
Tavis is in grade 7. He seems to be settling into school well after a nice long summer holiday! He and Trevor enjoyed the visit from Tia Janet, she spent hours chatting with them and helping them to understand the education that they are getting in Africa!
Charlene At Work
This month has been filled with many activities. Sorting through tons of clothing at The Rock (MPMC) was hard work and not good for the asthma!
I managed to have some time to sort through the beading and get the stock organized and a proper inventory of our jewellery. I managed to get the Beading/Sewing ministry report finished, as well as several other computer oriented chores done or started (Namibia’s Prayer and Praise report, Namibia’s Bi-monthly newsletter, proposal for embroidery machines, helped Jos with a PowerPoint for new logos, and some other graphic designing, as well as helping the directors to install Microsoft 2007).
Beading will resume at the end of the month with the 5 Rand C&C ladies. I am looking forward to that. We are going to change the time so that the C&C workers can get more involved in assisting me.
During the month I organized some holiday time for the Goertzen family (as Gary’s mom came to visit them in Angola). We had a visit from Jelson (from Namibe, Angola), Jonathan Holden, Janet Holden and the Goertzen’s. It has been a busy month of entertaining and enjoying the company ‘all at once’!
A friend of the Goertzen’s donated $200 toward the beading/sewing project and I was able to purchase more material to do placemats. Ndemufayo is very interested in the sewing!
Something to Think About
Over the summer holidays we spent some time discussing options with our director and his wife (Berdian and Juliet Beukes) concerning our ministry here in Namibia. This last couple of months has been an incredible time of discouragement (especially for Pete). He was placed in a position when we arrived here that he is not gifted for. He has struggled to do his best but it has been incredibly frustrating. It was suggested at one point that we take time for a furlough in Canada. Missionaries generally go home for a year after 3 to 5 years of service on the field. It will be 3 years in May (since leaving Kamloops). The other option is to send Pete home for Talitha’s graduation and give him a break for a couple of months to refocus and re-establish some connections as well as share face to face with people our calling to the ministry! It all seems complicated and overwhelming but if it is God’s will that we return for a year, HE will make it happen! We know one thing for sure, we need partners in this ministry, a support base that will surround us and encourage us when the going gets tough! Please pray with us concerning these uncertainties in our lives!
Christmas In Namibia
The whole holiday season was pretty quiet… and very hot! Most everyone either heads north to Owamboland to the coast (Swakopmund or Walvis Bay) or to South Africa! So the town was very quiet. We enjoyed a turkey dinner with stuffing, and cranberry sauce on Christmas Eve Eve (Sunday), on Christmas Eve we joined the folks at International Center for a Braai and an evening of wonderful fellowship, and got up early on Christmas morning (Pete woke everyone up at 5:30 AM) to share the Christmas Story and open gifts. Several people gave money for gifts this year and I was able to purchase several games and puzzles… great family gifts! A ladies fellowship in NB sent money for me, and Pete purchased a nice stereo for me… the ladies at beading will love it when I bring MUSIC for them to enjoy! What a blessing! We were thankful for a time of rest before the New Year rush!
Prayer and Praise
Praise:
We praise God that we made it through this last couple of months! It has been a very difficult time of discouragement and exhaustion.
We are very thankful for Berdian and Juliet Beukes (CHI Namibian Director). They have been a great source of support and love for our family! We have sat together and poured out our hearts, and they are recommending that we take a furlough (home assignment) perhaps this year… however they said that if we don’t come back they will fly over and drag us back!
We praise God for those who continue to faithfully support us!
Prayer:
We ask that you pray with us concerning the possibility of taking a one year furlough. It will take a lot of planning and finances… currently it seems overwhelming, but if it is God’s will HE will provide!
Please pray that we will figure out a new position within Christ’s Hope for Pete. Currently he feels inadequate and overwhelmed with the position of Ministry Coordinator (he’s not an administrator, he prefers ‘hands-on’ work!). Pray that GOD will make it clear where and how he should serve!
Pray that Meagan will get ‘welcomed’ into a school here in Namibia!!!
Pray for the renewal of our Work Permits!
Pray for dependable people to run the beading/sewing ministry if we happen to leave!
Pray that the CHI-Canada office will be up and running SOON and able to receipt! This is VERY important!
Pray that the remainder of our stuff in Angola will be shipped SOON!
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 (CHI has just been approved as a charitable organization in Canada… it will take some time to work things out… but we hope that things will be ironed out soon! We thank you for your patience.)
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!
The Children and Staff are back! Summer holidays are OVER and it is back to school and back to work! It seems that ALL of the children had a wonderful time with extended family and friends! They are happy to be back and settling in very well! Jannis and Stephanus were accepted in a special class at Okahandja Primary (this is a BIG answer to prayer). We are still searching for a place for Selma, as she needs extra help! Francina passed with good points and is in grade 11 this year! Andreas is in his final year.
During the holiday time, Auntie Victoria and Auntie Sophia came to the Ark every day and made sure that everything was ok. What a blessing to see the dedication of these 2 women on their holiday time! One evening the geyser sprung a leak and was flooding the yard, thankfully Auntie Victoria came to switch on the lights in the evening and found the FLOOD! The next morning we arrived to clean up the mess in the kitchen but found that it had already been done. Auntie Victoria also spent a whole day helping us sort through clothing at The Rock (MPMC).
We have 3 new volunteers at the Ark as well as Anna from Germany will be with us until August. Kerstin is from Germany, Bianca and Yvonne are from Holland (these 3 will stay one month).
Auntie Leila is due with her 3rd child in April, she spent a few days in hospital with high blood sugar levels.
The Ark is in desperate need of a NEW vehicle, please pray with us!
GOD is at Work
Sometimes I think that we get so bogged down with life that we forget that GOD is at WORK! There are many practical ways in which we can join Him in what He is doing! One to up and sell everything and move to Africa (if that option is not for you… keep reading). Two is to take time out of your busy day to sit and write a note of encouragement to someone you know in Africa! Three is to give back to God a portion of what He has so generously given to you and supporting financially someone who has gone off to Africa!
May God bless you as you partner with us in what GOD is doing!
Pete at Work
After a very quiet month in December things have certainly picked up the pace in January. Pete and Meagan went up to Oshikuku with Berdian Beukes for New Years celebration with the team from the Netherlands. When the team was finished in the north they came to Okahandja for a night before they flew out. Pete cooked a fantastic spaghetti dinner for the team of 30 people, as well as our family and the Beukes family.
At the beginning of the New Year the container arrived from the Netherlands. It was a rented container so it had to be unloaded as quickly as possible, however the backhoe did not want to start so the unloading ended around 1 AM, by the light of car headlights! It was quickly packed into 2 containers and then sorted through later into 1 container to have sent north to Oshikuku!
Pete was able to join the Country Director’s at a farm 100 km’s from Okahandja for 5 days of prayer and fasting. Upon their return a 2 week training has been taking place at the International Center with a lot of very helpful information being shared!
The Ark is back in full swing and programs are beginning to get started again after summer holidays. Pete has been busy with the routine things like Staff Bible Study in the mornings and Care and Compassion.
It has been a busy and fruitful month!
Our Things In Angola
I just had to write something regarding our stuff that is still sitting up in Angola. We were thankful in October to receive the things that had been shipped out in a container from Canada in April 2006. What a blessing! Then we were saddened to hear that when they opened the other container that our household goods were being stored in, that it had been a haven for rats! BIG RATS. They must have been, they even ate through cans of food! They also peed on and chewed many other things! As you may remember our things were only to be stored for 1 or 2 months and have now been up there for 16 months. Now that our friends, the Goertzen’s, are there the situation has changed. They have taken an interest in the fact that we are without our things. Every vehicle that leaves Angola now seems to have a little of what is salvageable included in it!
Although it is only ‘things’ we appreciate having them. Things like pots, cookware, plates , our beds, etc are not easy to live without… we have borrowed some things, and purchased things like ‘plastic’ plates… the cheapest we could find, knowing that our decent things are still in Angola and might come some day. So although we have lived without things for 17 months, it hasn’t been fun or easy.. So we look forward to the return of the last of our earthly belongings. Not that we hang on to ‘things’ but sometimes it sure makes life easier!
Knightly Kids
Meagan is still waiting to be registered in a school here in Namibia! This has been a difficult challenge! However, she has been a big help to us with containers, hosting people, entertaining Dante Beukes, helping around the house, organizing beads, etc…!
Trevor has entered grade 8. High School! He actually ‘passed’ in Afrikaans last year, which made him very happy! He loves his new pogo stick a Christmas gift from friends of ours. He can jump over a 1000 times without stopping, I think he has worn it out already!
Tavis is in grade 7. He seems to be settling into school well after a nice long summer holiday! He and Trevor enjoyed the visit from Tia Janet, she spent hours chatting with them and helping them to understand the education that they are getting in Africa!
Charlene At Work
This month has been filled with many activities. Sorting through tons of clothing at The Rock (MPMC) was hard work and not good for the asthma!
I managed to have some time to sort through the beading and get the stock organized and a proper inventory of our jewellery. I managed to get the Beading/Sewing ministry report finished, as well as several other computer oriented chores done or started (Namibia’s Prayer and Praise report, Namibia’s Bi-monthly newsletter, proposal for embroidery machines, helped Jos with a PowerPoint for new logos, and some other graphic designing, as well as helping the directors to install Microsoft 2007).
Beading will resume at the end of the month with the 5 Rand C&C ladies. I am looking forward to that. We are going to change the time so that the C&C workers can get more involved in assisting me.
During the month I organized some holiday time for the Goertzen family (as Gary’s mom came to visit them in Angola). We had a visit from Jelson (from Namibe, Angola), Jonathan Holden, Janet Holden and the Goertzen’s. It has been a busy month of entertaining and enjoying the company ‘all at once’!
A friend of the Goertzen’s donated $200 toward the beading/sewing project and I was able to purchase more material to do placemats. Ndemufayo is very interested in the sewing!
Something to Think About
Over the summer holidays we spent some time discussing options with our director and his wife (Berdian and Juliet Beukes) concerning our ministry here in Namibia. This last couple of months has been an incredible time of discouragement (especially for Pete). He was placed in a position when we arrived here that he is not gifted for. He has struggled to do his best but it has been incredibly frustrating. It was suggested at one point that we take time for a furlough in Canada. Missionaries generally go home for a year after 3 to 5 years of service on the field. It will be 3 years in May (since leaving Kamloops). The other option is to send Pete home for Talitha’s graduation and give him a break for a couple of months to refocus and re-establish some connections as well as share face to face with people our calling to the ministry! It all seems complicated and overwhelming but if it is God’s will that we return for a year, HE will make it happen! We know one thing for sure, we need partners in this ministry, a support base that will surround us and encourage us when the going gets tough! Please pray with us concerning these uncertainties in our lives!
Christmas In Namibia
The whole holiday season was pretty quiet… and very hot! Most everyone either heads north to Owamboland to the coast (Swakopmund or Walvis Bay) or to South Africa! So the town was very quiet. We enjoyed a turkey dinner with stuffing, and cranberry sauce on Christmas Eve Eve (Sunday), on Christmas Eve we joined the folks at International Center for a Braai and an evening of wonderful fellowship, and got up early on Christmas morning (Pete woke everyone up at 5:30 AM) to share the Christmas Story and open gifts. Several people gave money for gifts this year and I was able to purchase several games and puzzles… great family gifts! A ladies fellowship in NB sent money for me, and Pete purchased a nice stereo for me… the ladies at beading will love it when I bring MUSIC for them to enjoy! What a blessing! We were thankful for a time of rest before the New Year rush!
Prayer and Praise
Praise:
We praise God that we made it through this last couple of months! It has been a very difficult time of discouragement and exhaustion.
We are very thankful for Berdian and Juliet Beukes (CHI Namibian Director). They have been a great source of support and love for our family! We have sat together and poured out our hearts, and they are recommending that we take a furlough (home assignment) perhaps this year… however they said that if we don’t come back they will fly over and drag us back!
We praise God for those who continue to faithfully support us!
Prayer:
We ask that you pray with us concerning the possibility of taking a one year furlough. It will take a lot of planning and finances… currently it seems overwhelming, but if it is God’s will HE will provide!
Please pray that we will figure out a new position within Christ’s Hope for Pete. Currently he feels inadequate and overwhelmed with the position of Ministry Coordinator (he’s not an administrator, he prefers ‘hands-on’ work!). Pray that GOD will make it clear where and how he should serve!
Pray that Meagan will get ‘welcomed’ into a school here in Namibia!!!
Pray for the renewal of our Work Permits!
Pray for dependable people to run the beading/sewing ministry if we happen to leave!
Pray that the CHI-Canada office will be up and running SOON and able to receipt! This is VERY important!
Pray that the remainder of our stuff in Angola will be shipped SOON!
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 (CHI has just been approved as a charitable organization in Canada… it will take some time to work things out… but we hope that things will be ironed out soon! We thank you for your patience.)
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!
Knightly Family 2007 Report
Knightly Family 2007 Report
Working with Christ’s Hope International
NAMIBIA
Dear Friends and Family,
We want to say thank you for your continued support and love during our time in Africa.
First of all we would like to take the time to share with you our work here in Namibia and then we would like to show you how you can get involved in helping us from where you are in the world!
We are currently with an organization called Christ’s Hope International-Namibia. This organization is divided into two parts; Mobilization Nations and Ministry Nations. The Mobilization Nations include: USA, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and UK. The Ministry Nations include: Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, DRC, Kenya and South Africa.
www.christshope.org
The ministries of Christ’s Hope include: The Ark’s, Care and Compassion, and Choose to Wait.
The Ark ministries are focused on meeting the needs of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC’s). In some places we have children’s homes and in other’s we are supporting the extended families that are doing their best to care for the children in their own homes. Our desire is that all children will be able to grow up in a ‘home’ environment and therefore the second option is truly the best one.
Care and Compassion (C&C) ministry is focused on those who have or are affected by HIV/AIDS in the community. This includes sharing the Gospel of Jesus with them as well as showing them love and compassion. The C&C patients sign up to the program and come together as a group in their neighbourhood twice a week. It is teaching them a sense of community when their own communities have rejected them as AIDS still carries with it a stigmatism. They are encouraged by the Word of God and shown how to change their lifestyles in order to help improve their health. Other parts of this ministry include: driving patients to the hospital, checking to see if they are taking their anti-retroviral drugs properly, helping them find an alternative to breast feeding if they have infants, and finding other support as needed.
The Choose to Wait program teaches prevention. In a society where promiscuity, rape, molestation and polygamy are prevalent, prevention needs to be taught to the young generation. Although most tend to promote the use of condoms, we would prefer to incorporate a program that teaches abstinence and faithfulness in marriage, which helps both men and women to learn to respect each other. Choose to Wait is very well accepted as a school curriculum in both elementary and high school levels. It is also taught at after-school clubs.
Each of the three programs work together to help create meaning and dignity in the lives of those who have been so deeply affected by HIV/AIDS as well as hope for a better future, even if that future includes death.
How do we fit into all of this? Well, in August 2006 we joined Christ’s Hope Namibia in Okahandja. Pete was given the task of Ministry Coordinator for all 3 of the ministries of CHI in Okahandja! During our time here we have seen many changes to the ministries that Pete has been dealing with. In particular the Ark staff has really grown and are working together beautifully. Yes he has challenges but the growth in each staff member has been very encouraging. Care and Compassion has also strengthened. There are 54 registered patients in Okahandja currently! Pete and Lazarus started a garden project with the ladies in 5 Rand. We have also developed a beading/sewing ministry that has been helpful in raising much needed funds to supply food, clothing, and other needs of the C&C patients. We have also incorporated C&C patients into the program, teaching them to create beautiful things with their hands and helping them generate some income for their families. The Choose to Wait program is taught in 2 Primary Schools here in Okahandja presently and the Kid’s Club meets 2 days a week with anywhere from 100 to 200 children per week! Pete not only oversees these ministries but is also very involved in helping in practical hands-on ways!
We are pleased with the developments. However, Pete’s gifts are not in the area of administration, and basically that is his role as Ministry Coordinator. We are praying that a new ministry will present itself in the New Year, one that will allow Pete to blossom in the areas in which he is gifted.
The ministries that I (Charlene) am involved in began mainly as a fill in the holes ministry! I began editing and compiling the Ministry Report for Namibia and then later Prayer and Praise reports. I have helped fix computers, taught basic computer skills, taught how to write a report, as well as driving, running errands, filling in when the Volunteer Coordinator left, and many other tasks! However, my greatest joy for this year has been developing the beading/sewing ministry here in Okahandja, as well as traveling to Keetmanshoop to teach the C&C group there.
Our children also help with the different ministries when they are not in school or busy with other things. When a container arrived this year they all got involved in unloading, sorting, cleaning, etc! Meagan has really helped with the beading ministry; she comes along, sorts things and organizes things for me, as well as cleans! She has also been a big help in many other areas of ministry. The boys are in public school and Meagan is ‘supposed’ to be home schooling. We are still working at getting her entered into the public school system.
Well as I sum up the events of our lives I will ask you this question… How can you be involved in the ministries that we are currently doing in Namibia to the Orphaned and Vulnerable Children as well as those who are affected or infected with HIV/AIDS??? Well there are many ways that you can help… you can pray for us… you can come and visit us J… You can send us letters and give us a phone call now and again to encourage us… You can also support us and the ministries we are involved in financially.
IDEAS
Perhaps you could hold a small dinner party at your house, and ask your friends to share some of their resources with the needy in Africa. Challenge them with denying themselves of something for one month (say Starbucks, McDonalds or some other fast food or pleasure) and collect the money at your next get together to send for a project here in Namibia. Not only will you help us in what we are doing here, you will have some fun doing it! Why not have a garage sale in the spring and give the proceeds to the work here in Namibia? Not only do you help our work, but you also clean out your house and have a fresh start for the summer! There are many ideas of how you can help us help others! J Why not take the time today to sit down and write the names of 10 of your closest friends and challenge each other not only for fun but to help someone who is suffering with HIV/AIDS or a child who is orphaned or vulnerable here in Okahandja! You can do it!!!
We would like to that this be the year that you prayerfully make a commitment to support our family, through prayer, finances, emails, projects, etc!
Please take the time to pray about whether or not God would have you share in HIS work here in Namibia.
If God lays it on your heart to help then I would ask that you contact us with your pledge… here are some suggestions:
Pray: Make a commitment on a specific day of the week that you would be willing to hold us up before the Lord!
Emails: Make a commitment to share and email with our family… once or twice a week, once or twice a month, etc!
Finances: Make a commitment to a monthly, quarterly, yearly pledge!
Projects: Make a commitment to be involved in sharing in specific projects when we send out proposals of specific things that you can get involved in!
Remember you are partnering with us in GOD’S MINISTRY… it is HE who has called us, and when you give to God you will be laying up for yourself treasures in heaven (where moth and rust do not corrupt). This ministry is NOT a Knightly ‘THING’… this is something we are firmly convinced that God has called us to. Although there are times when we become discouraged, we know that GOD is faithful and He will continue to provide for our needs whether they be physical, emotional, spiritual or financial! We are truly thankful when YOU get involved in partnering with us and we pray God’s blessing in your lives as you seek to serve him with your time, energies, and finances.
Working with Christ’s Hope International
NAMIBIA
Dear Friends and Family,
We want to say thank you for your continued support and love during our time in Africa.
First of all we would like to take the time to share with you our work here in Namibia and then we would like to show you how you can get involved in helping us from where you are in the world!
We are currently with an organization called Christ’s Hope International-Namibia. This organization is divided into two parts; Mobilization Nations and Ministry Nations. The Mobilization Nations include: USA, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and UK. The Ministry Nations include: Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, DRC, Kenya and South Africa.
www.christshope.org
The ministries of Christ’s Hope include: The Ark’s, Care and Compassion, and Choose to Wait.
The Ark ministries are focused on meeting the needs of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC’s). In some places we have children’s homes and in other’s we are supporting the extended families that are doing their best to care for the children in their own homes. Our desire is that all children will be able to grow up in a ‘home’ environment and therefore the second option is truly the best one.
Care and Compassion (C&C) ministry is focused on those who have or are affected by HIV/AIDS in the community. This includes sharing the Gospel of Jesus with them as well as showing them love and compassion. The C&C patients sign up to the program and come together as a group in their neighbourhood twice a week. It is teaching them a sense of community when their own communities have rejected them as AIDS still carries with it a stigmatism. They are encouraged by the Word of God and shown how to change their lifestyles in order to help improve their health. Other parts of this ministry include: driving patients to the hospital, checking to see if they are taking their anti-retroviral drugs properly, helping them find an alternative to breast feeding if they have infants, and finding other support as needed.
The Choose to Wait program teaches prevention. In a society where promiscuity, rape, molestation and polygamy are prevalent, prevention needs to be taught to the young generation. Although most tend to promote the use of condoms, we would prefer to incorporate a program that teaches abstinence and faithfulness in marriage, which helps both men and women to learn to respect each other. Choose to Wait is very well accepted as a school curriculum in both elementary and high school levels. It is also taught at after-school clubs.
Each of the three programs work together to help create meaning and dignity in the lives of those who have been so deeply affected by HIV/AIDS as well as hope for a better future, even if that future includes death.
How do we fit into all of this? Well, in August 2006 we joined Christ’s Hope Namibia in Okahandja. Pete was given the task of Ministry Coordinator for all 3 of the ministries of CHI in Okahandja! During our time here we have seen many changes to the ministries that Pete has been dealing with. In particular the Ark staff has really grown and are working together beautifully. Yes he has challenges but the growth in each staff member has been very encouraging. Care and Compassion has also strengthened. There are 54 registered patients in Okahandja currently! Pete and Lazarus started a garden project with the ladies in 5 Rand. We have also developed a beading/sewing ministry that has been helpful in raising much needed funds to supply food, clothing, and other needs of the C&C patients. We have also incorporated C&C patients into the program, teaching them to create beautiful things with their hands and helping them generate some income for their families. The Choose to Wait program is taught in 2 Primary Schools here in Okahandja presently and the Kid’s Club meets 2 days a week with anywhere from 100 to 200 children per week! Pete not only oversees these ministries but is also very involved in helping in practical hands-on ways!
We are pleased with the developments. However, Pete’s gifts are not in the area of administration, and basically that is his role as Ministry Coordinator. We are praying that a new ministry will present itself in the New Year, one that will allow Pete to blossom in the areas in which he is gifted.
The ministries that I (Charlene) am involved in began mainly as a fill in the holes ministry! I began editing and compiling the Ministry Report for Namibia and then later Prayer and Praise reports. I have helped fix computers, taught basic computer skills, taught how to write a report, as well as driving, running errands, filling in when the Volunteer Coordinator left, and many other tasks! However, my greatest joy for this year has been developing the beading/sewing ministry here in Okahandja, as well as traveling to Keetmanshoop to teach the C&C group there.
Our children also help with the different ministries when they are not in school or busy with other things. When a container arrived this year they all got involved in unloading, sorting, cleaning, etc! Meagan has really helped with the beading ministry; she comes along, sorts things and organizes things for me, as well as cleans! She has also been a big help in many other areas of ministry. The boys are in public school and Meagan is ‘supposed’ to be home schooling. We are still working at getting her entered into the public school system.
Well as I sum up the events of our lives I will ask you this question… How can you be involved in the ministries that we are currently doing in Namibia to the Orphaned and Vulnerable Children as well as those who are affected or infected with HIV/AIDS??? Well there are many ways that you can help… you can pray for us… you can come and visit us J… You can send us letters and give us a phone call now and again to encourage us… You can also support us and the ministries we are involved in financially.
IDEAS
Perhaps you could hold a small dinner party at your house, and ask your friends to share some of their resources with the needy in Africa. Challenge them with denying themselves of something for one month (say Starbucks, McDonalds or some other fast food or pleasure) and collect the money at your next get together to send for a project here in Namibia. Not only will you help us in what we are doing here, you will have some fun doing it! Why not have a garage sale in the spring and give the proceeds to the work here in Namibia? Not only do you help our work, but you also clean out your house and have a fresh start for the summer! There are many ideas of how you can help us help others! J Why not take the time today to sit down and write the names of 10 of your closest friends and challenge each other not only for fun but to help someone who is suffering with HIV/AIDS or a child who is orphaned or vulnerable here in Okahandja! You can do it!!!
We would like to that this be the year that you prayerfully make a commitment to support our family, through prayer, finances, emails, projects, etc!
Please take the time to pray about whether or not God would have you share in HIS work here in Namibia.
If God lays it on your heart to help then I would ask that you contact us with your pledge… here are some suggestions:
Pray: Make a commitment on a specific day of the week that you would be willing to hold us up before the Lord!
Emails: Make a commitment to share and email with our family… once or twice a week, once or twice a month, etc!
Finances: Make a commitment to a monthly, quarterly, yearly pledge!
Projects: Make a commitment to be involved in sharing in specific projects when we send out proposals of specific things that you can get involved in!
Remember you are partnering with us in GOD’S MINISTRY… it is HE who has called us, and when you give to God you will be laying up for yourself treasures in heaven (where moth and rust do not corrupt). This ministry is NOT a Knightly ‘THING’… this is something we are firmly convinced that God has called us to. Although there are times when we become discouraged, we know that GOD is faithful and He will continue to provide for our needs whether they be physical, emotional, spiritual or financial! We are truly thankful when YOU get involved in partnering with us and we pray God’s blessing in your lives as you seek to serve him with your time, energies, and finances.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Greetings everyone!
We hope that you had a blessed Christmas and a fantastic New Years celebration. Christmas was quiet for us... the most traditional we have had since moving to Africa and very relaxing. New Years, Pete and Meagan went north to Oshikuku and the boys and I stayed home. The boys had some friends over for a celebration... it was a LONG night! I think I got to sleep about 4 AM! It wasn't so bad... they had a good time. Meagan and Pete seemed to be having fun next to a big bonfire at midnight when I phoned. We all talked to Talitha, I held the phone next to the microphone and speaker on the computer so they could chat back and forth over MSN.
Now that we are into a New Year, I am praying that things will start moving up hill for us for a while... it has been a rapid downhill slide over the past couple of months. Many stresses and discouragements which have knocked the wind out of our sails. We need prayer and we need it desperately, as a family, as a couple, as a believer, as a missionary! The stress this year has affected every area of our lives. If you want more details please just email and ask. Things change like the wind around here and I don't want to be specific on the net!
Anyway, we appreciate your prayers and your love and support for our family! Thank you to all of you who sent money for Christmas gifts this year... it was greatly appreciated. I purchased family orientated things like games... hopefully we can spend more time together as a family and rebuilding the unity.
God Bless!
Charlene for the gang
We hope that you had a blessed Christmas and a fantastic New Years celebration. Christmas was quiet for us... the most traditional we have had since moving to Africa and very relaxing. New Years, Pete and Meagan went north to Oshikuku and the boys and I stayed home. The boys had some friends over for a celebration... it was a LONG night! I think I got to sleep about 4 AM! It wasn't so bad... they had a good time. Meagan and Pete seemed to be having fun next to a big bonfire at midnight when I phoned. We all talked to Talitha, I held the phone next to the microphone and speaker on the computer so they could chat back and forth over MSN.
Now that we are into a New Year, I am praying that things will start moving up hill for us for a while... it has been a rapid downhill slide over the past couple of months. Many stresses and discouragements which have knocked the wind out of our sails. We need prayer and we need it desperately, as a family, as a couple, as a believer, as a missionary! The stress this year has affected every area of our lives. If you want more details please just email and ask. Things change like the wind around here and I don't want to be specific on the net!
Anyway, we appreciate your prayers and your love and support for our family! Thank you to all of you who sent money for Christmas gifts this year... it was greatly appreciated. I purchased family orientated things like games... hopefully we can spend more time together as a family and rebuilding the unity.
God Bless!
Charlene for the gang
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