leaving Windhoek

Well tomorrow is our last day in Windhoek. I can't say I'm particularly sad to go as there seems to be an increasing amount of street crime that has us largely trapped in our guest house at night or arranging transport for students via van or taxi. We had an incident a couple of nights ago where Ching (the other professor) and I were walking down the street 1 1/2 blocks to our guest house at 10:15 at night and were assaulted by 3 street kids (late teens/early 20s). All is fine - nothing stolen, no one hurt, but it was a little disconcerting to say the least. If I can't walk down the street at 10:15 at night with a 6 foot 5 inch male, then it really isn't safe to go out. Oddly they went after him (and not me). Put hands on him, pulled a pen out of his pocket (but nothing else). Fortunately they didn't come after me with my bag and wallet, camera, etc. We've basically put the students in lock down until we leave the city. Tonight we've made arrangements to go out to a music venue for a show so we are trying to get out at least.

Tomorrow we spend the whole day with the orphans from Megameno home. Some of you probably remember me talking about this from the last trip in 2007. This woman, Maria, basically got sick of seeing all these AIDS orphans on the street so she took them into her tiny 2 bedroom house in a poor area of Windhoek. When I say she took "them" in...I'm meaning 26 kids! I'm not sure how she did (or does) it. When we were here in 2007 there were at least 6-8 kids still in diapers. Since that time through the efforts of a variety of people, including Furman students, she's gotten NGO status (meaning she can receive donations), had funds donated to build a dormitory style house and class room and seems to be surviving much better than last time we saw her. Last night I was looking at pictures on my computer from the 2007 trip and marveling at how much improvement had been made. One child that I played with yesterday, in particular, showed remarkable improvement. The pictures from 2007 show him with big sad eyes (like ET)and a bloated stomach from hunger or malnuitrition. Yesterday he was belly laughing in my arms as I tickled him. It's amazing what a little effort to secure the basics (food, shelter, clothing) can do for a child. It has been one of the high lights of the trip to see the progress made.

On Sunday we head north so the students can have 3 days of homestays in rural areas, then off to the coast to spend a few more days in Swakupmond. Ching leaves a few days early next week so I'll be without a travel companion until Paul arrives for a weekend visit on the 13th. We head off to South Africa on the 18th.

Again, apologies for not having greater e-mail access to be in touch with each of you individually. Please see below for a few individual responses.
Hope all is well on your end.
Cheers,
Kristy

Adam - happy birthday...did the ground hog see his shadow?
Kelley - Finnegan is too cute for words. Can't wait to meet him in person
Kathy - haven't had a chance to look at the blog spot. thanks for making it. may have to wait until next trip
Angelica - thanks for sending the picture link, hope to have time soon to look at them.
Kevy Jo - you know you want to come to Windhoek and be harassed on the street
Carmela - hope you're having fun with dumb and dumber!
Steve - definitely feeling better after the bout of malaria...only problem now is I seem to be being eaten by bed bugs!