Muriel Bartholomew, James Le Roux, David, Adele, Mia, James, Nathan Hill, Malvin Chiurugwi (behind Adele), Emmanuel Ncube, Ivor Witbooi, Paya Hambunda (Interpreter), Kelly Jeffrey, Sarah Hill, Pepe Nyahuye, Megano & George Jeremiah (our hosts), Faith Felix, Cecilia Ngoma, Hannah Hill, Michael Feldtman, George Jnr (hiost's son), Natu (friend of hosts) and Kathy Noland. Ross Bartholomew took the photo.

Greetings in the precious Name of our beloved Saviour Jesus Christ.

This year as a team of 20 we visited 10 churches and shared with them the seriousness of sin and their need for a Saviour and that this can only be found in Jesus Christ.

I think that for this year's team the two things that stood out was the amount of travelling we did and why.

For the 16 days we were together we averaged 5hrs per day driving - mostly on good tarred roads but also on some very taxing thick sand roads. We did this because we want to see more people hearing the Gospel of Christ and how that needs to impact their lives. Without Christ we are all without hope! To drive for hours and then arrive at a place under a tree that is the "church" for this community and then be able to share the truths of Scripture with them is emmensly fulfilling. We pray and ask you to as well that these people will trust in Jesus alone for their salvation, based on the Scriptures alone by faith alone.

Below are some images from each of the churches we visited.

St Philip – Onandjandja

 

Getsemane –  Omboloka

 

Genesis – Onamutai & Light of the World – Omamwandi

 

All Souls – Eenhana

 

Ebben Ezzer – Otanaha

 

Emmanuel – Omatunda

 

Onangombe

 

Our team also visited two church on Sunday for preaching – Ondangwa & Oshakati

 

Nakambali - visited by the team on our rest day.

 

This was a very full trip and we had the opportunity and privelege of ministering to many of our Ovambo friends. All glory to Jesus our Saviour. We want to thank the many people who helped make this trip possible with their donations. 

Unfortunately the Bible Society of Namibia had again run out of Bibles in the local languages so we couldn't supply any. We were regularly asked for them though.

Banking Details for the annual mission trip: First National Bank Acc Name: Churches for Namibia Account number: 62310038014 Branch code: 201409 (250655 if using EFT) Account type: Current Acc/Cheque

Banking Details for Bibles: FNB Namibia Bible Society of Namibia Account number: 55570917730 Branch Code: 281972 Please use Ref: BAR002 Account type: Current Acc/Cheque

To the glory and honour of our precious Saviour Jesus Christ!

I had a wonderful experience in Namibia as part of a children's ministry team. it was my first time on this mission trip and being part of the Children's ministry. I shared the Gospel while emphasising Humanity’s biggest problem, we looked at Mark 2:1-12 the story of a paralytic man, who thought his problem was that he could not walk, and Jesus showed him that his problem was actually his sin. I showed the kids this truth by using games, pictures, and actions to help them understand. I was acting out the story showing different problems a person could have and the children needed to guess what problem it was. The aim was to show the children that some problems are small and others are big, also showing the kids through drama that we make ourselves kings and forget that Jesus is the king and that is sinful. As a team, we also practice memory verses showing Jesus is the saviour of the world and God demonstrated his love for us by sending his son to die for us. In the same way, the paralytic man saw his condition to be a problem. I learnt from our team leader, Adele, who inspired me on how to be patient with the little kids and I also learnt a different way of teaching children memory verses. We started each day with devotions led by different team members, which set a positive tone for our activities and this helped me to prepare for the day and have some time to think about what has been taught. I also appreciate the love, care and support the team showed to me and other team members and that made my stay memorable and enjoyable.

Cecilia Ngoma

Adele Hill, James Hill, Mia Hill, Sarah Hill, Pepe Nyahuye

The youth group consisted of David Hill (leader of Youth ministry), James Le Roux, Emmanuel Ncube, Nathan Hill and myself (Faith Felix). Our group shared the gospel from Mark 2:1-12 that speaks about the paralytic man that wanted physical healing and his friends being so determined that they lifted him through the roof to get to Jesus; we pointed out the different perspectives that the crowd, Pharisees and Jesus had. Jesus saw that he actually needed forgiveness of sins; a need that no one else was able to see or meet but Jesus was able to forgive his sins because He is God. We also went through Mark 15:1-39 that speaks about the brutal death of Jesus on the cross and how that was necessary because He paid for our sins. We used picture books and did some acting, with props, to demonstrate the stories and Emmanuel and I  also shared our testimonies. 

Not all churches had youth groups, even though most of them did. At the churches where the youth group was small, we had more of a Bible study session than a lesson but either way of teaching was still evidently impactful. 

A moment that stood out to all of us was when a young man called Mike asked how he can be saved. A moment that makes one feel as though even if Mike was the only person that God saved out of our whole trip, it would have been worth it. Heaven would be rejoicing. 

This missionary trip has been such a humbling experience. Seeing how people who have very little, who have a multitude of different needs, are still able to come together and worship God. Their ultimate need is being met and that’s to know Jesus and to grow in the knowledge of him. We are so thankful to have been able to witness the work of the Holy Spirit in places where one wouldn’t even expect human inhabitants.

Faith Felix

David Hill (leader), James Le Roux, Emmanuel Ncube, Nathan Hill

I had the wonderful opportunity to be part of the Reach Namibia mission trip 2024. I had the special privilege of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the Ovambo people in Namibia. I was part of the ladies ministry team alongside Kathy Noland and Marion Edmonds-Smith. Two veterans in the mission field. This was my first mission trip of this calibre so I was feeling equal parts nervous and excited. The ladies we ministered to, were a packet of liquorice all sorts. A mixed bag of chips. Some of them believed in Christ and had a personal relationship with him. Others believed in a "works based gospel" where you must do religious things to be saved: go to church, read your Bible and pray. Others believed in the power of witchcraft: ladies within their community would be wrongfully accused of this dark magic. The ones who have a real relationship with God were hungry to know more about his Word and wanted to start a ladies Bible study group. They are eager to follow Christ, to learn his Word and grow as a community of ladies together. This was very encouraging to see. Some of them suffer for their faith in Christ and the persecution comes from their own community members.

We had such good ministry sessions with the ladies. We told them the accounts of Adam and Eve, Noah and the ark, and Abraham and Isaac. Each time my role was the "teller of the story", so I would present the account. Marion and Kathy would show the ladies where we see Jesus in these accounts, the gospel connection. We tried to relate the content of these biblical stories into their context, their daily lives, and this spoke to some of them. At the end of our teaching sessions we always asked questions to make sure there was understanding and we always did a gospel presentation. We are all sinners by nature, we are in danger of God's wrath and God's judgement and the way to be saved from this, is through faith in Jesus Christ. You could see that the ladies understood the weight of this but many of them were hesitant to commit to Christ or to fully trust in his work on the cross. There was one moment, on our second day of ministry where Kathy asked me to share my testimony, how I came to faith in Jesus. I was hesitant at first (because of nerves) but once I did it, it was almost as if the floodgates had opened and the ladies understood grace. The concept of God's grace, because that's exactly what happens for anyone who becomes a Christian, they experience God's grace. What followed was a sense of relatability and understanding from the ladies. Relatability, because they saw themselves in my story, a sinner far away from God needing to be rescued from his judgment, and understanding in the sense that because the gospel is not based on works, it's not about what we do, we cannot earn God's favor. It's all about what Christ has done for us. Religion can't save you and neither can you save yourself. Once I shared that, you could see the wheels turning in their heads, and at that moment, I felt part of God's team, part of God's work with the ladies in Namibia. Kathy and Marion also shared what Jesus had done in their lives, how he has saved them from darkness and brought them into his glorious light and it's as if the lights were going on in their heads. It was a magical moment (and we shared our stories quite often, so many magical moments) A special bond was formed between us and the ladies, and it seemed that the grace of God began to dawn on them. It was special to witness this and I thank God I got to be part of it.

All in all, I got to see the magesty of the Gospel being preached and going out to the Ovambo people in Namibia. This is my prayer for the ladies in Namibia: Some of them love and know the Lord Jesus, and my prayer is that they would continue living for him and grow in their knowledge of him. I also pray that within the entire community, God's Word will take root in their lives and that Jesus would be glorified. I hope to see their lives changed for the sake of Christ, for the sake of his gospel and I hope to see the ladies again (soon). I would really love that.

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Romans 10:14-15 ESV

Kelly Jeffrey

Kathy Noland and Marion Edmonds-Smith

Ministering to the men of Namibia was a privilege, as they were incredibly receptive to the Gospel. Initially, I worried that my youth might be a barrier, but I was heartened to find that the men were more interested in the message than the messenger. I'm grateful for the support of my colleagues, Ivor and Michael, who made the experience seamless and helped the men feel comfortable listening to me.

To my surprise, a large number of men attended our sessions, eager to hear the Good News. We used the "Great Straight Path Timeline" material, which explores the theme of sacrifice and salvation through various biblical figures, culminating in Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice and only way to salvation. Many had never heard the Bible explained in this way before, and I cherished the moments when they engaged with our teaching.

What struck me most was that the men came willingly, without coercion, and expressed their desire to hear the Word of God as a necessity in their community. One man shared with me that it brought him joy to attend, despite the challenges he faced in his family and community, and that prioritizing the Gospel was essential.

This experience taught me humility, and I was encouraged by the men's zeal for the Gospel despite their challenges. It was an honor to be part of this ministry, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have played a role in sharing the love of Christ with these men.

Malvin Chiurgwi

Michael Feldtman, Ivor Witbooi

A defining moment or event was getting to share my personal testimony to various groups of ladies and also forming close bonds and relationships with other Christians on the trip. I didn’t know I would be sharing my personal testimony; it was a kind of in the moment thing. Once I had shared it, I realised the impact it can have on people considering a relationship with Jesus. It also reminded me of what God had done in my life, which I think I was forgetting. Sharing my testimony almost renewed my relationship with Jesus in a way that I didn’t expect and I also saw its impact on other people as a way for them to grasp God and His Gospel. There were also many moments of bonding conversations had with people in the mission group, it has helped to strengthen my faith and hold on to Jesus.

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Thinking about the trip as a whole, I can say mission is holistic and it is God’s work. Mission is holistic in a way that it includes the Great Commission, your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being to be ready for this call.

I enjoyed my time for mission, because the team was so supportive, showing us what needed to be done and how to do it at that particular time. This helped me to learn from the one who was leading us in children’s ministry (Adele), and how she was doing things whole heartedly showing to the kids was so inspiring.

This helped me to see what patience looks like in children ministry, and how we need to care for the little ones in that given team.

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One of the best moments for me on the trip was on one of the afternoons when we had arrived home from one of the churches. Some of the team were sitting under a tree, talking about Ephesians 5:22, which tells wives to submit to their husbands. We were discussing what the word 'submit' means and how wives are supposed to submit to their husbands. While we were talking about this, my parents joined the conversation and started explaining the passage. From there, we had a very good discussion about healthy Christian relationships. I think this wasn't just a highlight for me but for some of the other team members as well.

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A beautiful people who live in a beautiful land. A people who desperately need to know the love of God. Love that transcends culture and language barriers. Love that was reflected in the death resurrection and ascension of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. That perfect plan which was foretold throughout scripture.

So dusty sandy roads and the gathering of peoples under a tree on a windy day, the lack of utilities or only having the sandy floor and a stick as a visual aid has etched a desire to return to share more and more the love of God, that knowing Him and being obedient to Him and living a life which pleases him is a life worth living.

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Uncle Ross's words to the church where he explained why we drove many kilometers to Northern Namibia to proclaim Christ in places where not many people would, forming, nurturing and maintaining relationships, how we drove through thick sand for that, and how we would go through worse for the sake of the Gospel, that people hear it and be saved. This was impactful, and summed the whole idea of the mission trip, for all the years it has and will be running. The church's response was also powerful: even though they are in need of basic stuff like clothes and food, they know that they needed Christ more and are content with Christ. Even the response from the kids at that church was also encouraging. I realised that some of the things I think are important in my life are just "my wants". There is a real need: Jesus. And I will always faithfully make Him known to all.