Africa: Organizing gets off the ground in Namibia

Namibia is buzzing with excitement as we kickstart our organizing efforts! Meeting with Pastor John Rutsindintwarane from Rwanda was truly a blessing, and his guidance has been invaluable in getting organizing off the ground. I wasted no time in putting his wisdom into action, inviting Pastor John to preach at Rehoboth Methodist Church and introducing him as my mentor.

One-on-one meetings became the cornerstone of our approach, where I engaged with members of our congregation and leadership. We started by preparing the community, sharing with them the PURPOSE of doing one-on-ones: to build intentional relationships and to hear stories. Sample questions applied in these one-on-ones included:

1. How long have you been in this church or community?
2. What developments have you seen?
3. What would you like to see happening?
4. What could be your role or responsibility in making it happen?
5. If invited to a meeting to find solutions, would you like to participate? And if yes, when, and where?
6. Do you have anyone you would like to invite to attend the next meeting?

These conversations served as a springboard for larger group discussions, with an invitation extended to bring along friends and fellow community members.

Our recent Circuit Quarterly Meeting in Kalkrand provided the perfect platform to amplify these discussions to a wider audience. From these dialogues emerged a clear set of aspirations:

• Job Opportunities: Addressing the pressing issue of unemployment.
• Improved Health Services: Including the need for an ambulance service.
• Enhanced Basic Services: Such as electricity and water provision.
• Establishment of a Soup Kitchen: To combat hunger in our community.
• Transportation Challenges: Particularly the lack of safe public transport.
• Tackling Social Ills: Such as alcohol and drug addiction, with a call for more support services.
• Unity and Collaboration: Dreaming of a united movement to address communal issues together.

The overwhelming positivity and eagerness among our community members is truly heartening. There’s a genuine commitment to action, with pledges made to conduct further one-on-one meetings to engage even more individuals in our cause.

With Pastor John’s mentorship and the enthusiasm of our community behind us, I’m confident that we can turn these dreams into tangible realities for the betterment of Rehoboth and later Namibia as a whole. Together, we’re poised to make a lasting impact and create positive change that reverberates throughout our town and country.

Article by Colin Gertze