I’ve decided to post some pictures from our trips and visits around the world, and also, to tell the stories that go along with those pictures. I know ya’ll are excited now! Let’s begin!

This picture was taken in Namibia, in 2002. At this point we are camping next to the Kunene River, which borders Angola. I am 19 years old, and I am attempting to prepare dinner. The man holding the goat down is our friend Ephraim, who acted as a translator for us.

This goat was given to me as a gift from one of the ladies that was baptized while we were there.

As you can see I am holding a tiny little knife, and I am standing off to the side a little bit away from the roaring beast. I was terrified! Obviously I had never done this before!! I was confident however, that I could deliver the killing blow. We had affectionately named the goat “dinner” so we would not get too attached to it. Well I bent down and put my knife to the neck, but when I did I could feel the life giving blood rushing through the veins of this equally terrified animal. Dinner’s neck was soft and warm, and begged to be snuggled, not sliced! So I threw the knife down and ran away. I know, yes, I am very hard core, thanks for noticing!

Eppy was quick, he grabbed the knife and the deed was done before I could even turn around.

Later that evening the Watjantja (the lady who had given us the gift) arrived with some friends to enjoy the goat with us. This was greatly appreciated as it was the middle of summer and we had no way to refrigerate any leftover meat. The only snag in this whole setup is that with the guest there we would have to eat all of the goat to not offend them. When I say all of it, I mean all of it. The lungs (spongy but satisfying), the liver (kind of bland, but chewy), and boiled goat meat (this is the best way to eat it, trust me!). Thankfully we had given the stomach and kidneys to one of our friends who had passed by earlier, according to David goat stomach is the worst part of the whole goat. Also I am not sure what happened to the head, but that usually is consumed too!

I am so thankful for Watjantja and her generous gift, that day I learned a lot about the Himba people and their culture. In one of my college classes a professor referred to people groups as a beautiful mosaic, pleasing to God. Get outside of your comfort zone and experience another culture today! See what and who God created, and be amazed at the difference in the people around you!

We’ve driven 7000 miles in the last few months. We’ve been in 9 different states. We’ve spent over 100 hours in our car. We have exhausted our music collection. This has been our life since we graduated from Central in May. It has been fun and exhausting. We have visited some churches, we have had the priviledge of showing America to my family, and we drove to California to attend a memorial service for David’s grandfather.

Right now we are preparing to move to Namibia next year. It is strange to know that next year we may be living is a completly different country. Surrounded by all new people and opportunities. It is really exciting too. I remember the last time I was preparing to move to a different country it was terrifying an exhilirating at the same time.

There is no guess as to how many miles we will travel in the next several years. Our families are scattered around the globe, so that alone guarantees many frequent flier miles. However, we are also guaranteed that there are lost people wherever we go. Above all, we are guaranteed that we will not go alone. “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”