A Namibian Thanksgiving

We spent the month of November doing all the sweet crafts and studies of Thanksgiving…Pilgrims…Indians….scripture verses of Thanksgiving to our great God…you name it..we tried to do it!  Keeping in mind that Fall begins our favorite time of decorating and celebrating! The house filled with bright Fall colors, wreaths, yummy Fall scented candles, cornucopias, our chubby little Publix pilgrims on the table & our “Tom Clark” pilgrims as well..passed down from my parents to us…The house all covered in FALL!

….Cue record scratch…….

Let’s take note of a few differences this year:

“American Thanksgiving” is not a Namibian National holiday.

There was no talk of Black Friday here in Namibia.

The date of our Thanksgiving did not signify the “start” of the Christmas shopping season.

No turkey to be found.

Lastly, IT IS NOT FALL HERE!!!!!!

Our Thanksgiving looked so different this year and we loved every minute of it.  We moved here in two suitcases per person and that did not leave room for all of our wonderful “symbols” of Thanksgiving to place around our house.  So, aside from 2 sweet little scarecrow riding goards that our Nana sent…we made it all!  Anything associated with our celebration:  turkey placemats, napkin rings, thankful garland, Indian feather headbands, a paper basket with sheets of paper inside to write our words of Thanksgiving to God on, and the list goes on…….

Making those things, enjoying that time with our kiddos while reading “The First Thanksgiving” and “Pilgrim Stories” on the Baldwin Project website (such a gift to us on the mission field), praising our great God—who is the reason for and receiver of our giving of thanks—It was WONDERFUL! 

Now, there are many “traditional” ingredients for our holidays that are not available here…pecans, canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce..to name a few.  Our sweet friends, The Stringfellows, sent a package that included all of the above and we squealed with excitement..if only a dried turkey could fit in that box..hmmm..we could reconstitute it with water & VOILA!  Or better yet…a dried Carlye & family that we could reconstitute when they get here…now were talkin’!!!! 

OK...back to the matter at hand…Thanksgiving food…as the day was fast approaching..Scott proposed an idea...what if we save those ingredients for our Christmas dinner & we eat at a restaurant for Thanksgiving.  What???  There are only a few and we eat at home--pretty much exclusively…so that would be a super treat! 

And, that’s just what it was…a super treat with a Thanksgiving twist…we took ALL of our decorations & homemade “symbols” of our Thanksgiving with us and included our sweet server in on our giving of Thanks to God!  It was a truly wonderful time!

That was followed by a trek around town to see some of our “friends” whom we pray for.  The children had also made scripture cards to give to those friends..and we were truly blessed to see God break down a “wall” in a lady we’ve been faithfully praying for when the children gave their card to her!  Now that is reason for Thanksgiving!

Scott had to teach that night in Grootfontein, so we came home for a rest time & while he was away teaching—we went to a friend’s house for a swim & some sweet fellowship! 

The day was all it was designed to be..a day filled with praise & thanksgiving..to the Great God who deserves all of our worship. For He alone can ignite such a desire in ‘pilgrims’ who want to worship Him freely that they would risk so much to have such freedom.  We offer hearts filled with thanksgiving to Him for those pioneering pilgrims, for OUR nation & for the nation He has sent us too…He is Sovereign God over all…The King of All Nations..

can I get an AMEN???

the link to the pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/118039148947647302826/ThanksgivingInNamibia2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCP6k97_MjcjOYQ&feat=directlink  
(Also check out our picture tab we have added some other photos from our life here)