ROA - REACH OUT AFRICA - The ROA campaign started in 2010 and is a non-profit, non-racial, non-denominational Christian Agency commited to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to all and to offer humanitarian and empowerment aid to isolated and remote Kalahari San (Bushman) and other African communities. See www.KalahariSan.blogspot.com and www.art-me-africa.com In memory of our beloved Adrian Phillip Herrewyn (2)
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
HARVESTING LOVE IN THE KINGDOM
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One month in New Xanagas and I am truly blessed to be here. I am blessed to be able to assist the village of New Xanagas in rebuilding and restoring the community as the secular leadership, religious leadership and civil government become aware that they do not have all the answers or the wisdom to heal centuries of brokenness of the community and various cultures. I am blessed as God continues to amaze me as He gives me so much assistance in wisdom and uses me and my talents / experience to assist with empowering the San and other communities. I am blessed in realising the reality of God’s presence within and around us at all times and that He is making the San aware of this fact, as well. Most of the community have shown remarkable spirit and support to implement the Business and Empowerment Plan for there future.
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The San (also known as Bushman) village of New Xanagas, Botswana is located approximately 40 km south east of Xanagas. Within the village live twelve San families who have received farmland from the Botswana government. Each family consists of forty to fifty family members. Over the past few years the village has grown and expanded with other San families and Herero families moving in. The village has grown to approximately 500 people. The infrastructure within the community is very basic and the Village Sub-Chief (Kgosi) Mr. Khanxao Khaise, The Management Committee and Village Development Committee (VDC) is constantly seeking ways to establish viable and sustainable infrastructure and business opportunities within the farm, village and the community.
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Projects / Business
By starting this initiative the New Xanagas community are inviting all San and other communities to visit the village and partake in major sport events and competitions such as soccer and netball, as well as, invite tourists, visitors, guests and people of all sectors of society and the world, to visit Pham-Pham Place (Abundance), the Traditional Village and Camp site and thereby giving them the opportunity to experience and witness the Kalahari San heritage, culture and lifestyle
A. KURUMASE (Help Your Self)
San Cultural & Educational Training Centre
The training centre will be at the current base site in New Xanagas and use the example of the successful San Cultural & Educational Training Centre !Khwattu in the Western Cape of South Africa. www.khwattu.org Through careful training in sustainable farming, tourism, arts & crafts, general life skills and various other fields, Kurumase will work towards offering a healthier, safer and self determined future to all San as well as other communities.
Available Courses and training opportunities
Ø Life Skills based on Christian principles
Ø Community based tourism certificate (level 4)
Ø Community based hospitality certificate
Ø Advanced tracking certificate, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Ø Curator ship (Museum / Art gallery), UK, London
Ø Arts & Crafts
Ø Farming methods and Management (Farming God’s Way)
B. PHAM-PHAM PLACE (Abundance)
Traditional Village and Camp Site
Together with Botswana Tourism, Tour Operators and NGO’s the goal of Pham-Pham Place Traditional Village & Camp Site is to create immediate job opportunities in New Xanagas, promote and sustain the San culture and heritage and advertise and market it to the world. After a visit to Pham-Pham Place tourists and visitors will leave with a lasting impression and a new understanding of the San culture and heritage. Tourists and visitors will be entertained by the humble traditional Kalahari San hospitality and friendship.
Kalahari San Safari Experience
Tourists/Guests/Visitors Program
Ø Participate in San guided tour
Ø Discover the medicinal and feeding value of wild herbs and plants
Ø Visit replica traditional San village
Ø Experience traditional singing, dancing and drama
Ø Listen to hunting stories of the past
Ø Experience survival skills – making fire, tracking game
Ø Learn about children’s traditional games
Ø Horse and donkey cart riding
Ø Movies – nature DVD’s, music DVD’s, inspirational & Jesus Film DVD’s
Ø Arts & crafts gallery and market
Ø Seasonal events – sport (desert flower run / cycle, soccer / netball), horse/donkey/cart rides and races), religious and humanitarian outreach
Ø Eat out with a San family at there home in New Xanagas village
C. NEW XANAGAS FARM
WBT (Working Beautifully Together)
The vision of the WBT regarding the 48 000 ha allocated farm land acquired through the government is to learn, teach and implement good farming practice and utilise the farm economically in harmony with nature. A Management team and the infrastructure must be developed to sustain a successful farming operation with cattle farming as the main objective. According to the provisional business plan a budget of P 24 million is needed to start this farming operation.
As soon as the Kurumase training centre is up and running it will provide the opportunity for the community to acquire further farming and farm management skills / qualifications with various farming methods, training and teaching courses that will be offered.
FARMING PROJECTS
Ø Water supply and fencing
Ø Cattle / Goats farm management
Ø Tswana Chicken Project (Government initiative)
Ø 40 x 1 hectare plots area utilised to grow vegetables, beans, makhatan (wild melon), mealies etc (Farming God’s Way will support & assist)
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I live in New Xanagas village in the church base camp and since my arrival we have had problems with the water supply. We have two water tanks at base camp and when there is a water shortage we allow the people to collect one bucket / container per family. Many ask for food or money and it is very difficult to not share what I have, especially older people and young children. I share one meal with old bushman Caragreen who cleans and tends to the vegetable garden. With the water shortage it is difficult to grow vegetables. Caragreen gives me a good talking to as I, not thinking, throw out the dirty dishwater in the Kalahari sand – all water is life and must go to the vegetables – the cattle goats, horses and other animals also need water and on and on….
When we have food we try to first feed orphan children living with families, then the old, disabled and sick. Morvite (serial) has the most vitamins and is not expensive and a bag goes a long way to feed quite a lot of people. The children stand in line and each one gets a spoon full of morvite in a mug of water. One Sunday just before church we give the children a cup of morvite and one little girl gets very upset when she cannot have a second cup, we could not understand her but the tone of her voice suggested that she was quite angry with us not giving her another cup. Caragreen explained to her that there were many more people to feed and each could only get one cup. We then find out her name is Irish (Irish temper all right – I cannot escape the Irish). She later helped to wash the cups and we gave her a second cup.
It is hot, very hot, and it is raining, plenty! A sand storm nearly blows my tent away, the flimsy plastic tent is not made for the Kalahari. At night I have to move my stretcher to dodge the raindrops seeping through all over. We put waterproof shade net over the tent – it is much better. I begin to wonder and ponder why I am here – what purpose?? Hunger pains (I think) my body adjusting to these extreme conditions and a radical diet. We still have problems with water and I ponder?? Then thunder in the distance. A few drops disturb the sand and I think if it rains will my tent stay dry – I ponder?? Feeling quite brittle I look up and suddenly I wonder in amazement a Kalahari Rainbow!!! Over the Tent Church!! Thank you Father for reminding me, for abundance. That same day it starts raining plenty and the water supply is restored. We do not have water problems at this sage.
The Churches are running on empty. No work, poverty, modern lifestyle, drinking drugs etc is also here taking its toll. The truly dedicated believers attend church, show the Jesus Film and with limited resources they continue to spread the good news of God’s love. Then out of the blue one Sunday morning the sub-chief arrives at church bible in hand. Glory!!! Together with the Sub-Chief we have formed the Management Committee and every Sunday after church we have our meetings.
Pham-Pham Place, Camp Site kitchen is ready for guests / visitors and planning and building continues full steam ahead for the first out reach in March/April 2012. Join us!!! We have had tremendous response thus far any various groups / guests and / visitors will visit us during the year.
Desert flowers all around, the Kalahari is green. Thank you Father God for Pham-Pham (abundance)
BOOKINGS FOR PHAM-PHAM PLACE, KALAHARI SAN SAFARI
Mobile: +267 7387 3730
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