The Himba

As different as the Himba culture is from mine, I find that people are the same when you can cut through the outward appearance. The teenage girls giggled and huddled in masses. The mothers were busy about taking care of their children--they loved it when we wanted to see the babies up close. Even the dark side of man's heart showed up. One of the leaders who had been with us every day, stole the oil for the drilling mechanism, the oil for the truck and 2 containers that held the foam that had to be added when water was applied to the drill bit. Confronting the issue head on, Elizabeth Wilkins scolded the pastor who knew the man who was with us and told him to get the stuff back. Interestingly, the man who stole the stuff did not come back himself, but sent his poor wife back with the goods. I don't think this is a lone incident--it appears to happen all the time.

We found out by being there that witchcraft is a force to be reckoned with--many in the little church there give in to the ancient culture which is nothing less than idolatry, fear, and witchcraft.

Pray for these people as they learn the word of God and try to understand the God that they serve is a powerful God and that they do not have to give in to the demands from the witchdoctor or ancient cultural practices that are straight from hell. God will not tolerate idolatry in any form, even if it is wrapped up in what some believe are "cute" cultural practices. God is a jealous God and He does not compete with so-called man's ancient rites and ways, or with modern man's self-sufficiency. It is all fueled by the god of this world who blinds the minds of the unbelieving--let us not be blinded by him. It might be packaged in many ways, but the devil uses the same old tactics.