G.O. 2005: Namibia (pt.10)
This is the latest section of my Namibia 2005 Trip Summary. Earlier postings can be found thru the archives menu. This section entitled "Hallelujahs" covers the girls' many dance performances on this trip. As such, I have broken this section into parts. This is part 2 of this particular section.
Hallelujahs (pt 2)
Your song goes out to all the earth...
Our next day's schedule had the girls dancing at a Secondary School (middle & high school) in Okahandja. As we neared the school just about the whole team realized that this school was one block from the cemetery we had visited when we arrived. These were the very family members who had buried loved ones there, and so many, and so recently.
As we arrived a man appeared with a number of students in front of us. They broke into song and dance as a special welcome. We were so thrilled at their talents. A few of the students brought forward hand drums and played and moved to the beat. It was a real cultural treat for us all.
This performance was on a patio of sorts, on concrete. If that wasn’t enough, there were many pebbles, twigs and cracks, all of which could cause a serious accident or injury to our dancers. Before they started we policed the area as best we could to provide a clear area for them. As the girls started, however, they quickly moved beyond the boundaries we had cleared to get closer to the crowd. As they began to dance I saw every rock and pebble we didn’t get to right at their feet as they leapt and turned. I knew my job – once again I began to pray and pray fervently.
With each performance Sandi would string together different dance numbers based on the time limit we were given and the space requirements, and arranging them so as to allow the girls to rest. As I recall, there were 10 numbers planned for this particular engagement. As the performance went on it dawned on us that it was overlooked in our planning that 14 year old Michelle was in 8 of the 10 numbers. It was when she ran out for her sixth in a row without a breather that it dawned on me. I shifted the focus of my prayers from the girls and concrete and pebbles to Michelle, “Lord, give her grace and strength!” Michelle gave one of the most unforgettable performances of that trip that day.
Also on this day would come an occasion Mike and I had been waiting for since before the trip began. It was the night before we left for Namibia that the dance team did a dress rehearsal of sorts at the dance studio for family members and friends to see. As Mike and I talked to parents and family members Stephanie’s mom Denise, fought back tears as she told us that this (Africa trip) would be the first time her daughter would ever have danced without her being there to see it. It seemed that Mike and I were both thinking the same thing, and that was to catch Stephi’s solo on video and put her solo on the blogsite for Denise to see.
Stephi stepped out before this crowd of 1000 students. Mike and my daughter Katie were poised to video tape from two different angles. I watched Steph thru tears in my eyes, realizing I was again witnessing an answer to prayer – I had seen this sight of dancers in Namibia for months in my mind, and here we were. The very end of Stephi’s solo there was a power flicker and the CD stopped. Stephi kept going and finished to tremendous applause.
When our performance was finished a school official began to dismiss the students. As this announcement was being made the dancers were gathering their things and other members of our team were disassembling our sound system and preparing to leave. The school official offered that if anyone would like to briefly meet and greet the dancers on their way back to class that would be fine. At that very moment my back was to the crowd and I suddenly heard a roar and literally felt the earth moving as this crowd of more than 1000 students stampeded toward us. All I could think to do was get myself between the crowd and our dancers. Mike, Dave, Germaine, Dieter and other adults with our team all had the same idea. The next thing we knew we were all basically pinned between the crowd the side of a building, our team leaders and adults pretty frantically reaching to buffer the dancers. But in just a matter of seconds we heard whistles and shouts from school officials and immediately the crowd began to leave for their classrooms. Our team stood dazed and confused, looking at each other. What had just happened? Though a bit shaken by the experience, no one was hurt. It was a sobering reminder, however, for our leaders that we were indeed caring for the safety of 15 teenage girls in a very different culture.
When we got back to our camp Mike went to work editing the video and splicing in a complete recording of Steph’s music. He had the video ready to be posted that evening. As he headed to the internet cafe to post it we joked about the emotional response it might generate back home. I gave thanks to the Lord for what He was going to do thousands of miles away in people’s hearts.
Nothing could have prepared us for that response. Within minutes of uploading that video dozens of comments began to roll in from home, raw emotion, wonder and awe spilled over. As we shared the comments from home with our team that emotion, wonder and awe seemed to spill across the oceans and continents to our little campfire. I realized that God was at work in many hearts and lives far beyond the 29 that made up our G.O. Team. I asked in my journal that evening, “What will You do with all of this Lord?”
Hallelujahs (pt 2)
Your song goes out to all the earth...
Our next day's schedule had the girls dancing at a Secondary School (middle & high school) in Okahandja. As we neared the school just about the whole team realized that this school was one block from the cemetery we had visited when we arrived. These were the very family members who had buried loved ones there, and so many, and so recently.
As we arrived a man appeared with a number of students in front of us. They broke into song and dance as a special welcome. We were so thrilled at their talents. A few of the students brought forward hand drums and played and moved to the beat. It was a real cultural treat for us all.
This performance was on a patio of sorts, on concrete. If that wasn’t enough, there were many pebbles, twigs and cracks, all of which could cause a serious accident or injury to our dancers. Before they started we policed the area as best we could to provide a clear area for them. As the girls started, however, they quickly moved beyond the boundaries we had cleared to get closer to the crowd. As they began to dance I saw every rock and pebble we didn’t get to right at their feet as they leapt and turned. I knew my job – once again I began to pray and pray fervently.
With each performance Sandi would string together different dance numbers based on the time limit we were given and the space requirements, and arranging them so as to allow the girls to rest. As I recall, there were 10 numbers planned for this particular engagement. As the performance went on it dawned on us that it was overlooked in our planning that 14 year old Michelle was in 8 of the 10 numbers. It was when she ran out for her sixth in a row without a breather that it dawned on me. I shifted the focus of my prayers from the girls and concrete and pebbles to Michelle, “Lord, give her grace and strength!” Michelle gave one of the most unforgettable performances of that trip that day.
Also on this day would come an occasion Mike and I had been waiting for since before the trip began. It was the night before we left for Namibia that the dance team did a dress rehearsal of sorts at the dance studio for family members and friends to see. As Mike and I talked to parents and family members Stephanie’s mom Denise, fought back tears as she told us that this (Africa trip) would be the first time her daughter would ever have danced without her being there to see it. It seemed that Mike and I were both thinking the same thing, and that was to catch Stephi’s solo on video and put her solo on the blogsite for Denise to see.
Stephi stepped out before this crowd of 1000 students. Mike and my daughter Katie were poised to video tape from two different angles. I watched Steph thru tears in my eyes, realizing I was again witnessing an answer to prayer – I had seen this sight of dancers in Namibia for months in my mind, and here we were. The very end of Stephi’s solo there was a power flicker and the CD stopped. Stephi kept going and finished to tremendous applause.
When our performance was finished a school official began to dismiss the students. As this announcement was being made the dancers were gathering their things and other members of our team were disassembling our sound system and preparing to leave. The school official offered that if anyone would like to briefly meet and greet the dancers on their way back to class that would be fine. At that very moment my back was to the crowd and I suddenly heard a roar and literally felt the earth moving as this crowd of more than 1000 students stampeded toward us. All I could think to do was get myself between the crowd and our dancers. Mike, Dave, Germaine, Dieter and other adults with our team all had the same idea. The next thing we knew we were all basically pinned between the crowd the side of a building, our team leaders and adults pretty frantically reaching to buffer the dancers. But in just a matter of seconds we heard whistles and shouts from school officials and immediately the crowd began to leave for their classrooms. Our team stood dazed and confused, looking at each other. What had just happened? Though a bit shaken by the experience, no one was hurt. It was a sobering reminder, however, for our leaders that we were indeed caring for the safety of 15 teenage girls in a very different culture.
When we got back to our camp Mike went to work editing the video and splicing in a complete recording of Steph’s music. He had the video ready to be posted that evening. As he headed to the internet cafe to post it we joked about the emotional response it might generate back home. I gave thanks to the Lord for what He was going to do thousands of miles away in people’s hearts.
Nothing could have prepared us for that response. Within minutes of uploading that video dozens of comments began to roll in from home, raw emotion, wonder and awe spilled over. As we shared the comments from home with our team that emotion, wonder and awe seemed to spill across the oceans and continents to our little campfire. I realized that God was at work in many hearts and lives far beyond the 29 that made up our G.O. Team. I asked in my journal that evening, “What will You do with all of this Lord?”
2 Comments:
Darin...you know what you just did don't you??? you started the river flowing again...hope everyone has their life jackets on!!! haha!! You don't know how much that video meant to me...I thank you and Mike for blessing me with that emotional moment in Steph's life...to this day I cry each time I watch it and not only do I, but Steph does too...it reminds her of the lives she touched along with some of the most important people in her life....I thank God each day for giving all these girls the talent and friendships they endured through DANCE...but mostly making the change to the wonderful family of MHDC for if we didn't make the change, Steph would have never experienced what she did...for that I am GRATEFUL!! thanks!!
By Denise, at 11/05/2005 2:53 PM
Thank you for your comments Denise. It really made my day to see that you read the posting. I miss you all. And thanks for your prayers for my brother. I'll hope to see you soon.
By Darin, at 11/05/2005 10:11 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home