. · • Limekilns Parish Church - Imkerhof • · .
Peter and Anne Dreyer
Imkerhof Children's Home
Namibia
Peter and Anne Dreyer from Limekilns have spent a lot of time working in an orphanage in Imkerhof, Namibia:
- 2006 - September to December
- 2007/2008 - October to April
- 2009 - April to July
A small taste of what has been done at Imkerhof is outlined here.
Imkerhof Bible School
Namibia
Namibia is a country in the south western corner of Africa and is mostly desert or semi desert. Unlike many other African countries, it is rich in minerals such as diamonds, gold and uranium. Germany annexed the country in the late 1800s but, after the First World War, it became a mandatory state of South Africa. In 1990 it gained its independence and changed its name from South-West Africa to Namibia, after the Namib Desert.
The country covers 320,827 square miles and has a population of 1.8 million. A country 2 or 3 times the size of Britain with a tiny population. 87% of the population is black and those are made up of different ethnic groups such as Ovambo, Kavango, Herero, Damara, Nama, San Bushman and Caprivian. Their official language is English but German and Afrikaans is still widely spoken with all the indigenous languages as well.
Like the rest of Africa HIV has swept across the country. In 2004 210,000 people were affected by Aids, 16,000 of whom have died. Many of these were breadwinners and as a result the country is getting desperately short of qualified people in all walks of life but more seriously, children are left without parents. Under normal conditions the extended family would take care of orphaned children but at present grandparents are often left with up to 14 grand children; an impossible situation. So many of these children are left to fend for themselves.
Udo & Kathleen Wahl
Imkerhof was originally set up as a Bible College. It is situated some 350 Km from the capital Windhoek. It takes a good three hours drive on a mixture of tar and gravel roads to get there. This journey has to be made at least twice a week to get supplies and take any patients to the hospital.
In 2002, Udo and Kathleen Wahl, realised the enormous need to take some of the orphaned children into care and so started Imkerhof Children's Home.
The children's home ran for 7 years until December 2009. In 2007, Kathleen opened a primary school run by the American ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) system for our own 22 children, staff children and a few children from surrounding farms. The children thrived and did well, but it was a constant battle to get enough qualified teaching staff. Kathleen managed to recruit 2 Namibian teachers over the years but neither stayed more than a few weeks. She was depending heavily on volunteers but they find it difficult to get Visas. Kathleen and Udo are also finding it more difficult each year to get Visas and, for these reasons, they started thinking of different options for the children.
They were put in touch with an organisation called Hope's Promise (Changing to His Promise). This is run by a Namibian lady called Silvia Beukes. She also works in a children's home but had a vision for placing all orphans in foster homes. The result of this initial meeting is that our children are all now placed in foster homes; all with our own Imkerhof staff who were looking after them anyway! This should be wonderful and when Peter and Anne go to visit in September 2010 they will report back.
We are still fully supporting the children financially but His Promise are supporting the families Spiritually and physically. If anyone would like to know more about sponsoring or supporting in any way please phone Anne on 01383 872234.
Volunteers from Scotland
Anne and Peter were accompanied by Lachlan Fotheringham for the 6 months from October 2007 to April 2008. Lachlan also comes from Limekilns and volunteered during his gap year before starting medicine at Edinburgh University. He taught in the school, coached tennis, basketball and soccer, taught recorder and played tirelessly with children.
In 2009, Alasdair Campbell, also previously from Limekilns, accompanied Anne and Peter for 3 months. He also did a sterling job in the school. He organised and helped with sports and outdoor activities. as well as doing crafts with the children and even took on baking when Anne left.
Anne cooked for the 'house', taught crafts, baking, knitting, sewing and English. She also did shopping and a lot of driving to hospitals, clinics and dentists etc.
Peter taught the 3 grade 7 girls science and social studies each day to prepare them for their entry exams for high school. He also taught general science, swimming, gardening and woodwork. In his 'spare time' he gardened, fixed, built and drove amongst many other things
In 2007, the Bartholomew family from Limekilns, spent 3 months at Imkerhof helping Kathleen to start the ace school. Ian also helped with administration and ran a most successful sports day. Ian and Ester-Rose returned for a couple of weeks in 2009 to set up a computer program to make the administration a little easier for Udo.
In 2008, the Mathie family from Cairneyhill spent 5 days at Imkerhof during their tour of Namibia. Iain and Yvonne ran a first aid course for staff and the whole family did crafts with the children.
In 2008, Kirsten Dreyer also volunteered for a couple of weeks. She ran a first aid course for the staff as well, sorted the first aid equipment and played lots with the children, especially helping with crafts.
NEWS
Most of the children are now in 3 foster homes.
12 children are in a town called Arandis which is just 60 Km from Swakopmund on the coast. They are living with our 2 House-mothers, Eveline and Sophie and their own children. This will be almost like a mini Imkerhof! Most of the children will go to the local primary school in Arandis but 2 of the girls will go to a private Christian School in Swakopmund, returning to Arandis for week-ends and holidays.
4 children have gone to Okondjatu which is a village about 40Km from Imkerhof. They are living with Engelberd and Mavis and their children. Engelberd is a pastor and he and Mavis studied at the bible school at Imkerhof. Mavis has been working at Imkerhof for some time.
1 boy has gone to live with his beloved house-father, Nghidipo, and his wife Rosa and son Henri in Okahandja.
3 of our children have gone to live with relatives and we are sending all of them to private schools.
Our little disabled boy is boarding at a special school in Windhoek. To date we don't have a foster home for him but he currently spends the holidays with Eveline and her family.