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Namibia and Walvis Bay

1986

I arrived in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia to carry the cross from there to the sea at Swakopmunk.

January 1,1986: I lived to see a New Year and I am in the desert getting ready to leave with the cross through the Namibia desert. I feel the pain of deep passion for the world but a joy to go on in even more radical living. “It’s further back than ahead.”

I rented a car and hired a driver and interpreter named Peter to travel with me. Had supplies of water and food in the car along with gospel material. Peter would drive up the road a few miles and then wait for me to arrive.

Many people stopped their cars and vans along the highway to talk. Many give their lives to Jesus and trusted him as their Savior.

The people were very responsive and welcoming in every
town and village along the road.

It was so hot I had to carry the cross at night and sleep during the day! I met some ranchers and they had me out for a big dinner and nice bed! Wow. I walked and walked. At the small towns almost every one came out to see the
cross and many came to Jesus.

Oh, today it is hot! Carried the cross all day. I saw the sky turn brown. There was an indescribable sandstorm. I crawled under a bridge and covered my face with my shirt. The sand was choking and blinding me. All traffic stopped. Then there was a flood of rain for about three or four minutes. Then it was all over and the most beautiful double rainbow I’ve ever seen filled the sky. It was so bright and stunning.

As I neared the coast, the nights got very cold in the desert
and I had to wear a coat.

Swakopmunk:

Again, it is hot, hot, hot! The road is steaming hot. The wind is hot. I drink hot water. I’m baked almost black from the sun. The Namibia Desert is the oldest desert in the world. All along the road, cars and trucks have been stopping. I have led so many people to Jesus. There are mostly big ranches and mines out here and very kind people who prepared barbeques for me most nights. It was wonderful to carry the cross into this town.

Namibia9The nights the Southern Hemisphere desert are, without a doubt, the most glorious in the world. I have been rising and walking at 4:00 o’clock in the morning so that I get two-and-a-half hours of walking through the desert with the cross before daylight.

From the normal temperature of 115 degrees out in the desert
during the day here by the seaside, it is very cold. There is a
thick, wet fog and a strong wind.

I preached four times today at local African churches. One
meeting was at a local Dutch Reformed Colored Church. I
then carried the cross along the coast highway to Walvis Bay.
This was a walk of splendor! The desert with huge sand
dunes and ponds of water with pelicans and flamingos
made this walk glorious.

Walvis Bay

When I carried the cross at Walvis Bay it was still part of South Africa. It is now part of Namibia. I preached at a local church and had a wonderful time at this port city.

What a glorious day through the desert with the highest sand dunes in the world towering up to 3,000 feet high on one side and the cold Atlantic Ocean on the other side with the water currents coming up from the South Pole. The people in Namibia are some of the greatest I’ve ever known and the beauty of this desert country is breath taking.

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt
Luke 18:1