By: Kandjengo kaMkwaanyoka
Today, I am going to vent.
My neighbour who I have been approaching for us to put money together and put pavement in front of our houses has started a church in our communal tree.
Yesterday, I woke up early to go get bread to eat with my scrambled eggs, after an interesting Saturday, just to be greeted by people clapping and saying hallelujah.
I stood (shocked) and looked at them. My neighbour noticed me, stood up, and politely invited me to join them. I politely declined and told them I was too hungover for the holy work and their clapping will awaken my demons.
Yes, I was puzzled and shocked; the man refused to work with me on various commercial and societal pitches that can benefit me and him well and our surroundings, and has gathered the neighborhood in our communal tree for a church service.
The tree is the only one in our street here in Hakahana; walking from our main stop, you can stop in for the shade and wipe your feet, given that our street has been gravel for years, just like others.
Thus, I am not happy my neighbour did not consult us on making use of the tree last Sunday for their church service.
My venting is on the basis that we black folks can gather and organise ourselves for church purposes, but we cannot organise ourselves for anything commercial or to build infrastructure in our Village, and neighbourhood.
My neighbours have two kids that go to Immanuel Shifidi Combined School, the same school my niece goes to, so I approached him to be using my taxi at a discount because it already drops my niece.
He refused, so I see them hiking every morning.
And apparently, I should go attend the church gathering and mobilise the neighbourhood to join us.
I refused to do so, and I am actually going to do the opposite; I have started a serious campaign against the church in our communal tree.
More importantly, against the so-called pastor, who refused to give me his WIFI password, because I have been unemployed for 3 months.
Yes, I am bitter and very entitled because a neighbour is a brother, a sister, and a friend.
Besides, I try to be a good neighbour. Whenever my taxi takes my niece, and we find the neighbour’s kids, we take them for free.
The kids now just wait for my niece so they get a free ride.
There are so many gestures I have been trying to show this man that I want to work with him, but he is blind.
One time, I wanted to watch Eeshoke Chula Chula versus African Stars, and I asked to watch at his house and he refused because apparently some English Premier League games were playing.
I was furious; I extended the wall between our houses because how dare he disrespect Ohangwena and Okaserandu like that.
Now this man is here calling himself the man of God and laying hands on my other neighbours, acting all holy; I am furious.
It puzzles me how we can gather and build churches, read a book called the Bible, and act like a community, but we cannot work together to save and create a bursary scheme for our village kids, or to buy a transformer or create an SPV that buys shares in performing companies.
So, yes, I am furious; my neighbour is gathering my neighbourhood for a church but cannot work with us to do projects that benefit the community.
I grew up in a church. Every Sunday we were summoned to go attend service kOnandova but during the drought we didn’t get anything from the church, I have also never heard a church giving bursary or paying for a community water project.
I find it quite hypocritical that we are asked to pray for our problems but when the church needs money, we are asked to donate. The church builds outstanding buildings in villages where there is no water, clinics, or kindergartens and has penetrated all constituencies better than anything.
But all they brought is the word and promises, nothing else.
So, I am furious with my neighbour, and next Sunday I will wake up early and host a braai in the same tree by the time they wake up, we are already there with my boys braaing.
All of you are invited. I have procured endini lombike yeendunga (a container of ombike) from home; our malt and barley will be on me, just show up early.
The requirement is that you must know the level of Namibia’s real GDP for 2025 and articulate a whole paragraph on why we must diversify our economy.
So, please, come in numbers; we cannot afford another church in Hakahana.
One of the biggest and tallest buildings in Hakahana is a church, and I don’t hear about it distributing food to the hungry, or offering shelter to the homeless or youth training.
We need to work together as a community to build the society we aspire to; we better go back to the pre-Christianity world where communal aspects were a big deal, and we truly took care of one another.
Yes, we are all hypocrites in one way or another, but we should collectively invest in our community and create the environment we want and establish enterprises we need.
I have also decided that I would not share my odjove with this neighbour again; my aunty always sends me plenty, and I always share with him.
See you next Sunday for an early braai or Sunday Session at Hakahana in my street; your attendance will stop the brainwashing of my neighbourhood and protect us from shouting on early Sunday.
