Namibia Missions Trip

These are mopane (pronounced mo-pa-nee) worms. They're the caterpillar of the emperor moth, otherwise known as tasty hor dourves. After a good rain you can always see people walking with their buckets through the bush collecting these juicy fellas off of mopane trees. They squeeze out the guts, dry them, salt them, and fry them up to eat as treats or maybe use in a stew. They're not too bad actually, kinda leafy flavored.

Whenever people think of going to the African bush they assume they'll have to eat some kind of bugs. While I'm sure we could find some for you, most people are relieved to discover that Namibia has very modern grocery stores with a variety of foods just like you'd find in the States. You might not see the very same brands or flavors, but you'll find plenty that looks familiar. As a team, we'll do all our own shopping and cooking so you should have no fear of going hungry.

That said, we may have the opportunity to eat at some Namibian restaurants where you can eat some indigenous foods. I highly recommend the game steaks like zebra, kudu, or especially gemsbok. They're very flavorful and cooked to order. We also may have the opportunity to visit people in their homes. It's good manners to offer your guests something to drink or eat. It is also good manners as a guest to accept the hospitality of your hosts.

We'll talk a lot more about cultural awareness as we go along, but in general, since we're visiting such a different culture, I highly recommend jumping in head first and taking full advantage of any cultural experience possible. Cultural immersion not only gives you a feel for Namibian life, but it helps you understand a little bit more about the people we'll be ministering to. It also helps tear down some of the walls inevitable to cross-cultural relationships. But the long and the short of it is, if you're not up for eating bugs, no worries. That's one missionary test you won't have to pass on this trip.