We needed to see if we could still have a visit to the Okahandja Crafts Market as an optional tour for our international conference delegates. So we had Unanee drive Dr. Towne and the PLU student teachers up to see the market.
It had been totally destroyed by a September flash fire. Here is a picture they have hanging in the stalls.
The rebuilding has begun and they already have about twenty stalls constructed. They had a truckload of wooden pallets donated. They are dismantling the pallets and using the wood as siding. We are convinced that they will have plenty of stalls rebuilt by July to bring the delegates up for a visit.
We weren't able to find Elizabeth and her daughter, Emma. But we did meet a new friend, Teresa, and her daughter, Lucy, and bought some things from her for Mr. Stafki and Mrs. Stone (batiks).
We'll stop by on our way back from the north next week, to pick up some more gifts for friends back home who made orders. (FYI- if anyone has late orders for gifts, e-mail them to me by Monday as we leave early Tuesday for the north. Carved makalani nuts - the fellow in the photo two above his holding some-, batiks, carvings, small or flat baskets, etc.) :-)
You can see some of the batiks hanging above.
Steve, so sad to see this! I do hope it will be up and running for July. I feel bad for the craftspeople who lost so much of their beautiful handiwork. I'm enjoying your commentary and photos-it's as close as I'm going to get for a while I guess. Miss the place and it's too cold here for any life to exist! Ann
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