Muka [moo-KAH] is the third wife of a Himba headman living in northern Namibia.

Muka
Courtesy of SS Office of Adventist Mission

While some Himba children have gone to school, few who remain in the settlements can read or write. They pass their history and culture to their children during story times around a fire in the evening.

For more than 15 years Adventist missionaries have been working with the Himba, befriending them, teaching them about God, showing they care. They prayed for Muka when she was seriously ill, and God healed her. Muka’s husband respects the missionaries for what they are doing to help his family and his people.

Muka enjoys the missionaries’ visits and eagerly takes part in their prayer times. She wishes she could attend worship services, but the nearest worship service is too far away to walk, and the family is too large to ride in a donkey cart. So Muka contents herself with praying when she has free moments.

Recently the missionaries held a special camp meeting for the Himba people. Everyone was invited, and nearly everyone went. At the meetings the missionaries gave the headmen a special gift, a solar-powered MP3 player. They showed the men how to lay the MP3 player in the sun to charge the batteries and how to turn the player on so they can listen so God’s stories in their own language.

Returning home, Muka’s husband gave the MP3 player to his first wife to listen to. When she finished listening to the stories, she passed it on to Muka so she and her children could hear God’s stories. She passed it on to the next wife, and so around the circle of families the stories of Jesus are being woven into the fabric of Himba life.

I understand God better now after hearing the stories the missionaries have given us on the little story box, Muka says. I want to learn more about God and know how to follow Him better.

The MP3 players have proven a breakthrough among the Himba, and a recent Thirteenth Sabbath Offering is providing hundreds more MP3 players and the funds to record more stories in the Himba’s language. Thank you for your offerings, which help people such as Muka and her family meet the Savior and learn to follow Him.

Muka lives in a rural settlement in northern Namibia with her extended family.

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