Exploring Africa on motorbike: Greetings to Bushmen in Tsumkwe

Cold starry night in Namibia. Back of the truck. Above well known Southern Cross, on the right moving bush and on the left lying Ryno, around 50 years old bushman (maybe 35 or 40, he doesn't know his age). We are driving back home through Kalahari desert, twelve people in one huge Ford jeep with american plates. Seven people are sitting in front in a double cabin and five lying on the open back. Going back after visiting three villages in 150 km range from Omatako to Tsumkwe. Ovi is chief of Cristian mission near Omatako in Kalahari. He, his son Dani, his wife and his daughter are from Romania and are helping Bushmen (San people) for last four years, providing them education, food and cloths. They work together with volunteers (young christians) who mostly come from Romania, but also from Ukraine, Finland and other countries.

I beleive everything happens with a reason. One day before, I was standing on the crossroad to Tsumkwe, next to my motorbike. I was trying to decide whether to go to Tsumkwe or north. I knew it is 300 kms till there and there is no petrol station on the way. Just gravel road and maybe some bushmen village next to the road. I had full tank of gasoline plus two litres in a bottle but maybe still not enough to get there. I said f... it, I go and I will start rescuing the problem when it comes to me. After 150 kms of gravel road I arrived to the sign for Omatako. I stopped and there I saw a jeep full of people. I asked them where they go and if I can go with them. I parked my motorbike and we left for Tsumkwe for two days. "If you don't try, you will never know", like my friend Kelvin from Zimbabwe says in his poem. :)

Some problems if you live in Kalahari iclude: lack of water, food and education or better self-management. There is plenty of TB (tuberculosis) as people are sleeping practically on the ground and that is not good for their lungs. Kalahari New Hope from Romania tries to help San people on the field with all above.

When we were watching sinchronized old Jesus Christ movie together with bushmen under the stars, I noticed my name translated to bushmen language. It was Mataluza, haha. :)