Otjimbingwe - Namibia's forgotten spiritual Heritage

An old map  of the central territory of Namibia

Having developed  an increasing appetite for Namibian Church History over the years,  my wife and I decided to visit  Otjimbingwe  en route to Swakopmund for a much needed break.Otjimbingwe  once  was the “capital village” of Namibia.This  was  the place where Carl Hugo Hahn (http://jrieck.blogspot.com/2009/09/missionary-pioneers-in-namibia-2-carl.html), a  Pioneer  Missionary of the Rhenish Missionary Society had  significantly contributed towards the spread of the gospel in Namibia.

How to get there

Since even some Namibians ask,“Otjimbingwe, where is that?”, let me explain how to get there. Leaving Windhoek in direction to Swakopmund  on the B2, you will find the  turn-off for Otjimbingwe just before you get to the little settlement called Wilhelmstal.  The dust  road (D1967) of approximately 60 kilometers will take you to Otjimbingwe which is located  on  the  banks of the Swakop  river.

Otjimbingwe  then …

Otjimbingwe, centrally located in Namibia, became the primary mission station of the Rhenish  Missionary  Society  on Namibian soil in  1849. Located  on the banks of the  ephemeral Swakop river it  is literally an oasis  in the desert. The first missionary to settle there in 1849 was Johannes  Rath. It was 8 years later that  he baptized the first 2 converts on the 25th July 1858.  Not long after this, his wife and 4 children were tragically lost at  sea,  near  Walvis Bay. He left Otjimbingwe in 1861 and Carl Hugo Hahn succeeded him here  in 1864.

By 1864, Otjimbingwe  had become a thriving community.  Hahn  wanted to develop  this  mission station into a “Missions Kolonie“ (a missionary colony), a place where the converts to Christianity could find  a faith community, whilst also learning  a trade. Carl Hugo Hahn had indeed  developed a holistic approach to doing missionary work.   Soon others were attracted to this village, such as  the  Swedish trader and explorer Charles John Andersson, who established his business there. It thus became the first European trading post on Namibian soil.

Rhenish Church Otjimbingwe 1867

The Rhenish Mission church was built under the direction  Carl Hugo Hahn   by architect and builder, Eduard Hälbich,  and completed in 1867 it  is still used as a place of worship. One of the Hälbich descendants  is a member of our congregation.  This church building has frequently served as a place of refuge, such as the instance when  it was attacked by  Jonker Afrikaner. 

In 1884 Otjimbingwe  became  the seat of the  German colonial administration. Thereby,it served was the “capital village” of so called German South West  Africa. 

Soon after that  the civil administration moved  to Windhoek in  1892. Once the railway line between Windhoek and Swakopmund had been completed, Karibib (60km’s from Otjimbingwe)  became a railway station along the way,and thus Otjimbingwe  dwindled in importance.

Otjimbingwe now …

Whilst Otjimbingwe is  situated in a lush desert oasis, it also is a poverty stricken community  of about  8000 souls.  There is very little evidence of economic activity, and no signs of prosperity.

 Mission ruins

The old Rhenish mission church is  still in use, but the old missionary buildings surrounding  it are in a state of complete disrepair. It is sad that a place of such significant spiritual history in our country has been so forgotten  and neglected.

Unlike   Martin Rautanen’s  Mission station in Olukonda, Ovamboland,   which is relatively well kept, and  with a good museum (and I believe, maintained with the help of the Finnish Government), this  mission station  at Otjimbingwe has no advocate and protector. 

Mission ruins

So much could be done to  make this a place  of remembrance, retreat and reflection, not forgetting the present people of Otjimbingwe who need the gospel  of our Lord Jesus  Christ, preached passionately, as of old by men like Johannes Rath (1816-1903) and Carl Hugo Hahn (1818-1895).

Biblically speaking, many places of former spiritual splendor and glory  have suffered such fates (not least the temple  in Jerusalem at various times  and particularly in AD 70).

The prophet   Isaiah among others declared,
“They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. “ (Isaiah 61:4 ESV).

Whilst this text has  primarily  application  to   the  restoration  of all things when Jesus comes again, we in the  ‘here  and now’ must also not fail  to subdue  ruin and decay where we see it,  and give glory to God through  the  restoration  of such  ruins  as we find here in Otjimbingwe, Namibia. 

This  broken  down truck greeted us as we entered Otjimbingwe