There Are Living Gems in Namibia!

NAMIBIA stretches nearly 1,000 miles along the southwest coast of Africa.  The country's entire coastline consists of sand dunes, rocky hills, and vast gravel plains.   Mingled among the st of Namibia's pebble beaches  are gemstones  of every conceivable color.   Even diamonds are occasionally found there.  But the country has something much more precious than these stones.  Namibia has living gems - the people of its many national groups.

The earliest inhabitants of Namibia spoke a family of languages called Khoisan.  Their speech was known for its click sounds.  Among the Khoisan speakers  today are the dark-skinned Damara, the light-skinned people of small stature called the Nama, and the famous Bushman hunters.  Many black tribes have also come into Namibia in more recent centuries.  These fall under three main national groups:  The Ovambo (the largest ethnic group in Namibia), The Herero, and the Kavango.  Europeans started settling in Namibia during the 19th century. More immigrants arrived after diamonds were discovered on the desert sands.

Namibia's inhabitants are precious because they are part of the world of mankind for which God gave his Son, thus opening the way to everlasting life.  (John 3:16)  Hundreds  of Namibians from many tribes have already responded to the message of salvation.  These can be likened to living gemstones because they are among "the desirable things of all the nations" now being gathered to Jehovah's house of worship. -Haggai 2:7.

Next time: Spiritual Mining Gets Started

Watchtower, 2000