I went to Namibia expecting to experience God in an
“intimate” way. I expected to feel close to Him, to feel Him giving me words to say in
lessons and in conversations. I hoped to feel his hand in everything I did.
In reality — this didn’t happen. Teaching lessons was difficult to begin with, and although practise helped — it never became easy. I wouldn’t say that I felt especially close to God while I was away.
However I learnt a lot about God’s faithfulness, that when you pray that “words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Eph 6:19), God does that. Each one of us who went to Namibia can say that we saw God use the words we spoke to make the mystery of the gospel known to people.
I learnt that when the bible says “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs
in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame” (Isa 58:11), or “Do not fear, for
I am with you” (Isa 41:10) it doesn’t qualify what it says by “only if it feels like
I am.” We can rely upon God regardless of how we feel. 
Rob, Namibia 2002