Through my Eyes

I lost my phone on a taxi and got it back all within five hours. I was sitting in a Primary Care-Givers meeting when I decided that I needed something from my bag. I looked around trying to find my phone and to my utter horror, I couldn't find it. That feeling is the absolute worst. When you realize that the object you are looking for actually is gone and you can't get it back. I started to panic. Thankfully I was with one of the ladies from the service centre Margret* and so she took me outside to help me think things through. She tried to get me to remember where I had last had it, so that she could possibly try and call the taxi driver. After about twenty minutes, I remembered taking a picture of a broken door in one of the taxis. That must have been where I left it. So Margret* called around and finally got ahold of the taxi driver. He said that he hadn't seen it but would continue to look. Margret* was calm throughout the whole ordeal saying that if she has pain in her

Maria* was only 14 years old when her mother passed away in 2006. Tragically only two later later in 2008, her grandmother passed away and a year later her dad. In a span of four years, Maria* had lost three of the people closest to her. The people that should be there to see everything that you do in life, and see who you turn out to be were not. Instead she was an orphan left to care for her brother and sister as an eighteen year old girl. Its under stable to think that after all this trauma that she has endured that she would want nothing to do with caring for the most vulnerable. Its reasonable to think that she would not want to open those old wounds and give of herself. However despite all of these obstacles and wounds, Maria* has made the choice to dedicate her life to serving the most vulnerable children within her community instead of walking away and not looking back. I had the opportunity to sit with Maria* and talk with her about her life for about 45 minutes. Her story i

As orientation has now finished, I have been placed here in South Africa, where I will be working with the Hazeyview Service Centre Team. What this means... I don't really know yet. I haven't quite figured that part out. All I've been told is that I'm to build relationships with the individuals that work within the service centre and encourage and support them with the work that they are doing. If they need help with some work, then I will help, but most importantly I am to follow them in what they do and to learn from them. I think that the reason that we are not told much is that they don't want people to go into this time with the Service Centres with high expectations and also they dont want people to go in thinking that they know everything. We are told to have "big ears, and small mouths." This next 5 weeks will be a time of learning, and gaining more insight into the work that the Service Centre does on a regular basis. One of my favourite moments

"Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" James 2:5  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27  This past weekend, I had the great privilege of being welcomed into the home of one of our kids. I had the opportunity to live with them for a weekend and become a part of their family. It was an immense privilege that I will never forget. I was welcomed into the home of Cebile* who is 19 and her sister Edzai* - 24- who suffers from epilepsy. Edzai has a three year old son Jeremia*. He is one of the cutest little boys that I have ever met in community. When we got to the girls house on the Friday evening it was cold. Oshoek (the community that we were staying ) is typically known for being

The first week of orientation has finally come to a close and what a week it has been. A week full of learning and digging deeper to understand to the fullest Hands at Work. We got to experience three very different communities and their CBO's (community based organization) within them. Coming from Zambia to South Africa has taken a bit of adjustment. There are things here in South Africa that are much more stigmatized then they are in Zambia, in terms of health care and a male presence. Male care workers are typically non-exsistent here in South Africa in comparison to Zambia where there are at least 2-3 in every community. The second day we were in a community that is in the Bushbuck Ridge region. There we went on holy home visits in the community. Holy Home Visits are the chance for the care workers to go into the community to visit the children in their homes, and just check up on them and have that opportunity to catch up with the children on what is going on in their lives

I am now in South Africa, my new home for the next little while. My last week in Zambia was actually quite a busy week. We had two teams staying at the farm, a kids camp, and Maranatha Celebrations that were all going on at the same time. So it made for a little chaos. I was asked by Prag and Ashley to help run the kids camp alongside of Rita and Gideon because neither Prag nor Ashley would be able to be there due to Marantha Celebrations. The kids that were here for the camp, are from one of the Luanshya communities Maposa. As a result of the team only being 5 people, the number of the kids is less making it only 20 instead of the normal 30. They have been such a joy to have around the farm, always laughing, and smiling, simply enjoying the opportunity for this type of vacation. The team that was running the camp, were incredibly creative with the kinds of activities that they did with the children. From baking bread (story of the feeding of the five thousand), to making t-shirts that

"Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his." - Psalm 100:3  This evening, I had the opportunity to Skype with my family.. all of my big family. It was nice to see them and to know that I am missed and that I am loved dearly. I got to see relatives that I haven't seen in months and that was really awesome. I also had the chance to see Esme - my two year old cousin. That girl is the most beautiful little girl, and she made my day. When I told her that I loved her, she replied with a simple I love you. She has not forgotten me, she will not forget me, instead of that.. she was asking for me. I hope and pray that she grows up knowing Christ and knowing that she has the power to do anything in her life. That with God by her side and with him calling the shots, she can become the woman that God will mould her to be. What a precious child that God has created. Her smile just makes my heart melt. Lastly, I got to see my parents. Throughout the years, I ha

15 People were also bring babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16  But Jesus called the children to him and said, ''Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Luke 18: 15-17 Yesterday at just after 10o'clock in the morning the children arrived on the big bus singing and smiling with their new camp t-shirts on. This week could quite possibly be one of the greatest weeks of their lives. These children are from one of our local Kitwe communities, Amelew. This is the community that the team for the UK, has been visiting this past week. Thirty of our kids that are involved in the feeding program in that community get to come and spend the week with us at the Kichele farm. They have packed what they have and are ready to have fun.  What I

The main question for me this trip has been "Why?" Why are people living like this? Why was I born where I was? Why does little Ernest- who did nothing but live his life to the fullest - lie in bed because he got meningitis and is now paralysed? I visited his home... my heart breaks for this child of God that cries because he is in so much pain.. his mom was abandoned by her husband and was left to take care of five children with one being so ill, and Ernest lies in bed, literally skin and bones because he can't eat properly.  Why do many kids go to bed with empty stomachs - that may not get filled for days- and I sometimes go to bed with a overfull stomach from having food in so much abundance. My heart longs and desires to know the answer and somehow make all the pain go away, but God is sovereign and he has a plan to make all things right one day. What I told this dear little boy as he lay in bed staring at me with his big beautiful eyes was that he is loved, he is tr

As I sit here contemplating my upcoming trip, I feel excitement, as well as nervousness.  As a person who typically doesn't enjoy the idea of change and not knowing the unknown, this trip - I can only imagine - will prove to be quite an area of growth for me. Despite not knowing whats going to happen, I am so pumped. This upcoming year will be quite the adventure and I can hardly wait. I can't believe that after almost a year of waiting and planning, I am only two days away from leaving. Initially last august my plan was to go this past February. Despite my own plans, God had other ideas. Circumstances came along, that prevented me from going in February, but boy am ever thankful that I listened to God and didn't just give up. Or else I would be missing out. There really is a blessing that comes from waiting and being patient.  Thankfully everything else has been coming together as planned. I had a minor setback when my visa came back unapproved, but all it took was readi