After being back for a few weeks, we now have a little bit of time to write an update. Between being in the office and taking part in meetings, we have been having dinners with people and have been able catch up after the Christmas break. It has been great to hear how other people spent their Christmas break. One group went for a trip to Cape Town and had a road trip through South Africa. Many other people travelled to their home nations to spend time with family and friends. One family on particular had a very special Christmas. Alicia and Tyler, a Canadian couple who we volunteer with, went home in June last year to have their baby. They returned this year with their beautiful baby boy called Hayden Tatenda (which means thank you in Shona, a local Zimbabwean language). Everyone was so excited to see him and have a cuddle with him.
The office is very busy at this time of the year. At the end of January, Hands at Work sends out its end of year reports (one from each community) to all of our partners who have supported the work over the past year. These reports include lots of information that many people all over Africa help to collect and then use that
information to create our reports. Each report has a story of a child that has been impacted by the 3 essential service project over the past year. This story also comes with a photo of that child, some highlights from the work in that community and the breakdown of where the funds have been spent.
The aspect in which I am involved is the financials. This means helping our bookkeepers to ensure all of their data is correct and accurate so partners can see where their funds have gone, from their pockets right to the local office in one of our 8 countries.
Morgan is involved in one of the final stages where the reports all come together in our Hands at Work format which is sent out all over the world to our partners. She, along with our other communication team members, handle the story and highlights section of the reports.
It is a huge job to collect information and create the 60+ reports within the space of 3 weeks. Every person has their role and it is amazing to see the transformation of all this information from the local offices to the final reports that go out to international partners.
The day after we arrived back on South African soil, we had our annual Watchword launch here at the Hub. It is a scripture that George and Carolyn have been prayerfully considering for a few months and gives the Hands at Work family guidance for the year ahead. This year the Watchword for us is Rev 3:8, “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” For me, it sets the challenge to take steps with God and place the faith in Him to go deeper into a relationship with Him. Even though we know we do not have enough strength to do it ourselves, God is standing beside us to lead us ‘through the door’ to take the next level with Him. In our work, it means going to new places and striving to find more vulnerable children even in the face of opposition. We can push on because he will not let anyone shut the door on us.
There has also been some new construction at the village and so in a few months, the view from our house will have changed. There are 2 new 1 bedroom houses being built in front of our little home and so each day, we wake up to a construction site. But it is incredible to see how much can happen in only a few hours. We walk down to the office in the morning and when we come back up for lunch, another layer of bricks has been added. The building team is doing an incredible job and it is so great to see all of them working so well together as a team.
For the next few months, we will be based in South Africa, with Morgan continuing on the communications team and myself continuing to support our bookkeepers in Nigeria, DRC and Malawi. We do not have any plans to travel yet but we will keep you all updated as and when we find out about any new travel plans.
Have you ever wondered where we actually live or what it looks like? Check out this blog by fellow volunteers and friends Kristi + Daytona for a closer look.
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