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| Foot washing - as Jesus did for his followers |
Our day on Monday 26th involved a long drive to
the community of Share - more than 3
hours on a mixture of tar and dirt roads – stopping to pick up provisions for
the community lunch which the dedicated volunteer care workers cook every day
for the 72 children they support and care for.
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| Hand and nail treatment - with a treasured fabric purse being held tightly |
We knew it was going to be a poignant day as this would very
likely be the last Link for Life Team to visit the care point in Share… but
this was for the best of reasons.
Hands at Work in Africa have been partners with Share for over seven years and the first Link for Life Teams to visit did so in 2012. Following on from this a team has visited every year since then and we have tried to encourage everyone we know to partner with Hands at Work to give every month to contribute to the cost of the care and food which the volunteer care workers give. This partnership with Hands at Work and Share as been a important part of Link for Life’s work since then. But, despite ups and downs, over the years things have grown and moved forward and now the Community Based Organisation in Share was ready to stand and continue without the support of Hands at Work. This is a process which Hands at Work call ‘graduating’ a community.
It is a huge step for the community which shows what a journey that Hands of Work have helped Share to travel. Hands at Work have helped the volunteer care workers as they have undertaken training and as they have got formal identity documents for the vulnerable children they care for (meaning they are entitled to go to state schools).
With resilient structures and finance management in place the care workers have now been offered support from the South African government and from another local social care charity. Hands at Work have helped the care volunteers grow and become more sustainable… in 2012 the care point was an open fire under a tree. Now there is a building, with cooking shelter, toilet, a fresh water supply and a growing number of supportive care workers. The graduation is a story of success and development
On this visit to Share we had the privilege of being part of the early stages of this ‘graduation’ process. Even though it is a good thing to do, it is still tinged with sadness as it is the end of one level of relationships in order to make space for new ones. So we arrived in Share with mixed emotions; pleased to see the volunteer care workers and children, but also sad as this was probably the last visit of this kind that Share would receive from Link for Life.
After greeting the care workers we joined together in worship and delighted to hear the beautiful singing and dancing which we have come to experience with them. After this we shared a Bible reading and words of encouragement which led into some ‘appreciation time’ where we presented gifts and gave the care workers a treat day.
Hands at Work in Africa have been partners with Share for over seven years and the first Link for Life Teams to visit did so in 2012. Following on from this a team has visited every year since then and we have tried to encourage everyone we know to partner with Hands at Work to give every month to contribute to the cost of the care and food which the volunteer care workers give. This partnership with Hands at Work and Share as been a important part of Link for Life’s work since then. But, despite ups and downs, over the years things have grown and moved forward and now the Community Based Organisation in Share was ready to stand and continue without the support of Hands at Work. This is a process which Hands at Work call ‘graduating’ a community.
It is a huge step for the community which shows what a journey that Hands of Work have helped Share to travel. Hands at Work have helped the volunteer care workers as they have undertaken training and as they have got formal identity documents for the vulnerable children they care for (meaning they are entitled to go to state schools).
With resilient structures and finance management in place the care workers have now been offered support from the South African government and from another local social care charity. Hands at Work have helped the care volunteers grow and become more sustainable… in 2012 the care point was an open fire under a tree. Now there is a building, with cooking shelter, toilet, a fresh water supply and a growing number of supportive care workers. The graduation is a story of success and development
On this visit to Share we had the privilege of being part of the early stages of this ‘graduation’ process. Even though it is a good thing to do, it is still tinged with sadness as it is the end of one level of relationships in order to make space for new ones. So we arrived in Share with mixed emotions; pleased to see the volunteer care workers and children, but also sad as this was probably the last visit of this kind that Share would receive from Link for Life.
After greeting the care workers we joined together in worship and delighted to hear the beautiful singing and dancing which we have come to experience with them. After this we shared a Bible reading and words of encouragement which led into some ‘appreciation time’ where we presented gifts and gave the care workers a treat day.
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| Some of the Care Workers show off their new fabric purses outside the care point in Share |
The gifts included cards from Link for Life visitors from
previous years and some beautiful hand made fabric purses, individually
embroidered with the name of each of the care workers. These had been made by the ‘Crafts, Cuppa and
Chat’ group at St Anne’s Church in Chasetown. Inside the purses were some hand cream and nail polish from friends and
supporters in the UK, as well as a photo of each care worker and a photo of the
member of the Crafts, Cuppa and Chat group.
Members of our team gave out these gifts to each of the care workers and
they were delighted with them, taking time to open and close the press stud
closure and feel the decorated finish which each purse had. It was such a privilege to do this link job
–really being something of a link for life across the miles.
After the gift giving each of the care workers who wanted it had the opportunity to have a hand massage, nail varnish and foot washing. Some of the care workers took the opportunity offered to be prayed for by members of the team and each team member had a role in this thanksgiving and celebration day.
After the gift giving each of the care workers who wanted it had the opportunity to have a hand massage, nail varnish and foot washing. Some of the care workers took the opportunity offered to be prayed for by members of the team and each team member had a role in this thanksgiving and celebration day.
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| Fun with balloons for the children in Share |
Before too long the children started to arrive at the care
point and along with the care workers we played with them, but as we did we
realised that, whilst we were made very welcome, we were not needed to be the
leaders of team games and interactions… the care workers were doing it and we were
no longer needed in the way we might have been even a year ago.
It was such a huge privilege to be there on a day like this, when we could see
how, over the years, Hands at Work in Africa have nurtured the volunteer care
workers to the point where they are able to stand by themselves as a caring
community group. The Hands at Work model works! Transforming the lives of the most vulnerable children … and it was so good to see this process approaching a major milestone in Share.
We said some sorrowful farewells to the care workers and the children before we left to drive back to the Hands at Work hub. A long journey lay ahead of us, but we have been so privileged to have been able to help Hands at Work to support Share on an even longer but life giving journey.