Commissioning Service

Commissioning Service - Friday 24th July 

Last night our adventure began with our commissioning service.

There was a large turnout including the Bishop, Nick Laurence from Hands at Work and Dean Pusey our diocesan youth coordinator.  

This was the first time the whole team had been together, and we bonded immediately over discussions of where we could use the toilet while in the community! 

We enjoyed music played by our scratch band, and sang song especially chosen by the room.

The service started with communion and concluded with an anointing where the Bishop crossed each of our hands with holy oil followed by the declaration of the rooms dedication to the cause. 

After the service we shared tea and biscuits with the congregation and then we reserved our seats for Saturday's flight, taking us another step towards the exciting leaving day. 

Orientation Day

On Sunday 19th July 2015, we all met together at St Andrew's Church for our South Africa Orientation Day. We started the day with a yummy chicken curry cooked by the amazing chef aka Chris Parker. Before we had pudding we all wrote down our individual worries for the trip and also the things we were most excited about. Our team member DJ who has previously spent 3 years with Hands at Work in Africa was able to give us reassurance except about the Black Mambas (dangerous snakes that dance!) 

For our next task we divided into two smaller groups to tell our own stories - this was in preparation for what we will be doing within the communities which we will be visiting. We will be spending time in the communities listening to people’s stories and telling our own. This activity allowed us to learn more about each other, in particular DJ, AJ and Alice P. AJ was unable to attend the day but thanks to DJ we learnt some key things about her. Finding out things that we had in common put many of our worries to rest. It was really assuring to know that none of our worries were silly and that others shared the same concerns.

Encouragement is something that we will all need every now and again whilst in South Africa, so our next activity was one that will come in great use. We were to each write an encouraging sentence for each one of the team members. We each had a piece of paper and moved it around the circle so each new encouragement could be added. We then read the encouraging thoughts and worked out who had written them according to the pen colour.

Next it was time for strawberries and very delicious cakes that AJ had made. Whilst eating pudding we shared our thoughts and opinions on technology use whilst we are away. After much debate we came to a consensus that we would leave our phones in the compound during the day and when free time was given in the evenings we would use WhatsApp to contact home if we wanted to. This will allow us to be completely away from social media and allow us to be absorbed by the surrounding African culture. We agreed that we will be taking it in turns in pairs to blog for each day and that we would post on facebook when it was complete each evening.

Next up was the itinerary just after DJ had shown us a video of a similar trip he was on. Each day is packed full of different activities from worshipping God to playing ball with children. Each day begins with a prayer or worship session and a group briefing from the Hands staff. We will then travel out to various communities to visit all types of households, to listen to their stories, to help in daily feeding stations provided by Hands and to play with the children. When we return to the compound we have a short amount of time to rest and freshen up before dinner and debrief. The evenings will be filled with blogging, getting to know the other team and eventually going to bed and getting some well-earned sleep. 

To continue bonding the team together we played a game with jelly! We had to use our team work skills to guide a blinded person with a spoon into a bowl and to feed another person who was sitting in front of them. This put our trust and communication skills to the test, even if it was very messy and extremely funny. See the pictures below.

Our final task of the day was to pray for one another aloud. This is something that is relatively new to the group and we have been trying to do a little for the last few months, we wrote what we wanted people to pray for on a piece of paper and placed it in a bowl. Just before we prayed we each took a piece of paper out of the bowl which told us the person and what they wanted us to pray for. Adam led us in prayer and we each took it in turns to pray for our chosen person. This finished the day nicely; we all feel much more ready now and know that we can rely on everyone in the team to support us whilst we are there especially when we are finding it difficult.

Commissioning Service: 24th July 2015

With our trip fast approaching, and only a few more sleeps until we are out in South Africa, we have a commissioning service for our team. The service is welcome to everyone and the more people there the better!

 

 

The service will take place on Friday 24th July 2015 at St. Andrew's Church, Biggleswade at 7.30pm. We will be joined by the Bishop of Bedford, our Diocesan Youth Officer - Dean Pusey, and Nick Lawrence from Hands at Work.

 

We're looking forward to seeing you there!

 

 

Chris Parker

Hi my name is Chris and I am the final member of the 'Team' going out to South Africa. 
 

For the past 4 years I have had the privilege, together with Claire, of accompanying the young people of 'The Room' on their journey of faith.

I can honestly say that it has been a privilege to have this role as well as exciting and fun! Our journey to Africa started just over 2 years ago when we were sitting in the Ivel Room at Church and someone said, that as a group we ought to do something more than just talk about faith, we should put it into action.

We asked DJ (see his blog) to come and talk to us about his experiences in Africa working with 'Hands at Work'. This was the start, we set ourselves up fundraising goal and started a series of events, but more importantly we started to prepare ourselves.

Are we ready? People keep asking this question, and I tend to shrug it off, I'm not sure any amount of preparation will fully prepare us. We believe that God has called us into this venture and we are going together as a team of 11 to fulfil His purpose and share His love.

We are very grateful to everyone who has supported us, financially and as I write this I can confidently say that we have now exceeded our total. Any further funds that come in will allow us to make a donation to 'Hands at Work' for the housing, feeding and education of orphaned children in Africa.

We are also grateful for people's prayers, for those who have taken part in the "50 Days of Prayer", those who are praying for us separately. We are thankful for the support of the congregations at St Andrew's, at Biggleswade Baptist Church and the churches of our Deanery. We are also grateful for the support of Rose Westwood from Hands at Work, Dean Pusey our DYO, Rev Lindsay Dew, Rev Lesley Bentley. 

From my point of view, as I have already said, I am very privileged to have been a part of this group for the past 4 years, to watch them grow in faith, and to share this journey with them has been fantastic. 

Please continue to pray for us throughout our trip it is now only 10 days till we leave Aarrghh!!!

Amy-Jane Timbrell

 

Hey my name is A-J,

 

I currently live and work in Harrogate.  I have a degree in Nutrition and then went on to study Nursing at Sheffield, where I graduated last year and now work as a Nurse at Harrogate Hospital, but will be starting my new post as a Chemotherapy Nurse in York after the trip to Africa.

 

During my first trip to South Africa in 2013, I visited 'Hands at Work' and took part in some community visits, so I feel privileged to be able to return back to 'Hands' along with 'The Room' .

 

It is such a privilege to be able to visit 'Hands' and see the great work that 'Hands' does along side the care workers within the communities. 

 

I am looking forward to meeting you all and to see how we all grow together as a group whilst out in 'Hands' too,

 

It will be a challenge, but a great learning experience for all of us.

 

See you soon,

 

A-J x

Jessica Dilley

 

Hello, my name is Jessica and I worship at St. Andrew's Church, Biggleswade and I belong to 'The Room' who are taking a trip to South Africa in less than two weeks time!

 

I have just finished studying for my A Levels (English Language and Literature, Music and Sociology) at Stratton Upper School and am planning on going to read Midwifery at University.

 

This trip to me is all about offering my gifts to a community that needs it. I have had the privilege, and take for granted, the fact that I have a shelter that I can call home, food that nourishes me, and a health system that will look after me should I ever need it. Yet, in so many communities all around the world, young adults like myself could only wish for these three essentials.

 

I/we cannot go out there to change or fix things, however, I can go and show my love, care and support for these orphaned children and the care workers that work with them and their families.

 

 Thank you very much for all your support, love and prayers over the past couple of years, and I ask for this to continue in our preparations, during our trip and when we return to create a strong link with the community we will work with and the community back here in Biggleswade.

 

To finish I would like to share Hands at Work's core values which particularly struck a chord with me as to what we should be committed to doing:

 

''Loving God and our neighbour

Reaching the poorest of the poor

Living servant-hood

Supporting local community ownership

Valuing relationships

Prioritising God, family then ministry

Being accountable

Giving freely''

 

Jessica x

Claire McDonnell

Hi my name is Claire and along with all the other members of 'The Room' I attend St Andrews Church, Biggleswade and will be travelling with them to South Africa.

I currently work as a music teacher at Northampton School for Boys.

For me this trip is greatly outside of my comfort zone but something that I feel called to do. Working with 'The Room' has enabled me to grow and develop my own faith as well as helping them along their journey of faith. Embarking on this adventure together as a team and sharing God's love with the communities that we will meet is extremely exciting, and I feel privileged to be able to do this with such an amazing and dedicated group of young adults.

For me this trip is all about giving back what we have been lucky enough to receive; love does not cost anything and that is what these communities need. Experiencing the lives and cultures of others will hopefully lead to the group having a greater understanding of the diverse world we live in and to be humbled by their appreciation of what they do have, their love for each other and the unity brought to the world by faith.

I hope and pray that our trip will enhance the lives of the communities, even by the tiniest amount, by the care and compassion we are all prepared to give, and by the love that God has taught us.