Reflections - One week on!!

Having been back in the UK for a week - Here are our reflections on our time in South Africa.

Oliver

From visiting the poor and vulnerable people in South Africa I have learnt that western people are very weak, while the poor and vulnerable are very strong, physically, mentally and emotionally. This is something that as a culture we struggle with, we fall at the first hurdle, they don’t(!) they pick themselves up and try again.

The part of the trip that will stay with me forever is the joy that was seen among the faces of the children (and the care workers) at Mafambisa as we decided to teach them some holiday Club songs and dances, something so simple provided so much joy to them.

From the trip I will take away the fact that wounded and vulnerable people still care. This may be for others (seen through the care workers hard work at the care points) or the fact that their faith is way stronger than mine yet they are so vulnerable and wounded compared to me.

Hannah

For me, this experience was an intense and incredible one. From it I have taken heart breaking stories as well as some amazing new friends.

For me one of the best parts was the team I was with. I feel like we bonded right from day one and helped one another to grow stronger. I have made friends for life and they have helped to challenge and support me throughout the experience.

I was also struck by the community spirit everywhere we went. The Hub was the first experience of this and I loved being welcomed into the Hands family. It is a family I look forward to returning to in the future. I experienced this close community feel once again when we headed out to the care points in Mafambisa, Share, Pfunani and Mluti. All of these places were run on the generosity and caring of the Care Workers. They came together to help the most vulnerable children without a second thought.

I found the most inspiring thing to be the children and the unwavering joy they showed. They found happiness in the simplest of things. Despite being 'the poorest of the poor' in material items, they were the richest in happiness and faith.

I found myself fully immersed in all aspects of life in South Africa and I feel that the most important part for me, was the way that my heart was opened up to God and his work.

I want to thank everyone at the Hub for welcoming us all and making us a part of the family. A massive thank you to Chris and Rosemary for guiding us and to the team for supporting one another. (Even putting up with me on my very grumpy Sunday!)

Meg

My experience of South Africa has been of admiration in witnessing the joy these vulnerable individuals hold. Despite their desperate situation they continue to smile and laugh, seeking faith to provide this light. It was beautiful to witness the altruism of humankind by seeing people care for one another, as seen between both the care workers and children but also between the children themselves. This experience has taught me to find joy in the smallest of things and helped to cement the gratefulness I feel towards the life I lead.

Vicky

How much god is part of everyone’s daily lives: the care workers and givers, the children and even the workers at Hands. They pray multiple times a day about every little thing and I think it is truly beautiful to see how much faith they have in god to keep them going through life.

I was really struck by how much the wealth of the people varied. The further you get from the main road, the poorer the families are. However you can really tell the difference between a poorer family compared to a wealthier family, even if they’re metres apart. A wealthier family could have stone pillars at the front of their house to show how much money they have whereas a poorer family couldn’t do that. That was something that really hit me whilst being out there.

Our society has developed to want more and more possessions without truly being grateful for them. What we saw in South Africa was that families didn’t have many possessions and if they did, they cherished them greatly no matter what they were. This is something we should all learn from as we have so much to call our own and still don’t seem to be satisfied with it all, yet they have so little and seem so much happier still.

Rosemary

• Centrality of prayer in daily life
• Resilience
• Gratitude to God every minute of every day

Alasdair

  Africa Presented me with an opportunity to see how communities can pull together in the face of adversity.

We heard many harrowing stories during our visit that will stay with me for a long time, and met faces that we won’t forget.

It was great to see how children with literally nothing can find happiness and joy in the smallest of things, a page torn out of a colouring in book for example. And their gratitude for our briefest of visits was huge. In reflection it makes you think about the opportunities we have and take for granted here in the UK and how they would welcome it with open arms.

Clarrie

Going to South Africa has proved to be the greatest experience of my life because it has given me the opportunity to look upon my own life in a different way. This humbling and life-enriching experience has allowed me to become open and vulnerable to my own struggles and weaknesses, as well as facing challenges that have opened my eyes, my heart and my soul. My faith has been both strengthened and challenged and I have been humbled in watching the love that God has for each and every one of us grow in these communities.

It's difficult to put into words what surprised me the most because I would say 'everything'! The simple beauty of life both in and out of the communities is inspiring to see, and the joy that many children have in the small things is infectious. We are told that these communities are broken and vulnerable, but when you go there and experience even a tiny glimpse of their lives, their unconditional love, faith and joy is humbling and overwhelming. The care workers' willingness to give whatever they can, even in the face of their own darkness, was another aspect of this experience that touched me. Their dancing, singing and complete trust in God is admirable and has given me a new perspective on the love and hope that Christ has in us and that we have in him. The memories and stories that I have heard have taught me so much about myself, as well as the diversity of humankind, but have also allowed me to open myself up to ask more questions and think more on my relationship with God.

Finally, I would like to give the biggest thanks to each and every member of the team for travelling with me and supporting me over these past two weeks, which have been the best of my life! But it has been these individuals that have made this possible, and I am proud to have been on this journey with them.

Chris

For me I think, this year, has been about going deeper with Hands; about understanding more about the stories wehear; about being able to follow the stories through and understanding just how fragile and vulnerable these communities are.

As in previous years it is about the joy and the welcome that we receive in the communities, the joy and the faith that supports these people through their tough lives.

And finally for me it is about just how brilliantly the team worked together; how well they confronted the issues; how they took time to think about and consider each of the situations; how well they engaged with the communities; their thirst for this experience; how their faith had grown and the lasting effect that this experience will have upon them and the relationship with the communities that has been created.

DJ

This has been the 8th time I have visited Hands, even after going year after year the care support workers love and care given to the most vulnerable children amazes me.  They are always there for the children, I admire there hard work and determination to look after the children when there is so many obstacles to over come. There own often broken lives, there own day to day struggles. It amazes me the hard work they do to look after the children from collecting water, making a fire, standing over a hot fire in dense smoke to make the children food, feeding the children, talking to them, helping them, visiting them in there homes, caring for them.

Every time I see this I think, and what do I do.................

Also I want to say you to the cupboard; For there hard work fundraising, giving up their time and going to Hands. The team did so well in the community’s they jumped straight in and helped
And it was a pleasure to go with them. Thank you all’