Meet the team...

Lucy, John and Ben

Lucy

Hi I am Lucy and I had the privilege and joy of going to South Africa with Hands at Work last year for the first time and being alongside those from numerous communities including Mafambisa which St Andrew’s is partnered with. I was touched by the love shown to me and found the experience life changing and was keen to go again, but also encourage others to take the step out in faith and go to experience time being alongside such vulnerable people and sharing our love with fellow Christians. This resulted in the planned trip this year including my husband John and youngest son Benjamin which I was very excited about! 

I have many fond and heartfelt memories of spending time with the care workers and completing Holy Home Visits, and am amazed at both how fragile these communities are, but also how much of a positive impact that Hands at Work can and does have, and the overflowing love that is shown to all. 

I am truly disappointed not to be able for us to be physically alongside our fellow brothers and sisters in South Africa this year and for others to have benefitted from the experience but our love and care for these communities does not change . 

I am sure that if it is God’s plan I along with others will have that privilege of returning to these communities at some point in the future, but in the meantime Thank God for all that those who volunteer and work for Hands at Work are doing and all those extremely vulnerable people they show their love and compassion to.

John 

Hi, I’m John, I’m married to Lucy and we have four children. Although I work for a window manufacturer, I still see my main role as a husband and father - I stayed at home for eighteen years while our children were young - and I still try to support them as they grow up.

I have worshipped at St Andrew’s church for about forty years, during which time we, as a church, have been seeking a long term partner; the more we found out about the work of Hands, the more I felt that God was calling us in that direction. 

I have seen the effect going to visit and share in the work of Hands had on my daughter, Jessica; my eldest son, Oliver; and Lucy over the last number of years and felt that this year was the right time for me to visit. I was hugely looking forward to experiencing some of the things that people had previously shared in the special surroundings of our partner community of Mafambisa. However, Covid-19 and the current circumstances for travel and movement have meant that we can only support from afar. Although this has been a major disappointment personally, I know that the fantastic work of the team and the care workers continues, and we continue to pray for all they do for the children they care for.

Ben 

I am Ben and I’m going to tell you a bit about myself and what made me want to go to South Africa this year. I have just finished my final year at Biggleswade Academy this year and will be heading to Stratton Upper school in September so I am 13 and was in year 8 and going in to year 9. Outside of school I play football for Caldecote Youth and cricket for Ampthill and Bedfordshire County. I have a sister and 2 brothers: Jessica, Oliver and Noah and my mum and dad are Lucy and John. Some of the many reasons I want to go South Africa is because I want to go and see all their smiles on their faces and if they don’t have a smile on their face I want to make their day better as much as I can and cheer them up. Another reason is because one of my brothers, my sister, my mum and many other people have been already and have come back and have spoken about how powerful it is to go and see how God has played a role in their lives.

Meet the team...

Carolyn and Jack 

Carolyn

Hi  I’m Carolyn and I would have been coming to Africa this year with my son Jack.  I have been a member of St Andrew’s Church for nearly 18 years and have heard about the visits that members of our congregation have made to Africa.  Last year, it really touched my heart when we could see pictures of the children and learn their names, and that made me start to consider coming to visit.  Unfortunately due to the unprecedented times we find ourselves in it has not been possible this year, but as we know God has a plan for us so we will visit when the time is right.

Jack 

 

Hi I am Jack and I am nine years old.  I love sport especially football and I play for the U10’s Biggleswade Untied team.  I have been attending St Andrew’s school but in September I am looking forward to attending a new school. I really want to come to Africa so that I can play football and sing songs with the children.  I have been attending St Andrew’s Church all my life.  I am disappointed that we haven’t gone to Africa this year but pray that we will have the opportunity to visit in the future.

Meet the team....

Sophie and Simon

Simon

Hi! My name is Simon and although I don’t attend St Andrews Church, I have attended Carey Baptist Church for nearly 30 years. I’m a Maths teacher who loves running and have completed over 100 park runs! 

I wanted to go to Mafambisa having heard about Sophie and Alice’s experiences last August. I was excited to meet the Care Workers and the Children in Mafambisa that I’ve heard so much about. Although slightly nervous, I was excited to share my faith with a different community and learn and share alongside them. COVID has meant that this visit won’t go ahead, but I still feel as if I’ve learnt so much about the community in Mafambisa and am able to keep them and their safety in my prayers. 

Sophie 

Hi! I’m Sophie and I am a English Teacher at Northampton School for Girls. I travelled to South Africa with the St Andrews team last year and the experience was life changing, so when the opportunity arose to go again, I snapped it up! 

Although I am upset not to be visiting the communities this year, I remember my time in Mafambisa, Houtbos, Sthobela A, and Sthobela B with nothing but love. Singing ‘Shine’ whilst the sun set on the hills of Houtbos will forever be my favourite memory. I completely understand and agree with the reasons behind postponing the visit although this isn’t the only way to connect and support the wonderful work that Hands are doing. For now, the weekly updates, Hands email, and prayers are enough until it is safer to walk together with the Care Workers and Children of Mafambisa again.

Meet the team...

Linda and Paul

Linda

Hello my name is Linda, and along with my husband Paul, I’m part of the 2020 Team from St Andrew’s and we’ve been preparing to visit Hands at Work in South Africa this year.  I worship at St Andrew’s so have been following the amazing stories of previous Teams who have flown out to be alongside fellow Christians in Mafambisa .

I’m retired and live in Blunham a village not far from Biggleswade where our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter live. I think my husband and I would be described as very ‘hands on’ grandparents and have spent a lot of time looking after our granddaughter who is now 5 years old.  Before I retired I worked for a Christian based social-work charity working alongside families in need.  Seeing the benefit of giving help to local families made me recognise the amazing work being carried out by Hands at Work, showing the love of God in a practical, caring and loving way.

No one could have foreseen early on that the COVID-19 pandemic would affect all of our lives this year, sadly resulting in the 2020 Team being unable to travel to South Africa.  However, we are continuing to keep in touch with the Hands workers sending and receiving regular communications to let the Team there know that we are praying for them, the orphaned children and the families and we receive regular updates on the current situation in Mafambisa showing how they are coping with the virus and with proof that God is there in the hearts and minds of all at Hands at Work and those they care for.

Paul

Hi I’m Paul and I have been attending St Andrews Church for over 35 years.

I want to go to Mafambisa to meet the Care Workers and the Children, to share with them their everyday routines and their hopes and dreams. Our common bond will be our Christianity and sharing worship through bible readings, song, and just “being Christian”.

I will be out of my comfort zone but it will be a privilege to go there and the St Andrews Team and Hands at Work are very supportive.

God bless them all and the work that they do so successfully.

Meet the team...

Alice 

Hello! I’m Alice, and I am an English teacher at Northampton School for Boys. This would have been my fourth trip to South Africa with Hands at Work… it has become a highlight of my year, and I love that I now have strong and lasting relationships with children and Care Workers in a number of communities.

Communities in Africa, and the vision of Hands at Work, are founded in relationships; relationships built in love, trust, and faith.

From the rolling mountains in Houtbos, to the cooking igloo in Zwelisha, from the hills and fields of Sthobela A and B to the passing traffic of Mafambisa… each community we visit welcomes us, and remembers us by name. It is the greatest joy to return to communities and see familiar faces, to meet new children and Care Workers, to listen to children we met in previous years and hear how they are doing, to share in a meal, to worship together with singing and dancing, to hear how the Care Workers are and how life is for them, to encourage and thank them, and to play with the children. We, in turn, in humility and love, learn from them and are inspired by their commitment and their selfless service to their community.

Although I am saddened not to be visiting Hands’ communities this year, their safety and health is of paramount importance- our visits are to empower, to encourage, and enable their community. We learn from them, are challenged and are invited to walk alongside them. COVID-19 is a situation which is affecting each corner of the world; Hands at Work are considered to be an ‘Essential Service’ so have been able to continue their life-saving and life-changing support in communities.

I am excited to be able to re-join Hands and the communities as soon as travel is appropriate and safe, to listen to the stories in these communities, to share in their journeys, to cook alongside them and support their children and young people. For now, we keep them safe by not visiting. 

In their vulnerability, there is strength and love and selfless generosity. Those are lessons and qualities we always need to listen to and learn.

Meet the team....

Peter

I’m Peter and I would have been heading out to South Africa next week if the world had been more normal at the moment. I have been member of St Andrew’s Church for just under three years after moving into the town. I sing in the choir and am on the PCC. In work life I am a science and mathematics teacher working mostly with students going into industry or completing university qualifications.

I have been interested in travelling to South Africa since I first came to Biggleswade and saw the work that teams from there were doing. It was great to see the excellent work that happens in the care centers and the links between Christians across the world that can be made.

I hope that I will get the opportunity another year to go and see firsthand the excellent work that the care workers do, which I have only seen from afar to date. I pray that even distanced we can continue to support those working for Hands at Work in South Africa.

Africa 2020

The Team

As you know at this time of the year, we are usually preparing to send a team over to support our partner community in Mafambisa. This year was no exception that is until COVID-19 paralysed the world. Our team this year is:

John Dilley, Ben Dilley, Lucy Dilley, Paul Canty, Linda Canty, Sophie Child, Simon Mitchell, Carolyn Tebbutt, Jack Marron, Peter Giles, Alice Scott, Chris Parker.

As we have done in previous years, the team will introduce themselves over the next few days. We have also asked previous team members to share their stories and pictures, that we will also include on the blog through out the time that we would have been out in Africa. 

Mafambisa

Below you will find an update written for us about Mafambisa. As a team we have also had some video updates from Mafambisa, showing how they are coping with Lockdown; pictures of socially distanced chairs in a line for the children to sit on, whilst they wait for their food. But one thing they said really touched our hearts. The children of Mafambisa, know about the pandemic and obviously know why we cannot visit them this year. But the children of Mafambisa have said this because we are really vulnerable too and suffering at the moment- they understand the wider situation, and they are praying for us!

Prayer

We want to use the time that we would have been over there to really focus our prayers and thoughts on the community of Mafambisa. Please try to pray every day for the children, the Care Workers who cook for them and visit them in their homes, for the Care Givers who take the children into their homes (often Aunties, Grandmothers, sometimes older siblings, often only 15 or 16 years of age).