In 2016, whilst at a Christian conference in Melbourne, I passed several mission stalls, but nothing really stood out to me. Then on New Year’s Eve, I went to a young adults gathering and met a lovely couple called Daniel and Heather Wilson. They were sharing their heart about Africa and serving with an organisation called Hands at Work that served the most vulnerable children across Africa.
“My first trip to Africa was when I was 20 years old. The stories I heard, the people I met and the things I experienced on that three month trip, are still with me today… I get to serve some of the most incredible, courageous, kind, gentle and humble people that exist on this planet. You will have unlikely heard of many of them, but I get to know them. I get to call them an uncle, an aunt, a brother or a sister.
When Jill and Karl Monnick visited South Africa in July with the Sunbury Baptist Church Team, they were deeply impacted by their community visits. The team spent much of their time in Sommerset Community, but also had the opportunity to spend two days in Beeskop Community, near the Swaziland border.
Already now, teams and longer term volunteer plans are beginning to take shape for 2018. Maybe you have been wanting to visit Africa, but for some reason have not yet. Maybe God has just put Africa on your heart recently, and you would jump at the opportunity to go. Maybe you know God is calling you, but you are not sure what the next step to take is. Whatever your story is – come! Be a part of a team, or commit a year of your life.
"This past week we had 27 of our youth leaders from 5 of our communities come and spend Monday to Friday here with us. As some of our Hands leaders shared their stories, the youth opened up and shared theirs. Our hearts were broken over and over again as we sat and listened to the life stories of our young people. Some as young as 12 and 13 years old, sharing of deep loss, rejection, abandonment, unforgiveness..."
Each February, volunteers from around the world meet together at the Hub in South Africa. These are individuals, families, and couples who God has called to serve the most vulnerable with Hands at Work in Africa. In mid-February this year, a new group of volunteers traveled to South Africa to begin or continue their journeys with Hands at Work together.
Judy Riddell has always had a deep desire to serve God overseas, and after waiting many years for the opportunity, next month she will be traveling to Hands at Work in Africa for an extended time. Here, she will be serving alongside international and African volunteers, caring for the most vulnerable in Africa. Please pray for Judy, as she leaves her family, friends, and community in Australia and heads to Africa to serve. Read Judy’s story and how God has shaped her into the Godly woman she is today.
