Hannah's Photography

So since I’ve been here my camera hasn’t been very active and I’m very sorry about that! I’m trying to take more pictures so here’s a few but these are just from my spare time :P 


Will add some more ASAP 

#LOVING LIFE

Sow In Tears, Reap In Joy

3 weeks and 2 days into my trip to South Africa, and it's going really well! I don’t know whether it’s what I expected as I didn’t really know what to expect, but it’s definitely not a disappointment.
This week has been a quite a challenging week!  
                                                                                          
On Monday I started volunteering for Connections Church, Fish Hoek, which I attend. I will be working with the church leader Ham and the pastor Ndaba. I am going to be in charge of some of the admin work. It was a hard day as I wasn’t feeling very confident in the work that I was given to do, but in the end I did get everything done and I got some good feedback. I’m hoping next week will be better and I believe that things will improve.

Then on Tuesday I was back in the Links office. I was asked to do another article to add to the Being A Volunteer blog series. So this week I have been working on the new articled with the theme being Project Briefs. It was very challenging as I have only recently started learning about project briefs, but as James just now said to me “This is a brilliant article Hannah!” which I am very happy to hear! Seems like all this challenging work is definitely starting to pay off!

One of my routine responsibilities & tasks while I am with Links International SA is to maintain the social media presence. As a result of my efforts through facebook and Twitter, we have seen increased activity on our Links International SA facebook page and our website. This has been a real encouragement to the team.

God has been stirring things in me this week. This relates to some of the things I mentioned in my last blog entitled Changes. I’ve been quite challenged recently because in the past when I was going through troubles, I found it very hard to praise and talk to God. I would normally only talk to him or praise him when I was happy. This week has been quite hard. As a result of hearing about changes that are going on back at home, I got very upset and I didn’t know what to do. I just kept saying ‘I don’t know what to do!’, feeling hopeless and getting angry with myself. People kept saying to me that the only thing I could do is pray and I got fed up of hearing it! Then I spoke to my mum one day and she said to me to ‘pray through sorrows’ and she also sent me a bible verse to look up

“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy, he who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”

So this time I decided to take some time to pray and just sit and wait on God, I gave all my burdens to God and I felt a great relief. I found it surprisingly easy and I now wonder why I’ve never done it before!

Even though I’ve had a pretty challenging week, I’ve also been having a lot of fun! I’ve been out with friends for food. We had a pizza with Avocado on it which I find very unusual but it tasted so good! I’ve also been to the beach again with one of the families from church and James, I went out on the body board to practice for surfing, it didn’t go well though! I got caught in two waves which tumbled me over about 10 times, was pretty scary so after the second I got out of the water. I hope I’ll have better luck next time as I’m organising a surfing lesson with some of the girls from church and James, so excited. I’m really hoping that by the end of my trip I’ll be able to stand up on a board! I don’t know if that’s wishful thinking though!

 On Thursday my Gran Beryl and I went to Boulders Beach to see the penguins. You can walk around and take pictures and you can also swim but we didn’t. The penguins were cute, I loved it! I’ve also got a quite busy weekend lined up with friends from church, so glad I’m finally starting to make some close friends!

I’ve also got a quite busy weekend lined up with friends from church, so glad I’m finally starting to make some close friends!

“You will be proud of what you've done, When at the close of day; 

You look back on your battles won, Content, you came this way!” 

Change

"A change I believe in, that change is, our real chance to grow”

I have now been in South African for over 2 weeks and it actually feels longer, in a good way of course and I’m very happy that I still have quite a long time left. I’ve really enjoyed it so far, I didn’t think I would enjoy it this much so soon and I didn’t think I would settle in so easily! I really think that God has been a big part in helping me settle in as that was one of my worries before I came.

This week volunteering for Links has been great. I’ve been challenged a bit which at times I haven’t liked so much but afterwards I definitely felt like I had gained.

My main projects for this week have been creating a new blog series called Being A Volunteer which we hope to develop into a general resource for others considering volunteering. It will offer insights, advice and lessons I have learned. I wrote my first article called ‘The Importance of Vision, Goals & Expectations’. I generally enjoyed writing my article but there were a few things which I found hard, as I am still developing my writing skills.

I have also been developing a framework for a formal website review I am doing of www.linksinternationalsa.com. I found it hard to create a structure for my article and the framework for the web review questionnaire I am working on.

But the helpful thing is to have people in the team who are good at this sort of stuff. For my article James explained to me the importance and meaning of themes, titles and headers and how using those step by step throughout the article will help you get to where you want to be. He explained how to create a framework, as before I had no idea how to create one, without James help I don’t think I would have been able to do it.

So the first thing I have learnt this week is to how to create frameworks and strategies. I feel as though I’m making huge steps towards my goal of gaining more work experience/skills. I didn’t think I would ever enjoy learning English/computers skills but it’s honestly great and that’s also one thing I’ve learnt about myself!

I have been experiencing a lot of change in myself since I have been here and I’m surprised! I didn’t think I would really see / feel myself change, I just thought that I would change but when I’d get back home people would tell me how I have. Before I came here, at my last church meeting the congregation prayed for me and I had a few prophecies;

“Your fragrance will change”

“You will come back a women and friend of God”

I already feel as though my fragrance has changed. I feel that through what I have been learning and experiencing from being here I’m starting to become the person who God wants me to be and I’m feeling very proud of who I am. God has been doing a lot of healing in me over the past year and I found it very hard to be proud of myself but that is definitely starting to change!

I also feel as though I’m becoming a women and friend of God. I was a friend of God before, but now that friendship is really starting to grow so much stronger.

I feel so so so blessed to be here, I never ever thought that coming here would change, show and teach me so much about God and myself. I think everyone should experience this! It’s amazing!

Do you ever feel as though things seem to change so much when you’re away? And because you’re not there it feels worse?

Things are changing all the time and I think because I’m here changing in different ways hearing about the changes going on back home is hard. It’s been making me think about when I will have to go back home to UK and every time I think about it it brings tears to my eyes! I never look forward to going back home where ever I have been, the last 2 times I have been to Uganda I cried because I didn’t want to go home and my holiday to France in September I did the same. I think this time it’s going to be even harder. I’m so glad I still have more than 2 months left, but I’m just praying that God will help me when the time comes.

“Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2

The importance of Vision & Goals

 ‘Being a Volunteer…’

My Vision Statement

“After the next three months I want to have become a blessing to Connections and Links. Become a friend and women in God, to feel the joy and excitement Jesus offers and to be able to share that with other’s (Christian and non Christian).”

Before you do any sort of volunteering and mission work I think it is a good idea to create a vision statement.

“How can you establish success if you don’t know what it looks like?”

Having a vision statement shows you have the ability to plan; it’s a way to measure your success, a great way to engage with God on your journey and it’s a way of keeping track of your goals and expectations.

 “Without guidance from God law and order disappear, But God blesses everyone who obeys his law.” 

Proverbs 29:18

The purpose of volunteering for me is to serve God by helping others; it is a good way to grow in wisdom by seeing how others live and to grow in you as a person. My list of goals and expectations comes out of my vision statement and they help establish what I can give and what I would like to achieve.

1)      That I have grown in God

a.       Feel closer to God

b.      To have an idea of what he wants me to do

c.       Better understanding of him

d.      Feeling stronger in my relationship with God, so I feel stronger in myself

e.      To feel more comfortable speaking about God (to non Christians)

f.        To encourage and help others from what I have learnt

2)      That I have grown in maturity/confidence

a.       More comfortable in unknown/challenging environments

b.      More comfortable talking to people I don’t know

c.       More responsible

d.      Not having to rely on others as much

e.      Coping with being out of my comfort zone

f.        Coping with being away from family

3)      That I have gained more work experience/skills

a.       More experienced in a office environment

b.      Better understanding of how charities work

c.       Better understanding of how a business works

d.      Gained more skills on a computer

e.      Know how a website works

f.        know how to edit/review websites

The reason why I want to achieve these goals is because they will help me positively in my future, I can use all of these skills to help others and by growing in God I will become more like him which is definitely a positive gain.

I have only been here for 2 weeks and I am already starting to gain more skills on computers having worked on the Links International facebook page, having created a Twitter page and having been asked to review the organisation’s website.

There is importance in planning and structuring work, I think that if you have planned your work then you will produce a much better result and you should achieve all your goals. So producing a framework is a good way of structuring your work. I have produced some framework for reviewing the Links website and I am hoping it will help me achieve my goals.

I am getting a better understanding as to how a business and a charity work. I have also been introduced to and have spoken to a lot of people I don’t know so I am already making good progress towards achieving some of my goals.

At the moment serving others has been quite enjoyable for me. I am serving the Links team by helping out and doing things that they don’t have enough time for, I am in charge of all the social media side of the work and so far it has been good and it isn’t boring at all! Serving others is such a big gain.

As a volunteer I think it is important to have the right attitude. It is important to treat your volunteering experience as a real job and act like you are a full team member. I believe that if you don’t have the right attitude then you won’t enjoy your experience.

God’s truth in all of it – serving others is a big part of being a Christian, we do it for God because we love him, we do it to show people that they are loved by him and this helps improve not only our own lives but their lives too. Volunteering can be an expression of that loving service for others. 

What a feeling!!!

It has been a week and 3 days since I arrived in South Africa. Last Friday was my introduction to Links where James and I spoke about what I will be doing during my internship. Monday was my first proper day volunteering in the office with James and Granddad and so far it has been really good! On Tuesday I even got so focused and into what I was working on I worked overtime and didn’t realise. James came in a told me I could stop but I still carried on, I think that shows how much I’m enjoying it!

On Monday James also spoke to me about my first project for Links, which is to review the Links International SA website. So I have been creating a framework for that. I am also going to be in charge of all the social media for Links International SA: I have already created a twitter page and have also been updating the Links Facebook page.

The main aim for my work is to get Links SA known by more people and to get more viewers for the Facebook page and website. My work helps serve others because by spreading the word about Links international SA, Links will hopefully get more people interested, for example, in the trips to Zimbabwe or Cameroon where they can serve communities and help prevent poverty which is a very big benefit.

On Tuesday I went to my life group which is when a group of people meet and talk about what God has done in their week, talk about life and challenges. It is a time for Christians to share with each other and encourage other Christians. It was quite different to the groups I have been to back home but it was good! I went there in a very unsociable mood so when I was there I sat back and listened most of the time, James said to me that if you get more stuck in I will probably get more out of it so next time I am planning to get more involved.

I came to South Africa hoping that God would really speak to me about what I should do in the future and just by listening to the guys at life group I felt inspired, God is really starting to stir some stuff in me (In a good way) – it’s a great feeling!

I feel as though I’m starting to get a better understanding of what kingdom means just through what I have been doing and seeing how people live for God in their daily lives. I’m also feeling quite challenged through trying to make friends here, It’s a quite hard situation to be in, it can be quite intimidating at times but I’m willing to try my hardest and I’m sure God wants me to make friends so he will help me through it! I also went to my first Connections church meeting on Sunday too. It felt quite familiar as it has a similar vibe to my church back home which was nice, it was also good to meet a lot of Nan and Granddads friends that they have told me about. Looking forward to next week!

As it has only been my second week I have still had quite a bit of free time on my hands, next week should be busier though which I don’t mind! So in my spare I have been doing the usual, chilling out, sun bathing, swimming, picnicking and Indian dining with Nan and Granddad. It’s been such a great week!

It’s Friday so tonight is the next youth meeting which I will be going too, looking forward to it as I enjoyed it last week and feeling a bit more sociable today J and tomorrow I’m staying around someone’s house as Nan and Granddad are away, I’m looking forward to it because it will be a good opportunity for me to make some closer friends! 

Peace out

Sometimes I pretend to be normal, but it gets boring so I go back to being me...

Pointless Post..

I saw this picture on Google and just loved it! Its a lil cheesy but I think its a good example of me and a lot of my friends! I've posted a picture of me 
(Being a lil weird) but I'm pretty proud of the picture tbh!!!

Taterssssssssssss

Beginning of a journey

My name is Hannah Lea Godward, I’m 18 years old and I live in Essex in the UK. I’m part of a church called Thurrock Christian Fellowship and since September I have been doing a year out serving the church and serving God. I have come to South Africa for the next part of my year out. I will be here for three months and will be staying with my Nan (Beryl) and Granddad (Mike). While I am here I will be interning and volunteering with Links International SA. Links SA is a charity which is passionate about helping others to break free from poverty; the team is my Nan, Granddad and James Bierbrauer. I will also be serving in the church and I will be helping out with Nanny round the house.

I will be writing this blog over the next three months to give everyone an insight into my time in South Africa, my intern, kingdom, serving and volunteering. On a more personal side it will be an insight into my thoughts, my feelings, my walk with God and what I’ve been doing in my spare time.

So this is my first blog post, it’s just going to be a basic one as it’s only my first week in South Africa! You probably guessed I arrived safely in South Africa, the past few days I have just been settling in, lazing around and catching some rays as the weather has been lush! Bit windy but I can’t complain as I know its freezing in England! Sorry!

Friday was my first day at work in the office with Mike and James. By way of introduction I had a meeting with James where we discussed the general nature of my internship over the next three months. In particular, we started to talk about some goals and expectations I have for my time with Links SA, here is just a few I wrote down;

·        To grow in God, in maturity and in confidence.

·        Learn skills and work experience.

·        Serve and encourage people.

 James and I spoke about my role in the Links office. Over the next few weeks I will be reviewing the Links SA website and their work to help improve them, it is going to be a real opportunity for me to serve the team and be a part of what God is doing by offering a fresh mind and perspective.

James shared with me a few things he experienced when he first moved here and he encouraged me just to get stuck in with everything, to get stuck in with youth so that I will be able to make friends. We had the youth meeting on Friday, it was the first ever youth meeting so it was new for everyone not only me and it was a really good evening!

Then after our chat I started typing up a personal profile to put up on the Links website and I am now writing my first blog J                                                                                         

Overall it has been a good few days so far, I’m excited about what I will be doing over the next week. Actually I’m now getting really excited about what God has in store for me while I am here, as I’ve just been reading my sisters blog for a little help on what I should be writing about, it’s so inspiring, you should read it! http://www.supermanssupergirl.blogspot.com/

 Can’t wait to write my next blog J