Change can be good

I can't believe it's April already!!! Time has just flown by not only since I've written my last post but since I've come to Africa. It's been over a year now and that just seems so bazaar to think about. I've gotten into a rhythm here, made new friends, joined a church, became part of a small group, go out to community, travel to Eswatini, do Holy Home Visits (HHV), etc. Even though these rhythms I've gotten into are constant, there are certain aspects of them that are also constantly changing. I'm personally not very good when things that are constantly changing or even change in general, but change can be a good thing, it's how we grow, learn and mature in areas of our lives.

HHV

Holy home visits are a perfect example of something that is constant yet every changing. Doing HHV's is something as Hands that we are committed to doing, it is a non-negotiable. Every single Home Visit has its own story, it's own challenges and it's own approach.

This is our Care Worker (cw) *Jane* and one of our children *Faith*. Faith comes from one of our community's where it's very rural and many people struggle with substance abuse. Faith was living in a home where she was not being cared for by the family she was living with. Faith was struggling to get the basic care that any child needs, it is safe to say that she was one of the most vulnerable kids in that community. Jane is one of our cw's in another community that we work in and is Faith's auntie. When the Service Centre (Sc) came to Jane and told her what the challenges were with Faith in where she was living she cried for this child. The Sc asked Jane if she would be willing to take Faith into her home and care for her. Jane and her husband agreed to take Faith into their home. On a Saturday evening, Jane and another cw, hired a bakkie and went to go pick Faith up and her belongs.

This is Jane, her kids and Faith today. Faith is in a good home where she is loved and cared for by Jane and her family. Faith had to go through some big changes, everything that was constant in her life was flipped upside down, but change can be good. Faith is not able to grow, learn and mature in areas that she was able to before. She's able to go to school, play with other kids, continues to go to the carepoint this new community. Janes compassion and willingness to take in Faith shows her heart and allows not only for Faith to grow but for the other kids she serves at the cp.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12