‘A New Confidence’: The Church of Bangladesh

ISSUE 9 06/2022 WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN ARGENTINA

Sam Grenfell Sam Grenfell went to work in a children’s home in Argentina as part of a placement with the Church Mission Society. USPG provided a grant to help support Sam’s placement. He reflects on his time in Argentina.

‘My name is Sam, I’m 18 years old and I have been working as a volunteer at Hogar El Alba, a children’s home just outside Buenos Aires, Argentina. I arrived in late January 2022 and my work has involved leading English language and guitar classes for children in the home as well as helping with literacy workshops.

‘I hadn’t spoken Spanish for at least three years when I first arrived here, so I knew it might be difficult settling in. Anyone who has lived and worked in a second language knows just how challenging it can be at times. However, after a few months I have progressed from not knowing how many words someone is saying to me to holding a conversation.

‘In Taller, which means ‘workshop’, we work mostly with young children, many of whom have been lockdown learning at home with limited resources for the last two years. Unlike in the UK, there has been no back and forth over restrictions for schools in Argentina. The children went back to school in March 2022 for the first time in two years. As a result, many have fallen behind with their reading, writing, and motor skills. In Taller, we aim to provide extra help and support for the children in the home after they have returned from school in the afternoon.

‘In the English lessons, we work on providing the basics for some of the older children who are eager to learn. I am not going to be working here for much longer but I am trying my best to help the children have a basic understanding of English. Hopefully, they can then build on this knowledge as they get older. In our guitar lessons, I practise with the kids for as long as it is fun and until our fingers begin to ache. We give the children chord sheets for them to keep and use in the future.

‘The local community meets for church in their local sports hall on Sunday mornings. I have been very involved in the music at church. I have found it to be a good way of making myself useful and contributing to the life and work of the church. I previously underestimated how challenging it is to develop that feeling of belonging and growing in a church when you can’t really understand all of what is being said. The amount of Spanish I know seems to count for little when mixed with the fuzzy sound system and echoes of the sports hall!

‘As my time at Hogar El Alba comes to an end, I have been reflecting on living in this community and everything I have learnt during my time here. I am very grateful for this opportunity but also looking forward to going home and catching up with family and friends.’ ■

Anyone who has lived in a second language knows how difficult it is

ISSUE 9 06/2022

My life was totally changed by USPG

GROWING IN FAITH

By Mandy Spalding In 1999, my life was totally changed by USPG. At the time I was a nanny, working with spoilt, rich children. I decided there must be more to life than that and felt a deep desire to help where I was really needed. I applied to various missionary societies, but to no avail. I was told that I was too old - despite only being in my late forties. I spoke to the minister at my church, and he put me in touch with USPG. That’s where the journey began.

I went to Birmingham for an Exploration Weekend, to see if I really wanted to take part in the Experience Exchange Programme. After this, I travelled to London for a day of interviews. To my relief, I was accepted. There followed months of preparation, fundraising and a two-week training course. In September 1999, I set off for Zimbabwe to work at the Matthew Rusike Children’s Home in Harare.

I stayed in Zimbabwe for 10 months. I loved the freedom, the relaxed, uncomplicated lifestyle, the sunshine and the chance to travel around both Zimbabwe and South Africa. Of course, there were lows too. I had a bout of homesickness early on - after two weeks there, it dawned on me that this was more than just a holiday. With a lot of prayer and support from other volunteers and friends back home, I soon got over these episodes, and got on with the job I was there to do.

I absolutely loved the experience. The children were amazing. They’d all had bad starts in life; that’s why they were there. Yet, that didn’t affect their spirit and zest for life. They had nothing in the material sense, but they were happy and content. A new pair of shoes, the only Christmas present many of the children received that year, was greeted with such excitement. I think the more privileged English children I had previously worked with could have learned a thing or two from them! There were 120 children at the home, all between the ages of 2 and 18. They lived in ‘family’ houses with a House Mother in charge. My work there was varied. I helped in the creche in the mornings, then after lunch, I went wherever I was needed, to the laundry or the sewing room. Sometimes I would drive the van into Harare to do the banking and run errands.

In July 2000, I came home. I found it hard at first to adjust to my old way of life, but things soon slipped back into place. I didn’t realise at the time just how much the experience had changed me. It’s only in hindsight that I can see I came back a totally different person. My faith grew in leaps and bounds and has done even more since then. Looking back, I can clearly see just how much God was with me at all times. I am so grateful to USPG for giving me this amazing opportunity. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. ■

Mandy Spalding