USPG Volunteer

USPG VOLUNTEER ELIZABETH TAYLOR

Elizabeth Taylor

USPG is responsible for one of Elizabeth’s two biggest joys in life. ‘There are two important things I want people to know me for,’ she says. ‘My grandson and my love of Tanzania!’

The passion for Tanzania is a result of the time Elizabeth spent there as a USPG mission companion. ‘My initial contact with USPG was when I inquired about job vacancies,’ she recalls. ‘I’d previously spent a week in Kenya on a church placement and I felt a big pull to do something about supporting people in developing countries. That initial inquiry led me to apply to be a shortterm missionary for six months.’ By the time Elizabeth left for Tanzania, six months had grown to a year. She stayed in Tanzania for seven years, working for the Anglican Church of Tanzania and for St. John's University, which was then just opening. ‘My biggest achievement in life is being one of the founder members of St. John’s University,’ she says. Elizabeth volunteers with USPG as a diocesan representative. She was living in Bicester in Oxfordshire when she started doing this and she hopes to continue doing it in her new hometown of Weedon Bec in Northamptonshire. ‘I moved after I retired last September,’ she explains. ‘I needed to downsize and that meant moving away from Bicester. I chose Weedon Bec because my son lives here with the little boy he adopted last August. I’m enjoying being a grandmother, although it's been a bit difficult these last few months.' ‘While I was in Bicester, I had quite a good ministry going to different places to speak about USPG. I really believe in the work of USPG and just want to make it more widely known.’ Another highlight of Elizabeth’s volunteering life is representing USPG at the Greenbelt Festival. ‘Each year I’ve been to Greenbelt, it’s been a delight,’ she says. ‘I enjoy being on the USPG stand talking to people, and wandering around the site with my USPG T-shirt on. It has provoked some very interesting conversations!' ‘To me, the most important thing about USPG is

that it partners with churches in other countries

and walks alongside them and listens to what they want. We don't go in with both feet and say “This is what we want to do for you.” Instead, we say: “What do you need? How can we respond?” And then, very sensibly, we take the experience of what's been done in other places and offer it. But we never impose it. That's what I like most about how USPG works.’ ■