Program Coordinator

Hi all,

The second week has come and gone, and now Brice and I stand poised to take the Program Coordinator’s position at Tholulwazi Uzivikele. I reflected this evening with Brice about the series of events that brought us here. I have to obviously give credit to the outgoing Program Coordinator Joi Terreblanch for placing TU on solid footing, and motivating the staff, but I can not disregard the Lord’s providence.

It was only three years ago that I was totally rebelling and reveling in the world’s systems of pleasure. Now, I’m here in South Africa, with an amazing opportunity to lead an AIDS relief organization. I must admit, I’m not at all qualified for the position. Yet the Lord has given me the zeal to push forward, the passion to help, and a call to follow.

It seems as if only a short while ago, I arrived in South Africa. At that time, I knew little about the Zulu and the Tonga peoples and nothing of their languages. Not to mention, I had no idea what I would be doing for the next year of my life. After a period of waiting, I found my call at a small NGO in Manguzi, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Much has changed from that point both physically and emotionally. In regards to the former, TU moved from a small corner office in the hospital to its own a building. As for the later, Joi has given the group a strong work ethic and pride in their work.

Today, as Joi handed over the position, the team reflected on our Core Values. We sought to define the essence of the organization. We developed a list of six values that we felt define what TU was, is, and hopes to be. These values are:

1 – Respect, a respect for ourselves, our team, and our clients

2 – Compassion/Caring, taking to heart the call to help orphans and widows

3 – Integrity/Honesty, recognizing that we must be sturdy and trustworthy so that our organization will run well and for people to open up allowing us to share their pain

4 – Passion/Commitment/faithfulness, continually striving to defeat the plague of AIDS and poverty, not allowing current numerical success to dampen our pledge to help

5 – Equality, recognizing that each person in the team is equally important

I take pride in these values, and Brice and I will ensure our own lives reflect these core statements. I ask that you might pray for us, that we might live up to the expectations and challenges of the moment, that in our service He will be glorified, and that through our actions peoples’ lives change.