This is the ideal! This is the dream! This is what I get to do every day!
But it hasn’t always been like this. Since my heart surgery my employment journey has been an interesting one. At first, I was getting used to my new normal and so was fearful of venturing too “far from home”. I started my own baking business, worked for a company which sells educational games and toys and then tried my hand at teaching again, accepting some locum positions which came across my path. Then after a season of not finding a teaching post or even a locum position, an administration position was offered to me. Initially I thought it would be a great opportunity to try my hand at something different and to make use of my gift of administration (yes thats a thing), but the workload expectation of me was more than I (or anyone) could actually fulfill and so I ended up stressed, burnt out, and quite grumpy most of the time. After some discussions and negotiations, it was agreed that the 3 portfolios I was responsible for needed to be seperated into 2 portfolios fulfilled by 2 different people. I was excited, however, I could not commit to taking one half of the job, as it would place huge financial strains on me and my family.
I was spending time in prayer, crying out to the Lord to direct my paths and to give me peace, and as we headed away for a few days at the end of 2020, God whispered to me:
“Be still my child. I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
After arriving at our destination, that evening I grabbed my Bible and paged to Jeremiah 31, which is the scripture he had whispered to me, and began reading this beautiful passage, which in my Bible is entitled, “The Lord will turn mourning to joy.” Verse 3 is the verse, “I have loved you with an everlasting love” and Verse 17 reads “There is hope for your future, declares the Lord”
Upon our return home, I decided to look for additional part-time work in the new year, in order to make things financially viable for me to move over to the one portfolio, so I updated my CV and made it to the interview stage for a job that really excited me. I was unsuccessful. But I was reminded of God’s promise to me that there is hope for my future.
And then God stepped in and completely interfered. I was contacted by the Neema Foundation, whom I had interviewed with 2 years previously, asking me if I would be interested in a possible vacancy on their teaching team. I was more than interested! When something is in Gods time, you can’t stop it, and so when the vacancy had been finalised, I was contacted and all the details of the job were given to me. We were actually enjoying a family holiday in Mpumalanga when this phone call came through, and so my interview was scheduled for a few days later online via Zoom. The night before my interview, I was asking the Lord for confirmation and encouragement and insight into this job opportunity and as I continued my reading plan, I opened to Revelation 3 and verse 8 reads, I have set before you an open door which no one is able to shut. I decided to read up on this verse in a commentary I enjoy, and this passage was written to the church in Philadelphia which was known as the Gateway to the east. The programme that I would be teaching with the Neema Foundation is called Gateway into reading. The Lord gently reminded me, there is hope for your future. My interview was successful. I was offered the teaching job to start in August 2021, and resigned from my admin position the following day.
SO what do I do now with the Neema Foundation? I am privileged to be part of a team of amazing people who take a reading programme into schools and organisations, and to individuals, where English is not necessarily the first language. I am bringing hope through education and enabling a generation to learn to read through the amazing Gateway into Reading programme, which has been written and developed by some of my colleagues and now friends. I get to meet, train and interact with the most amazing teachers, working in environments with very little resources and I have the opportunity to teach children to be independant readers. I do what I love and I love what I do. EVERY day.
Teaching in the classroom 
My road trip colleague and friend 
Amazing teachers 
Teaching Gateway into Reading
I know that most of us are slogging away and doing jobs that pay the bills, but dont actually bring satisfaction or joy to our lives. Sometimes we have to persevere through those moments, sometimes we have to take a leap of faith in order to bring change, and sometimes we can just remain faithful in prayer, crying out to the Lord for direction and help, because He has promised that there is HOPE for your future.
[ If you would like to know more about the Neema Foundation, head over to our website http://www.neemafoundation.co.za ]
hope of heart 