First things first, what is YASC? YASC is a program in the Episcopal church that is for adults between the ages of 21-30. The participants agree to spend a year of their lives answering the call of God and doing mission work internationally. The program sends participants from their home parish to parishes throughout the world to assist them in the ministries that they are conducting, such as teaching English, of working with migrant workers, or assisting in health clinics, or whatever else is needed. It takes a great amount of courage and compassion to take a year and dedicate it to being, if not the only, then one of the few, people like yourself in an area of the world.
Now, who am I? I am a 22 year old, graduate of Marshall University from Huntington West Virginia. I graduated with a bachelor of science in Athletic training and am a Certified Athletic Trainer (certified health care professional) I enjoy reading, playing video games, talking to fiends, spending time outside, and animals. I am hoping to attend graduate school after my year with YASC and become an Physicians Assistant. Most importantly, I have felt the call to participate in YASC, and have agreed to spend a year with HOPE Africa.
HOPE is the
social development program of the Anglican church of Southern Africa. It stands for Health,
Opportunity, Partnership, and Empowerment. Their mission is to promote and implement a social development
programme for the Anglican Church in Southern Africa for the improvement of the
Spiritual, Physical and Emotional Well Being of the Poor and Oppressed People
of Africa on a non-denominational basis. this is carried out by understanding the needs of the
community, developing the capacity of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa to
respond to the needs, and creating a support mechanism for community
development. They have
assigned me to the Overstrand Care Centre in Hawston South Africa.
The Overstrand
Care Centre is an intermediate care facility in Hawston that is funded through
NGO contributions, including quite a lot from the Anglican Church of Southern
Africa, and partially through the South African government health system. It has
a couple different branches, including an inpatient unit, a home based care
team, and a social work/substance abuse program. Hawston is a fishing village on the western cape of South Africa, about an
hour South of Cape Town. it is 1.80 sq mi and has a population of 8214
(Huntington WV, my hometown, has around 50,000).
This blog will be a recounting of my time spent in service. I hope you enjoy.
