Global Challenge One Year team.
In this post we will be looking back at a termed workweek in which the Global
Challenge team worked with us. This week took place from 20 February to 24
February. First, an introduction of the Global Challenge One Year Journey will be
given followed by the week prior to workweek. We will then look at how the One Year
Team was divided to accomplish their different goals on This Land. Workweek
unfolded with moments of excitement, breakthrough, achievements, hard labor, and
one early-bird morning.
The Global Challenge One Year Journey is a program where people aged 18 and
older travel countries worldwide to learn about disciple-making and serving. These
people embark on this journey for a year and create wonderful friendships as they
shape one another, endure difficulties, and seek God. It exposes one to different
cultures, experiences, and ministry points. You can follow the following link if you
would like to know more: https://missions.globalchallenge.org/go-one-year/. Now, it
was this year’s team that joined us with workweek. Workweek is a week where the
team does physical labor to prepare them for similar tasks in the different nations.
Workweek is not just a week that unfolds but it is one that requires planning. The
week prior to workweek we were sitting with a white board coloured in black as we
planned. The board indicated the vision, goals, and schedule for the team. We
wondered whether they would accomplish the goals. Will the team have good
dynamics and show character by persevering, taking lead, and enjoying their work?
Our view from a management perspective was that the team can be seen as a
catalyst for the rest of the year. The aim was to do as much work as possible but not
everything goes as planned.
The One Year Team was divided into three groups with the following names: Yellow,
Viridian, and Charcoal. Yellow had the responsibility to level ground and acquire two
JoJo-tanks with a cumulative holding-capacity of 10 000-liter. The tanks will provide
water for This Land’s compost station and trees that will serve as wind breakers.
Thus, Yellow was given a strategic task as water is key to developing the land and
making compost. Charcoal with their creative name was given the task of doing the
small pond’s overflow. The task encompassed the laying out of a black tarp packed
with rocks which will guide water to a pipe. This pipe will guide water to a pond which
will be built later this year. Referring to the pipe, this brings us to our third group.
Viridian had the task of digging a trench in which the pipe will be placed. These tasks
where carefully chosen to assist the goals for 2023. The goals are to plant
windbreaker trees, build a new pond, and make compost.
As Monday arrived a team with excited faces and questions showed up. They
needed guiding with the work that laid ahead. After the respective groups moved to
their different working areas their brains started to think how the work goals will be
accomplished. Viridian got spades and pix-axes to dig a trench, however, a small
mountain of dirt awaited them. In their way to achieve success the mountain needed
to be moved. It was littered with rocks ensuring a difficult task. Charcoal was trusted
with the overflow of the pond. The group members viewed the area needing of a
decline, black tarp, and rocks. One for one they started removing rocks followed by
digging compressed black clay ground. Pix-axes underwent repetitive swings to
dismember clay particles. Spades were forced into the ground. Yellow, consisting out
of a German, two South Africans, and a Zambian, carefully analyzed the area that
needed to be leveled. They looked at the ground that needs to be added and how
they will lay concrete to keep the ground intact. Calls were made to find out how
much JoJo-tanks will cost and when it will be delivered. Fortunately for this group the
German worked in construction providing great guidance with this task. Each team
continued with their tasks for the period of Monday to Wednesday. Each day
progress was added with ground being leveled and the overflow reaching a decent
decline. Viridian overcame their small mountain of dirt and started with the trench.
Swing for swing ground was removed ready to serve as a rest place for the pipe. It
was significant to see how each group endeavored with excitement and commitment.
They laughed and enjoyed driving the red Toyota Hilux dubbed Donkey. When lunch
break arrived all of us were happy to be able to rest in shady trees and enjoy food
providing much needed energy. Some took naps while others talked and listened to
music. With the leveling of ground, moving rocks, laying concrete, and swinging of
pix-axes becoming the daily norm, it resulted in the groups accomplishing their tasks
by Thursday.
Thursday announced an alteration of tasks for two of the groups. This alteration was
accompanied by garden waste, manure, water, and the building of heaps. Heaps
which contain life-giving micro-organisms able to transform soil and achieve
sustainability. One smells the earth when adding the contents of these heaps to
enrich soil. Compost. Thursday and Friday marked the building of the first compost
heaps for 2023! The original aim was to build six heaps but not everything goes as
planned. However, we adapted our expectations to do what we can do. Thursday the
team was taught how to build a thermic compost pile which have four different
layers. The different layers are woody material, brown material, green material, and
manure. These materials are used to build a 2m × 2m × 2m cube of decomposing
organic matter. Before the materials are added it is dunked in water. The One Year
Team did well with building the heap. Although I made the mistake of letting us built
the first heap too big, we at least had a big organic pile which will turn into compost.
Friday was an early-bird morning. At 05:00 the team arrived ready to embark on the
final day of workweek. As the vision was casted for the day the first light started
appearing. Wonderous red and orange colors painted a stunning picture. We
moved towards the compost station to build the second heap. It was a day of
learning the importance of preparation. A lack of green and woody materials was
evident. This resulted in people cutting branches and plucking leaves which slowed
down productivity. Some of the women spent the whole of Friday in the dam
removing grass-like plants which we added to the heaps. This lack of preparation
required flexibility and having a learning attitude. As Friday progressed the team
started to work like a machine. Each person understood their role. Materials were
dunked, added, moved, and repeated. Leaves were plucked while wheelbarrows full
of wet grass-like plants arrived. At 15:30 the team finished a neat heap.
Wonderous workweek was preceded by planning to accommodate the One Year
Team for workweek. Different tasks were given to the team which was divided into
three groups. Yellow had the task of leveling ground and acquiring two JoJo-tanks.
Charcoal was entrusted with doing the pond’s overflow which required the removing
of rocks, digging a decline, and adding a tarp and rocks. The third team was Viridian
which had to dig a trench for the waterpipe which will guide water from the overflow
to a futuristic pond. Before they could dig the trench, they had to remove a mountain
of dirt. The three groups were successful with the different tasks. Thursday and
Friday marked the building of the first compost heaps for the year. Amidst a lack of
preparation and original expectations needing to be adapted, the team did well. Two
decent compost heaps were built. The week was not only about achieving the
different tasks but also about building character. The team showed perseverance,
joy, and leadership. With great endeavoring they took on the tasks. We enjoyed
working with the team. It was a week in which we learned, grew, and made progress.
It was a week deserving of the following status: catalyst.
Written by Barend Groenewald
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