In early February I fly out to South Africa for 7 months to work as a Team Leader for the Christian relief charity, Tearfund. Over that time I will be leading two groups of predominantly non-Christians in a variety of community projects in the country; in partnership with local churches. I will be mostly engaging in educational, agricultural and HIV support projects. The groups will be a mix of UK and South African volunteers.

As well as the challenges of serving those in impoverished circumstances, it is also a fascinating opportunity for my teams and I to bond, share and learn about each other’s social & spiritual perspectives, to understand our motivations in life and how the experience may impact on our attitudes and work back home. All of this, whilst exploring a completely new culture! 

I'll be launching my new blog, 'Aidan of Africa: There and Back Again a Lancastrian's Tale', in the near future. Which will document my work out in SA.