The Masterplan - Update 4

In November 2011, my wife Laura and I decided that in 2013 we would leave the UK to travel and get involved in development projects overseas. We have read many inspirational blogs from people who have traded the rat race to do similar things but many started to write from the moment they left. I wanted to blog about the whole journey from conception through planning and into the actual adventure.

Previous updates
http://stephendcook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/masterplan-update-3.html 
http://stephendcook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/masterplan-update-2.html
http://stephendcook.blogspot.co.uk/2011_11_01_archive.html

On Laura's dad's boat on her birthday - August 2012

I turned 39 last Sunday which means there is now less than a year until Laura and I plan to head overseas for some adventures. The last few weeks have been very significant for us and we have begun to take some important steps toward our goal of leaving the UK in August 2013.

In amongst my Olympic opening and closing rehearsals and performances, we had a meeting in London with the CEO and Academy manager of The Craig Bellamy Foundation in Sierra Leone about us doing some voluntary work (which could eventually lead to paid work) for them.
This project appeals to us in many ways. For Laura it is the opportunity of working for an NGO in media and communications on the ground and for me it the opportunity of really making a difference in community development and education. 
The project itself is making great strides in communities in Sierra Leone. The foundation has set up football leagues in the country and points are not just awarded for winning games, they are also awarded for school attendance and community projects completed.

The fact we had a big meeting planned caused us to have some frank conversations and has really challenged us to start taking real decisive action - to walk the walk as well as talking the talk. Questions that have cropped up have included:

• Is this what we really want?
• Are we going to be able to handle living in a country like Sierra Leone?
• (to both questions above) Are we sure?

The last and most significant question has been:

• Is it God's will or are we just being selfish?

While we were mulling over questions 1-3 over a weekend in July, a trip to our church helped us find some of the answers we were looking for and whether our plans were selfish or from God. The sermon was actually entitled "Get out the Boat" and was about Jesus instructing Paul to get of the boat in the middle of the sea and put his trust in him. The boat provided comfort and safety that we currently enjoy but Laura and I have long felt the desire to help the poor using our skills and we feel that it is now time to do this. We actually started to laugh with each other as the sermon progressed. It's special when God speaks straight to you.    

I understand that many of you reading might find all of this a bit difficult to understand/believe but our faith is the rock on which we live. We are not 'nutters' nor are we 'religious' - we actually agree with many arguments that organised religion can be used for bad as well as good. What we simply try and do is live like Jesus every day (we fail daily, but we try) which is about helping people and trying to live a selfless life free of greed. 
With this encouragement, the answers to the first two questions were clearer. Yes this is definitely what we want, the opportunities that this project offer both of us are immense. Secondly we hope that we will be able to live in a place like Sierra Leone although we recognise it wouldn't necessarily be easy.

Today we received a positive e-mail and it looks like we will be working with them starting next year! The plan will be for Laura and I to do 6 months initially then return to the UK so that I can earn some money in my really busy period and hopefully go back after then. It might be possible for Laura to work for them in the UK. We are very excited.

Two weeks ago we put our house on the market and were delighted to hear that it might have actually gone up in price since we bought it. This would provide us with a bit more financial security.

In the coming month we have a couple of holidays to look forward to, starting with South Africa and Laura's photographic safari prize and then a family holiday to Turkey. 

Thanks for reading and taking an interest!

Steve