Welcome to our newest blog feature – Profile. Here we hope to feature some of the faces you’ll see around Harvest City Church and dig a bit deeper into who they are and how they live for Christ in their daily lives.
Tell us a little bit about yourselves and your family
We were both born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and have lived in Leicester for 14 years. We’ve been married for 15 years and Raynan is our miracle child. We went through years of trying and going through test after test of fertility treatments and being told that our infertility was unexplained and that we would probably never have children, but we never gave up praying. We also had a network of family and friends that also never gave up praying and fasting on our behalf. In 2011 we decided to go back for fertility treatment only to find out we were already pregnant naturally! In December 2011 (6 weeks early), God blessed us with Raynan.
What is the best part of your job?
Eustace: I’m an electrician and, apart from not making things go bang, I like to see things work and making people happy when they do.
Pat: I’m a stay-at-home mum and love seeing Raynan learning new things.
Did you have any doubts or concerns before choosing your careers?
Eustace: I always wanted to be a draughtsman or architect as I was good at technical drawing in school, however an opportunity to do an electrical apprenticeship came up and I took it – even though the only electrical things I knew were how to change a light bulb and a plug!
What are some of the difficult decisions you’ve had to make regarding work?
Eustace: Soon after Raynan was born I was offered a different role with a substantial salary increase but it would have required me being stationed in different parts of the country for long periods of time. This would have meant being away from my family and church which was not an option for us.
Pat: For me it was giving up work to become a stay-at-home mum, as I had always worked since leaving college.
How do you make sure that Jesus is kept at the centre when your life is at its busiest?
Eustace: Singing gospel songs helps (even if it’s out of tune!), especially when I’m really busy and having left home really early and getting home late, or when I’m having a hard day. It helps me to refocus.
Pat: I try to have my quiet time first thing in the morning. Sometimes when I’m busy and I miss it or rush through it, the first text I get is from my mum (Zimbabwe is ahead of England time-wise) which is always an encouraging scripture or an inspirational WhatsApp. This becomes my reminder to stop and put God first. I also have Bible apps and Bible reading plans on my phone so I can get the Word at any time.
It’s your first year as Harvest Group leaders. What are you looking forward to the most?
We feel extremely privileged and blessed with this responsibility. We’re both so excited (and nervous!). We love Harvest Groups and would love to see our group gel well and build and strengthen relationships, in keeping with the heartbeat of HCC. In a church our size it’s not possible to know how God has been working in individual lives, but through Harvest Groups the power of prayer is so evident as we see God answering prayers in the group over the year we are together.
