Jenny is full of surprises!

Jenny Drake is full of surprises, at least I thought so when I interviewed her for this article. I did not know her very well (at all, in fact). I knew that she is married to Clive, and I perceived her to be a pleasant, quiet sort of person, comfortable within the church environment where she works as administrator for two days each week.

It did not surprise me that Jenny was the eldest child of a retired G.P, and that she grew up in Swaffham in the Norfolk Countryside, or that she had spent two years at boarding school before being returned home to resume local schooling. Jenny enjoys languages, so then trained as a bilingual secretary, fluent in English and French.

But I didn't expect to hear what came next.

A sequence of events occurred which included Jenny working in London at the Foreign Office (makes me think of MI5) before she decided to visit an aunt in Zimbabwe. After returning to England, and having no job, Jenny returned to Zimbabwe. At the same time God opened up a job for her at the British High Commission there, but because her aunt lived in the countryside Jenny had to stay in a (proper) Y.W.C.A.. It was a requirement that she attend a weekly Christian meeting. During this time she came to understand salvation more fully and so committed her life to Jesus and became a Christian.

In 1983, after two years in Zimbabwe, Jenny and a friend returned to England, and Jenny to Norwich, where she worked in administration at the U.E.A. At that time she joined the Norwich Christian Fellowship.

Not surprisingly, Jenny's mind soon started to stray to far off places and she began to think about missions and training for this work. The organisation Youth With a Mission (Y.W.A.M.) fulfilled requirements and so in 1986 Jenny attended their Discipleship Training School.

The school of mission course she chose included bonding, with local communities and staying with a family in Africa, so she found herself in Kitongo, a Tanzanian village, where she was slightly conspicuous as one of only 4 white people (the Y.W.A.M. Team), in the village, and she stayed there for six months, living in a local pastor’s home.

After that experience Jenny helped with the Y.W.A.M. Discipleship programme for students, based in Sussex. She then went with a Y.W.A.M. team to Kenya where they served the local Y.W.A.M. centre in practical ways as well as helping a local pastor with his street preaching ministry. When the team returned to England, Jenny stayed on to work in the office of Y.W.A.M. Eastern Region, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Following this, one year later, Jenny accompanied a Kenyan couple to Tanzania to start a branch of Y.W.A.M. there. They established a Centre, with a shared house attached to it, and Jenny worked in a supporting role at the centre; learned to cook Tanzanian style as well as being administrator, supporting the Y.W.A.M. Discipleship Training School . After two centres were established, with increasing leadership involvement, Jenny felt it was time to leave, and after contracting malaria and typhoid, she needed to return home.

Eventually, back in Norwich Jenny began working for the County Council. She met Clive in church, and they later married in 2001, and now live in Tuckswood. In 2003 Jenny decided to work for two days each week at New Hope (N.H.C.C.), and three days at County Hall in Children's Services. She enjoys both jobs.

At N.H.C.C. Jenny is responsible for all aspects of administration, book-keeping and accounts with Molly’s assistance in the office on Fridays. Jenny also liaises with Trustees and helps with policy. Recently she has helped set up New Hope's new style website, which John Betts will be primarily responsible for, and which is similar to the Network Norwich Christian website.

Her heart’s desire is to serve within the church, doing all she can there to enable and free others for their own ministries. She likes to facilitate times of fellowship, like afternoon tea-parties, and enjoys involvement in cell groups etc.

Away from church Jenny enjoys gardening, country walks and exploring our coastlines. And the last surprise? Given the opportunity.......she would love to be involved in ballroom dancing and barn dancing.

Photo Jenny Drake