Today’s blog post will be about an online interview that a very special women did with me.She is none other than Joy-Anne Goodenough (also known on twitter as @joyanne ),the editor of The Portfolio Travel Blog that won the best traveling blog in this years SA Blog Awards.When she initially asked me if i wanted to do this interview i was naturally over the moon.How could i refuse.
I just love Social Media and it is a great way to conect with people and to share your story etc. I want to take this opportunity to thank her for the opportunity for giving me the opportunity to share my story with others out there.“Thank you Joy-Anne for considering to write about on your blog.I really appreciate it and may God bless evertything that you do.”
Here is the link to that particular blog post: http://ow.ly/rAiEabout
Hope you guys enjoy it and God bless:-
Here is the interview:
Today's edition of 10 Questions for SAffers is all about Capetonian Brent Williams who is using his personal experiences to help uplift the youth of SA and make a positive difference in our country. 
1. What place (in SA) do you call home, and why?That has to be Cape Town. I was born and raised in Cape Town and have spent all of my life here.
2. I believe you are quite the expert on that delicious South African take away, The Gatsby. What is your personal recommendation for the best place to get a Gatsby in your home town?My personal favourite place to get a gatsby has to be Golden in Gatesville. It is about 5 minutes drive from where I live. When ordering a Gatsby you have to get the Full House Steak Gatsby…hmmm!
3. What, exactly, do you do?I am a drug counsellor and a Community Developer. I work for an organization by the name of
Impact Direct Ministries .I give motivational talks at schools and speak about the dangers of drugs and related matters. I also share my personal story as to how I came clean from drugs. In addition, I run and work with various programmes and projects in the community.
4. You have quite a dramatic personal story to tell that has led up to where you are and what you do today. How does your own experience help you in your daily work?It helps me a lot as I work with drug addicts and come out of a lifestyle of gangstersim and drugs. So when I am counselling, the individual client cannot come with his/her tricks and try and deceive me as I know how an addict’s mind works. Also, the clients are more willing to take the advice that I offer as I do not speak in a vacuum, but from experience. I am just there to guide them and try help them not make the same mistakes I made. But Jesus gets all the credit as he guides me and leads me in everything that I do.
Read more of
Brent’s personal story including
his mother’s side on the blog,
Brent’s Journey.
5. Drugs and associated problems such as gangsterism and abuse play a major role in the lives of many young people in South Africa today. Do you think there is hope for the youth of South Africa?I do think that there is hope for our youth. When I was growing up there were not many positive role models around me so became what I became as I thought it was normal. If we can rally around our youth and show them that there is more to life than just sex, drugs and rock n roll we can make a difference. I also believe that our fathers should take up their role and responsibility in the family. That is what our nation is lacking…father figures in our youth’s lives. With the absence of the fathers the youth (both girls and boys) run to the streets to look for that father figure and end up with the wrong crowd. So yes there is hope - we just have to play our roles.
6. What inspires you (in your work, every day, in life)?People - and sharing my story. It just such a joy when you see someone’s life transformed before your eyes. From the minute they walk into the Centre, all down and out, until they eventually join the staff and take part in what is happening here. Also seeing families restored and reconstructed.
7. To date, what has been your most rewarding project and why?I would have to say DAS (Drug Advice and Support services). This is our online drug counselling service. There are currently about 16 million people using mxit in South Africa and we use this platform as a means of counselling thousands of youngsters (as well as older people) that are struggling with issues of drugs and substance abuse .This project is headed up by Marlon Parker and you can read more about this project on his
blog.8. Have you travelled abroad? If not, where would you like to travel to, and why?I have never travelled abroad – yet! If I could go anywhere I would go to America. I always had a fascination with America and how they do things. I would also love to go to the U.K as there are so many loved ones there that I know.
9. Tell us, briefly, about a positive or unique South African holiday / travelling experience (within our borders)
To be honest, I do not think that I have travelled. I live in beautiful Cape Town if that counts. That is another thing on my “to do” list I guess.
10. Who is your South African hero, and why?That has to be my pastor, Roger Petersen. He has played a major role in my life and has taught me so much during the time that I have walked with him. The one thing I really admire about him is the sacrifices he makes to see the lives of others transformed. He is always there for others and has so much compassion. God bless him.
