My writing portfolio
My writing portfolio includes a variety of writing samples across different styles and projects. You are also welcome to visit the following Facebook pages for more examples of my copywriting approach and designs.
Green Hills Collective: https://www.facebook.com/p/Green-Hills-Collective-61586086543859/
The Wild Heart Creative: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558964075681
Novel Extract (2025)
It was a devastating experience, observing the death of light firsthand. It hadn't been quick, but the prolonged demise of hope and joy and reason. The decay took its time. No descent into darkness happens suddenly, even though it might seem so to outsiders. Light gradually begins to fade, and bit by bit, one becomes accustomed to the ever-deepening night. Until, eventually, the tease of starlight far above seems like a mere illusion—a mockery of sorts. And so, the darkness triumphs.
But I had held his hand before he fell. I had felt his touch. I had known his heart. And I will never forget. I know, for some, the distant glimpse of light never truly fades. For some, memories remain unbroken because the truth hidden in their touch is stronger than lies. And where there is truth, there is love, and where there is love, there must be light. For if we have proof that something once was beautiful, what can we do but hope that, maybe, someday, it will be again?
Website copy - Green Hills Collective
As parents, you want your child to thrive, not just academically, but as a whole person. We are full-time teachers ourselves and deeply value high-quality education. However, we have seen that traditional schooling, even when it is rigorous and well-structured, is often not enough on its own to raise whole-brain children who can live to their full potential.
Many families feel frustrated with an education system that can feel rigid, impersonal, and overly focused on rote learning and standardised testing. It often overlooks the latest insights from neuroscience and psychology, leaving children disengaged, stressed, or struggling to reach their full emotional and cognitive potential.
We’ve lived this frustration ourselves. Each member of our small team has spent years teaching in Cambridge International schools, delivering rigorous, globally respected curricula. We’ve also tutored children for even longer. Over time, we saw how top-down structures and bureaucracy can dampen a child’s natural curiosity and emotional growth.
That’s why we created Green Hills Collective, a close-knit group of educators who believe the most powerful learning happens through genuine relationships, not rigid systems. We draw on Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) research, including the work of pioneers like Daniel J. Siegel, to understand how interpersonal connections shape brain development, build resilience, and support emotional intelligence.
Our goal is simple but important: to partner with parents like you to nurture healthy, confident children who are prepared for a meaningful life, not just good grades.
Novel Dedication (2026)
I don’t find my stories in my own mind, but by looking through the eyes of others into theirs. People have always been my greatest inspiration, trying, striving, and sometimes failing to make sense of the chaos we call life.
This story is for you.
For the ones who stand up, knees scarred and body aching, and face life head-on.
For those who struggle to glimpse a shimmer of sunlight on a cold horizon.
For those who sometimes lose sight of themselves.
For the ones who still yearn to live.
For you.
Because we should never believe we are alone.
The person I know myself to be, I see in you.
And because of that, I know: there is a reason.
A reason for it all.
Speeches
a) Farewell speech at English faculty dinner (2017)
The love and motivation of a teacher are not luxuries; they are essential. In a world that is rapidly changing, these qualities form the foundation on which young lives are built.
That is why I believe teaching is not simply about passing on academic knowledge or preparing learners for tests and outcomes. It is about so much more.
It is about teaching life.
Teaching courage in the face of hardship.
Teaching children to believe in themselves, even when the world tells them not to.
Teaching them to rise, again and again, above the weight of their circumstances.
It is about helping them gain the skills, values, and inner strength they will need beyond the classroom. It is about encouraging them to dream bold dreams, to hope in dry seasons, and to work with purpose toward a future they cannot yet see.
It is about becoming, for each child, what may be missing in their lives. Love. Discipline. Support. Purpose. Family.
Whatever it is, we step in and offer what we can.
We want our learners to leave our classrooms with more than knowledge. We want them to understand themselves better, to care more deeply about others, and to see the world with fresh eyes. We want them to walk forward with confidence, not only in their academic skills, but in who they are as people — with humility, with strength, and with a willingness to serve.
That is why I believe education is not just about academic success. It is about transformation. Teaching is not a job. It is a calling. A calling to serve others with all we have.
So let us stand together, as teachers. Let us step into the world with courage.
With the confidence that we can make a difference.
With the confidence that we can bring hope.
With the confidence that we can ignite warmth and love in a cold and weary heart.
I have a dream. Do you?
b) Introductory speech at a concert (2025)
Tonight, I have the rare privilege of introducing someone who, for me, is nothing short of a musical storyteller.
His journey is a melody all its own. While many dream of far-off adventures, he has lived them, sharing his piano keys and his voice with the world, most recently enriching the lives of audiences in Uzbekistan. Imagine the notes floating over ancient Silk Road cities, carrying tales of passion and soul. That is the magic he creates. That is my brother, who had always filled our home with the same magic he shares with others now.
He doesn’t just play music; he breathes life into it. Each chord, each lyric, is a brushstroke on a canvas of emotion. He invites us not merely to listen, but to journey alongside him. He invites us to laugh, to dream, to feel.
I am endlessly proud of the artist he has become. Not just for his extraordinary talent, but for his courage to follow a path less travelled, to turn his passion into a living, breathing art.
So tonight, I welcome to the stage, my brother, Emiel Minnie.
WhatsApp Communications / Captions and messages (2021 - 2025)
a) The lights will be vibrant, the music will be loud, and the dance floor will be waiting. This Friday, join us at the Valentine’s Dance at Voortrekker Hall from 18:30 to 20:30. Dress in cocktail attire and come hungry. Food and drink included.
b) The jungle is calling. New worlds are waiting. The stage is yours. Auditions for ‘The Jungle Book’ are happening next week during break times. If you’d like a chance to roar, sing, or swing through this wild adventure, give your name to Teacher Natasja and collect a script.
c) As we wrap up the term, report cards will be handed out this Friday at 11:00. After that, the break is yours! May it be filled with rest, adventure, and moments that remind you of how far you’ve come. You will be missed!
d) What if four days could change everything?
At ALIVE, we’re going after something real: faith that’s alive, friendships that last, and a space to breathe deeply and just be.
This is your invite to be part of it.
Join us at Vida Nova’s youth camp, where we grow, laugh, worship, and walk the road together.
Children’s Ministry: A Garden of Hope (2021)
Children’s ministry often goes quietly unnoticed, tucked behind colourful classroom doors while the main service carries on. Yet, it is one of the most vital ministries in the life of any church. This is where the youngest members of the faith community begin to explore the big questions. Who is God? What does love look like? Why do we forgive? What’s so special about a loaf and some fish?
In this space, foundational truths are not just taught. These truths are absorbed, repeated, and slowly woven into memory. It’s where songs, stories, and snack-time lessons begin shaping a child’s understanding of themselves, of others, and of God. Far from being just another Sunday distraction, children’s ministry lays down the early stepping stones of lifelong faith.
But this kind of growth doesn’t happen automatically. Like anything worth building, it takes time, patience, and a good number of willing hands. While trained leaders and teachers carry much of the weekly responsibility, children’s ministry was never meant to be a one-way handoff. It’s a team effort. And that team includes parents.
You don’t need to be a theologian or a professional entertainer to help. If you can hand out juice boxes, sit on a beanbag without complaining, or listen to a story you’ve heard fifteen times with fresh ears, you’re more than ready. Sometimes your presence alone (your willingness to be there) makes the biggest difference.
And here’s the bonus: while children grow in confidence and faith, parents often discover a renewed sense of connection too. Faith isn’t just something we pass down; it’s something we walk in together. When children’s ministry is supported by families, it becomes something much richer than a program. It becomes a shared journey.
So if you’re a parent, consider stepping into the story. Help carry the load. Be part of the laughter, the learning, and the unforgettable moments that happen when kids start to see that they belong.
Because children’s ministry is not just about keeping kids busy. It’s about building something that lasts.
Poetry (2026)
Yours
It is not difficult
to chose you
as my heart beats
along with yours
and if I forget to
look after it’s beating,
mine will surely
perish as I listen to the
rhythm of your slumber
Sandpaper Castles
We fabricate castles on sandpaper that
scratches our knees as we wait endlessly
for reality to surpass its mediocre stance
and when castles fall we rise defeated
in the sun's cruel rays, enslaved day-by-day
by the drought of the mind's silence.
In a moment the sun might stand still
and the evening might vibrate
with the silence of illusions.
In every dry field sleeps the latent
desire for life.