DATE: 16 February 2024
Prayer & Welcome
Augustin opened the meeting with prayer.
Bible Verse
Ephesians 5:1-2
(NIV) Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
(LSG) Devenez donc les imitateurs de Dieu, comme des enfants bien-aimés; et marchez dans la charité, à l’exemple de Christ, qui nous a aimés, et qui s’est livré lui-même à Dieu pour nous comme une offrande et un sacrifice de bonne odeur.
Rigo: The summary of this verse is about the importance of imitating God. I like to ask questions when I read Bible verses. My question when reading this is why is it important to imitate God? Why does this verse say we need to imitate God? What about God do we want to imitate? Why do you think it is important for us to imitate God?
Philemon: I think we should imitate God because we were made in His image. We were made to be like Him.
Rigo: Excellent answer. There is a relationship in this verse. Verse 1 says “because we are His dear children.” When I was a child, I wanted to be like my father. I wanted to imitate my Father. I wanted to do the things he was doing. I wanted to be like my father. So I ask myself, why did I want to be like my father as a kid? The answer is I admired my father. I looked up to him. Therefore, I wanted to imitate him. Verse 1 established that relationship to remind us that we are God’s children, and God is our Father. We should always be mindful of that relationship. We should want to look up to our Father. Verse 2 goes on to say that we should live a life filled with love. Because if we live a life lived with love, we follow the example of Jesus Christ. After I read that verse, the question of why it is important to live a life filled with love came to mind. Why should we follow the example of Christ and live a life filled with love? Why is it important for us to show love in a world when there’s not a lot of love in the world?
Legrand: First, because it is a commandment.
Rigo: If God is my Father and I am His Son, and I want to imitate my Father because I look up to Him, and I see my Father lives a life filled with love, then I want to live a life filled with love. Why is the word love and Christ used in the same sentence. Is Christ love? Do we believe that Jesus Christ is love?
Jeff: The Bible teaches that Christ is love. Jesus preached on love. He said love your neighbors as you love yourself.
Legrand: Jesus is love, because He sacrificed Himself.
Rigo: That is right. How do we see Jesus in this world? How do you see love in your communities?
Iragi: I see Jesus is love in my own life when he gives me things I don’t deserve it.
Legrand: In my own life, I would testify that Jesus is love. He gives me everything. He gave His own life for us.
Mike: He loves us in that even though we don’t deserve it, He gives us the right to use His name. We call ourselves Christians. There is no greater honor than that.
Rigo: I see Christ’s love in this room, in these meetings. We are all His children, and we want to imitate Christ. We come together as brothers and sisters in Christ to grow stronger in fellowship and in Christ. The rest of verse 2 says, He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us which is a pleasing aroma to God. The word sacrifice is a very strong word. Sacrifice is the act of giving something valued for something else regarded as more important or worthy. I give up my time this morning to share the gospel with you. Sacrifice is a form of love. I am going to give my time, because I love God and my brothers and sisters in Christ. This is growing the Kingdom of God. If sacrifice is a form of love, and our Heavenly sacrificed Jesus Christ on the cross for us, that is the greatest love that exists. It’s a good reminder of how much Christ loves us. Whenever you get to experience that love, it becomes very easy to imitate.
Rigo: Lastly, why is sacrifice a pleasing aroma to God? Imitating our Father by following in His footsteps, offering our life as a sacrifice, is pleasing to God.
Discussion
Rigo: Let’s talk about Upwork. Anyone want to share successes or hardships with the group?
Legrand: I had a generous client who offered me a job. They liked the first job that I did so they offered me a second job. I am now working on a sixth job for this client.
Rigo: What job are you doing for them?
Legrand: The client allows me to use Artificial Intelligence to write essays for topics they want to research.
Rigo: How has he contacted you for multiple jobs?
Legrand: Upwork sends me notifications when I recieve an invitation on Upwork for a new job. I check my notifications often to not miss anything from Upwork. This way I know when a job invitation is sent or when a new job is posted.
Rigo: Congratulations. I will pray that God continues to provide for you on Upwork.
Solomon: I have had trouble with verifying my identity. Unfortunately, they refused my ID card because the picture on my ID card is black and white.
Elin: Upwork requires identity verification. This is for your own security and the security of other freelancers and clients. It is important to reach out to Upwork support regarding your troubles with verification.
Closing Prayer
Iragi closed us in prayer.
Upwork Tips
https://africamupya.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Upwork-Tips-Resources-Oct-2023.pdf
GETTING VERIFIED ON UPWORK
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- https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000563227-Government-ID-Verification
- Verification is required
- Successful and lasting client-talent relationships in our community start with a strong foundation of trust. To help ensure a professional, secure marketplace that everyone can trust, we’re moving toward requiring all active talent to verify their identity.
- Once you’ve verified your identity, we’ll put an Identity Verified badge on your profile. The badge displays as a check mark next to your name. This lets anyone who sees your profile know that we’ve taken steps to confirm that you are who you say you are.
- You will need a valid government ID
- You will need to take a picture of your government-issued ID to verify your identity
- Be the same person as your Upwork profile photo
- Match the address you have on file on your Upwork profile
- Tips for taking a photo of your government ID – Take a photo of the front of your ID, without flash. Capture the image from above, with your ID lying on a flat surface. Ensure all four corners of your ID are showing. Take the photo in color (at least 200 dpi). Upload your photo in PNG, JPEG, PDF, or BMP format
- Log into your Upwork account, go to Settings, then Identity Verification
- Provide a valid government-issued ID
- Complete a visual verification
- If you have trouble verifying your identity, Contact Freelancer Support. They can create a ticket and you will receive a follow up via email. Access Freelancer Support via your Upwork profile. Use the question mark (?) for help at the top right corner of the screen and then click on help and support.
- If you don’t verify your identity within 7 days of notification we will place a hold on your account. The hold will prevent you from withdrawing earnings, submitting proposals to new jobs, accepting direct hires, or showing up in search results. Any active proposals that have been submitted will be canceled. The hold will not affect your ability to work on existing contracts and we will be happy to remove it once you’ve verified your identity.
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HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL (Use your Connects wisely)
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- Learn more here – https://community.upwork.com/t5/Courses/Submitting-Proposals/ta-p/1017370#
- A quick, straightforward greeting and introduction followed by a concise restatement of the client’s core need or problem.
- A clear statement that tells clients that you can solve their problem and that you can start right away.
- A short pitch, preferably two to three sentences, telling the prospective client exactly why you’re an excellent fit for the job.
- A brief but detailed description of the methods and processes you’ll use to approach the project and provide excellent service.
- Attachments such as relevant documents, files of sample works, or links to your portfolio demonstrating your past projects related to the client’s needs.
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UPWORK ACADEMY LEARNING PATH: AI 101: https://community.upwork.com/t5/Generative-AI-101/tkb-p/GenerativeAI101
UPWORK ACADEMY LEARNING PATH: https://community.upwork.com/t5/New-to-Upwork-Working-on-Upwork/tkb-p/NewtoUpworkWorking (Augustin)
USING ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) FOR JOB PROPOSALS: https://www.upwork.com/resources/leading-voices/using-ai-for-job-proposals
“I have recalled that the proverb ‘The early bird catches the worm’ is worthy. Our time is so precious, and it is the only thing we have that we can manage the way we want. I remember Greg saying in one of EHI Monthly meetings that we all have 24 hours, but we do not use them in the same way!” (Jeff)
“When a job is well done, the client can return for another offer. A satisfied client is an opportunity for future tasks.” (Legrand)
“I am learning how to create subtitles for videos, I use YouTube to learn it.” (Legrand)
PROFILE INTRODUCTORY VIDEO
https://community.upwork.com/t5/Community-Blog/Why-Your-Upwork-Profile-Needs-an-Intro-Video-amp-How-I-Think-You/ba-p/1491262 (Iragi)
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- Summary by ChatGPT – the blog post discusses the significance of incorporating an introductory video into your Upwork profile and provides insights into how to create an effective one. The blog post serves as a guide for freelancers on Upwork who are looking to enhance their profiles and attract more clients through the use of introductory videos.
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HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON UPWORK
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- Summary by ChatGPT – The article provides a detailed guide on achieving success on Upwork in 2024, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, skill development, effective communication, and project management. The article concludes by highlighting the importance of these strategies in navigating the dynamic freelance landscape on Upwork and building a successful freelancing career in 2024
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PAYONEER PAYMENTS
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- Make sure that your Upwork account name matches your Payoneer account name. It’s important for the names to match for successful payment setup.
- Double-check the information you provided during the setup process, including your Payoneer account details and any required identification or tax information.
- Keep in mind that it may take up to three calendar days for a new payment method to become active. If it has been less than three days, please wait patiently for the activation.
- https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211063988-Payoneer
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