Monday, March 23, 2015

March 23, 2015 (Australia)

Greetings,
For this week's newsletter click on;
www.nursinghomemusicministry.com/3-23-2015.html

   From the fruit of their mouth a person's stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
Proverbs 18:20

          Monday March 16 th ~
     My final full week in Australia. Scheduled to fly back to the States next Wednesday the 25 th.
     Started off this morning in a little prefab cabin in a Caravan Park in Armidale. Had to pay an extra 5 dollars for access to the internet. However, it was fast enough to publish the newsletter. Not all are.
     The first nursing home I approached this morning (Run by the Masons) wouldn't let me in.
     Over to the "Bupa Aged Care" facility where the activity director (Tanya) enthusiastically welcomed me with open arms. Gathered quite a crowd. And like some of the facilities last week, they started serving tea & biscuits partway through. And although it is a distraction, I've come to see that it's a cultural thing. So, I decided to take an intermission from the singing and had a cup of tea with them. Which allowed me to visit informally with the group as a whole, answering questions and such. Worked out extremely well. Then after everyone was served, I spent another 20 minutes singing, before wrapping up with my one minute sermon.
     Drove a hundred kilometers north to Glen Inns where I arranged a nursing home for tomorrow morning, got a motel room, and went to the edge of town to see Australia's Celtic Monument of "Standing Stones".
          Tuesday March 17 th ~
     Got over to the Aged Care facility here in Glen Inns, way early. So, I pulled out the guitar and started going up and down the halls "Strumming-up-business". Settled into a large room in the front of the complex with a lovely group of residents who trickled in over the next hour.
     There was a caged bird right beside me emitting a constant irritating squawk. After enduring this for about three songs, I put the guitar down and relocated this thang outside the room and around the corner. Made it much easier to focus and the residents didn't seem to mind too much.
     Drove another hundred kilometers north to Tenterfield. Arranged a nursing home for tomorrow, and looked up a Brother (Kieth). His sister (Kathleen) whom I had met last week in Kempsey, had asked me to stop and say hi.
     Kieth owns a motel in town "Settlers Motor Inn". We enjoyed a nice long visit. Then he very generously donated a free room for the night. Praise God!
          Wednesday March 18 th ~
     Visited with Kieth a bit while he did his chores. He was going around with a water bucket and squeegee, washing the front windshields of his motel guest' cars.
     Said my goodbyes and got over to the "Haddington Nursing Home" in town. The activity director (Debbie) gathered a nice little group in comfortable recliners in an area just off the dinning room in this rather new facility. A couple of folks sang along, one particular lady sang with almost all the songs.
     I'm learning a bit about the culture here. There are churches. But not on every street corner, so to speak. There is an expression used, and even a song, "Take Me To Church". But I was told it's referring to going to the Pub for a drink.
     Drove north to Warwick. Got a motel room and arranged a nursing home for the morrow.
          Thursday March 19 th ~
     Sang at one of the Aged Care facilities here in Warwick. While having Tea with the group, one of the male residents wanted to know how I supported this ministry. I told him, "The Lord provides. There are many generous folks in the States who help me do this."
     He gruffly responded, "Well you won't find that here!"
          Friday March 20 th ~       
     Drove to Beaudesert where I was able to minister in the "Star" aged care facility. Had to gently ask some staff members to stop talking at one point. (They lost sight of the fact that residents could here them.) They accepted my request with no outward animosity.
     Drove on to Mt. Tamborine to hookup with folks from the Baptist Tabernacle church whom I'd met the first weekend I was here in Australia. They had a retreat scheduled for this Friday, Saturday & Sunday. I figured it would be a nice way to start wrapping up my mission.
     While waiting for them to arrive I went ahead and ministered at the "Roslyn Lodge" nursing home in town. And also met Stephany, the young lady in charge of the conference center. A lovely girl from Alabama living here for about four years now.
     She invited me to come share with a different group (about 50 ladies in a Quilting organization on a 5 day retreat). I sang a few songs for them before dinner, then joined them for their evening meal.
     Then over to a different section to hookup with the Baptist folks where I had dessert.
     To top it all off, Stephany gave me, as a gift, an extra en-suite cabin she had available, all to myself. Sweet.
          Saturday March 21 st ~
     Up early and over to the WEC Centre where the Baptist group is staying. Joined them for breakfast followed by some visiting and a game of donk. (A fun game comprising a number of individuals of all ages and skill levels going around a ping pong table clockwise, hitting the ball once and setting the paddle down on the table for the next person. If you miss, you get a letter. Once you've spelt donk, your out. By the time it gets down to two players left, their moving around that table pretty quick. Quite a workout.)
     Before lunch, they had the first of their "Sessions". A service with music, prayer and a sermon. I was given the opportunity to share a song.
     After lunch I went to my cabin for a much needed nap on this day of almost continuous rain and thunderstorms. Some of the group went for a hike in the rainforest where many of them ended up with leeches attached.
     I joined them again for dinner (Lamb Shanks). Yum!
          Sunday March 22 nd ~
     At daybreak, along about 5:15 am, there were so many unfamiliar birds warbling, whistling, squawking and calling, that I just had to pen this phrase, "A sweet symphony of sound for the senses".
     Joined the Baptist group for breakfast. One of the young men with a cute little girl and a pregnant wife, invited me to join him in town for a cup of coffee. We had a wonderful visit. Almost got in trouble, his wife had to call him to remind us to get back in time for church.
     After their Sunday morning service and lunch, the group headed back to Brisbane. I went to the "Skywalk" here on Mt. Tamborine where I enjoyed a 1.5 kilometer walk among and above the rainforest. Back at camp I joined the quilting group of lady's for dinner, then early to bed.
    
And so begins another week.


May The Lord Our God
Guard, Guide And Direct You.
In The Name Of Jesus. Amen!


Your Brother in Christ, Larry Eugene Stevens

P.S.    To God be the Glory!

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