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.
