March 30, 2015

Greetings,
For this week's newsletter click on;www.nursinghomemusicministry.com/3-30-2015.html

   Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5,6

          Monday March 23 rd ~

     G' Day Mate!

          Started the day at the Conference Centre on Mt. Tamborine in Queensland, Australia. Packed up the car and drove off the mountain towards the coast, to the M1 Motorway and headed north to Brisbane. Navigated my way through the Big city avoiding the Toll Roads to the north side of town where I located the nursing home which had been arranged by a Chaplain I'd connected with a couple of weeks ago.

     With time to spare, I scouted out the drive to the airport I'll be making the day after tomorrow and also got a motel room not too far away.

     Over to the "Clifford House" aged care facility where I was able to minister for a nice group of residents and staff. Then to the motel to publish the newsletter.

          Tuesday March 24 th ~

     Drove south across Brisbane to the "Wishart Village" where the staff gathered a large crowd in their purpose-built activity room. Complete with a stage and in-house sound system. Although I stayed off the stage (up close and personal) I did use their wireless lapel mic.

     Of all the sixteen sessions I've had the opportunity to minister in here in Australia, this was one of the most uplifting for me. Many folks were singing along. A number of song request were made. And I received numerous heartfelt Blessings from folks as I visited afterwards.

     Drove back across Brisbane to the motel near the airport by about 4:00 pm. Cleaned all my clothes at the guest laundry. Packed everything up in anticipation of heading back to the States in the morning. Got to sleep by nine, but woke up about three, too wound up to sleep further.

          Wednesday March 25 th ~

     A long, long day!

          Started for the airport at daybreak, stopping on the way to top off the gas tank. Turned in the rental car at the airport. (Might've gotten a little spoiled over the past month driving this nice new Jetta.)

     Eventually boarded a big 747 which was chuck-full. No more than one or two empty seats. I was lucky to have an Isle seat next to a couple of friendly guys. One American, one Aussie.

     Long flight of 13 hours.

     Kind of strange leaving Australia mid-morning on Wednesday, then crossing the Equator and international date line, flying through the night approaching the rising sun, arriving at LAX in Los Anglos at daybreak the same day, Wednesday.

     They really put you through the wringer upon entry into the States; off the plane through an initial Customs check-point, then collect bags and go through another Customs check-point, then return bags for the connecting flight. Walk over to another terminal and go through yet another security screening. (This one I had to remove my shoes.) Finally into the concourse where I had a couple of hours layover. Found a corner next to the boarding gate and laid down. Might've even dozed off a time or two.

     Boarded the last plane on this mission, for the relatively short flight to Austin. Collected my bags (The guitar survived all this.) Went outside to the loading & unloading area where dear Brother Richard arrived to pick me up in less than 60 seconds. Near perfect timing!

     Back to the camper van at Richard's place. Unpacked. Got a shower & a bite to eat and went to bed.

          Thursday March 26 th ~

     Slept eleven hours last night. Awoke refreshed and full of energy. Did some domestic chores, caught up on email and met dear Brother George for lunch. Sweet visit, then out to a nursing home to see a resident, Penelope (medical missionary to China in the past) and arranged to sing tomorrow.

     By the bank to exchange Australian dollars for American currency. Walmart for supplies. Then back to Richards for a shower, dinner, a visit and to bed early.

          Friday March 27 th~

     Ministered at the "Brodie Ranch" rehab & healthcare facility here in Austin, Texas.

          Saturday March 28 th ~

     Spent the first few hours of the day with some old friends at a prayer breakfast. The rest of the day relaxing.

          Sunday March 29 th ~

     Attended Jubilee Christian Center in Austin, Texas.

     Had lunch with some of the folks.

     Afternoon visiting with my host Richard for a bit.

     An evening meal with dear Sister Sarah.

    

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!

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!

March 16, 2015 (Australia)

Greetings,
For this week's newsletter click on;www.nursinghomemusicministry.com/3-16-2015.html

   Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!Isaiah 6:8

          Monday March 9 th ~

     Went for an early morning walk on the property of my host Ron & Kay. They have a hundred acres out in the Bush. Enjoyed a sweet visit & breakfast, then followed Kay into town to the "Vincent Court" nursing home. Sang for a bit in a noisy area during a coffee making activity, then to a quieter Dementia Unit.

     One of the church members (Kathleen) had joined us and offered a room for the night at her place in town.

     After lunch I got over to the "Bupa Aged Care" facility which we had arranged earlier. Staff had a large crowd assembled. We had an awesome time together.

     Spent the afternoon at Kathleen's house publishing the newsletter. This dear retired Sister spent ten years as a missionary in China teaching English.

          Tuesday March 10 th ~

     Spent the morning doing the newsletter recording for the Christian Radio Station in Oregon. Then followed Kathleen to an auto repair shop (She had a leaking radiator). Then dropped her off at a school where she spends an hour a week with a little boy doing one-on-one tutoring.

     Back to the house for lunch, then to the "Cedar Place" aged care facility which Kay & I had arranged yesterday.

     A wonderful crowd. Great participation. Afterwards, as I was shaking hands with folks, I noticed the activity director (Gail) hand a lady an envelope. This lady (the Resident Council President), made a little speech thanking me for coming and presented me with that envelope. Later in the day when I opened it; low and behold, it contained an Australian 50 dollar bill. Sweet!

     Returned Kathleen to her house. Finished loading up the car. Said my goodbyes. And headed south to Port Melaleauca where I got a cabin at a Caravan Park for the night.

          Wednesday March 11 th ~

     Hump Day! In more ways than one. Been in-country for two weeks, got two weeks to go. Been working my way down the coast on the "Pacific Way" highway. Today I drove on into Newcastle which is just above Sydney. And turned around heading north on an inland route, the "New England Way".

     Drove to Maitland and got a motel room, then over to a nursing home nearby where I was able to arrange for tomorrow morning.

          Thursday March 12 th ~

     Sang at the "Maitland Nursing Home" for a large group of residents. Went fairly well, although there were a lot of distractions. People coming and going and the young (In-experienced?) activity director passed out refreshments causing more disturbance. Still, quite a few were singing along.

     Drove to the next town north (Singleton) and arranged a nursing home for tomorrow. Got a motel room. One of the last available. Turns out, this is a mining town and lodging is scarce. No vacancy sign lit-up soon as I paid.

     Went for a walk to a park where there were literally thousands of bats in the trees. Warning signs referred to them as Flying Foxes. They were almost that big!

          Friday March 13 th ~

     Ministered at the "Uniting Care" facility here in Singleton. A Pastoral Care volunteer met me at the entrance and escorted me to one of their sections where a wonderful couple (Sharon & John) helped manage our time together. Great crowd. Lovely spirit. Sharon even presented me with an envelope, similar to the Blessing I'd received earlier in the week. Sweet!

     Drove north to Scone where I pulled into a caravan park and found out that sometimes I could save a bit by providing my own bed linen. So, I went down the street to a Red Cross thrift store and spent $3.50 on bed sheets. The Park owner very graciously gifted me a towel so that I was able to get a very nice en-suite room with frig, ac, TV, microwave, toilet & shower for $65.

          Saturday March 14 th ~

     By the way, at one of the rest stops this past week, I got a picture of a 3 foot lizard (Iguana).

     Today I drove north stopping at a nature walk in one spot, and a lookout pull-off in another.

     The town I'd thought of stopping in, had a big sporting event going on leaving no vacancy signs everywhere. So I drove another hundred kilometers to the town of Uralla where I got a cabin for the night.

          Sunday March 15 th ~

     Drove a short way to Armidale and attended a small Baptist church which today was rather crowded. They had the "Boy's Brigade" leading their service. Which meant there were many family members present who were not normally there.

     Boy's Brigade is evidently similar to Boy Scouts. Although with a more fundamentally Christian based purpose.      

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!