When your office covers the state from Northern border to Southern border,west of the Mountains there can be a lot of travel time ( and time away from home ) involved in getting from one part of it to the other. Julie's home is in Hillston but many of her conversations with her friends involve,
"Well, I'm here this afternoon but tomorrow I go to ...then on to ....after that.... and then .....and I'll be home on Wednesday so I can be back before the shops shut to buy food for my visitors who arrive the next day. I'm free after that."
We need a calender to track where she is! Julie packs a lot into her schedule so she can keep the various projects happening and maintain relationships with people in the various communities she visits. There is a planned schedule and then there are the things which happen,which leap out and demand attention and loving care.Things such as fire, flood or suicide.
Travel around one of the largest offices in the state.
(No )Trains.
We have a train track here in Hillston but it is a reminder of a bygone era.
A great (and true) story is the one about the group of women at a meeting in Hillston in times past, getting to know each other over a cuppa. Most were property manager's wives and the question was asked of each,
"So what Station does your husband run?
One women, whose husband was in charge of the trains at Hillston, replied,
"The railway station."
Not sure what happened next!
Trains still run here but only once a year to carry the wheat from the silo before harvest in preparation for the next crop. Despite this, because the line runs over the road into town in two places, we still have to stop to watch for trains each time we go into town!
The nearest passenger train is Wagga or Cootamundra, 3 hours away. The distance between Hillston and there is covered by car or coach.
Needless to say, Julie opts for other modes of travel.
Automobiles
The main way to travel is the car,which is a 4 wheel-drive to cope with all roads.A phone holder is hooked up inside near the steering wheel so she can do calls while driving and not hold the phone.This all saves time and means the time spent at the destination is all "people time" with the community there.
Two weeks taken from her calendar sees Julie driving from Hillston to Dubbo to Narrabri, back to Coonabarrabran, on to Weilmoringle then to Brewarrina, Bourke, Enngonia and home for 5 nights for Easter (with the Moderator and his wife as house guests). The following week sees her back in Sydney for 1 night and home to Hillston for 3 nights and then off to Nyngan and Dubbo and home for 1 night, before it's off to Synod for meetings for 4 days - covering 3,400 kms, not including the plane travel.(Makes you tired doesn't it? Don't think it's a rest at home.There's preparation,calls and meetings there too.) [Comment from Julie: Yes, but even for me this was unusually busy and thankfully it is not always like this.]
Planes
Of course, frequent trips to Sydney are necessary to deal with the more formal, organisational and advocacy parts of the Rural Chaplain's role. The rest of this work is done on the phone,but that's another story.
Naturally, to cover that distance the plane is essential but first there's a one and a half hour drive to Griffith airport. A bit like Sydney really.................except without the traffic!
And for that we do give thanks!
"Well, I'm here this afternoon but tomorrow I go to ...then on to ....after that.... and then .....and I'll be home on Wednesday so I can be back before the shops shut to buy food for my visitors who arrive the next day. I'm free after that."
We need a calender to track where she is! Julie packs a lot into her schedule so she can keep the various projects happening and maintain relationships with people in the various communities she visits. There is a planned schedule and then there are the things which happen,which leap out and demand attention and loving care.Things such as fire, flood or suicide.
Travel around one of the largest offices in the state.
(No )Trains.
We have a train track here in Hillston but it is a reminder of a bygone era.
A great (and true) story is the one about the group of women at a meeting in Hillston in times past, getting to know each other over a cuppa. Most were property manager's wives and the question was asked of each,
"So what Station does your husband run?
One women, whose husband was in charge of the trains at Hillston, replied,
"The railway station."
Not sure what happened next!
 |
| Next train? -Before harvest -November 2013. |
 |
| A dutiful citizen waits at the stop sign |
Needless to say, Julie opts for other modes of travel.
Automobiles
The main way to travel is the car,which is a 4 wheel-drive to cope with all roads.A phone holder is hooked up inside near the steering wheel so she can do calls while driving and not hold the phone.This all saves time and means the time spent at the destination is all "people time" with the community there.
Two weeks taken from her calendar sees Julie driving from Hillston to Dubbo to Narrabri, back to Coonabarrabran, on to Weilmoringle then to Brewarrina, Bourke, Enngonia and home for 5 nights for Easter (with the Moderator and his wife as house guests). The following week sees her back in Sydney for 1 night and home to Hillston for 3 nights and then off to Nyngan and Dubbo and home for 1 night, before it's off to Synod for meetings for 4 days - covering 3,400 kms, not including the plane travel.(Makes you tired doesn't it? Don't think it's a rest at home.There's preparation,calls and meetings there too.) [Comment from Julie: Yes, but even for me this was unusually busy and thankfully it is not always like this.]
Of course, frequent trips to Sydney are necessary to deal with the more formal, organisational and advocacy parts of the Rural Chaplain's role. The rest of this work is done on the phone,but that's another story.
Naturally, to cover that distance the plane is essential but first there's a one and a half hour drive to Griffith airport. A bit like Sydney really.................except without the traffic!
 |
| Something you will never see on the Hillston to Griffith road. |
And for that we do give thanks!
No comments:
Post a Comment