Well It's time to get out there !
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| The road calls, have to know what is round the bend
As I covered in my last post, I had some time on the DRCN team at Coolah NSW after the fires. I also spent some time at meetings covering normal church issues at Presbytery level. NENW, my presbytery, cares for me on a number of levels. Care is important - no one can do ministry without good levels of support and care. I go out meeting families, communities and individuals - the level of needs in their lives cover so many things - personal, work based, health/mental health, plus grief and loss. This can be a cruel death ifily members to loss of farm, or results of drought, floods and fire . These issues roll on - often one to another - plus we have people having one-off crisis in areas with little access to services. You have to watch your own needs.
I often have told you one of my care plans is taking myself off to take photos for my collection and for use in this Blog or on our Face Book page. The one below was a coffee break spot, it reminded me that often the road is blocked
 
As I went to drive out the road had a few tons of gravel on it so I just turned around and went back to the road. I spent a full day visiting - started at 8.am, got back to motel at around 9.pm - so many cups of tea and the odd salad roll. I visited with about 10 people over 2 half days. Sadly for some, life on the land has not been kind - fences down, wind damage to farm buildings.
But there was fun with all - in just meeting over tea and buns. I had another go at doing a video - got it right way up. I also took a look around the back blocks and crossed what is left of the Bogan River -pictured below
 
The river was flooding not so long ago - now the hot summer has dried it to pools in places - life in a boom and bust land. Hope is still at a high as many big rigs plumed dust across the land, as they work others spray weeds over night, as it needs to be cool . The Good News is we are still here, slowly building relationships and growing community, passing from piggy backing other groups/services, to a stand- alone part of the community - welcomed in to visit, but also grow relationship.
 As I prayed for this trip at the rest area bin, I thought back over the last 4 years - the places I have been and the people I have been involved with. I now am used to being called "Rev Phill" - not just in private places but as I walk down the street, work in evacuation centres, non-church meetings with Government and NGO personnel. I now know people across the NENW from Broken Hill in far west down to Wagga and up to Lightning Ridge in the North. "When I was a Stranger, When I was Hungry - for as much as you do for the least of these". As we head towards Easter, I am going on holidays to allow me to recharge and refresh, to come back and go forward into whatever the risen Lord has for the adventures of Rural Chaplain. 
No, it's not another Emu picture Beep! Beep! it is the Road Runner. Don't forget to go to Facebook for the travels of a Rural Chaplain.
Shalom Rev Phill |
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