Paul Huglin has been the Senior Pastor at West Preston Baptist Church for the past nine months. He and his wife Apryl were attracted to the church as they knew it had a heart for its community. Paul has previously served at Diamond Valley Baptist as the Associate Pastor for many years, but most recently as a Community Pastor serving as Chaplain to the local Shopping Centre. Apryl works with Baptcare as Chaplain in the Sanctuary program supporting Asylum Seekers. Recently, and despite the Coronavirus restrictions, an opportunity to align the church and Sanctuary has emerged.

“Asylum seekers are the most vulnerable group of people in our community” says Apryl. “They are unable to work and therefore draw an income, but they also do not receive any subsidies from the government. Some of them have absolutely no income and somehow must support their families”.

With the food bank shortages that are currently being experienced, even this avenue of support has become scarce, however, West Preston Baptist has been able to open their own food bank and provide monthly cooked meals to residents of Houses of Hope/Sanctuary. Apryl has also sourced companies that have been willing to donate to this very needed charity. Wholesalers and restaurants are now giving, and another encouraging outcome of this initiative is how it has renewed the church’s connection with its local community. Members of the church are regularly volunteering to assist in this new and significant project.

For more information as to how your church may assist this most vulnerable group of people please contact:

sanctuary@baptcare.org.au

baptcare.org.au/sanctuary

Phone: 13 BAPTCARE (13 22 78)

It’s now the end of July, 7 months since the first of the Upper Murray cluster fires that began an inferno of similar severity to the 1939 bushfires. One of the main differences, is that many larger properties have been subdivided into smaller properties, a large percentage of which do not support families on agriculture alone. These are either smaller farms where perhaps one partner works to put food on the table and provide funds for large capital expenses; or lifestyle blocks, where owners either rely solely on outside income or may be semi-retired and only generate a modest income from their land.

Whatever the situation, many of these properties lost livestock, pasture and fodder (stored hay, silage, and grain/pellets). Additionally, the loss of infrastructure in the way of fencing, yards, water systems, sheds, equipment and for some, houses, took a huge toll. Whilst some people had insurance, even those who thought they were well covered are finding huge gaps they are unable to meet.

Large grants have been made available to commercial scale farmers whose farming income exceeds their off-farm income, which has assisted with the shortfall. A huge number of fire affected people in the Upper Murray do not qualify for these grants.

Hence the importance of organisations such as Blaze Aid, Red Cross and many different church and philanthropic groups that are coming to give financial aid and help.

The Corryong Baptist Church with the backing of donations from generous Baptist folk has been in a position to help fire affected farmers across the board. From my perspective assisting Pastor Graeme van Brummelen, it is not the amount of financial aid that we are offering, but that we consider each and every person of equal worthiness, no matter whether they have 2 cows or 200 cows. This is the teaching of Jesus, which we demonstrate by our actions rather than our words in this situation.

Jesus also taught compassion. Because I don’t have his ability to see into people’s hearts I am learning to become a better listener. I can help the person a lot better if I understand where they’re at in their recovery journey. 

At this point in time, some folk have told their story often enough and don’t want to go through it again. For example they’ve been happy to receive a seed or freight subsidy from the BUV, but don’t want to accept a Relief and Stimulus Package as they feel this is “double dipping”. They are grateful but their head is full of the next steps they need to take to prepare for a fencing team arriving sometime in the next month and they only have headspace for that task.

Some folk have been lost for words when receiving a package or assistance. Having reason to follow up in the future, gives them the opportunity to tell their story if they wish to, or determine whether they have other needs where we can help or connect them.

Others have only just come up for breath from their task-focussed labours to contain their animals from wandering all over the district and keeping them alive. Or they’ve had their livestock away on agistment, have managed to replace some fencing, the stock have arrived home, it’s winter, they need hay to get them through, their hay shed has not been rebuilt and they don’t have any stored fodder. This is only one thought stream as the reality is juggling a myriad of thoughts and tasks.  They feel overwhelmed and are only now asking for help and perhaps, not feeling comfortable in having to ask. Their first and foremost need may be to tell their story.  Sometimes they are ready to receive assistance and we are in a position to offer them something or refer them to where they can get the help they need.

Others may be further down the track in their recovery, but have lost or never had social connectedness. They may not even want to receive any financial help from a church, but need someone to come alongside, listen, and perhaps connect or re-connect them back into the community.  One of the effects of a natural disaster can be to fragment existing relationships, both at individual and group level.  For these people, someone to assist them into easing back into community belonging is another role the church can offer.  Sometimes other community groups are already forming or in existence and local knowledge of this nature is invaluable. The church needs to be part of the overall community for this to happen.

Currently, Corryong Baptist Church has put together the 4^th round of Relief and Stimulus Packages, which are a wonderful resource to have on offer when making the first connection or following up with fire-affected people. As many folk on properties also have off-farm income from a business they either work for or operate in town, these businesses have been whacked with a double-barrelled shot from both the bushfires and coronavirus. BUV donations have purchased vouchers from the bulk of these businesses, supporting their owners and employees as well as those receiving these packages.

Such is the heart of this community, that several businesses declined the offer to purchase vouchers for Round 4. Their story was identical. “We’d love to take your money, but we’ve only redeemed a few vouchers from the earlier round. Re-direct it towards groceries instead”. Not only are these businesses struggling from lack of custom, they often echo the words of property holders who decline our financial assistance with “I’m sure there’s somebody else who needs it more”. 

Sharon Roberts
Corryong Baptist Church

Paul Huglin has been the Senior Pastor at West Preston Baptist Church for the past nine months. He and his wife Apryl were attracted to the church as they knew it had a heart for its community. Paul has previously served at Diamond Valley Baptist as the Associate Pastor for many years, but most recently as a Community Pastor serving as Chaplain to the local Shopping Centre. Apryl works with Baptcare as Chaplain in the Sanctuary program supporting Asylum Seekers. Recently, and despite the Coronavirus restrictions, an opportunity to align the church and Sanctuary has emerged.

“Asylum seekers are the most vulnerable group of people in our community” says Apryl. “They are unable to work and therefore draw an income, but they also do not receive any subsidies from the government. Some of them have absolutely no income and somehow must support their families”.

With the food bank shortages that are currently being experienced, even this avenue of support has become scarce, however, West Preston Baptist has been able to open their own food bank and provide monthly cooked meals to residents of Houses of Hope/Sanctuary. Apryl has also sourced companies that have been willing to donate to this very needed charity. Wholesalers and restaurants are now giving, and another encouraging outcome of this initiative is how it has renewed the church’s connection with its local community. Members of the church are regularly volunteering to assist in this new and significant project.

For more information as to how your church may assist this most vulnerable group of people please contact:

sanctuary@baptcare.org.au

baptcare.org.au/sanctuary

Phone: 13 BAPTCARE (13 22 78)

G’day friends.   Greetings from rainy Orbost!

Much has happened since the first week of January, let me tell you some of the story.

I started the year watching the glow in the sky of an approaching fire which, in the hours that followed, narrowly missed my parents’ property where I was living and proceeded to obliterate much of the region I call home – I wasn’t really ready but was mostly willing and certainly available.

We were faced with a very present need and shortly thereafter I found myself with a mandate:  To find fire affected people, find out from them what they need and do my best to meet that need.

It’s fairly simple in words, unfortunately less so in action.  So, what have I achieved?

I have built fences, cut down fire affected trees and even rebuilt a bridge restoring primary access to a home, just in time to allow Grocon to clean up the sheds that had burnt. Oh, and drunk lots of tea.

These are all hands on, quantifiable things (except for the tea) – I’m a practical guy, I like to see what I’ve achieved – but I’m slowly learning that God sees things I don’t.

Over these months I have accumulated a total of 49 people/couples/families on my list of those I’ve sought to engage and of them have 22 ongoing relationships.

There have been evenings when I’ve sat in my 4wd on the side of the road and just prayed,

‘Lord, is that all You had for today?’

‘I’ve been out for 10 hours, driven 150kms and You’ve prompted me to stop in places that have led to 3 conversations. Jesus is that enough? Can I go home now?’

Yes.

In His eyes and economy spending time with people is time well spent even if the only thing I built was trust.

One guy whom I’ve had a dozen different interactions with since the start of February said the last time I saw him, ‘you’ll be back before then,’ speaking of a fencing job he might need a hand with. It may have taken a dozen visits and phone calls over months but he knows that sooner or later I’ll show up, ask him how he’s going and offer him a hand – and he appreciates it.

He’s not the only one who appreciates me dropping by semi-regularly. People generally seem to be getting tired and they’re lonely and COVID 19 isn’t helping.

I hadn’t spoken to this particular older lady for a number of weeks when a mutual friend called and said she was talking about leaving this world and they were worried for her. She answered my second call and spoke for over an hour. I visited the following day and she spoke for another 2 hours. She seems stable but really needed someone to talk to and again, I’ve visited or called her more than a dozen times since early February building a friendship where she’s comfortable to actually invite me in, offer me a cup of tea and just talk.

In response to the question, ‘what have I achieved?’ I could give many answers but I think the best answer is simply, ‘I have been there when people needed me,’

Lord willing, by the generosity of the Baptist family, I’ll continue to be.

Thank you!