I had thought perhaps to serve as a missionary to
Indonesia, and made initial inquiries of CMS in Australia in 1979. Part of my
three month journey to Indonesia at the end of that year included visits to
missionaries in that country), and I was an interpreter in Indonesian at the 79
Billy Graham Crusade, but my involvement with Rocco led me to Italian ministry.
We knew from the start of our relationship that if we were to be man and wife,
that cross-cultural ministries would be a big part of our Christian life. It has
proven to be so in ways we could not have contemplated.
We bought an apartment in the suburb of Cabramatta
a year after our marriage because it was inexpensive and close to the Italian
centres of South West Sydney that we were ministering on the weekend. But
Cabramatta was also a South East Asian Centre, and I in particular was drawn to
the Chinese / Vietnamese community there, because of the cultural similarities
to Indonesia. I taught English to members of a South-East Asian church
associated with the local Baptist Church, and helped train teachers to extend
the ministry, and I made many friends in the community.
Even when we moved from the area and went into
full-time Italian work, I still maintained links to the Asian Community.
Where there were Asians in a congregation, I made links with them and been able
to help when issues of racism reared in Australia’s political life, reassuring
our Asian members of Rocco and my love for them, and standing up for them
against those who perhaps through ignorance could not see that they were hurting
fellow Christians by their anti-Chinese sentiments. I have also tried to educate
the church as to the need to reach out and help our brothers and sisters in
Asia.
I like to use humour whenever I can to lighten up
people's day. I'm told I have a very distinctive laugh! I even went and did a
Clown Ministry course!
The Pastor's Wife & Mission Enthusiast
We also have regular contact with orphanages in
Bali, which we have visited, and encouraged church members and internet contacts to help with clothes,
shoes and toys.
My vocation, I would say therefore, is to take
Christ to the world that He has put on our doorstep, which includes people of
like background, and of European and Asian backgrounds. God has given me a lot
of life experiences which he uses to forge links, even tenuous ones, with people
of a large variety of backgrounds that I meet. Since one of my ancestresses was born in Bengal as the daughter of an army
officer and (it is believed) an Indian woman, I have also sought to use this
link to reach out to those of Indian sub-continental background.
As mentioned previously, I was born in London. We
returned to Australia when I was a baby, but things being what they were in
Australia in the 60’s, I was made feel very “English” by my peers, setting the
course of my thoughts away from feeling at home in one place. When I was 9, my
parents took my brother and I to New Zealand to meet the relatives. It was a
time when I began to learn that even though they were so close, that they were,
in fact, different from Australians. Their accents, their vocabulary, their
history, their attitudes were all quite distinct.
We travelled again 2 years later, on a South
Pacific Cruise which stopped in at New Caledonia, Fiji and New Zealand. My
mother had learnt French at school, and had become very fluent when she
travelled on the continent during the 6 years she was overseas. She encouraged
us to learn some French as we grew up, so stopping in at Noumea was the first
opportunity I had to use it. I was back in New Zealand for a few weeks at the
age of 17.
During University, I travelled for five weeks to
Indonesia/Malaysia/ Singapore in 1975. In 1976, I went to Europe for 9 weeks,
visiting England, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and
France. There was never a time when I could not make myself understood in any of
these countries as I had above average proficiency in German and Italian and
survival skills in French. In 1978-9, I went back to Indonesia for three months,
visiting the islands of Sumatera, Java, Bali and Lombok.
I think it’s fair to say that I am not a type to push myself in where I am not
wanted, but neither would I want to deny the skills that I have under God. I
have been a teacher and have teaching skills. I have had theological training and can lead Bible Studies.
The Singer & Creative
Artist!
Click to go to our Music ministry
page
But I also love music. I am a singer and was
involved in a wonderful music ministry (band) called “Heaven’s Scent” (HS). I play
guitar tolerably, but prefer vocals. With HS outreached to community in
the form of Carols Services (we led the Fairfield City Carols in 1998), at
hospitals and nursing homes, preschools, shopping malls, clubs, and in prisons
(male/female and juvenile). We have also had the wonderful opportunity to be
hired as a gospel band for a premier event in the Sydney calendar, the World’s
Longest Buffet. I would strongly encourage this type of outreach, to go wherever
God gives the lead and to make opportunities to
present Christ in places where He is normally never preached.
I forged a strong contact with a major Sydney
FM radio station (WS-FM) over the years. By using my musical knowledge and sense
of humour, and
participating in talkback and breakfast show competitions, the morning
announcers in particular know me well. I once won a jingle contest, and have
written funny songs for them. This has helped us give the Church a better
reputation in the wider community and building a sense of cooperation - and of
course often rewarded us with free advertising! There have also been numerous opportunities through our
Sydney Christian Radio Station 103.2 FM, particularly through Sheridan Voysey
and his Sunday Night "Open House" Programme.
I also enjoy writing plays / skits for youth and
adults, and composed children’s youth and adult music. I have also had radio
experience (as already mentioned), which I believe is still such a powerful, often
underrated medium.
It goes without saying that everything I do, I do
as support to my husband. He encourages me to develop my skills, and I use them
as he asks me. I do nothing without his approval, and we have developed a such a
fun partnership since we were married in 1980. We are able to complement each
other and work solidly together as a team.
My heart's desire, wherever we are placed to serve God, is
to continue in the types of ministries in which I have been involved, and to
maintain a willingness to consider other ones that come up. It has certainly
been a ministry of servant leadership.
