Wednesday 19th March 2014
THIS WEEK'S MEETING
Maleny Hotel at 6:30 for 7:00pm with Guest Speaker Janelle Rees on Climate Reality Project.
APOLOGIES
Please tender apologies to Jeff Cornfoot by noon Tuesday.
DUTY ROSTERS
19 Mar 2nd Apr
Duty Officer Lionel T Jim A
Registration Jeff C Robin T
ADO & Scribe Angela G Keith R
Fellowship John McL Bill H
SAUSAGE SIZZLE ROSTER
29th March
John McLennan (Leader) Andy Shouteten Robin Thorn
12th April
TBA
MINUTES OF MEETING OF 5TH MARCH
The TRF District Grant for MSHS has been paid.
Sherryl introduced our guest speaker, Alan Burrell (a Maleny native), a Director of Mercy Ships who was hot off the plane from Sydney where he had been presenting at the Australian Maritime Museum. Unfortunately our projector failed again so here are a few items from their very comprehensive web site to augment his presentation.
Queensland nurse and Mercy Ships Australia volunteer Deb Louden says she “left her heart in Africa" after her first period of service with Mercy Ships and is now back helping some of the continent’s most vulnerable people. Deb Louden first volunteered in Benin from April to November 2009 and returned as a long-term volunteer in January 2011, serving in Sierra Leone, Togo, Guinea and now in the Republic of the Congo. Deb, 26, studied nursing at the University of Southern Queensland and worked in Toowoomba as a nurse for two years, the minimum requirement for volunteering as a nurse onboard the Africa Mercy. While at high school she visited the Philippines, Bali and Indonesia, which opened her eyes to the scarce medical resources in Third World countries. She now works as a charge and ward nurse.“The medical needs that we see are above and beyond what you would ever see in a western country. These people have no money or no one who could help their problem, until we arrived. Some die before we arrive because there just aren’t enough doctors here. I work with Mercy Ships because I love it. I love serving the people in their most vulnerable state, when no one else has been able to help them. I love to love them through the hardship and healing that takes place in the ward,” she says. But Deb, who has several sponsors supporting her Mercy Ships work, declares the challenges have helped her develop leadership skills. “While being onboard, volunteering as a nurse, I have learnt great leadership skills in leading a team of nurses not only in the ward but for other events such as screening day, where we see thousands of patients in one day." And she declares her role gives her great personal and professional fulfilment. “I have a thousand happy memories which have made me a better person. I have been challenged and given the opportunity to change and grow in my faith and as a person. Through each situation there is an opportunity to grow. If it is joyful, you have the opportunity to let it overflow to someone else or if it is heart-wrenching, can be thankful for all that you have been given. There is always something to be thankful for.”
What started as an opportunity to serve some of Africa's most needy people has become a “big adventure" aboard the Africa Mercy for the Dunne family. Marine engineer Mick Dunne, 46, wife Tammy, 40, and sons Jack, 12, Mark, 9, and Harry, 6, are a volunteer family serving with Mercy Ships in the Republic of the Congo. Mick, who spent 23 years in the Royal Australian Navy as a marine engineer officer, is the third engineer officer aboard Africa Mercy responsible for the vessel‘s generators and auxiliary systems, while Tammy works in staff training and as an interim PE teacher.“We became a volunteer family for a few reasons - firstly, because we wanted to give something back as we feel so blessed; secondly, because we felt that God has called us to step out in faith to do this relying on His provision and thirdly, because it’s a big adventure - why not," says Tammy. After deciding to serve, Mick and Tammy left their jobs, sold their car, rented out the family home and undertook a six week introductory course in Texas before joining the Africa Mercy in June during dry dock in Tenerife, Canary Islands. They plan to work and live aboard the hospital ship until June 2015. Living as a family aboard brings challenges, admits Tammy. “Space, ship rules and maintaining our family setup within a larger community - physical and emotional challenges. Spiritually, taking time out from a busy schedule is always a challenge. With respect to the hospital, a big challenge may be dealing with what we see - things that we haven't seen before that are confronting and how to help our children interpret and understand what they see."
For their sons it has meant a major change in schooling, but one they are handling well. “As the school is small, the boys seem to be getting a good amount of attention and are enthusiastically tackling their school work and homework. And there are plenty of extra-curricular activities for the boys to pursue such as a running club, karate, small soccer club and a Student Life program for students to give them community and life experiences at school - ranging from cooking to introduction to fire fighting." For the Dunne family, their service with Mercy Ships is a major part of their Christian faith and a great life experience. “God willing, if we come back to Australia and our three boys are more compassionate towards other people, with a bigger view of the world, then that would be awesome. If Mick and I have contributed to the mission of the ship, by doing our jobs, then we will be thrilled. Hopefully, we will get to know some of the Congolese people and find out their stories, too,” says Tammy.
Alan asked who had viewed the documentary on Mercy Ships shown on SBS last year and unfortunately very few had but there will be another chance in the near future as channel 7 is to broadcast another. Started in 1978, Africa Mercy is their fifth and current hospital ship and is a converted Danish ferry. They are currently building a second ship at a cost of $200 million, Atlantic Mercy, which will be the biggest ever hospital ship. All the crew and medical staff (except the chief surgeon) are volunteers, donate their own blood, serve for 10 months at a time (conduct 70,000 procedures), and often provide financial support to patients long after their operation. 46,000 hours of service are donated every year and provision is made to train local medical staff and 572,000 people have been treated ashore. The ship provides a safe and secure environment (Gurkhas provide security) for the 2.4 million surgeries provided so far and Rotary supplies equipment and Vocational Training Teams. Infrastructure and education are also provided ashore so that the results of the ship’s visit are sustainable into the future. They need 3,500 volunteers every year and many come from Australia. Six months before every visit a Team is sent to the country and assesses the needs so that the ship is appropriately equipped when it arrives.
Alan was thanked by Michael for fitting us into his busy schedule and presented with our calendar, bowl, and a copy of Humanity in Motion.
FUTURE MEETINGS & EVENTS
26th March
Masonic Hall at 7:00pm for Club Assembly with $10 meal.
28-30th March
District Conference at Maroochydore RSL Conference Centre.
2nd April
Maleny Hotel at 6:30 for 7:00pm with Guest Speaker Marcelle Holdaway on Community Development.
9th April
Board Meeting at the Masonic Hall.
12th April
Car parking for Maleny Cheese annniversary.
16th April
Maleny Hotel at 6:30 for 7:00pm with Guest Speaker to be confirmed.
24th April
Caloundra Golf Club at 6:30 for 7:00pm for Hypothetical Evening with RC of Caloundra Pacific.
21st May
R&USC Scholarship Awards at USC.
BIRTHDAYS FOR MARCH
5th Judy Tilley 17th Lloyd Larney 26th Rick Vickers
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY FOR MARCH
6th John & Beth Wann
NOW FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT
ANOTHER MEDICAL TALE - THIS TIME FROM THE USA
A man suffered a serious heart attack while shopping in a store.
The store clerk called 000 when they saw him collapse to the floor.
The paramedics rushed the man to the nearest hospital where he had emergency open heart bypass surgery.
He awakened from the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at the Catholic Hospital.
A nun was seated next to his bed holding a clipboard loaded with several forms, and a pen.
She asked him how he was going to pay for his treatment. "Do you have health insurance?" she asked.
He replied in a raspy voice, "No health insurance."
The nun asked, "Do you have money in the bank?"
He replied, "No money in the bank."
Do you have a relative who could help you with the payments?" asked the irritated nun.
He said, "I only have a spinster sister, and she is a nun."
The nun became agitated and announced loudly, "Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God."The patient replied, "Perfect. Send the bill to my brother-in-law."
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