Chairman of Well-Being Australia Mark Tronson says it has been his privilege to have been a receiptent of many 'Angels Unawares' leading up to and during his 18 years of founding the Sports and Leisure Ministry, 17 years as the Australian cricket team chaplain, and now 29 years of faith financial living.
One of these Angels Unawares was Ray Neale.
Mark Tronson picks up the story: My first railway book "Driving Trains the Australian Way" detailed the various aspects of a locomotive engineman from Round House to Driver. The final chapter told the story of my "calling" to Christian Ministry, yes, as strange as it might seem, while on a Locomotive!
As a direct result I had discussions with my Minister the Reverend David Kerr and then made an application to the NSW Baptist Union of Churches for training as an Ordinand (this meant four years study at Morling – NSW Baptist Theological College in Eastwood).
The interview before an esteemed acceptance body of NSW Baptist elected men and women saw me pass muster to commence in 1977.
Principal Reverend Ron Rogers adopted me into the theological degree program upon my success at Wollongong University's Economics Degree program as I'd been a part-time mature aged student. This was providential as I earned my theology degree with First Class Honours.
Delma and I married 12 February 1977 and after our honeymoon on Norfolk Island, the first day back, theological classes started. We initially lived in my Wollongong home unit driving each day to Eastwood for six weeks, we house-sat for friends of friends at Berowra for another six weeks, we stayed with friends at Epping for two weeks, then the Neale's Nursery House became available.
Ray Neale (late) and his late wife Elston (late) had run Neales Nursey at West Pennant Hills for decades. The second house on the Nursery was devoted to the Lord and for many years "Christian Literature Crusade" (CLC) people had utilised it.
It had become vacant again and no CLC people were ready to use it, and friends introduced Delma and me to Ray & Elston Neale and it became our home until the end of 1978 (for two years) at a peppercorn rent.
During those two years, Delma, a stenographer served CLC on mission wages in their office, and while at Morling I was appointed "Student Observer" at Manly Baptist Church in 1977 and then in 1978 to Pymble Baptist Church.
Those two years at the Neale's Nursey mission house courtesy of the very humble and gracious Ray and Elston Neale were remarkable. It allowed us a secure and permanent residence in those first two vital years of theological training in Christian ministry.
Many a time I'd sit and chat to Ray Neale. He was a quiet man, who loved his ministry as a Boys Brigade leader.
At the end of my first year at Morling I went back train driving to Port Kembla Locomotive Depot to earn significant monies to bide us over 1978. Friends told Ray Neale what I was doing and he reportedly said that this impressed him so much, that he predicted the Lord would use Delma and me in a unique and remarkable way.
Indeed, Ray Neale was an angel unawares!