By winter this year international flights Whitsundays–New Zealand will be functional – allowing New Zealand missions / pastors to avail themselves of the Laguna Quays Missionary Respite cottage (Whitsundays).
The Whitsundays missionary respite cottage for missionaries, mission and church full-time personnel developed by Well-Being Australia at Laguna Quays Respite has bookings to write home about.
Laguna Quays Respite is situated twenty minute drive south of Proserpine next door to the Laguna Quays Resort and a stone's throw from Midge Point. The Laguna Quays Resort in 2016 is undergoing a multi-million refurbishment.
Number of 2016 bookings have already come in from missionaries and mission families along with school chaplains, home missions of all shapes and varieties, professional church personnel ..... last year we saw one mission family leave at their set time in the morning and the next mission family arrive that same afternoon.
There have been several upgrades to the cottage such as hand rails on the front stone steps, the back steps, yellow lines on all sharp edge concrete pads (back patio and entertainment area), a spare functional heavy duty double mattress and the like.
Opened in 2011
Well-Being Australia developed this mission respite ministry after my wife Delma and I had ministered respite to Australian Institute of Sport elite athlete "respite" in both Moruya (Basil Sellers Moruya) and Tweed Heads (Basil Sellers Tweed) since 1992.
The Laguna Quays Respite facility was a dream of ours to serve our mission community with a no-cost rest and recuperation experience and the Whitsundays provides many such opportunities for relaxation.
Mission people can drive or fly into Proserpine airport inexpensively -
from Brisbane with either Virgin or Jetstar
direct from Sydney through Tiger
direct from Melbourne through Jetstar.
Arrival
Upon arrival they can collect a heavily discounted AVIS rental vehicle under a special arrangement between Well-Being Australia and AVIS for mission people visiting the respite cottage.
There is no charge for the Laguna Quays Respite cottage yet visitors are welcome to leave a gifting to help with its functioning costs.
Over these past five years mission people have visited the Laguna Quays Respite facility from such missions and denominations as:
SIM, CMS, WEC, SU, TEAR, BCS, UCA, YM, Wycliffe, BCA, YWAM, MAF, AFES, CM, ASEF, Global Interaction, independent missions and Ministers and pastors from many denominations - have already enjoyed taking 'timeout'.
Who can visit Laguna Quays Respite?
Missionaries, home mission personnel, school chaplains and professional church personnel needing respite and rest. It is specifically designed and dedicated to such mission personnel.
As from winter, New Zealand missions / pastors will have a direct flight.
Over these past five years many family groups have visited in school holiday periods – it is a three bedroom beach house cottage – but they squeeze in somehow. Many missionary families have had family stays before they leave for overseas. Many are simply tired and need rest.
It has also been a wonderful solace for pastors and specialist ministry personnel who need timeout to relax their head space and for those wanting to seriously reflect as their prepare significant messages or writing designations. It is a broad church.
Enquiries are welcome for bookings - missionaries / home missions / school chaplains / pastors - to contact us for your respite visit to the Whitsundays – timeout@bushorchestra.com 0419 917 713
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html