Respite comes in many forms and Well-Being Australia's respite ministry has focused on a number of areas that are now seen more and more main stream.
The media has been full of articles where elite athletes from AFL players, NRL footballers, Motor Racing, Golfers, Basketball (the list goes on) who have dropped out or needed some very specific help to keep going.
None of this is new now, but Well-Being Australia has provided such respite to the elite athletes from the Australian Institute of Sport since 1992, first in Moruya at Basil Sellers House, and then Tweed Heads at the Surfing High Performance Centre (Domain Resort).
Over all these years many athletes came and visited and returned to their concrete edifices of modern sport. Respite is a major factor in elite sport today. The professional cricketers have been on this bandwagon for some years ago now, led by Greg Chappell in his call at the AIS Academy of Cricket in Brisbane ten years ago.
Respite covers many areas. Not every benevolent society can cater for every type of respite, therefore these agencies specialise and this today is 'Respite 101'. My wife Delma is a pastoral carer at a nursing home that specialises in those of more mature years, that is not the place to send a juvenile in need of a special kind of respite.
Ministry / Mission
Every section of our Australian society will have people who find themselves in situations that are beyond their immediate help – this may be medically, emotionally, physically. Our son broke his right ankle playing soccer some years ago.
His anguish is not so much the physical healing (with metal strip and screws) but the utter helplessness of not being to do anything. Join the thousands of others in that situation needing to sit still through remarkable medical intervention.
Stress is a major factor in today's society and no one knows the stress of anyone else in their work or home situation. For many people it means counselling, even Medicare provides 6 physiologist sessions to those people referred by a doctor. This is main stream 101.
The Pastor's Pastor the Reverend Dr Rowland Crocuher says he visits such a person regularly and recommends every Minister / Pastor has such a person. I personally enjoy this part of my ministry by speaking with such a person and some even use me for this purpose. This is now part of all seminaries / theological college instruction.
Laguna Quays Respite
In all my years serving in this respite ministry to elite athletes it was upon my heart to provide such a facility for missions. Quite apart from denominational missionary societies, there is a not insignificant number of mission people serving in a wide range of mission societies who raise their own funding (faith financed).
Delma and I have lived in this way for 38 years and we've raised 4 children and now grand parents. These mission people often have little support when they find themselves with emotional breaking points.
In 2011 we established Laguna Quays Respite for all such missionaries / ministers / pastors / mission personnel / school chaplains and the like. It is situated on the Whitsundays mainland 20 minutes south of Proserpine adjacent to the Laguna Quays Resort.
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:
Over these nine years - SIM, CMS, WEC, OMS, SU, TEAR, BCS, UCA, OMF, YM, Wycliffe, BCA, YWAM, MAF, AFES, CM, ASEF, Japan Missions, International Inter-Serve, NZ Missions, Global Interaction, independent missions, school chaplains and Ministers and pastors from many denominations.
Mr Basil Sellers AM sponsors the on-going ministry needs for Laguna Quays Respite and in the process of establishing (funding) another such respite facility at Aldinga Beach in South Australia. This is heavy lifting.
Another possibility is a manager's residence for Laguna Quays Respite with so many missions people visiting. We have received multiple requests for the September school holidays.
A manager's residence, for numerous people calling in, small meetings, the cuppa essential (the Minister's lot) and allow us to supervise, oversee, maintain personal touch with the respite facility, the missionaries coming for their rest and recuperation - two streets away from the respite facility.
We welcome our readers to contact me regarding tax deductible financial input for the manager's residence / or to visit this Whitsundays respite facility. Rev Mark Tronson timeout@bushorchestra.com 0419 917 713