Chairman of Well-Being Australia Mark Tronson says it has been his privilege to have been a receiptent of wisdom from numerous such people 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 in faith financed mission.
One of these people was Terry Ryan.
Mark Tronson picks up the story: As a boy of seven I was overwhelmed when at Mackay Railway Station the "Sunlander" majestically glided to the station platform. When we moved to Canberra my hobby was collecting diesel locomotive photographs. During school holidays I'd be at any vantage spot anywhere we stayed enjoying the diesels.
On rail trips as a boy my greatest delight was looking out the window and ahead, watching those enormous diesel locomotives haul our train. This was railway heaven for me.
My mother wanted me to take up a trade. My father overruled her, and said "yes" to my dream to become a trainee engineman. I started at the Goulburn Roundhouse in July 1968. My parents drove me to Goulburn for accommodation and I was a mere 16 and nine months.
As if by divine appointment the boarding house that my parents sought out, had Terry Ryan living there, a railway fireman. Terry, the week before had transferred to Goulburn from Broken Hill Depot, and was looking for a house in order that his wife Danuta and baby daughter Joanne could join him.
Terry Ryan took me under his wing. He became my railway mentor. He was a "Salaried Roster" fireman on the Southern Aurora, Spirit of Progress, Inter-Capital Daylight Express and Super-Freighters.
Goulburn in the 1960's-70's was a major depot where crews worked to Sydney or to Junee / Albury. Although I transferred to Port Kembla 10 months later as an Acting Fireman, we maintained close bonds. Terry Ryan was Best Man at my wedding in 1977.
Terry was a Catholic and not irreligious by any means, an example of loyalty, honesty, character, integrity and responsibility. He was not "evangelical" in my understanding of being "born again". Nor was he ever perturbed by my occasional comment on sin, repentance, salvation, and a need of a personal Saviour.
As I understood it, he was conversant on sin by life experience, recognised the need for repentance (he understood all this from his Catholic upbringing), and expected Salvation, as he understood this religious instruction.
This gave me my taste for InterChurch conversation.
From infancy Protestant evangelical systematic theology taught me of two paths. I had a firm opinion when young, as to who was on either path. Now, a lot older, perhaps a little wiser, I can comfortably leave that to the Lord. As a follower of Christ, the charge I have is to:
1. Enrich my own life in Jesus
2. Be a fisher of men / Salvation & Care
3. Treasure friendships
4. Enjoy and value my life / my family
As each of my own children left home, I spoke into their hearts of meeting the nicest of people everywhere they go. However, I explained, that being "nice" must not be the issue in their ultimate considerations. Rather it is that specific person's relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord.