Turning of the Sod - 4 August 2007
Paul Cooper - Convener for the Presbyterian Social Services
In the nineteenth Century world of Dickens in London, a young urchin, dirty, shoeless and cold was staring into the window of a shoe shop.
A woman noticed the lad and asked him what he was doing with his nose pressed against the window of the shop. "I was praying God would give me a pair of shoes" he said
She took him by the hand into the shop and she asked the proprietor for a basin and water and a towel. She knelt down and washed the lad's feet and dried them, placed upon them the socks she had purchased followed by a pair of shoes.
There she said "now you'll feel better". He looked up at her and said "Excuse me lady are you God's wife?" She wasn't but the Christian Church is. We are the bride of Christ and because we love Jesus are to be in this world expressing his love and compassion.
Jesus has a special place in his affection for children, a special place for the disadvantaged and we as the church want to be the hands of Jesus in the world being a blessing to the Children and Families of Allowah. We are not in this work for the money or the kudos. We are here to make a difference to the Allowah children and families. We are here to bring the message of Jesus, by what we do, by what we say and by the way we act. It is our desire to make Allowah Presbyterian Children's Hospital a more beautiful place, a place where the blessing of Jesus is experienced.
The turning of the sod at Allowah to mark the commencement of the development of Allowah is one act in the process of Presbyterian Social Services achieving this goal
WHAT DOES THE TURNING OF THE SOD AND MOUNT EVEREST HAVE IN COMMON?
Ruth Forsayth - Fundraising Coordinator
Brigitte Muir, the first Australian woman to climb the summit of Mount Everest, stated that you could only refer to the feelings of being so close and yet so far.
On August 4th 2007 Colin Llewellyn (CEO) and Paul Cooper (Convener) took the shovel with gusto and dug deep to turn the first sod to celebrate the next stage of the redevelopment of Allowah.
The children of Allowah along with family, friends, staff and members of the Presbyterian Social Services Executive Committee enjoyed a party atmosphere with a jumping castle, face painting, balloons and a cake.
But like Brigitte Muir and the summit of Everest the completion of "The New Allowah" is within sight with the hardest climb awaiting us.
Onward to our summit!!