Chaplain’s Reflection

 

“Thanks, and Farewell”

Being a part of the life and families of Kilsyth Primary School has been an amazing privilege for me for the last 12 years, I have valued belonging to this warm, friendly community and have journeyed with many of you all, through so many challenges, experiences and celebrations, but it is now time for me to move on. I will be officially finishing at KPS on August 12th when a new chaplain will be appointed to take over from me.

During my time I have been on camps and excursions, I have participated with students in sporting carnivals, I have coached senior volley ball teams, joined in fete days, ‘danced’ at discos, dressed up for special days, celebrated our centenary, attended multiple graduations, been on the Amazing Race, run Breaky Club, watched amazing little people grow into confident young leaders  and I have been able to meet and get to know so many wonderful families. 

Parenting is not a job for the feint hearted, our children don’t come with guide books and life manages to throw us such a range of unexpected curve balls that, sometimes just getting up in the morning should be a gold medal event.  Despite these hurdles, which always seem to appear just when you think things are going well, I consistently see parents, kids and families who are able to pick themselves up and overcome yet another challenge.  You guys are the super heroes who we need to celebrate; although your cape may be fraying at the edges and stained with red cordial and melted chocolate and your mask is a little skew whiff, and although you have managed to lose your super power utility belt and have a ladder in those tights that keep slipping, you are real super heroes.  This extends too to the grandmas, grandpas, stepmums and stepdads, friends, aunties and uncles and all those other superheroes in your life.  I have felt so blessed to share some of these journeys with you, may you continue to find joy, hope, courage and strength in the craziness of it all.

Relationship and community form the foundations that allow us to build hope where it can sometimes seem to be unattainable.  It is through the nurturing and the valuing of relationships and our community that we can tap into those ‘superpower’ strengths.  Challenges are uncomfortable, scary and overwhelming but with time, support and belief, those hurdles begin to form a framework on which we grow our resilience, understanding, patience and hope.

I wish to thank everyone for the support and friendship you have shared with me and with each other, for the commitment you make to the wellbeing of your own children and the other children in our community and for your dedication in making Kilsyth a place that matters for all those who attend here.

I will be continuing working as a chaplain at Mooroolbark Secondary College and am hoping to begin offering supervision to other chaplains already working in their communities.  I am sure that I will come across you at times in the future, at school production, the fete, graduations or just out shopping, please stop me and tell me all the messy/exciting bits of life because you have all meant so much to me.    I pray that God, the God I believe in, will hold you tenderly in the hollow of His hand and bring you home rejoicing at the closing of the day.

Best wishes,

Gill Van Der Ende,

Chaplain, Kilsyth Primary School.