Message from the Chaplain
The Drought
You would have to be living under a rock to not know that hundreds of farmers are battling the worst drought in 40 years. The drought is impacting almost all of NSW including the Central Tablelands, Central West and North West, New England, Cobar, Brewarrina, Broken Hill and Dubbo. Areas like Forbes have not properly recovered from being declared a natural disaster zone caused by ravaging floods in 2016 and now the same area is a dry, dusty bowl. The areas around Coolah have not received good rain since their devastating fire 18 months ago.
These are the home areas of about one quarter of our Secondary School students. One boarder from Parkes informs me that his Dad is sourcing feed from South Australia and Western Australia. He says that “they are lucky” because they can avoid the exorbitant cost associated with road freight. Our thoughts, our prayers and our assistance, are with all our farming families; you are not forgotten and you are not alone. The forecast suggests some rain is coming next week so let’s remain hopeful.
The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA), of which Kinross Wolaroi School is an agent, has responded to the drought. The Moderator* of the UCA, Rev Simon Hansford, has launched an appeal for four Presbyteries in drought affected areas across NSW and the ACT. Rev Hansford said: “The State and territory’s farmers and rural businesses are the life blood of our communities and they’re bracing themselves for devastating loss of livelihoods. I am seeing more distress in our communities every day. Many have begun the painful process of selling stock and others are incurring considerable debt as they keep their breeding stock for when the season finally turns. In the Central West and North West there has been an 80% reduction in winter crop sown this season.”
While the NSW Government’s drought relief package of over half a billion dollars allows one-off $50,000 loans that are interest free for seven years, from what I hear, it is difficult to access. For some, the exhaustion from the daily, physical effort of feeding stock, leaves them without the strength of effort to complete the overwhelming paperwork to apply for the loan.
Farmers need money for feed, water and transportation not to mention to allay the sacrifices to their personal living. Rev. Hansford recognises too that regional businesses affected by the drought do not receive any money in the government’s relief package. Contributing $90,000 from the Moderator’s appeal fund to the emergency relief, Rev. Hansford has approved that the funds be used at the discretion of each Presbytery, from petrol vouchers to food vouchers, where the communities need it most. He said, “This is the church saying that we are remembering these members of our community. These gifts are part of our prayers, our presence, our concern.”
Aside from financial assistance from the School, our students are responding in their own way. Students are running a lolly guessing jar, a cake stall, a mufti day, a coin trail and a recycle-clothing stall for girls at PLC. People are invited to donate non-perishable foods, toiletries and dog food. Any and all assistance offered to support the students’ initiatives are most welcome.
On another level, assistance for those who are feeling overwhelmed is also available. I can recommend to you Mindspot. The Mindspot Clinic is a free telephone and online service for Australian adults troubled by symptoms of anxiety or depression. They provide free online screening assessment to help you learn about your symptoms, free treatment courses to help you feel better, or they can help you find local services that can help. Also the Mental Health Hotline is 1800 011 511. This telephone service operates 24-hours 7 days a week and connects you to a trained mental health clinician.
* Moderator:
The Moderator is elected by the Church for a three-year tenure to give spiritual, prophetic and pastoral leadership to the people and the congregations of the NSW & ACT Synod, by assisting and encouraging the expression of our hope in Jesus Christ, offering challenge because of that same hope, and by reminding the church of its call and of God who we ultimately serve.
Phil Worrad
Chaplain