How does God teach us? How does He move in our lives? It is amazing how God sets up our lives so that we are able to teach the Gospel and Jesus’s soon return.

Upon looking at my current job of Psychologist, I have asked myself: How did God lead me here? Although my previous marriage breakdown was damaging and hurtful, God had a lesson there. He showed me empathy for those who are guilty and the degradation they feel when their marriage fails. I now have so much sympathy for those partners that have been left behind. I have counseled people to look for the bright side out of that.

The bankruptcy that I went through in 2003 also contained lessons. I have learnt to say that we don’t deliberately lose money but desperate decisions contribute to the loss. I have counseled people not to be so hard on themselves and to start looking up and make the first step back. The tough wage structure I was given by the Bankruptcy Trustee was that I was only allowed to earn a maximum of $48,000. I took a job as a Truck Driver, Nicky worked at Sanitarium at night and we moved in for 1 year rent free with Marilyn Osti. I learnt to save, I learnt not to spend money everywhere. It was at that time we laid these golden rules; no credit, no credit cards, no car leases. We have never been wealthier. I am able to counsel people with that detail.

We decided to become foster parents under the government rather than volunteering at out church. The children that we were given have been damaged to the 3rd and 4th generation. We have learned the power of values. The last 6 commandments give those values to mankind. When we place these boundaries around foster children they thrive to become human beings their parents would be proud of. I am now able to counsel people about values in their life and how, by maintaining those values, they will feel better.

Finally I went through the tough school of University. I am not a Rhodes Scholar – I am just a committed hard worker that is resilient. I am able to teach young people about resilience, values and efficacy. All this wisdom my God has given me through my journey with Him. This is what I teach.

God planned this in the beginning.

Padi.

Have you ever been dying to do something, but never knowing what it was you were dying to do? Well, when I went to sleep on my motor cycle riding down Victoria Road Parramatta, it happened to me.

About 1.5 years after my accident, I was still in brain injury ward 24B at Lidcombe Hospital, I was only able to hobble around and move one arm. I began to coach an ambulance driver who used to drive me home one weekend a month. He needed coaching in Maths and English for his Higher School Certificate.

One day he said to me: “You would have to be one of the luckiest blokes alive!”

“How do you work that out!?” I replied.

He said that he knew the two ambulance drivers who attended my accident. They were two ace Paramedics that were never put on together because they were so good, and they liked to spread their skills around. “That shift they had no choice but to put them on together and if they hadn’t been on together, you John would still be dead!” I had spent 6 days totally unconscious, then 3 months and 16 days in limbo, unaware of who, where or what I was.

There were 4 visions that I can remember whilst being out to it in that first 3 months. Three of them were general hospital routines; being showered by a nurse, being pushed around in a wheelchair, but then after each vision, nothing. Completely blank. One vision though I can remember most distinctly. I was asked by a voice behind me to take a look at myself, and what I thought was me looked down on myself. Seeing my actions, I was filled with disgust and failure. I was so puzzled, how unemotional I was at being so judgmental of myself that it stuck hard in my brain. At that stage I knew nothing of a spiritual self.

Years later I attended a Revelation seminar. I was not a “Churchy” but received a post box handout about the seminar and noticed this group were discussing something that included “Death and Dying”. I must go to this I thought. The week before doing “Death and Dying” I went to the minister and told him that he may have some interesting questions from me on the next weeks topic and told him my story. He replied to me: “Very interesting John! Go home and read Matthew 12:36,37. You may find what you’re looking for there.”

When I read it, the power of God hit me like a 20lb sledge hammer! I looked back through my life after the accident and saw where Jesus had been leading and coaching me over almost impossible deeds to reach a stage where Christianity deserved serious consideration. I studied more about this Christianity thing by attending this Church and realised that God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit that was now alive in me was a mate that could not be denied. Baptism was my expression of faith and thanks to Jesus, that immediately followed.

John

Often I wish God was visible. Life would be so much easier if I could just have a conversation with Him, as we looked each other in the eye. Imagine, how good it would be, when facing a decision, to ask for His advice. Or maybe He has a special assignment. So, when God did have a job for me (even though I couldn’t see Him), it soon became apparent that it really was a mission from Him… if I chose to accept it.

My “mission” began when asked to join a volunteer medical team to Nepal in 1994. As a Registered Nurse managing a surgical ward, it was an opportunity to use my skills to benefit those in a developing country. For two weeks we operated on patients with cleft lip & palate defects, and turned a clinic into a hospital providing 24 hour care. The program became a regular event, a highlight of every year.

A decade later, when the program leader stepped down, I felt “impressed” to put up my hand and offer to lead the team. From 2005 onwards our team was invited to work with a small mission hospital an hour from Kathmandu. So for another decade, we continued to visit Nepal annually, partnering with the Scheer Memorial Hospital serving the community.

Equipment in a mission hospital is not state of the art. Such hospitals are the recipients of hand-me-downs from affluent countries, and sadly too often the donated equipment is useless. The anaesthetic machines in the operating theatres in particular bothered me. They were ancient, but worse, they were dangerous. Fortunately Laxman, the locally trained anaesthetic technician, managed to get the best from them. Our team considered fund raising for new ones, but at $30,000 each it was impossible – especially when three were needed.

In 2012, at the Sydney Adventist Hospital, one of the nurses in the operating theatre asked to meet me saying, “Come quick I’ve got something to show you”. There, in an unused section of the operating area, parked in the corner were modern, good quality anaesthetic machines. Apparently new ones had arrived and these “old” ones were being decommissioned. The problem however was that they had already been assigned a new home elsewhere.

Around the same time I received a call from a friend Marje (a former member of the Nepal team). Marje was a volunteer with “Adopt A Clinic”, a group of people who sourced donated medical supplies and packed them into containers destined for hospitals in the South Pacific. Marje had just received 60 good quality hospital beds, and wanted to know if the Scheer Memorial could use them. An email to my Nepalese friends quickly confirmed the beds would be loved (a no-brainer really).

Back to the anaesthetic machines which had been promised to someone else, and a few words in the ear of the administrator, well maybe it was more like nagging – and soon I managed to acquire two. I muscled up some nerve and said, “How about three?” … and the reply was, “No, you’re lucky to get two”.

So now we had 60 hospital beds and two anaesthetic machines. Looks like we need a shipping container. I discovered that our senior surgeon Dr David Pennington was thinking of buying a couple of operating tables from India to give to the Scheer Memorial as the ones there were so bad. I told him we were sending over a shipping container of goods (not sure how just yet) and we may find a couple of theatre tables donated. He replied, “Sure, and where do you think we’d find those??”

My friends in Nepal were very excited to learn that beds and anaesthetic machines were coming their way, but their immediate need was ventilators. The school results has just come out and this sadly caused a spike to the teen suicide rate. Education breaks the cycle of poverty and many students’ hopes are dashed when their grades don’t meet expectations.

Around this time, Paul, a nurse whom I trained with had left a message on my answering machine. Since there was too much happening I made a mental note to call him later.

By the time I was notified to collect the anaesthetic machines the agreed number had increased from two to four!! As I was wheeling them to the store room, I bumped into a friend Russell, a leader of a cardiac volunteer team. Knowing nothing about ventilators I asked if he knew where we could get a couple, and he said “I have four if you want them. In fact I have two types, and four of each kind. Take what you want”…. Nice!!

After parking the anaesthetic machines, with “Don’t Touch” signs over them I checked out the ventilators. Two different type, both of which meant nothing to me. Something to think about.

Back to my office. Don’t forget to ring Paul. After a brief discussion I learned that Paul used to sell ventilators, and whats more he was able to offer advice on the best type – and that the company happened to have an office in Kathmandu. “Oh, by the way Paul, I’m looking for operating tables, do you know anyone who can help?” He then said, “I have two outside my office, would you like them??”

By this time, I had no doubt that God was lining up all the ducks in order!

The Maintenance department at the Sydney Adventist Hospital kindly cleaned the operating tables, serviced them, and wrapped them in bubble wrap – then transported them to the container.

Our Nepal team is part of an organization called “Open Heart International” (OHI), along with many other volunteer medical teams. And fortunately for us, OHI assisted with the expenses of the 40ft shipping container. So far so good. But this was November and I wanted the container to arrive in Nepal before our team, in March. There’s no guarantee I was told. Apparently these things can be on the ocean for months. And even if it does get there, the risk of looting along the way was huge. Similar containers have been pilfered before.

The next few weeks were spent filling the container with all manner of medical supplies, courtesy of the Adopt A Clinic team. Seriously, there was enough stuff to start a small hospital. By the time the doors were ready to close there were 40 beds & mattresses, 2 operating tables, an X-Ray machine, an ECG machine, a sterilizer, 4 ventilators, recovery trollies, wheelchairs, dressings, walking frames, crutches, pillows, linen and toys!!

Finally with a full container, and the Adopt-a-Clinic signature teddy bear being the last item packed, the doors were closed. It was like closing the door to Noah’s ark.

Then there was the paperwork. The forms required to clear customs were horrendous. But God looked after me there as well. ADRA were helpful as they had done this kind of thing before and where they couldn’t help, they found me people who could. Even as we went into the Christmas break and staff went on holidays God found me the right person to navigate through the red tape. Back and forth the forms went until I had it just right.

Packing competed … tick. Paperwork completed and accepted … tick. Now it became a waiting game for a ship to accept our cargo. Apparently the ships have to approve what they take on board, fair enough. And some refuse donated goods. The first carrier we approached said no but we got lucky with the second one. It was an exciting day when the container was collected, sent to the port, then on the ocean where I was able to track the progress on the internet. Each step of the journey I shared with my 9 year old son, as this was an opportunity for him to learn about the power of prayer and a God who loves us.

The precious cargo arrived in a port in India, then travelled by road to Kathmandu, where the Nepalese customs would only release it for a “fee”. Fortunately my contact at the Scheer Memorial knew the Prime Minister of Nepal who authorized an immediate release.

Three months after leaving Australia, the medical supplies finally arrived at the hospital. The staff were so excited, saying “We can use everything!!!”. When Laxman saw the anaesthetic machines he had a Himalayan sized grin. And the best part? Everything arrived intact …. 2 days before our team arrived.

I still would like to talk to God face to face, and that day will come … until then, I’ll be waiting for my next assignment!!

John