Expecting and attempting great things from and for God.
A colleague once said “Some children don’t choose their parents well”
- Are children simply exposed to the lottery of life?
- What choice do they (or any of us) actually have?
- To what extent can individuals be the authors of own future rather than the entrapped victims of their past or present circumstances?
- What would it take for vulnerable children to achieve this transformation out of the depths of poverty and despair and navigate their way toward greater opportunity for fullness of life?
It’s easy for individuals to sometimes despair in response to what appears to be a world gone mad! It can also be tempting to just look away… as we contemplate the tyranny of entrenched disadvantage and to give in to the perception that we cannot overcome it.
However, inspired by the servant heart of Jesus Christ, Baptist Care SA seeks to work with and on behalf of the Baptist Churches of SA to plan and take bold steps toward a different future for vulnerable and disadvantaged people in South Australia.
As followers of Jesus, we believe that change is possible… Our Lord’s compassionate heart is for all his created people to experience fullness of life.
The challenge to end poverty sits in the hands of caring, socially responsible people and calls for collective, well-coordinated efforts by members of a purposeful ‘community of contributors’. Clearly, governments also have a significant role to play in implementing social policies that address inequality, and Baptist Care SA is continuing to express its influential voice to affect policy development in the social service arena.
When the dedicated staff of Baptist Care SA engage with vulnerable children, disengaged young people, struggling families, people living with disabilities and those sleeping rough around our city, they hold onto the belief that change is possible…even when it’s slow and the path forward is arduous.
Often the shift toward a more just and inclusive community requires changing the hearts and minds of many but sometimes it is about raising awareness, changing perceptions and advocating for bold, transformational decisions to be made by the right few!
I am pleased to advise that in 2021, Baptist Care SA is embarking boldly upon a visioning and planning process that will lead to us re-casting a new and compelling vision for the development of future services and facilities of the WestCare Centre. I look forward to sharing this with you as the planning process gains momentum.
As we dare to plan, I am mindful of William Carey’s words: “Expect great things from God as we attempt great things for God”. I anticipate that the redevelopment of the WestCare Centre will cost millions. The project is therefore likely to be delivered in stages over the next decade, as resources become available.
In anticipation that great things are about to happen, I invite our many generous supporters and donors to consider how we might step forward together in mission to our city’s most vulnerable people. If you feel prompted to be part of this exciting endeavour, please contact our recently appointed Fundraising Manager, Hugh Ballantyne on 0418 483 087 or hballantyne@baptistcare.sa.au. Hugh will be pleased to speak with you about how your faithful generosity might be expressed by becoming a regular donor, making a living gift and/or by planning to make a gift in your will.
Yours in Christ
Graham Brown
