Take Care of my Sheep
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep”. John 21:17
When you read this passage, do you wonder who is getting more impatient with whom? John or Jesus?
- Was Peter getting frustrated with Jesus because he was repeatedly asking the same question… one that he thought he had already perfectly adequately answered?
- Was Jesus being unduly assertive? Was he repeating this question to be sure that Peter had really grasped the importance of the significant missional task that he was commissioned to undertake for his Lord?
How many times does our Lord have to prompt and remind you and I to: “Take care of my (His) sheep?
I am pleased to report that the dedicated staff of Baptist Care SA are being prompted into action every day… to take care of our Lord’s much loved people who are afraid, vulnerable and at conspicuous risk during this Coronavirus Pandemic. Taking care of vulnerable people is the mission which our skilled staff undertake each day for the glory of our loving Father in Heaven!
Whilst COVID-19 may have dominated our lives and our media over the last 8 weeks, Baptist Care has been playing a vital role in taking care of many of our community’s most vulnerable members (Our Lord’s ‘sheep’) with and on behalf of the Baptist Churches of SA.
Key highlights include:
- Safe
Accommodation for Anangu: 50-60 Aboriginal women and children from the
APY lands, who were stranded in Adelaide when the virus began to threaten our
lives, have been accommodated at Mylor Adventure Camp. Staff quickly re-focused
their efforts to ensure that this vulnerable group was safe (and well supplied
with Kangaroo Tails that they could cook on the open campfire). Collaborating partners were promptly mobilised
to provide urgently needed health checks and educational supports were facilitated
for the children in Anangu language. Click here to
read the story from ABC News.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-15/apy-lands-group-finds-shelter-and-culture-in-adelaide-hills/12250286 - Daily Food and Hygiene: We have continued to collect and distribute food and hygiene aids to hundreds of marginalised and disempowered people who are struggling to make ends meet across Adelaide.
- Rapid Accommodation for over 300 people. A Rapid Emergency Accommodation initiative with the SA Housing Authority has placed people who were sleeping rough around the city, including over 80 Aboriginal people, in hotels and motel rooms. The skilled and compassionate staff of Baptist Care SA have been primary responders to the precarious fragility of our first nation’s Aboriginal people who were appallingly exposed to the risk of infection.
“God bless you. When I heard on ABC local radio, and then saw on the ABC website images of the Aboriginal people, snuggly holed up in the Mylor campsite, teaching their children culture, my heart sang. What lovely Christian hospitality, and what a leap of imagination to offer this fantastic facility to our First Nations brothers and sisters, when they can’t go home right now. I think I wrote to you a couple of years ago, to say that at my granddaughter’s graduation night from her primary school, 80% of the Year 7s who spoke of the high point of their year, mentioned Mylor Adventure Camp. God bless you in your ministry, especially to the poorest and most at-risk in our community”
Online Feedback from a Community Member
Whilst the very real threats posed by the insidious Coronavirus, and the enduring humanitarian challenges that cascade from its presence amongst us are far from over, the gracious words of our Lord continue to call His disciples to action: “Take care of my sheep…”
If you have capacity to assist Baptist Care SA to express the Lord’s Care for his people, we would welcome your generous support with:
- donations of food, household cleaning and personal hygiene products
- Tax Deductible Donations via our web site at www.baptistcaresa.org.au
- Prayer for our dedicated staff and volunteers and the vulnerable people that they seek to serve.
Blessings to all who care for our Lord’s sheep… even when they are in isolation!
Graham Brown
CEO Baptist Care SA
