By Jack Chui
I write this very late in the evening on the day Moving Day 4 which was a long day for me... Personally, it started with a 5:30am wake up for a morning 10km run with the Melbourne Marathon event, followed morning mass and then the lunch and afternoon sessions of Moving Day. I still have energy to write this probably more from the caffeinated energy drink which was given to me after the run than by the grace of God (which I seem to have been blessed with anyway).
On paper, it was another successful Moving Day. We filled a truck donated by Man With A Van (comes with 4 men who also volunteer their time for half a day each) with donations of large furniture of mostly mattresses and sofas from 8 pick up locations around Melbourne and delivered the items along with the help of 9 volunteers driving 3 cars full of smaller items like clothes and kitchen items donated by parishioners to 7 newly settled refugee residences this time all occupied by single and married men in one day. But I will remember Moving Day 4 by the following 3 reasons.
The most organised Moving Day yet...
After each Moving Day we learn how to do things better and if you read some of the past posts on Moving Days, they were chaotic though at the same time rewarding. We developed more contacts, in particular on the refugees needs side by working through the Red Cross case managers and also one from AMES. We had an idea of which houses needed which items before we went to scout them out and then confirm what they needed. In past, it was struggle to find new refugee residences. I was worried during the lead up week that we wouldn't receive enough donations (and also enough volunteers) to actually meet more than half the needs of the new arrivals.
Having the schedules of all pick ups and deliveries sent to everyone saved me from having to make up the routing of all cars on the fly and having to shout to everyone and confirm the next destination for fear of having cars getting lost. The stress and amount of preparation work is still the same, but thankfully its more efficient and smarter and leads to less stress on the day but also less exciting moments... My thanks to all the donators, volunteers, drivers and now case workers for being so co-operative and making it a smoother operation.
The disappointing 1%...
Although the preparation was better and a bit late, I could not help but feel anxious and sidetracked by Moving Day preparations for the whole weekend leading up to it. It was not a feeling I had so strongly before in previous Moving Days and I'm not a very emotional person so it bugged me that I was feeling such a way (even though all the preparations were good) from enjoying the weekend. I think its still the random element of God's blessing which always worked out in previous Moving Days that matches our donations with our recipients. We pick up almost all items we are given without so much regard to the items which the asylum seekers actually take and so my biggest worry at times is actually picking up more stuff which no one really wants. The self interest in this worry is that I have to figure out where it goes which is most problematic for the large items in the truck.
I was confident that just about everything would be shifted out of the truck but after finishing the last house on our list we were left with a sofa bed, 2 desks/tables, a mattress base and 4 dining table chairs. It was going so well throughout the afternoon in terms of deliveries that there were stages where I thought we should hold some items back for the coming houses else we'll rock up with very little to give. But there I was disappointed with the few pieces of nice furniture that we had no one else to give to. Part of the disappointment could be because I know a lot of effort was made to 1) decide to donate and 2) pick it up and give it to a family that needs it and to not donate such large and useful items felt like a failure.
But somehow, I was reminded by my good volunteers, that we still managed to give away 99% of the of all the items that were given and that in itself which should have God's work stamped on it. Was I having such high expectations of God to deliver the best match as it seemed to be the case in previous Moving Days... perhaps - but I shouldn't concentrate on the 1% that wasn't and not forget the 99% which we found items a home to help make living in a new country just a bit more bearable.
The most humblest of gifts...
Humble doesn't quite describe what I'm about to share but it might be the most appropriate. I was honoured to be invited to Dane and Christabel's wedding on the Saturday before Moving Day. Dane had volunteered his Sunday afternoon once before to help us with Moving Day 2. During the offertory procession of his wedding, were brought up the usual bread and wine for Catholic mass, 2 candles representing a light from each family for the candle ceremony and small box which had to be carried by 2 people to the altar. Dane wanted me to take the box after the wedding and give it to the refugees on the next day. I opened the box after mass and inside the was some basic food - a box of cereal, some lentils, some canned food and a small bag of rice.
We had some requests for food during our scouts of the refugees homes and it was exactly what they had requested. Never had I seen such a gift brought up for offertory during a wedding. I would have expected things special to the couple brought up to the altar and offered to God but a box of just basic food!? I have not paid so much attention to the offertory part of mass until then - what do I offer up to God? Anything?
Dane and Christabel chose from all possible items to bring to the altar some basic food to give to the refugees and that was the most touching and humbling gift I've seen for a long time. They would not be able to volunteer to help on the day after their wedding, but they still used their special day to show to me that they kept their disadvantaged brothers and sisters in their hearts and minds. I share this because very few would know what was in that box on the day it was brought to the altar and the very special meaning it had to me although I was not such a close friend to both of them. I don't think Dane or Christabel told many what that box was for. I feel so unworthy to be responsible for such a humble gift. I hope my sharing here does some justice to give this wondrous act the glory God deserves from it.
~the wedding was beautiful btw =)
