Why is Tuesday a special day? For many senior people in our church Tuesday is special, because it is the regular meeting time for the Maranatha Seniors Club.
When I first came to the club, which was set up many years ago, I didn’t think I would get involved, but thanks to the encouragement of others I volunteered and I haven’t regretted it. Personally, it is a great joy for me to serve the elderly and I am not alone in this service. Sisters Aniela Wójcik, Danusia Lilikakis, Danusia Kwaśniewska and Ania Kasprzak also volunteer with me.
Together we serve in the kitchen and in other activities. Its funny but we think of ourselves as older people even though we volunteer. We know that younger people are busy with work, school and family responsibilities, but it would be great if we all had the opportunity to try this kind of service with our elderly brothers and sisters.
About a year ago, I heard an SBS radio interview with two young girls. They spoke of their work among elderly people. Their work is primarily based on visiting and spending time with the elderly in their homes, reading together or drinking a cup of tea.
The Maranatha Club, is a group of our own beloved grandmas, grandpas, aunties & uncles and thanks to the club we have the opportunity to spend extra time with them. Wouldn’t it be great if we could spend some time on a Tuesday together at the Maranatha Club. Especially as there are activities that younger people are much better at – I’m thinking of the computer classes that we are currently running. Some help from younger minds would be very helpful. As we all know, it takes a little longer to learn new things as we get older.
But now for a few words about what is happening at the club. The club has been working for the past two years with a government organisation called Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre (SMRC).
Its worth knowing that the purpose of the club has not lost its spiritual focus, as it is foremost a Christian Seniors Club. Each Tuesday Pastor Roman Chalupka leads a short worship service with the elderly, which consists of singing, praying & listening to the Word of God. We also watch photo presentations or movies about biblical lands and stories.
In addition to this we also have two workers from the SMRC that visit us, Małgosia Smalec and Elena Phelan. They run a range of activities from light gymnastics to memory games, giving practical help to the members in keeping them mobile and active. From time to time, the SMRC also send other workers to educate us all on issues concerning retired people.
Other examples of activities organised for Club members, we have computer classes, which were mentioned earlier as well as English classes where the elderly develop their English speaking and writing skills.
Each month excursions are organised and combined with lunch at a restaurant. Throughout the excursions members have been blessed with some great experiences. These include visiting the Lotus Garden to see beautiful flowers, seeing beautiful parrots and cockatoos at Sherbrook Forrest, visiting the seaside at Frankston and Phillip Island, as well as many other places. Each time we see something new and spend time outdoors in the open air gives the elderly club members the opportunity to enjoy all of these experiences together.
Who says that old age needs to be boring.
Comments
Tak,wtorek jest szczegolnym dniem dla wielu z Was, dla mnie byl on rowniez wazny, ale przed wielu laty,kiedy powstawal klub seniora. Bylam wtedy jedna z was,pelnilam obowiazki sekretarza, Teraz wspominam czesto moje siostry,ktore nie raz byly ze mna w kuchni,wspominam tez braci Kwasniewskiego,,Ostrowskiego,Wawrzyniaka,zreszta wspominam wszystkich.Dzis sledze Wasza dzialalnosc,pozdrawiam Was i zycze wielu blogoslawienstw Bozych - Henryka