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Corps support helps Lorie realise her dream

24 August 2012
Corps support helps Lorie realise her dream

Lorie Burkitt with Salvation Army International Development Office Diretor Major John Rees. (Photo supplied by Albury Corps)


For most her of her life, 79-year-old Lorie Burkitt has dreamed of being able to provide water to impoverished communities in Africa. That dream recently became reality after she dared to share it with others.

A member of The Salvation Army’s Albury Corps, in southern NSW, for more than 20 years, Lorie is one of those women whose quiet, reliable acts of service form the backbone of the corps and its ministry.

“Lorie is awesome,” says Albury Corps Officer Lieutenant Bindy Lupis. “She has an extremely servant heart and is always working hard behind the scenes and in the kitchen… she has a beautiful spirit that everybody loves.”

What many people didn’t know about Lorie is that she has always harboured a passion to ease the hardships that many African communities face.

“It broke my heart to see children carrying water and I always believed that children have the right to clean water,” she says.“And I had this dream that one day I would have enough money to put a well or water tank in one of their villages. But I couldn’t actually see that eventuating because I’m an aged pensioner now.”

So when Lorie shared her long-held dream of building a well in Africa with Albury Corps Officer Lieutenant Marco Lupis, he was confident that the entire corps would get behind the project.

“He was wonderful,” remembers Lorie of the conversation. “He said, ‘maybe as a corps we can do this’.”

The corps then contacted the Salvation Army International Development (SAID) office at Australia Eastern Territorial Headquarters and found out that they could purchase a water tank for an African community for $600. Enthusiastic members set up a wishing well display in the foyer of the corps building and before long Lorie’s dream of providing water to some of the world’s poorest people had captured the imagination of everyone who heard about it.

“Before we knew it we had the money for the water tank,” says Lorie. “The whole corps made my dream come true.I just couldn’t believe it, it was like a little miracle to me!”

Lieutenant Bindy Lupis says the corps had set a goal of raising the money in a year, but reached the target after just five months.

“We are now planning to buy another one before the end of the year,” she says. “All because one lady dared to dream big.”

Do you have a dream? Why not share it and see what effect it can have on others.


For further information about the Salvation Army International Development office (SAID), go to: salvos.org.au/said/

Comments

  1. Leola Andersen
    Leola Andersen

    Congratulations Lorie, you always have had a big heart. Your son is following in your footsteps. God bless you, I will be in on the next one.

  2. Congratulations Nanna!!!!
    So happy for you! Xxxx

  3. It's great to see someone - so worthy of recognition - and yet so humble -receive this recognition. Well done Lorie.

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