Mavis an advocate for the ageing
Captain Mavis Salt. (Photo supplied by Captain Mavis Salt)
I honestly feel that God’s called me into officership at this point in my life for a very specific purpose, and that is beginning to unfold ...
– Captain Mavis Salt, newly appointed Ageing Australia Research and Resource Officer.
When God called Mavis Salt to The Salvation Army’s Officer Training College at the age of 48, she was perplexed. “There came an overwhelming conviction of calling into officership that had never happened to me before,” Mavis says. “I hesitated to obey, allowing human factors to hinder me and I asked God for another sign.”
God reminded Mavis of the verse in John: “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them. His sheep follow because they know his voice,” (John 10:4).
At the time, she says, “I feel a little like Abraham – setting out on a new path at the middle stage of life and though I have human nerves and doubts … There must be a ministry that God has for me within officership that is different to my soldiership ministry.”
Now, 10 years on, God’s calling is starting to make sense.
In August this year, Captain Mavis Salt was appointed as The Salvation Army’s Ageing Australia Research and Resource Officer – a pioneering role within the organisation.
During her previous appointment as chaplain at Pacific Lodge Aged Care Plus Centre, Mavis had honed her skills and undertaken extra study in the fields of chaplaincy and aged care. She had become increasingly aware of Australia’s ageing population and the fact that The Salvation Army, whilst already working with older Australians, didn’t have an over-arching plan in place to respond.
“The sheer numbers of older people that are going to be outnumbering younger people in the near future is staggering,” she says. “And what quality of life are they going to be enjoying and how are they going to be feeling valued in those extra years?”
Mavis’ new role will see her put together a response strategy for The Salvation Army and design resources for mission to an ageing society for use by corps and centres. She is already teaching a specific aged-care stream to people undertaking the Chaplaincy Certificate IV course at Booth College and hopes that ministry to an ageing Australia will also be recognised as an important learning module by the School for Officer Training in the future.
Whilst there are many older Australians already engaged in Salvation Army mission – in particular the Territorial Mobile Mission team that provides musical support to small corps across the territory - Mavis believes older Australians are a largely untapped mission field and resource.
Mavis will report to both Aged Care Plus and the Territorial Program Department and she will continue to study her Masters in Ageing and Pastoral Care. Next year, she will attend a conference an ageing and spirituality in the United Kingdom and undertake a study tour in Canada, after being awarded funding through the Aged Care Plus Fellows Program.
She says taking on the new role is another step of faith in God’s journey. But, like her calling, she knows that he will be with her every step of the way.
“God is faithful, unchanging and he will equip me in every way to do his will and work.”
Comments
Mavis was a huge influence on me as a teenager and I am so grateful for the godly character she did and continues to show. I am excited for the confirmation that Mavis has received through her calling to officership and pray that her role will allow her to be a voice for ageing Australians.
Mavis, its a pity the Army has taken so long to acknowledge the contribution older people give to the Army, the "BUSY" younger brigade seem to be content to move in there own circle, ask yourself "when was the last time the local corp. stood on the street corner, played some music that the average person alines our organisation with (BRASS) , this unfortunatly is in the rarity these days , Stations and Hotels are in the main left to the Seniors , they excuse of too hard and time consuming are offered , alas deep down these situations are avoided and branded "DIRTY"to be avoided at all costs, speaking as one who came to the Army late in life , the day I dont enjoy the friendship and banterof the aforementioned ministry , that will be the day I wont do it anymore, maybe in this so called modern age the organisation could well look at returning to the common path of our fore bearers , to go out into the local highways and streets with friendship and greetings , the public always connects the Army with meeting and greeting ,Brass Music and a helping ear to listen, in this way the Army fore fills its charter to be of the people and not just a mob who help people in crisis