Carole Park community ministry example of love in action
We see a beautiful community spirit developing here in Carole Park.
– Karen Sagala, “Lifehouse” Salvation Army
More than five years ago, The Salvation Army Forest Lake church started a free bread delivery service to help those in need in the nearby suburb of Carole Park.
Karen Sagala and husband Alona, a forklift operator, were happily living in nearby Forest Lake and worshipping with the local Salvation Army. But soon after volunteering to help deliver the bread, and seeing the immense social needs in Carole Park, a suburb 19km south-west of the Brisbane CBD which has a high proportion of government housing, they knew that had to do more. They gave up their large and comfortable home, their jobs and, putting their deep faith into action, moved with their three children into the heart of Carole Park.
Today, Alona and Karen are funded by the local Salvation Army and together with a team of workers and volunteers, run a wide range of structured programs through the “Lifehouse” service. This includes the Positive Lifestyle Program, homework club, yard maintenance, welfare, “oldies outings”, worship, men’s support groups, youth support, learner driver support, homelessness and crisis services, plus an employment and training service. They also act as a streamlining service to refer residents to other service providers in the area.
But importantly, Alona and Karen simply live out their faith, starting each day prayer to ask God to show them where help is needed. Then, they get on with the job of helping their neighbours, taking residents shopping, helping with budgeting, driving people to and from hospital, mowing lawns, providing meals, helping children with homework, playing with them in the park – whatever the need, they try to meet it.
Their aim is not to give handouts but to help build a generous, healthy community where so many residents had previously been isolated by fear of crime, language barriers, poverty, mental health issues and cultural differences.
Graham and Connie are one of many families touched by the Sagalas’ care.
After a failed investment, the couple were forced to sell all their possessions.
“Everything went, except our bed,” Graham says. “My wife’s got a bad heart right, she’s got emphysema, it’s hereditary in the family … I nearly had to put my wife in hospital because of all of this. I had a nervous breakdown half way through it.
“Karen and Alona have been great – they have been really good friends to us.”
Now, after being supported by the Sagalas emotionally and with some practical assistance with bills, Graham and Connie attend church and are giving back to others in their community in many ways, including helping Alona do odd jobs and mow lawns for other residents who are unable to do so themselves.
Karen and Alona say they are now seeing random acts of kindness starting to slowly “infect” the area.
“We have lawnmowers here for people who hadn’t mowed their yards [which Alona uses to help others],” Karen says. “What we are seeing now is people who borrow the lawnmowers to mow their own yard … are mowing their neighbour's yards as well. It’s great.
“We see a beautiful community spirit developing here.”
When a local three-year-old child was killed recently, the community rallied and raised almost $1,500 to help support the family.
"These small elements we see over time are almost cultural changes in a community that has traditionally had a welfare mentality,” Karen says.
And the new sense of belonging to a caring community, for those who were previously socially and emotionally isolated, is “priceless”, according to Karen.
“One local man had an accident,” says Karen. “We went to the hospital to see how he was doing … and the surgeons came in and asked him what his occupation was and he said, ‘Oh well, I work with these guys at the Salvation Army.’
“He didn’t have a job, but he found value because he had spent time with Alona clearing rubbish from someone’s yard or mowing someone’s lawn.
“He has no-one else. His wife died some time ago, which is where his alcohol problem came from, and he had isolated himself from people. He’s now a follower of Jesus and building support networks now [through others like Graham and Connie].”
Karen says that serving the community is a huge job, but a great joy.
“We have been so beautifully embraced. We’ve been really honoured to share in some really tough circumstances with families and journey with them through some really difficult times and yeah, we just feel so loved.”
And God has knitted their hearts to the community.
Asked if they have a love, Karen replies: “Oh, absolutely, desperately. We’re so much in love with this community.
“I got quite sick last year, [but] even as I was sick I just had this beautiful time when I lay in bed and would just spend time praying for this community, just loving them … it’s beautiful. Our hearts are absolutely sold out.”
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