‘Retirement’? It’s just not in her vocab!
Retired officer Colonel Prema Thyagarajan is a vital member of the Auburn Corps ministry team in Sydney’s west. (Photo: Major Bruce Harmer)
Colonel Prema Thyagarajan speaks several languages but she tries hard not to use the word retirement in any of them. Seconded out of retirement from India, Colonel Prema packed her suitcase for Australia to faithfully see what doors would open for her in the multicultural community of Auburn in Sydney’s west.
Born in the south of India, Prema was educated as a young girl before training as a nurse in Bombay. While in Bombay, she entered the Salvation Army Training College for Officers and then completed her training in the India Western Territory. Then, as a commissioned officer, she spent a year in further training at the International Training College in London.
Prema worked tirelessly as an officer for more than 35 years in three of the six Indian territories as well as international headquarters, but was still not ready to stop. At 60 years of age she said, “Lord, I don’t really want to retire,” and offered her services to anyone who needed her.
Before long, Prema became an education officer, an assistant training principal at The Salvation Army Training College in Singapore, and then a corps officer. And that was almost six years ago!
While in Singapore, Colonel Prema was approached to visit the Parramasala South Asia Arts and Culture Festival in Parramatta, Australia. She began work with Salvationists from the Auburn Corps, helping them understand Indian culture and identifying ways to minister in the growing Indian communites of Parramatta and Auburn.
As a result of her visit, the territorial commander at the time [now General Linda Bond] suggested Colonel Prema might like to consider an appointment for the developing multicultural work at Auburn Corps. “I grabbed it by both hands,” says Prema. Captains Nesan and Cheryl Kistan, corps officers at Auburn, were also very excited to see Prema join their team.
Since March 2012, Colonel Prema has been a vital part of the ministry team at Auburn Corps and contributes to the multicultural ministry of the Australian Eastern Territory. Her multi-lingual skills are a great asset when it comes to working with the many refugees and new arrivals that settle in the area. “Language is such a huge barrier,” says Prema.
Colonel Prema is a member of the new arrivals program in the local community. One of her roles is to refer refugees and new arrivals coming for welfare assistance to the program so they can enroll in English and finance literacy classes. She can also refer permanent residents to employment agencies.
While there have been some difficulties connecting with certain cultural groups, this has not stifled Prema’s enthusiastic spirit. “The multicultural ministry crosses all sorts of borders,” says Prema.
Prema loves the freedom she has been given to minister in this territory. “I feel loved and accepted here,” she says. When talking about her role in the corps she says: “I feel like one of them and I’m happy to be helping.”
The overwhelming desire of this faithful servant is, through her ministry, to lead even just a few that they might see the love of Jesus. Selflessly, she says: “I am thankful to God and The Salvation Army for the opportunity to be useful.”
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