Dawn shows how to love thy neighbour
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When Athol and Kirsten Harmer first felt called to incarnational living in the highly-disadvantaged suburb of Bidwill near Mount Druitt, the Chifley Mission began.
Before long they had established a large youth group, at times attracting 200 kids on a Friday night, plus a leadership mentoring program, and some wonderful support in Dawn, a local volunteer.
When Salvation Army Lieutenants Phil and Rachael Farthing took over the Chifley Mission and moved into the community house in 2009, they inherited a loyal friend, volunteer and “the best neighbour in the world”, according to Rachael.
“Dawn does so much for our community. She is involved weekly in the local kids club where she organises craft, plus a Hillsong group. She puts all her time into preparing,” says Rachael.
Dawn also organises craft groups for two preschools, and a local school.
“For a number of years, Dawn has made gifts for the local school to sell on Mother’s and Father's Day, so that kids from poor families can honour their parents with an affordable gift. She funds all this out of her own pocket.”
Rachael laughs and says she knows she sounds “like she’s gushing”, but says: “Dawn is the best neighbour anyone could have! She puts out our bins, and keeps an eye on the place when we're not home. She mows others’ lawns, she looks out for others’ needs, and has gone the extra mile to care for neighbours during times of grief and loss.”
However, Dawn says that in many ways, Athol’s insistence, all those years ago, and her subsequent community involvement that may have actually saved her life.
Dawn laughs when she thinks back to Athol’s first visit and subsequent “nagging”.
Dawn had suffered deep loss in her life. She had nursed her brother for years before she lost him to cancer. She lost her mum and dad, then collapsed and almost died herself from diabetes complications.
In a very dark place emotionally and physically after a cancer diagnosis and aggressive treatment, Dawn was learning to make bead jewellery when Athol first knocked on the door. Noting her beading, he asked if she would be interested in coming and doing craft at a kids club.
Dawn says she had no experience and no confidence and steadfastly refused. “Every time Athol asked, I came up with an excuse and he came up with an answer, until one day, I finally said I’d just come for a look,” she says.
Determined not to get involved, Dawn says she saw two young girls drawing on a makeshift blackboard away from the main group and says she thought, “We can do better than this”. She began to research and prepare craft activities. As she had recently quit her heavy smoking, she also decided to fund the activities herself.
She says she is, at times, saddened and shocked by the needs of some of the kids at school and in various groups who turn up in mid-winter, hungry and with no warm clothes, or by those who have never coloured in, or been read a book by an adult.
Dawn smiles and says she loves the volunteer work. She remembers a day when she was doing craft in kids’ club and Athol said to her, “Dawn, you don’t know how much you are doing for these kids.
Dawn says, “I turned around to Athol and said, ‘yes, but Athol, you don’t know just how much these kids are doing for me!’”
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