THE PROMISE OF NEW LIFE

Well, we weathered the raging storm which wreaked havoc on our village just as we were on the threshold of our National Conference. A lot of maintenance had to be done to make the place more presentable, and in much the same way our conference agenda has brought us through a period where we are feeling pretty wrung out but hopeful that was has sustained us as a movement over five decades is still at the core of who we are, what we believe and what we want to do in terms of offering our services to those in need.

Sounds a bit vague I know, but the images of bare branches on the murals around the walls of the hall at the beginning of the conference prompted many different responses which in some way reflected where we were at as a group of people. Some saw them as stripped bare, broken, disconnected, whereas others saw them as strong, firmly rooted, waiting for the right season to grow again.

It’s amazing the differences visual images can engender, but with more than 200 people in the room I guess it’s not surprising. As the week progressed, bright pink blossoms started to appear on the bare branches in much the same way as we could see the promise of the new life which was to come within us. With Hope as our focus, an evening program brought out all manner of creative expressions where we were able to celebrate together as a family in the midst of struggling through several issues vital to our future.

It’s easy to become distracted from what is our main purpose when our own agenda becomes the focus. When the wind was screaming outside like a jet engine just over a week ago and we were in darkness we knew we were in for a battering, and there was certainly an element of anxiety for those who’d never been through one of our storms. But we came through it, a bit worse for wear, but pretty much intact.

We can be anxious, or we can be hopeful. I prefer to be hopeful and for me, on that stormy night, my little candle was my symbol of hope. It’s only faint, it doesn’t illuminate everything, but as in life even the smallest ray of light in a dark place can be a comfort and show you the way forward.