19 April 2020 Missionary Work in Lock Down

As the shelter-in-place orders continue here in New South Wales, Don and I are still grateful to be able continuing the work we came here to do.  It has taken several weeks to get the office computers working correctly but that was all solved this week.  So now he has everything working and is comfortable doing the same type of work he did when we were in Germany.  I am helping our Self-Reliance missionaries as we instruct and support our ESL missionaries.  Many have come from countries where English is not their first language.  We have some from China, Samoa, Tonga, Argentina, Peru, Myanmar, Kiribati, Mongolia, and more that have not returned home yet.  I did my first Zoom lesson this week which was a bit unusual but I'll gamely try it again this week.  Also, I am being trained to proctor some secondary English assessments as our service missionary will probably need to leave in a few days.  I also saw how the Oral Proficiency Interview is given and am secretly hoping I do not need to give any of these!  

One of my other assignments is reviewing Humanitarian projects to see if they meet Australia's strict benevolent charities guidelines.  I actually really enjoy checking the projects and seeing the vast needs that the church is helping to meet.  The projects are for countries all over the world and indicate our need to see that everyone has basic needs such as clean water, sanitation, food, and shelter   It is astounding to see how the needs continue to grow.  

This week all of our South Korean and Filipino missionaries were able to get back to their homes. The work the senior couples in the mission office and President and Sister Runia are doing to handle this upheaval is truly incredible.  Today, they were in the offices at 6:30 to facilitate the returns.

Additionally, one of our young elders also had an appendicitis emergency and was taken to the hospital.  He is recovering well now in spite of everything that is going on.    

Don and I opted for an extra long walk this weekend and decided to hike down the road to a Koala Park Reserve.  We knew it was closed but thought it was a good destination.  Nothing to see since it is closed right now but a good walk nevertheless.  The other picture above is the bush behind our home.  We can go through this gate to get to the main thoroughfare that we walked yesterday.  I probably won't use it much since I have no idea what is living in all that undergrowth and nor do I want to find out.  

We live close to Parramatta, which is the second oldest city in Australia having been established just ten months after Sydney was settled in 1788.  The city is about 15 miles from the central business district in Sydney. So we took a little drive to see some of Parramatta's historic sites.  It was here that early settlers established a successful farm since the land around Sydney seemed to poor to support the first British colonists. Also, the Government House is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the country and was used by ten governors until around 1844.  It was rebuilt and added onto many times during the years.  This area is now a Park and has several interesting monuments and sites that reveal early colonial times.  It was, of course, once aboriginal land and there is archaeological evidence of the earliest people living, hunting, and fishing here before the European arrival.  The name actually means "head of waters, "the place where the eels lie down, or "eel waters."

 The first monument we came to was part of the early observatory built by convict labor under the direction of Sir Thomas Brisbane an early governor.  He had great interest in mapping the southern skies.  However, it was only used for about twenty-six years and fell into disrepair.  Most of the instruments were taken to the Sydney Observatory and now just the transit piers remain under cover.  The obelisk was placed as a memorial in 1880.

The Bath House was also built for Governor Brisbane in 1822.  It too deteriorated over the years and was made into a band shell pavilion for public recreation.

 This is a monument honoring those Australians who served in the Boer War in South Africa.  This was the first overseas military engagement of fully organized Australian troops as opposed to being colonists of Britain.  Though there was a great deal of opposition to participating in the Boer War, the monument honors those who served.

This remembrance is for our good friend and our own "flying dentist" Erin Leavitt.  This must have been quite a unique experience since there are three plaques honoring the occasion of Australia's first flyer, Billy Hart and his landing in Parramatta Park.

 Views of the  Parramatta River as we walked around the park and bridge.

And the rules which are in place in the open spaces!

 The Government House as it looks today.

By the Government House is a listing of the convict sites where those sent from Great Britain arrived or were settled.  Those are some sites we hope to visit in the future also as we learn more about the early settlement of Australia and specifically New South Wales.  For some of the so-called convicts, their only crime was being poor and unable to pay their debts.  

 We stopped at  St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery on our way home from Parramatta Park.  This is the oldest Catholic cemetery in NSW and has the oldest Mortuary Chapel in Australia.   The oldest headstones are from 1824.  Several priests are buried under the chapel floor. The cemetery signage indicates the cemetery recognizes the early independence of the Catholic church in a Protestant, mostly Anglican, dominated colonial society. 

The King's School is a preparatory and boarding boys school located not far from us.  Established in 1831, it claims to be Australia's oldest independent school.  There are numerous school "houses" and a military-like uniform is still the required dress for all boys.  Not far, is a girls boarding school, also established by Anglicans. 

Our neighbors' house.  Since we live in the mother-in-law house, it's nice to see where the original homeowners had their residence.  There are some beautiful stained glass windows and they have been working on a great remodeling over the garage.  We hope to someday get a look inside!