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Archive - Youth
November 2001
The State School Mission Field
Anita Westendorp
Our State Schools are one of Australia’s biggest mission fields. Many of
the students have never set foot inside a church. Those who do have some
concept of Christianity or of God have some very interesting ideas and
theories. So who is there to witness to these kids if they never go
anywhere near churches or church programs? Chaplains!
There are approximately 400 chaplains in Australian State schools at the
moment. Of those just under 100 are employed through Scripture Union in
Queensland. There are just over 100 in both South Australia and Western
Australia; approximately 70 in Victoria and the last 30 are found in the
A.C.T. and New South Wales.
So, what’s a chaplain you may ask? Well, from my experience a chaplain
flies through the air, swings through the trees, crawls through the mud,
wrestles in jelly, climbs rock faces, takes a bullet and leaps tall
buildings in a single bound. Okay... everything but the tall buildings!
My role has seen me attending school camps and excursions, teaching
Religious Education, scrubbing up for the Senior Formal, pastoral care
of students, adventure based learning programs (see photo) and speaking
to large groups of people.
So amongst all these activities how do we witness to the student, their
parents and other staff members? An important starting place is simply
role modelling Christian virtues. The next big thing is showing these
kids that despite their choices and belief systems we will love and
support them no matter what, even if they continue to make choices we
disagree with. I hear stories every day that break my heart and I ache
for all the hurt and lostness that these young people are experiencing.
You wonder how some of these kids manage to get up every day. Just being
a listening ear and accepting them, no matter what, is enough to make
these kids wonder what you are on about and what it is that you have.
Some kids have such rigid views of Christians that they find it hard to
comprehend that as a Christian I could actually dye my hair pink and
purple.
I only started as a chaplain at the beginning of this year but it has
been an experience through which I have grown so much in my faith. I may
not have seen any earth-shattering conversions but I have seen students
who have gone from a point of “there is no God” to “maybe there is, but
so what?” That might not seem much but to me it offers a distinct
glimmer of hope that maybe I can be instrumental in them taking the next
step... and the next... and the next. But no matter whether they move
forward or not, my task is to stay beside them anyway.
I have found it important to be sensitive to God’s promptings. On one
occasion I took three students with me to listen to an evangelist. Two
of them were church goers, the other was just going because I was going
– and there might be some cute guys there – hardly the best motives, but
God can use anything. The whole time I sensed that one of the girls was
not coping. After asking her numerous times if she was okay and getting
the same non-committal response I decided to drop her off last. I waited
until she was finally ready to disclose what was worrying her. This girl
appeared to be a strong Christian who had everything together. Yet she
was so confused, so full of doubt, so easily swayed by the opinions of
others, so full of self-hatred. It is not just the non-Christians who
need help.
God has really blessed our chaplaincy. We started a lunchtime group last
term. The first week we had 35 students, the next 50 and the third week
70 students.
Mission work is not just overseas. We have a huge mission field right
here. But there are so many schools that do not have a chaplain and of
those that do only small percentage have them full time. We who serve as
chaplains have a huge job and appreciate the prayer support of the
churches – after all how many renditions of “Are we there yet?” can a
person take before they snap?!?
If there is a chaplain in your area please offer your prayer support or
even some of your time. Chaplaincy is bigger than just one person... it
requires the support of other Christians as well.
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