The night before I began work at the Olive Way, I had a dream I had never had before. I had won the lottery. Over 100 million dollars. It was a great dream – I remember deciding who I could give the money too, a million dollars at a time.
I don’t think the dream was about an actual lottery ticket, although I did buy one just in case
The dream was my joy at starting work in a place that Jesus would make a bee line for if he was walking down Sydney road. Caring for, offering hospitality and listening to the most marginalised and forgotten people in our community was at the heart of the life and ministry of Jesus.
I feel incredibly privileged to belong to a church who continues to live out this story.
The conversations I have had with our guests in the last couple of weeks have made me laugh, think, rage and cry (especially the grace said this week by a man who later said he was an Atheist). The volunteers are some of the loveliest people I have met. They are generous – faithfully giving time, a listening ear, and some very good chopping and sandwich making skills.
I am thankful for my old school church upbringing where my sisters and I grew up hosting countless dinners after church and catering for other events. Thanks Mum (she said she wouldn’t mind doing this job herself) The kitchen is one of my happy places, and feeding people in a safe place has been a long held dream of mine.
Back to winning the lottery – I bought the most expensive ticket I have ever bought – $38! And got just one number……..
I’ll finish with a Howard Thurmann quote – thanks to Sharmila
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it, because what the world needs is people who have come alive” (Howard Thurman- Theologian). Thankyou to Sharmila Blair for the quote.
Ruth Sandy
Olive Way Operations Co-ordinator
You can learn more about the Olive Way ministry here.