Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 13th and 14th December 2008

Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 13th and 14th December 2008

CHRISTMAS CARING

I had the privilege of working in Public Relations for the Salvation Army and then in fundraising (bequests for Blue Care, a Uniting Church of Australia agency. Blue Care provides in home care for the aged and sick and also residential care for aged people. Blue Care was originally known as the Blue Nurses but they do much more than nursing now.

When I worked for these organisations, I wrote a poem for each which tried to capture their work at Christmas.

THEY CAME AT CHRISTMAS

In white shirts and caps on a truck they came
And stopped our kids’ street cricket game
They played a Christmas song or two
And then they called for us to sing
So we kids sang to everyone’s delight
Of baby Jesus birth on a Silent Night

Another Christmas they came again
After mum had told us with heartfelt pain
That this Christmas there would be no toys
And we were the saddest of girls and boys.
Mum told us there were many like us
And that we would not make a fuss
But simply enjoy whatever we could.

They came this time without the band
But they brought to us a Christmas grand
They put bags and boxes on our kitchen table.
They said they knew we were not able
To have the Christmas we would like
Because dad’s workplace was on strike.
Now their love gifts meant without his pay
We could celebrate with joy on Christmas Day.

Another Christmas they came to our place
They came again without the band
And they carried no gifts in their hand
But they came on a mission of love
They with tears said from their God above
And we knew they could do no more
Than pray for our dear brother lost in war.

Again this Christmas throughout this land
The Salvos will come with song and band.
They will come to some with food and toys
And somehow share in many Christmas joys.
They come that they might with everyone share
The very essence of the Christmas season where
In Bethlehem’s stable God’s gift Jesus was born.
(Ray Reese - Christmas 2003)

NOT ALONE AT CHRISTMAS

Joan lay all alone on this hot summer morn
The sun beaming in woke her just after dawn
It would be another day long and alone
Age had wearied her right to the bone.

With the dawning that this was Christmas Day
Her memories came of children at Christmas play
She remembered her own sisters and brothers
And a happy house crowded with so many others.

Then many years later when her children came
It was a happy house with kids just the same
There was laughter and food and presents of toys
Exactly right for each of the girls and boys

She thought of how they grew years quickly went
Then her eldest son to War in Vietnam was sent
Life about then seemed to become so very sad
As a heart attack took her husband the kids’ dad.

The other kids soon seemed to move on with life
As they took for themselves a husband or wife
Kids were soon at play again but in distant places
And all Joan could do was remember their faces.

Joan lay all alone on this hot Christmas morn
Cards eagerly from their envelopes she had torn
Wishing Mother a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Each with a message this Christmas they would not be here.

Joan lay on her bed lost in her thoughts once more
Soon there was a loud knock on the front door
Was it that a son or daughter had come to visit
She grabbed her gown and shouted “Who is it?”

She flung open the door to see who stood there
Joan saw the one person who really seemed to care
A cheery greeting and a wide smile a friendly face
A Blue Nurse had brought Christmas to Joan’s place.

The nurse handed Joan a small gift and a handmade card
And when they hugged she felt Joan hug so hard
A shower was soon done and Joan dressed in her best
She felt this Christmas she was specially blessed.

Not only at Christmas but every single day
A Blue Nurse calls to get Joan on her way
A life that alone is so long and people bare
Is broken by the Blue Nurse’s loving care.
Ray Reese Christmas 2005

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