February 2011

Here we are in New Zealand in the middle of our summer. We touched down in December but it seems like we haven't stopped. I find that when I do have moments to rest and reflect a little, I always have thoughts of Bonus Pastor and Ozd flowing back into my mind.

Ozd seems in so many ways a million miles away, not just geographically but culturally and spiritually. I can honestly say that if it was up to me I would be back there tomorrow, everything inside me misses Ozd and the people there.

Practically what did Ozd offer us?
As a family we were able to spend more time with each other in work and play, my boys were never very far away from me, so family time was 7 days a week, compared to in London when I only had week ends. Things like working together often flowed naturally into discussions about life which every father secretly longs for. This boosted our friendships with each other as we learnt to share and cooperate and communicate more effectively as functional family members.

The lack of media input meant we never had to worry about what our children were learning morally, instead we had to learn to entertain ourselves and provided for us was a plentiful supply of natural input, streams hills, a lake, animals, adventure.

For Lorraine and I our blessings were not having so many distractions. We could really focus on our family, no deadlines, no pressures, more time together, and simplicity. Nothing pulling you away from what is important, we had space and time to learn lessons and inspire the children.

We realised for the first time that God had blessed us abundantly in life. I am ashamed to say that before we came to Ozd when we were in London we had a bit of a "poor me" attitude. In Ozd we saw what we really did have, and the kindness and generosity of the people in the village showed us how ungrateful we had been, and helped us to look at things outside of ourselves.

My work for Bonus Pastor changed my outlook on life. Working with the volunteers who were giving up their holidays and money to come and serve was a great privilege to me. It felt very special to be a part of a group of people who shared a common faith and desire to serve. They showed practical Christian love not only to me but to my boys, who – I could tell – watched them and learnt from them. Their example had a big impact on our little family, even now the boys talk about our volunteer friends.

Another unexpected benefit was the relationships we formed with the clients. We came to know and love many of the men that went through the Rehab. It was the changes that I saw in these men that inspired us to work for Bonus Pastor for as long as we did. It was so good for my boys making friends with the clients and coming to understand and discuss things that other children don't ever learn. But for me, I think, most of all it was seeing Truth spoken into lives and watching it grow from a seed to change not just the men but their families as well, that really made an impression on me.

Bonus Pastor are hugely successful and I believe it’s because of their walk with God, and that they pass on His truth in their work. For the first time in my life I felt passionate about the work I was doing and greatly satisfied to be able to give to such a great cause. In my time there I saw the foundation struggle as they left the liquid and flexible style of the "start up phase" of an organisation and entered the more rigid and procedure driven phase of a mature organisation. It is difficult for any organisation to have to manage its own change, and was not easy with the added financial pressures.

However, my prayer for them is that they never fail to see God’s hand and blessing in their work, most of all the blessing they are passing on to Romania. I also pray that the Rehab becomes more at home in the community of Ozd around them. God does not call us to serve some and not others, but to lay down our lives in humility to all. I say this because I know how much I learnt from the simplicity and gentleness of the people I lived with for 3 years. I came to serve, and found myself being served, I came to do mission, and found I became the mission. In the backwardness of Ozd I saw the correct foundation for which I could build my family on. In the absence of all our modern rubbish and distractions I came to see what is really important in Life.

Maybe I sound like I'm against modernization, but I'm not. I just wish it didn't come at such an expense to us. We have paid the price because our society has moved forward without God and in doing so it has cost us many of our Christian values, and our spiritual inner peace. Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that in the west most of us are blind to it, we are hurting and empty, so our solution is to just run faster in the wrong direction.

Thanks to my time in Ozd, I feel we have seen another way of doing things, it has opened my eyes and helped me to understand God’s ways better. Lorraine and I have said many times "we have to take Ozd home with us in our hearts". And here we are in New Zealand and I am trying so hard to remember what we learnt. I know that we will never forget the lessons we have learnt, and the people we met. I think we are wiser parents and a better family because of our time with you, and we really thank God for this.

Brendon Wheeler, New Zealand

Thank You, Brendon and Lorraine, that You've been with us!

Related articles in the > VOLUNTEERING menu