Order of Malta in Brisbane deeply moved by serving vulnerable through ECM
By Joseph Grogan
On Sunday 13 February 2022, eleven Order of Malta Members and Volunteers (OMV), appreciated serving the community through the Emmanuel City Mission (ECM) homeless sanctuary.
Confrere Greg Crafter from South Australia attended to see the positive difference the Order’s ministry makes in peoples’ lives.
Our OMV team supports ECM through warmly welcoming all attendees, preparing and serving quality meals and providing clothes and essential hygiene items. Equally important are the shared conversations nurturing kind, non-judgemental rapport, mutual goodwill, trust and hope.
Our OMV team was deeply moved by the openness from a new friend, ‘Gazza’, who reflected on his challenging past in South America and Sydney, before proudly sharing his large back tattoo of Christ the Redeemer.
“I started in construction, I love working outside, but then made some friends who turned out to be ‘in the life’… I should’ve been dead 20 times over, but Jesus has always had my back, so when I started fresh, I knew I had to have Jesus watching my back.
I’ll show you Jesus has my back!
I came to Brisbane, asked around and heard about Emmanuel. The day I met Roby Jr, I told him I’d left ‘the life’, but was kinda lost, was in a dark place, thinking of ending my life.
I know under it all, I’m a good person. I’m a nice person. I just want some new friends. To not go backwards. But I get very lonely. I’m 44, a lot of people my age don’t know how to meet new people.
It’s even harder on the street. In this day and age, there shouldn’t be people homeless, you know?
I’ve worked all my life. I don’t want charity. Roby Jr, his Dad, and your (Order of) Malta team, I like that you don’t give. You just have it all here, and we can share some, or we don’t. You don’t just wanna give food and move on. You come and chat, eat and drink. I never felt judged here. It’s probably helped save my life”.
The Order of Malta Volunteers serve at ECM twice a month on Sundays. Register your interest in joining the team.
