ADRA RESPONDS TO FLOOD cRISES page 9 - RECORD.net.au

MY CHURCHwith Dr Barry OliverWomen in leadershipMargaret Duffy is general managerfor Diagnostics and Pharmacy, andCorporate Services executive officerfor the Sydney Adventist Hospital (SAH)group*. Her responsibility covers adiverse group of hospital businessesincluding radiology, pathology, pharmacy,allied health and accommodationservices. Margaret originally trained asa physiotherapist and, more recently, inbusiness administration.Margaret loves the diversity and interestassociated with the different peopleand businesses that are part of theSAH group. Margaret has no hesitationwhen she states that, “I believe that theSAH group contributes to the missionof the Church in many ways. We have atradition of providing Christian service,quality patient care and education.Spiritual care is integrated, with manypeople still saying, ‘there is somethingdifferent here’.”Margaret recognises that while healthand healing are the primary focus, thehospitals contribute so much more,including: nursing, medical, diagnostic,allied health, chaplaincy training,research and community education, andhealthcare outreach. All of this formsnetworks with people and organisationsthat connect the hospitals, the Churchand the community. “Whenever I attenda meeting,” she says, “there is someonewho has had positive involvement withSAH.”Margaret regards it as a privilege towork in an organisation where so manypeople want to share our mission. “Mypassion is to contribute to the successof the SAH group, ultimately doing thebest for our patients and those we workwith each day.”Thank you Margaret for your faithfulnessand your professional leadership.*Sydney Adventist Hospital group includes Sydney AdventistHospital, Dalcross Adventist Hospital, San Day Surgery-Hornsby, and Sydney Haematology and Oncology Centre.FOREST LAKE SPANISH, QueenslandEdith Carrasco-AscencioI attend a new group that hascompany status—the Forest LakeSpanish church. In essence, it meansthat we’re in the first stages oforganising a congregation into achurch.Our pastor is Walter Flamenco andour group leader is Sebastian Arevalo,who serves as a lay leader.We’ve been meeting for three yearswith a weekly attendance of up to40. We have a good mix of children,teenagers and young marrieds.Our priority is to grow ourcongregation with non-Adventistsfrom the local community. Our dreamis to double our size and then double it again. So we’re constantly praying,thinking and planning for better ways to connect with our local community.It’s not something we take lightly.Every Sabbath after church we make contact with people in the Inala,Forest Lake, Durack and Ipswich areas. We distribute DVDs and healthmaterial. Many have warmed to the Doug Batchelor DVD series, What webelieve, health information and Ellen White books.We also deliver food packages to the needy. Our small group bandstogether to purchase bread, eggs, pasta, cereals, juice and milk.On Sundays, my husband goes to the Chandler Markets in Brisbane to setup a stall to give away Christian material. He usually starts at 6:00am anddoesn’t return home until 5:00pm. So far he has distributed 2500 DVDs.We want people to come to know Jesus as a loving and caring Saviour.We’ve realised there are so many dysfunctional families, sick and brokenheartedpeople in the local community who need to be reached with thelove of Jesus.Mystery historyDo you know?The people in the photo.The date the photo was taken.The church pictured.Send to heritage@avondale.edu.auDr Barry Oliver is president of the South PacificDivision of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.20 March 3, 2012 • record.net.au