Following God’s lead

Ruth learned in her first week of chaplaincy that serving her community would be anything but predictable. 

“When I entered the school, I hadn’t done chaplaincy before, so I went in with a servant-hearted attitude,” recalls Ruth. 

Standing at the school gate one afternoon, Ruth spotted a ‘rough-looking man’ with a pram waiting on his own. 

“I introduced myself, but he wasn’t terribly friendly … I went to walk away, and I felt very strongly, ‘Don’t walk away,’” recalls Ruth.

The pair engaged in small talk until the man turned the conversation in an unexpected direction. 

“I’ve just come out of prison,” he told Ruth, “I met a chaplain there. He gave me a Bible.”

 “It took him courage to say that,” remembers Ruth. “We had a wonderful discussion then.”

“I felt really encouraged by the reminder that it’s God who does the work, not us. Our role is to make ourselves available and hand over each day to him.”

Ruth continues to follow God’s lead as chaplain, working alongside the Wellbeing Team, providing sandwiches and snacks to students at lunch times, as well as clothing and hampers to families in need.

She doesn’t do it alone. Collaboration is vital.

Recently, Ruth formed a partnership with a local op shop that provides vouchers for those in need in the school community. Together with another Christian staff member, she’s also started a staff prayer group. 

“Those quiet, unexpected moments that God brings, there’s nothing quite like it, whether it’s a conversation, a simple prayer, or a sense that you’re where you need to be,” reflects Ruth.