Mt Druitt Church in times of COVID

By Matthew Pearce

If there were ever a time for a church to be with it its community, it is now. In a time of such fear and uncertainty, our church made the simple decision to keep our pantry doors opens.

In keeping these doors open, it was belief that more people will need the service now more than ever. This proved to be the case. Our pantry saw an immediate increase of those needing food parcels. Not only were more people coming in in need of parcels coming, there was in increase of parcel deliveries as people in the community were confined in isolation for fear or safety, or could not afford to purchase food.

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A MESSAGE WE RECEIVE:

“We had an elderly gentleman turn up to my mum's house on Monday at about 4:30pm. When we eventually got his address, I accompanied him to make sure someone would be there before I left him.

When I got [to the house] his wife answered and she was shaking. She told me her husband has dementia and that she was trying to call someone to fix her porch light fixed when her husband went straight to Bunnings to change the light and ended up lost. She’d been waiting at home, scared for him. He was so happy to see his wife.

They are both in their 80s both with medical conditions. I am trying to get some food for these beautiful people as she said she needed to do a food shop on Wednesday and didn't know if she should take her husband.”

We were able to help them with the food parcel at no charge.

Continued service during this pandemic would not be possible without our volunteers who have worked with us to ensure the Food Pantry remains open. For the safety of themselves and clients, all volunteers are required to wear face masks, gloves. Anyone entering the church for a food parcel remains in their car and the parcels are brought out to them. Chifley College in Bidwill dispatches staff to collect food parcels that are then delivered to families in the school community.

A big thank you goes out to Pr Pablo Lillo and Dean from Castle Hill Church and Patricia Goncalves for toilet paper donations and other support. The church especially thanks our weekly volunteers who have put themselves at risk each week to help those in need. Moving forward the food pantry will continue to serve on a weekly basis. Because of the restrictions we have lost many of our volunteers. We could use all the volunteers we can get. Send an email to matthewpearce@adventist. org.au is you can help.

Unable to help physically? We can also use financial support as we give parcels away free to families that cannot afford the donation.You can make a donation to the pantry or anonymously purchase a parcel and pay it forward, contact 0417 640 729.