The Forotten Outback

I have travelled many miles out back and beyond. Have live in my younger days out in a couple of major centres for a short time.

I have a couple of friends who go and work with those who work the land.

I got a call on Saturday morning, from them, we talking about ideas to help them raise awareness & funds to do the work.

Currently Bruce goes out as far out as Hungerford on the Qld/NSW border and up the burke track. He also reaches Cullamulla, Thargominda, Eudlo, St George out. He goes along way out there. He always goes with another man and they sleep in swags either on properties or on the side of the road, to save fuel. The basic ministry is to go house to house or property to property – considering that some property driveways could be 30miles long but sometimes this is the only contact with people that these property owners get.

They usually always give food hampers and/or toiletry packs, and anything that they may get as a donation. Recently a hotel chain gave good linen, sheets etc and this was most welcomed to the property owners. They do not buy these luxuries and recently some pillows where just so welcomed. Things that we in the city take for granted.

Ladies of these properties, never buy toiletries for themselves so hand crème’s and moisturizers are absolutely welcomed. We have never had a door shut in our face, and each visit becomes more and more welcoming. Most farms don’t have things like soap and toothpaste.

The main concerns at the moment and what Bruce and Marcel go to everyday is the high suicide risk amongst the men in these communities. The pressure of the drought, of no income, of no support, of letting down the family, of letting down the generations before them is to much to face. And it is not just for the men but also for the son’s as they have the pressure put on them as dad goes.

We know of families that sent there 17 year old son to Brisbane to work and earn money for the family. Once he had gone to Brisbane, the ridicule of being a country boy etc got to much the young boy who returned home to his family. His family told him that he had to go back to work, and the next morning they had found he had shot himself. This is getting to be a regular occurrence in the bush.

Folk say why don’t they walk off the land? Yes why don’t they? Its part of them, most time they don’t know anything else than the land. It could be the heritage that they failed from what there grandfathers etc had built. Some are more scared of the cities than dying on the land. A lot of them don’t have stock on the properties any more and they are living on the goats and Roo’s.

The bush is a place that needs dedication and persistence. Bush people see people come and go over the years. But Care Outreach have been coming and going for 15 years. They are now got the reputation of truly caring for the people. We help the community to come together as in old. Most communities have stopped this because of the cost of insurance, but we do this under care Outreach insurance as it is so important that everyone comes together.

There are blessings in the bush. A place called Turnturn has rain fall on its boundaries. It is dry/dead all around but when you reach the boundaries of this property it is green. 3 years worth of prayer!

Pro Harts picture “miracles in the bush” is happening. Where they have nothing, they have to rely on Jesus and search him out. In the city we can get anything, in the bush they have nothing. And what will this country do with out those dedicated people that live out in the bush. We need to support our backyard, before our backyard is lost and everything is brought in from overseas. So many entities support missions overseas, and yet what does the bible say, love thy neighbour, is not our first neighbour, our backyard?

Andrew Hull wrote an article in the Sydney Morning Herald 7 January 2006 about meeting Bruce and Marcel at “Brindingabba” he mentioned in the article “Quiet-voiced and hard-knuckled rides forward, The Christ of the Outer Outback”. This writer was following the footsteps of Henry Lawson and bumped into Bruce and Marcel. As he acknowledges the fact that they don’t need to be out here counts for double, and its many kilometres down the road before I realised that my thoughts for them are prayers” Of his article about retracing Henry Lawson steps 1/3 was about the experience of meeting Bruce and Marcel. That in its self speaks volumes as to the impact these 2 are having.

Christmas time is the big run where we take teams of people and literally try and get to as many families as possible dropping of Christmas presents for the children and food hampers. This is all done house to house, cup of tea by cup of tea. We are never in a rush but we take the time to sit, talk, pray and counsel as needed. Then as a need is required we take that need and put action into it however we can with what ever resources we can obtain.

Bruce has been involved with Care Outreach for the past 5years. With the sale of our Bli Bli house we have been able to subsidies Bruce’s trip out bush. Care Outreach has also been able to give us some petrol money as well. But recently Bruce damaged his ute and while it was in the panel beaters we realised that Bruce needs more than a ute to do the travelling that he does. Bruce needs a Landcruiser Ute the one he would like is the new 78 series turbo diesel cab chassis with a steel tray. There are many reasons but suffice to say that it is what would best suit the conditions where he is working.

That is way outback and beyond.

I have been as some of you know through from one side on the country to the other and seen something fantastic land we love. Some so desolate that the only people those working the land see is the postman when he brings the mail once a month we he comes he brings the groceries as well that is how isolated it is.

If you can do anything to help here are the details (I will be talking to some other friends about helping )

www.careoutreach.com.au

All donations can be made to Care Outreach Australia and is Tax Deductible.

Please note that its per: Bruce Travers Bush Mission Trips

Postal Address

P.O. Box 2580

Nambour West 4560