Reaching middle age after a successful career in the corporate world can often open the door to further opportunities for personal advancement. For Chris Jenvey, who had spent 20 years in Hong Kong as a director of a major telecommunications company, it was a time of significant transition.
“I began to re-evaluate my life. It was a time of many questions and searching.” This led Chris to the decision to come to Australia with his wife, Maggie and daughter Emma. And coming here marked a new period in his life which eventually included a new-found faith in Christ and a revolution in personal values. The family began attending All Saints Anglican in Balgowlah and Chris looked for ways in which he could serve his community.
Invited to ANGLICARE’s A Winter’s Tale, last June, Chris heard John Anderson, the former Deputy Prime Minister. “John spoke about the power of the Gospel to transform individuals and communities.” Chris was also impressed to see how ANGLICARE was being an active light in the community, displaying the power of Christian love to those in need. After the lunch he wanted to know how he could help, and offered his services.
Chris spoke with Jill Wrathall, Community Care Manager for the South East and Inner West region and after an assessment of his skills and gifts, joined ANGLICARE as a volunteer in the Emergency Relief program in Bondi. Over the next two months he received intensive training, which included sitting in on interviews with clients seeking short-term assistance with the program Coordinator, David Ip.
Now Chris volunteers one day per week in our Bondi office seeing anywhere up to ten people in a day. “Most of the people I see don’t want to be in this situation. They don’t want to be asking for help. They are generally the victims of circumstances that they’ve had absolutely no control over. Often it is things like a death in the family or a sudden illness that tips the balance for them and they just don’t have anywhere else to go. They aren’t that different to us.”
Chris speaks passionately about his new volunteer role with ANGLICARE and has found a deepening compassion for the people that he meets. “The people we see in this program find themselves in situations where things just get too much for them. But when you can address just one thing in their lives, like dealing with the threat of electricity being cut off, this can be enough for them to deal with the other issues. It gives them a confidence to meet their other challenges.”
As a Christian, Chris is convinced that ANGLICARE is fulfilling a vital role in shining the light of “good works” that reflect the goodness of a Heavenly Father. Speaking of one lady who asked Chris why ANGLICARE helps people, she finally said to Chris, “If you are all like this in church, then I will be going and bringing my son with me!”
This new stage in Chris’s life is something that he wants to challenge others about. “Transitions in life can be either dangerous or very fruitful. Perhaps it’s a case of realising that winning at the expense of others isn’t everything. Or it could simply be a case of wanting to invest yourself in something that is really meaningful. Whatever the case, I’m sure that there are a lot of men and women who could be using their gifts as a blessing to others.”
“Donors and volunteers are essential to the life of ANGLICARE. It would be wonderful to see many more giving their time, gifts and resources as God moves in their hearts.”
To find out more about volunteering
with ANGLICARE, contact
Alison Keene, Volunteer Support Coordinator on 9895 8049 or email akeene@anglicare.org.au.