Giving out hope at the hubs

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Giving out hope at the hubs

29 March 2022

Salvation Army personnel have seen first-hand the heartbreak caused by the recent floods in Queensland and NSW while volunteering at recovery hubs.

Volunteering at recovery hubs in Queensland as part of The Salvation Army’s flood response was a challenging, heartbreaking but rewarding experience for three Salvo Information Technology Services employees.

The trio recently responded to the Strategic Emergency and Disaster Management (SEDM) team’s call for personnel from across Australia to assist with administrative support, speaking with those impacted by the floods and distributing Salvation Army financial grants.

They share their experiences with us.

Lachlan McGill
Executive Manager Cyber Security

I write this from my hotel room in Brisbane, having just had dinner with a dozen wonderful and fun Salvos people. I’ve been volunteering up here in Queensland, and I wanted to update you on my experience.

There are 16 recovery sites up here to respond to the floods, and about 35-40 Salvos people at any one time are allocated to each of the different sites. They are from all around Australia. Most sites have at least two people, and some of the busier sites will have three or four assigned.

So far, I have been stationed at the busiest site. It has been an absolute whirlwind of an experience with emotions ranging from sadness, frustration, elation, happiness and fulfilment but above all, GRATITUDE. Gratitude for what we as individuals take for granted, such as a home to live in, some money in the bank, clothes to put on each morning, and a family to love us.

Some of the stories I hear are mundane, some are interesting, and some are downright heartbreaking, but each community member shares a common trait: they need help.

Getting out and doing this kind of work for a few days, even if it’s once a year, truly grounds you and brings you back to front and centre of what the Salvos mission is all about.

Richard Brantsch
Security Specialist volunteer

Since I was a refugee myself when my parents left Romania in the late 1980s to immigrate to Germany, I can very much relate to most of the situations the people affected by the floods find themselves in.

So, as soon as I had the opportunity to be deployed as a volunteer, I offered my help and shortly after packed my bags and flew up for a 10-day stint to Brisbane for my very first deployment.

At the beginning, I was scared and didn’t know what to expect, but that fear was gone after my first assessment. It felt fulfilling to give people hope and support and just listen to their stories.

Sure, it is not always easy to listen to heartbreaking stories, but it means everything to me if they walk out with a smile on their faces and that I was able to give them hope for the future.

I was at three different community hubs during my stay, some very busy and some less busy. It was interesting to exchange experiences with people from the Red Cross and Community Recovery. It was a very rewarding experience, and I am looking forward to my next deployment.

Mounika Gudapati
Testing Analyst

I’ve been volunteering for Queensland flood recovery hubs. I’ve met a bunch of amazing people here whose thoughts, intentions, ideas, and desires are similar. It was Gayle (a dynamic lady nearly in her 70s), who I met first from the disaster recovery services team. I was dazzled by her PASSION and extensive service. (Inspiration 1).

My first interaction at the hub was emotionally wrenching. The person I’d served had her house flooded with water. There was no power, no water, no food to eat. When I told her I would be giving her a gift card for food, she was emotional, she shed tears as she was overwhelmed to hear that. I’ve realised how big it is for her in her current situation. I compared it to my life and how much GRATITUDE I should have for all the things I’ve got. (Inspiration 2).

My second interaction was with an older man. He kindly refused my support. I was stunned by his gesture. Let me tell you his story: his garage was filled with water; however, his kitchen and fridge were still working. Therefore, he believed that the food card I’d offered could be used for someone else who really needed it. His LOYALTY and HONESTY inspired me (Inspiration 3).

Today, I’m by myself at a remote hub extending my hands to assist the community people here. My participation is just a small contribution in this huge world of HUMANITY, EMPATHY, KINDNESS, HONESTY. This is the life I wanted. This is TRANQUILLITY for me.

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