Ending the Australian Hospice Service Mission in 2017 and proclaiming ACC Hospice Vision 2018

 

Representative, Kim Jang Dae

Australian Association of Cancer Care Inc. (ACC)

 

Shalom!

Sydney's summer sun sets hot in the South Pacific in the wake of the year-ending of 2017. Looking back at numerous hospice ministries, including 12 Nursing Home visit concerts and more than 50 times of the activity "walking along the coast with the cancer patients", I still leave regret in the caring ministry. I have been running all this year starting with the opening of the English Home Page (www.australianhospice.com.au). I have been to Korea three times in order to build the infrastructure of hospice that can take care of a cancer patient and his/her family. In April, at the first time I went to Daegu Dongsan Hospital for the 2nd Korean-Australian Hospice Education for Volunteers, which is being held by the exchange agreement between ACC and Dong San Hospital. In June, I went to the Anyang Sam Hospital for the sisterhood alliance (MOU) and in August, I visited Korea to invite a special lecturer who will be lectured on the 3rd Korean-Australian hospice education for volunteers, and then I made a new sisterhood alliance (MOU) with the Kosin University Gospel Hospital and ACC Hospice Association on August 25. On September 2, I arrived in Sydney with Professor Jung Tae-sik (President of the Hospice Center of Kosin University Gospel Hospital / Radiologist) and immediately participated into the hospice activity "Walking along the beach with a cancer patient and his family" on Saturday. Professor Jung Tae Sik held an outdoor lecture.

In the first outdoor lecture we had, many of the patients and their families shared new knowledge of cancer and got new hope. From September 25 to September 29, the 3rd Korean-Australian Hospice volunteer education was held with the dedication of volunteers. Professor Lee Jong-wook (Director of Korea University of Medicine /Dongseo Hospital vice-chief /neuropsychiatrist) was invited as a special lecturer. There were more than 50 participants, 21 trainees, and 29 First Aid students. Professor Jung Tae-sik and Professor Lee Jong-Wook visited to the Australian Hospice Association (ACC) at their own expense. The Checed (origin of hospice) healing performance started in October 23 was at the Linburn Nursing home. In the first attempt of the drama healing performance, the volunteers were as impressed as the other actors, and all the residents of the Nursing home could feel the presence of God.

 

When I had the 16th hospice concert at the Southern Cross Nursing Home at 2 pm on November 20, the patient named "Filla" said, "I have seen a lot of concerts here, but it is the first time when I have a gracious concert like today. God bless you. Thank you so much.” All the volunteers glorified God in a heart of gladness as they watched "a soul grateful to God". After the concert, volunteers joined the first hospice volunteer conference, which started at 4:30 pm. I read an encouragement message from Mr. Sang Soo Yoon, the Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Sydney and a congratulatory from Mr. Ross Low, CEO of Baptist Care. Two hospice volunteers, Lee Keum-Kui (Natural Rehabilitation Therapy Center) and Song Jung Hee (Leader of “Walk on the Beach with cancer patients” program) received individually a certificate of appreciation from Baptist Care, one of the largest Nursing Homes in Sydney. The "Checed (meaning of "kindness" in Hebrew: Origin of the word “Hospice”) healing concert" with the introduction of ACC activities was started.

 

Currently, the ACC Hospice Community is supported by 115 volunteers to pray for 83 cancer patients, 17 dementia and severe patients, and 18 remaining families. Although the basic spirit of the ACC hospice community is based on Christian ethics, it is a Shalom (peace) community that transcends religion and serves patients with cancer.

 It is the first Korean volunteer award ceremony in the past 70 years of Korean immigration history in Sydney. As the president of ACC Hospice, Jesus was awarded a volunteer group prize ($ 1000 grant) from the Korean Australian Community Support Incorporation (KACSI, Chairman, Seung Won Hong) on December 4.

 

History is the continuation of the spirit of the times led through dialogue between past and present. Volunteering, sharing with our neighbors and serving our neighbors is the spirit of the times at the present day. Our volunteering has never been easy. It is not work that we might do if we have spare time and don’t if we have no time. Volunteering is not what we give to our neighbours after we spend for ourselves, but it is a dynamic life that shares our most precious things for our neighbours. In order that what we need in our community is filled with many invisible hands. In other words, volunteering is a dynamic ministry in which we practically experience the words 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35) in the field of our volunteering. Therefore, the ACC Hospice volunteer ministry is a beautiful part of our life that enables us to enjoy the blessed life here now that we may live in beyond death.

ACC (Australian Association of Cancer Care Incorporated) was established to broaden the Hospice ministry in Australia nationally. ACC registered in Fair Trading and ACNC on August 3, 2016. ACC is willing to be a small light that gathers small gifts and talents that we can offer with our own volunteered sacrifice to light up the dark and difficult corner of the Korean community. ACC hopes to continue to help and support our patients by dreaming of a healthier Korean community.

 

Australian-Korean Hospice (ACC) provides activities such as sea-sidewalks with people who have been diagnosed with cancer every Saturday. In addition, our 30 volunteers visit the Nursing Home every month and have a "visiting concert for the hospice" making beautiful Koinonia in a multicultural environment. We open many health-related seminars to share the joyful testimonials of recovery, provide a volunteer training program, counselling and treatment programs for better health of our neighbours. ACC develops and maintains not only national but also international organizations through associated activities. All workers in Australian Hospice are volunteers.

 

Since October 2017, by making a Checed healing team we are finding a way to overcome cancer by treating the depression that is caused by cancer.

We are praying to Jesus, who is the president of the ACC hospice, how to draw a white drawing paper a year in 2018. I pray that the five projects that Jesus had already painted will be proceeded smoothly, "Caring for cancer patient's delivery by buying our own wheelchair car," "Opening a hospice office," "Establishing churches in ten nursing homes," “Entrusted Nursing Home by government or another organization,” "Establishing Australian-Korean Association of Visiting Chaplain." ACC Hospice wishes to God's grace and health for all the patients and their families, volunteers, and all the Korean in Sydney for all the year of 2018.