South Burnett 'Greats' - George Woods & Neville Radecker
Present-day heroes include George Woods, a Salvationist who was named Kingaroy Shire Council’s Citizen of the Year in 2000 for recognition of his initiative in re-instating the Kingaroy Town Band.
Another recent hero is Neville Radecker, (pictured right) who spent many years bringing hope to struggling farmers in his role as rural chaplain for the Kingaroy area.
Now working for The Salvation Army centre in Kingaroy, the hardworking envoy spent much of his rural chaplaincy work in crisis relief, from floods to droughts to suicide prevention, and on call as the chaplain for the area's emergency services.
“I haven't stopped doing disaster relief since the 2011 floods,” said Neville in 2014. “Rural people who depend on the land for an income often find it’s two years before they can produce an income again.”
The natural disasters in southern Queensland, from floods to the current drought, are greatly affecting the area's farmers. Many have had their crops destroyed, losing their income. Soils have been impacted by the floods, and cattle are in desperate need of water and fodder. Many animals are perishing as they wait for replenishing rains.
“I've been to smaller-scale farms during the last few years. Like all rural people, the farmers would never have accepted any assistance before, and never dreamt they would ever need to. Many have tears running down their face when I give them some basic luxuries like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo or laundry detergent – luxuries they can no longer afford,” Neville said.
“It’s a terrible situation in the rural sector. It doesn't matter what part of Australia you’re looking at.”
Neville is no stranger to hardship. He spent eight years bedridden with a disease and the doctors told him he would not survive. In the midst of this hardship, his wife passed away. But in 1999, Neville miraculously healed and became active again.
“Medical science and human logic can’t explain what happened. I'm alive and I shouldn't be alive, and I can walk and I shouldn't be able to walk,” Neville said.
Neville later remarried and together he and his wife brought encouragement to struggling farmers in their role as rural chaplains, with the understanding that came from their own hardships and the belief that God can do the impossible.
“Everyone is trying to survive and as chaplains who work for The Salvation Army, we try to encourage people to hang on that little bit longer,” said Neville. “The main thing is just having someone who cares. A large part of my role is supporting people emotionally.”
Never turning back a donation, Neville believes even the smallest support can encourage struggling farmers.
“I had a donation of rubber boots one time. They came in only two sizes”, Neville said. “Yet every single person who tried these rubber boots on said they were the best fitting boots they ever had regardless of what size their foot was.”
“God does the extraordinary through ordinary people”.
