Some Feedback to Postcards

I began writing what I call ‘postcards’ for fun and to communicate with a few friends about some of my reflections as a result of my work in the field. My first postcards were written around August of 2008. And not long after that these short written slices of life began to be published through the intranet at World Vision Australia which is available to around 600 staff. It never really occurred to me that I was writing for more than my own amusement or to fill in time doing something creative (and safe) to while away hours in some dull hotel room in whatever far flung country where I happened to be. And it has been a surprise to me that these little vignettes are meaningful to others in the organisation and to cause a surprising number of people to reflect on their lives and work in ways that seem to be positive. And it makes me pause and wonder how generally casual I am with what I say, as well as my shallow understanding of what my gifts are. Of how important it is to acknowledged that everything we do has some impact somewhere and my own need to listen to others to help me understand my own giftedness and voice when I have been too busy or self focused to notice. What a responsibility we have to play a small role in the lives of one another, in helping us all become all we are called and have been gifted to be! So for the record I have copied in some of the feedback I have received. It never occurred to me to save peoples responses until now so below is some of the feedback I could find from the last few months.
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I found it incredibly moving and also felt a sense of hopelessness for the people in the Wema region that Jock meets with. I wondered what/Who keeps Jock upbeat through all of these incredibly difficult and emotional issues?
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I found the quote from Thomas Merton that Jock commented on helpful..... “Do not depend on the hope of results....you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results, but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself....You gradually struggle less and less for an idea and more and more for specific people....In the end, it is the reality of personal relationship that saves everything." Thank you Jock so much for sharing with me. It brings the work we do so much closer to home when we read your stories.
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You do more work for the organisation in your missives than 10 of those 'expert' wankers do all year.
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I have been enjoying reading your postcards. The stories and insights assist me in connecting to the field. I have encouraged my team to read them as well as it can be difficult to remember why we join this organisation after time. This type of information can help us not lose sight of the important things. Thanks
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So good to read your postcard from Wema. These days I find it increasingly difficult to really stay connected to our work - being lost in the maze of phone calls and email civility. This morning your postcard with all your insight and sensitivity dragged me back to the kernel. The stark reality of our work.
Whether we make a difference or not ultimately is indeed as you say another matter. The fact that our hearts are in the right place when we are doing what we do - has to be a large part of it. Thanks for showing me your heart as you faithfully involve yourself in our work. Thanks for showing me that my heart had become full of weeds.
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This was very powerful, I love the descriptions of the people - their character and dress, have you planned your first novel? Writing as colourful and evocative of life on the other side as this would be very popular. Your writing style reminds me of No 1 Ladies Detective Agency. It is a sobering reminder of what poverty really is on the ground - people desperately trying to maintain their dignity in the midst of hunger.
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Just loved your postcard of life in Utsar. I used to find development dilemmas such as us wanting to develop independence with our community workers so we didn't pay them to plant trees to allay erosion. Then the government came along and paid them to plant trees - a good thing to plant trees - but then community dropped our scheme and even used to pull up plants so they could be paid to replace them.
Anyway, thanks for these postcards.
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Just wanted to pass on a quick thanks to Jock for his published stories in weekly vision. Always a great laugh, and thoroughly enjoy reading about his latest journey's. Please pass on my appreciation if you can and encourage him to publish a book as it would be a best seller.
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Loved your story from the field - the many truths and our role in that! Was great!
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Loved the latest instalment on the hub! You should be a travel writer
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Your postcards are gold. Thank you so much for these. They make me feel both there and connected, but also very much that I am not there - and thus sad. Maybe doing WV work, in this mostly vicarious way, from the computer back in the homeland is not all I should be doing? Anyway your postcards stir the passions for our work giving me 'yourworkjoy' envy..... probably wrong..... but your passion for your work is very contagious.... even when the roosters need their heads cut off..and more green flashes and sunsets please
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It was really good to read your story on the web (once again!) - I loved the Merton quote - these are all issues I think we all grapple with all the time - and difficult to find answers to, but Merton quote does help, and I personally do think it's the walking alongside, and validating people in their experience and truths, as you say - good reminder while we're in the middle of the meta-evaluation which brings all the questions of 'results' to the forefront and makes you despair at times, thanks for your article,
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Thanks for your postcard story from Kenya...I love the way you construct your story so that we can enter into the experience...& be humbled by it... I will share this with a number of key church people around the state...
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Just love your postcard from Kupang airport. Been there and done that but probably got too used to it to notice all the little bits although one trip I do remember was with Enrico Guterrez, the notorious gangster from the E Timor massacres at independence time. As I sat in Kupang airport, I wondered who else was with him and which firearms he was carrying, given that it was unlikely anyone would have prevented him from taking them on board. And wondering what I would say if his seat was next to mine.
Great stuff.
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You have once again written a piece that is entertaining, and engages the reader throughout: I'm a big fan of yours!
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I hope it’s OK to cry when we read stories on the Hub
Thanks for once again reminding us all what it’s really all about