Anglicare's flying chaplain Ron Watts is discovering there is life after frontline ministry.
After 13 years as an Anglicare chaplain and seven in parish ministry before that, Ron is moving on to support the work of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) as their pilots transport people and goods in remote parts of the globe.
For Ron, flying and ministry has been a huge part of his life for the last 40 years and he is looking forward to promoting and generating support for the mission organisation.
"MAF do such a magnificent job in difficult conditions and remote areas. Both in humanitarian aid work and importantly supporting the work of Christian missions and churches in those areas," says Ron.
Looking back on his experience as a prison chaplain in one of Sydney's infamous prisons and then as a hospital chaplain supporting volunteer chaplaincy in the Illawarra and the Shoalhaven for Anglicare, Ron explains that God becomes very important to many people in times of crisis.
And surprisingly, in all his years in ministry, Ron says prison was the easiest place to talk about Jesus.
"I think a person's standing before God comes into the fore in prison. For many inmates it is a time of crisis and most reassess where they are going in their lives.
"It's very easy to open the Bible and talk about Christ and share His gospel with those who are in desperate need of forgiveness at that point," Ron explains.
"We often didn't know what their offences were, nor did we try and find out. We just accepted them as people who were in need of redemption just as we are all in need of redemption."
Describing the introduction of Kairos into Australian prisons, Ron says it was encouraging to see people coming to Christ and wanting to support each other.
"Churches were starting up in prisons, not because the authorities imposed it, but because these men were wanting to band together to worship God."
For Assistant Director of Chaplaincy Graham McKay, Ron has "ministered to some of the most needy people in our community, bringing a message of God’s love, forgiveness and healing".
Highlighting his work supporting volunteer chaplaincy in the hospitals of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, Graham says: "Their ongoing service is a testimony to the valued ministry Ron has had during his years at Wollongong."
