|PIC1|Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson, a Baptist minister of 31 years, explained that the Around the Tables philosophy was initiated so as to provide mission people an opportunity to speak of their hearts' agonies.
"Mission people have two particular proclivities which impact their private and ministry lives. First, the implausible difficulties of those to whom they minister tends to impact upon their soul of injustice, and second, their mission agency (often without realising it) adds to their burdens," M V Tronson noted.
'Around the Tables' was set up as a safe place for mission people to share their innermost feelings with others of like mind, who can fully understand their pain. In allowing this outpouring of shared experiences, there is such relief that this, in itself, is a means for all participants to recharge their batteries.
Moreover, Well-Being Australia picks up the tab, as it is important that this valuable experience is a chance to freely open up their hearts and minds, and is not mitigated by being a financial burden.
"I recall our inaugural 'Around the Tables' in 2001 where a young mission couple was experiencing a little trauma in that this was the first time away from their three children after ten years of marriage," M V Tronson mused.
And where are these Around the Tables meetings? In first-class hotels of course! The Sydney Airport Mercure has been particularly helpful in providing accommodation and facilities, as has the North Sydney Rydges.
"I'm troubled when mission people take fright at even stepping inside a high-quality hotel. It is as if there is spiritual alarm inside their heads that makes them think there is wickedness having a mission gathering in a place where they may also be comfortable," M V Tronson mused.
"Even though this may be the most practical and convenient venue, where people can socialise with ease and continue the discussion informally outside the formal discussion-group time, some Christian missionaries feel it is evil to pamper themselves in any way."
Mark Tronson has found, on the contrary, that it is not an extravagant option. The hotel chains are usually receptive to reasonable financial deals comparable to those they do with corporations for business events. He, himself, negotiated one recently with the Sydney Airport Mercure for the annual conference of the NSW Baptist Ministers Association.
He calculated that there was only minimal saving by using a Christian Camping site instead, once travel arrangements and time wasted were taken into consideration. However, the decision makers could not bring themselves to use the hotel (although the Baptist World Congress in 2009 has a Living Waters conference in a Cairns resort).
Mark Tronson did not attend this event, but used the Sydney Airport Mercure himself for a subsequent 'Around the Tables', which was indeed attended by Baptist mission people.
"I've discovered that numerous mission people have strange ideas about using venues that seem to spell 'luxury' in any shape or form, so I try to gently introduce them to the convenience of these hotels and then their trepidations begin to fade away," M V Tronson noted.
Well-Being Australia has four 'Around the Tables' meetings in early November. The North Sydney Rydges is convenient to participants with open-ended sharing of experiences over numerous meal times.
This enables a more effective interaction of the wide range of mission people from Australia and overseas, and it enables a more effective mentoring ministry with these vulnerable, but immensely valuable, Christian leaders.