mgpcpastor's blog

David d’Lima notes that today is the 130th anniversary of the birth of John Flynn.
Birthdays may not be the best day to mark someone’s life, better choices probably revolve around significant dates associated with their life’s work, in Flynn’s case perhaps his ordination, the centenary of which will occur in January 2011, or the formation of the Australian Inland Mission, the centenary of which will be celebrated in 2012.
In any case, d’Lima’s words are encouraging, and though he indicates no attribution is necessary, I’m happily giving him one.

COMMEMORATING A NOTEWORTHY AUSTRALIAN

Image via Wikipedia

This week we celebrate the 130th birthday of Presbyterian minister Rev’d John Flynn, who keenly applied his Christian belief when bringing communication, transport and medical assistance to the Australian Outback – under the motto: “For Christ and the Continent”.
A tremendous visionary, he said: “If we once dream, the rest is easy,” and he laboured to combine the emerging technology of aviation and radio transmission to help the nation. So in 1928 the Aerial Medical Service began as a work of the Australian Inland Mission, though aircraft had only recently been invented (powered flight first occurred in 1903) and radio communications were very basic.
As a testament to Flynn’s gospel ambition, and honouring his life and work, our twenty dollar note features the pedal radio generator, a diagnostic body chart, and the service’s first air ambulance. It also includes the image of a Flynn Boundary Rider missionary on his camel (based upon a photograph of Rev’d Col Harland, taken at Oodnadatta in 1919).
Invented by Flynn’s friend the Lutheran Alfred Traegar (in 1929) the pedal radio brought an end to bush isolation and enabled the School of the Air to educate children in remote regions. The body chart was devised by one of Flynn’s nurses (Sister Lucy Garlick) to enable numerical description of the location of pain – to help medical assessment.
After Flynn’s death, the work was re-named as the Royal Flying Doctor Service and it grew to become the world’s most extensive aerial medical work. Fittingly, John Flynn’s memorial near Tennant Creek includes the following inscription:

“His vision encompassed the continent …. He brought to lonely places a spiritual ministry …. And spread a mantle of safety ….”