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Favourite TV programme
Actually I would prefer a Maeve Binchy novel.
Favourite food
Anything I have not cooked myself. (Not because I'm not a reasonable cook - but it's nice to enjoy what someone else has made!)
Highly respected person
Nelson Mandela for what he's accomplished in South Africa through self-denial, patience and perseverance.
Most memorable moment
The joy and pleasure of breast-feeding my children.
Brief history
Born in Perth; attended Balbeggie Primary then Perth Academy; student nurse at Perth College of Nursing; married Stewart in 1981 (who I met when
I was 11 in Sunday School - he was 19 and the teacher! - started dating at 17 & 25 years of age.); took a break for family; trained as breast-feeding counsellor for National Childbirth Trust; returned to nurse
older people; now training as a Social Worker.
Why, when and how you became a Christian
When I was 11, largely through a Scripture Union camp listening to my husband Stewart's story, I felt that I wanted to get
to know his God. I prayed and asked Jesus to forgive me for the things I'd done wrong, and started reading the Bible daily. I felt very peaceful about this and knew that God was real. I found great comfort in
knowing that I had someone to whom I could speak at any time, and who could share my problems and thoughts. As I grew older that shared faith led to a close relationship with Stewart, and became a foundation for our
romance and marriage - and it still is.
What being a Christian means to you
Being a Christian has brought a great stability in my life when so many things are unsure and unstable. I don't think I share the fear for the
future that many have because I know God has got things in hand. I know that my life doesn't just happen. God has set a purpose for the choices I make, and leads me all the way.
What you wish would happen in the world
My concerns focus on inequality in both the Third World and in our country. There is increasing poverty, and it is hard to
think how this can be addressed or put right. Too many people - Christians included - are unaware of what's going on under our noses, and in other places. We are too content and complacent with our own situation. It
would be good to see the talk of equal opportunities brought into practice - is that 'pie in the sky'?
What you're trying to achieve in life?
This is why I am moving into Social Work to try and make a small contribution both in awareness raising and by direct
action. There are times that I have had to really question the practical outworking of my faith in a multi-cultural society. This is in relation both to commitment to my own faith, and respect for others whose
own faith is significant to them. By working with people who are oppressed and disadvantaged, I am having to re-examine what Christian commitment is really all about. In this journey there are few conclusions and
many questions. As a mother I am also very aware of the responsibility to develop in my own children their social conscience and responsibility.
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