Mark and Linda are deeply passionate about giving people hope—both spiritually and practically. It’s their Christian faith that daily drives them to do all the good they can.
Church has always been part of Mark and Linda’s lives but 30 years ago they wanted to do more. At the time, Mark and Linda were disappointed their church devoted little energy to caring for vulnerable members of society.
Instead of waiting for their church to change, they acted. They went looking for an organisation that filled this gap and found Wesley Mission.
“With the work that we do within our church, we see the pain that is within society. I’m aware that pain comes in many different forms. Homelessness, joblessness, domestic violence just comes in so many different forms,” said Mark.
Linda said, “To me what’s really important is the work that needs to be done with hurting families— there is so much family breakdown. Domestic violence victims and children who are in broken families. These are the issues that are really important to me.”
Impacted by Wesley Mission’s wide-reaching work, Mark and Linda made the decision to leave Wesley Mission a gift in their Will.
“We left a gift to Wesley [Mission] in our Will as a legacy. When we pass on, we feel that some of the assets and money that we have collected should be used to help benefit others,” Mark said.
Linda added, “I think it’s important to put a gift in your Will, because it’s as though you are giving to God with the last of your possessions. It is our last opportunity to give thanks to God for what he has blessed us with, to go forward to bless others. If we can pass that blessing on through our Will, it is something special and very easy to do.”
Both Mark and Linda want their assets to be well divested at the end. They hope nothing is wasted and their finances can have a lasting impact on those most in need. They believe the best organisation to do this is Wesley Mission who can, “multiply money and extend it out into the community,” said Mark.
Linda added, “A charity tends to have direct contact with the people. People working with people, that is far more meaningful. If you’re a person who is hurting, you want interactions with someone who is showing Jesus’ love to you in that situation.”
Mark and Linda have been married for 39 years. They first met at a Bible study at their shared workplace. Unknown to each other, they both also had an interest in running and were training for Sydney’s City2Surf. It was through this mutual passion for their faith, health and fitness that first brought them together as a couple. Together they have three children who are central to their family life.
Mark and Linda not only give their finances but their time. Over the years they have volunteered at many Wesley Mission events and activities to reinforce their continual commitment to Wesley Mission.
For the past two years, Mark has voluntarily tutored at Wesley School for Seniors, a program which offers educational and recreational courses to over 55-year-olds. The program gives seniors the opportunity to build new skills while developing friendships. Recently retiring and wanting to stay connected, Mark jumped at the opportunity to become a tutor. At his classes, Mark speaks on a range of technical subjects, such as ‘Physics for Politicians’ that create robust discussions amongst the group.
“The community at [Wesley] School for Seniors is great. There is such a diverse range of classes that you can participate in. The classes run every day of the week and there is always going to be someone you can feel connected to,” explained Mark.
Linda and Mark would like to encourage anyone who is thinking of leaving a gift to Wesley Mission, how simple and rewarding it is. They believe it’s a really easy way to give back to the community.