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January - March 2001 |
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Tank Radio |
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Wednesday the 18th April. Last night, Chris Jones and I arrived at Kempsey. We booked in at a caravan park, had a meal
in the township, and then phoned Bob Shanney to let him know of our arrival. Bob joined us at the caravan park and gave us the itinerary for the coming day.
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We rose early next morning and met Bob on the highway. We then travelled to South West Rocks on the Macleay River where we held a dawn
thanksgiving service on the jetty.
E. J. Telfer, as a young man, had offered himself for service to the Lord, and on the 18th April 1901 arrived at South West Rocks on board the SS Macleay to begin
Christian ministry among the Aboriginal people of the Kempsey area. When he arrived he was met and welcomed by the Mayor of Kempsey, Mr .
After the service, we gathered for breakfast
on the beachfront at South West Rocks which is situated at the mouth of the Macleay River in Trial Bay. It was here that we first heard the words "Tank Radio" mentioned. Our minds began
to run wild! What is "Tank Radio"? Is it a mechanically propelled bulletproof vehicle with caterpillar tracks? Could it be something like my old LTD Ford, which we nicknamed
"the tank"? Or a reservoir for storing liquids?
Lunchtime saw us at a picnic area on a hill overlooking Kempsey. It was here that we were enlightened about "Tank
Radio." It was the local community FM radio station built inside a large old concrete water tank, long since abandoned for storing water. With the heavy traffic of the highway going past,
the thick concrete walls served as a good soundproof against the noise of the traffic.
Each fortnight Bob has a one-hour radio program for his "Time For Christ Ministries". Bob, who is
an old hand in the studio, gave us quick instructions, "make sure you are only two hand widths from the microphone when speaking on air" and "no chatting in the background unless there is a
record or commercial playing".
Those present in the studio were James Dungay, an Aboriginal brother in the Lord, Wallace Shelley, Mrs Ruth Hermann, a former missionary, and from Melbourne, Chris
Jones and Bill Hammen. All took part in the broadcast.
Bob commenced the program with the weather forecast for the Kempsey district, and then played a hymn. James, playing the gum leaf,
then played a beautiful rendition of "Amazing Grace". James testified that as a young boy he lived close to UAM church at Burnt Bridge. On Sundays he would go to the church but being
too shy to go in would lie under the building where he enjoyed listening to Mr Hermann playing the accordion and the singing. James has been a born again Christian now for many years and enjoys singing
and playing guitar and gum leaf in church.
Another commercial break and then the President Chris Jones brought greetings from the UAM in Melbourne on this special centenary day and gave a short
message of encouragement to listeners to put their trust in the Lord.
It was my turn to speak and I gave my testimony of having been in Hitler's army as a boy of 16 at the end of WWII, and how I came
to Australia where I found Christ and trusted Him for salvation, and how I eventually became involved in UAM. Before another commercial break Wal Shelley brought a Bible reading.
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Mrs Ruth Hermann spoke of the time she and her husband spent as missionaries at Burnt Bridge just out of Kempsey. |
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Bob had asked his listeners a question, "Who was the first missionary who landed at South West Rocks 100 years ago? By the end of the program two
listeners had rung in with the correct answer and were rewarded with a free copy of the book, "Challenging the Almighty-a short history of the United Aborigines Mission".
The "Time for Christ"
program then drew to a close with the playing of that wonderful hymn, "Jerusalem".
Bill Hammen |
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