Anniversaries are a good time to look back in gratitude and to look ahead with purpose. Sue Ryder herself would want us to focus on the latter.
But here’s a quick glance back. Leonard and Sue first visited New Zealand in the early sixties. They came to talk with Airforce groups and radio stations about their work ‘for the relief of suffering.’
The radio talks left a big impact. It was the deep conviction yet gentle manner of Leonard and Sue that inspired listeners. Small groups soon emerged in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland to support the work of Raphael in Dehra Dun.
The biennial visits of Leonard and Sue deeply impacted all who met them. Such was the depth of their humanity, that when you were in their presence, it was as though you were their only focus in the world at that time.
On arriving in Christchurch or Auckland, Sue’s first phone call was always to the Carmelite Sisters. There they attended Mass every day. Leonard, tall and lean, Sue petite and frail, undoubtedly drew their strength from their faith.
Though devout, they were also the opposite of ‘ghetto Catholics’. With the toxic mix of religious fundamentalism and exaggerated nationalism on the rise, Sue and Leonard remind us that it is our shared humanity that we must cherish, protect and support. Essential to who we are as human beings is the provision of a special place for the vulnerable and those who suffer.
As we celebrated the centenary of Sue’s birth, how might we ensure that she and Leonard don’t remain just figures in a book, or pictures on a wall?
The best way, surely, is to get involved? To experience the struggles and joys of those for whom life isn’t always easy. Volunteering at Raphael or Klibur Domin means living the compassion, care, understanding and encouragement that were Sue’s life. In this sense, we can walk in her footsteps.
The newly retired are a growing group of volunteers. perhaps you can encourage a grandchild or person in your community to get involved. There is no more rewarding way to reengage with her extraordinary and inspiring story.
CarolynTapley
Chairman Ryder-Cheshire New Zealand