Who let the chickens out?

Our family was once in a situation where we were waiting for housing and were invited to look after the house of friends who were going to be away.  It was an arrangement that worked out great for us because it meant a roof over our heads, and also gave them a sense of confidence while they were away, that their house was safe.

We checked out the house and got the run down on where everything was and anything we needed to know about the property. We were OK about looking after their chickens until we were told they were Sentinel Chickens.

The Sentinel Chicken Surveillance Programme is a government programme whereby flocks of chickens are established in towns across Australia as an early warning system for viruses such as Murray Valley Encephalitis. The evidence of such viruses will usually appear in chickens before other animals or humans, so the sentinel flock is checked regularly to alert authorities to any potential for epidemics.

All of a sudden our sense of responsibility in looking after a friend's house took on a new emphasis as we realised the humble chickens in the backyard were so important to the health of our local community.

The term stewardship carries with it that idea that we are caretakers of things that we do not own. One of Baptistcare's values is "stewardship of the responsibilities in our care". We are not just doing the jobs we do, because that's our job. We have responsibilities that have been entrusted to us, and there is some weight on our shoulders to handle those responsibilities with care and respect.

As we think about our responsibilities, including the relationships we are involved with, we become aware that we are stewards of those responsibilities and relationships. We can no longer handle them in ways that simply suit ourselves, but need to recognise how our actions will impact other people.

Have you seen stewardship at work in your colleagues at Baptistcare. When you have identified what stewardship looks like, why not nominate someone for Baptistcare's Stewardship Award. 

There is no only one month till the closing date for the awards, so get those nominations in soon.