Bill finds his calling in aged care chaplaincy
Bill Li, a chaplain at Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Centre and Retirement Village (NSW), shares his profound journey of transformation from atheism to Christianity. With over a decade in service in aged care ministry, Bill expresses a deep fulfilment in providing emotional, pastoral, and spiritual support to residents.
Bill, can you tell us a little bit about who you are?
Coming to Australia with a student visa as an atheist in 2002 and later becoming a follower of Jesus as a soldier of Campsie Corps in 2010, I have experienced a dramatic and amazing change. God has done an incredible job in my personal life. I first completed a Diploma of Christianity Chaplaincy at Eva Burrows College and then commenced ministering at Pacific Lodge Aged Care Centre in 2011 as a chaplain, and later moved to Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Centre in 2013, where I will have worked for 11 years. During these years and my journey of ministry, I have received so many blessings and felt that God has been guiding and walking with me everywhere, all the time.
What do you enjoy most about your role with The Salvation Army Aged Care?
You may be interested in why I have been working in one role for such a long time. What I can tell is that I firmly believe that God has his own timing and has been using me as a faithful follower and diligent servant. I have been enjoying providing emotional, pastoral, and spiritual support to our beloved residents, and I have a feeling of continuing to minister to the elderly to the last day of my retirement.
What aspect of working in the aged care industry is most rewarding to you?
One of the things I like most about my role is sharing stories with residents. People in their older age could tell you many of their experiences, which are full of adventure, success, and happiness and, at times, struggles and failures. However, whatever happened, all is in God’s hands because he is the creator with love and mercy, and all is in his control. One of the interesting things I found is that the more stories I heard, the more I trust God and the more I believe God is almighty. The residents’ stories are evidence of God’s glory, endurance and forgiveness.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like listening to classical music in my spare time. A musical work I like is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, the Fate Symphony. I really cannot tell how many times I have listened to it with prayers. It always comes with encouragement and inspirations whenever facing challenges and difficulties.
What does leadership mean to you?
As to my understanding of leadership, I think it is not only the art of guiding a team or organisation through effective decision-making, motivating members and achieving collective goals with integrity, but also the actions of demonstrating a leader’s strong moral principles and ethics, as well as excellent organisational abilities. But above these, the most important is illustrating faith in God. God is our leader all the time and we have just follow his guidance and instruction.
What advice would you give other employees of The Salvation Army Aged Care working in similar roles?
Leave everything to God in prayer and follow the ways God directs you. Then you will be rewarded by his love and blessings.
