Celebrating 25 Years of Health Ministry

What comes to your mind when you think of that word ‘anniversary’? Pleasant memories of bygone days! Sweet memories of your wedding day, baptism or another special event, perhaps?

For a small team of health professionals and lay-workers at Fitzroy Falls just south of Sydney, this year marks their 25^th year of service in health ministry. Those 25 years bear the marks of joys, challenges, growth and much progress.

Cedarvale Health and Lifestyle Retreat commenced fulltime operations in January 1990. At that time, with an original team of only three staff they began taking in health guests each week, taking them through a program focusing on lifestyle modification, natural treatments including hydrotherapy and massage, and a plant-based diet.

“It was very primitive at Cedarvale in those first years,” says Angela Kerr, one of the original team. “Electricity was temporary, with minimal heating in the lodge”.

From these primitive conditions, the Lord greatly blessed! Today, Cedarvale is a well-established health retreat with first-class facilities, resident Dr, orchards, staff houses and a large off-the-grid hydro/solar power system.  It is established on 150 acres in a beautiful setting at the head of Kangaroo Valley, near Fitzroy Falls, with capacity to take 6-9 guests each week and a training program consisting of 4-10 trainees per year with a dedicated team of eight staff.

What a contrast from 25 years ago!

Over the last 5 years bed capacity has almost always been full. Cedarvale now has a solid niche in the Australian health market, and maintains a steady intake of health guests with varying needs and backgrounds. Dr. Paul Wood, the resident doctor, assesses and overseas a treatment program for each guest. The guests are also blessed spiritually by the kindness of the staff, and spiritual components of the program.

Cedarvale is now expanding and branching out from the lifestyle centre to put health services on the road. Adrian and Michealle Dorman, have been involved for 30 years in this type of health ministry. From managing a vegetarian restaurant and health food store to working in four health retreat/centres in Australia, Africa and the USA, they will now be offering programs to churches and communities around the country. Services will include church and community seminars, we-come-to-you 5 day health retreats, consultation services for persons wishing to start a health retreat and mobile massage and hydrotherapy treatments. If your church etc. is interested in any of these services be sure to get in touch with Adrian.

Another exciting component of the ministry at Cedarvale is the training school. This started approximately five years ago, and helps youth, lay-people and professionals to become skilled and experienced in different types of health ministry. Ten traineeship positions per year are currently offered, which commence July 2016. In addition to Cedarvale’s own curriculum (which includes work experience in the lifestyle centre, community outreach, Bible classes and gardening experience), trainees will complete:

• Cert. IV in Massage Therapy Practice (through the School of Integrated Body Therapy)
• Cert. IV in Presenting Community Health Education Programs (through Avondale College)
• Nedley Depression Recovery Associate Director
• CHIP Facilitator Certification

The school fulfils an important piece of Cedarvale’s original vision, which was “training youth for service”. Prior to this year, only female students were accepted (in line with the fact that most guests were female), however, now for the first time it is opening its doors to male students and expanding the curriculum and practical activities to accommodate this.

Cedarvale staff and management can only praise God as they reflect on the blessings of the last 25 years! Many lives have been impacted and changed forever; God has lead in marvellous ways and prospered to grow this ministry. Please pray for Cedarvale as they move through 2016 and beyond!