Mount Isa Christian Outreach Centre cleans Pioneer for National Others Week

They started cleaning last week as part of National Others Week. But then they went the proverbial extra mile and continued working. 

The church volunteers’ commitment attracted the attention of Mount Isa mayor Joyce McCulloch, who rang unexpectedly last week to say; “you should see what they’re doing. It’s bloody unbelievable. 

“It made me quite teary. 

“It was like an army of them, it was so impressive.” 

Volunteers including Kaine Manihera said on Tuesday afternoon they had cleaned more than 26 house yards. Most of the work was focused in Pioneer. 

“We reckon we have done about 20 trucks,” Mr Manihera said. Each truckload of rubbish weighed about a tonne, the volunteers said. 

“We want to do all of Pioneer. Slowly but surely.” 

When asked what their motivation was, Mr Manihera responded, “our faith is the source that drives us to do it. But for the newspaper, (we say) love.

“Love is an action, it’s no longer a word.

“It’s not good enough for these people...we chose to show that love,” they said, referring to the suburb’s high concentration of public housing and social issues.

Christian Outreach Centre’s Pastor Keith Christie said the efforts of the church’s volunteers were “phenomenal”. 

“This year the response has been so great we continued it on,” he said, referring to the fact they were working beyond National Others Week.

“There’s been great support from the community; Bunnings, Woolworths, the Lord Mayoress’s office.” 

Pastor Christie said much of the work had been centred near Pioneer’s Woolworths but that there had been other projects in other suburbs as well. 

“A lot of it was for single mums and elderly people,” he said. 

But the volunteers’ work has motivated residents to clean their yards as well. 

“People have been coming out of their homes and asking for help.

“That’s why we decided to keep it going...it’s so good to do good things for people.”