october 21 - 27 | 2015
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circulating in wangaratta, myrtleford, bright, mt beauty, beechworth, yackandandah, rutherglen, chiltern and districts
Brotherhood of man By KYLIE WILSON
HELPING OTHERS:
Peter Leppert loves to use his faith and his life experience to help his fellow man through difficult times. PHOTO: Kylie Wilson
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TEN years ago Beechworth’s Peter Leppert was living through one of the worst times of his life. After his marriage ended, and he lost his job, and had to sell the marital home, he was stuck in what he described as a “whirlpool of depression and helplessness”. But despite the dark times, he found solace, renewed faith and help through his friend Fred Gollasch in nationwide organisation called Better Blokes Ministry, and by being involved in reaching out to fellow men in crisis himself. “I gave all my blackness and depression to God, and asked him to help unburden me as I was unable to find a way out myself, and he just lifted me up so high, and I have never looked back,” Peter said. His zeal for supporting other men in their lives and encouraging them to support each other through crises remains a key focus to this day. He said the Better Blokes Ministry, originally established by Mr Gollasch, has been helping him and other men for the last seven years, and there are now “Men’s Shed Happens” groups all over Australia. Ministry camp events have also seen a number of influential speakers, including Ian “Watto” Watson, author of books such as “Every Bloke’s A Champion, Even You”, and “Champion Blokes Shed Their Shame”, which Peter said are both “highly readable short books written for Aussie blokes”. “Watto’s mantra is ‘I have never seen a man go backwards with encouragement’, which works in every aspect of life,” he said. Peter said by attending one of the ministry’s annual camps seven years ago he renewed his passion for life. He has now remarried, has a new life, and has participated in events for Mens Ministry with his friend “Watto” near Lake Eildon, Finley and Deniliquin. continued page |
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