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SISTERS OF THE HAY-SHED PRINT-SHOP

“And this,” said Sister Christophora, with a delightful smile, “is our Press. It’s a Ryobi 300MR offset … it will do four colours but so far we’ve only used it for two.”

She gathered a handful of printed material, tracts and book-marks and booklets – “These are what we sent to Papua New Guinea when the tidal wave devastated so many villages a few months ago,” she continued. “Students in a Bible Seminary asked us to send them 2,000 packets … in both English and Pidgin.”

I looked at the card she handed me – “BILIP LONG GOD TASOL! NO KEN HOLIM TUPELA TINGTING”, I read.

[A quick mental calculation … and I decided it was one of the Pidgin cards …]

Back to Beginnings

“Let’s back track” I suggested. “How on earth (or should I say “in heaven”) did all this commence? What kind of a background did you have in the printing industry?”

“To answer your second question first – none! When I joined the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary back in Germany I worked for a while in their Book-shop. But I’d never touched a printing press.” As Sister Christophora paused I cut in. “Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary?” I asked, “who are they?”

It was explained to me that this movement grew out of the German Evangelical (Protestant) Church. Dr Klara Schlink – today she is known as Mother Basilea – took a brave stand against the Hitler regime. On March 30, 1947, she founded this Sisterhood. Today they number about 200, embracing 20 nationalities, and are found in 11 countries. Although their roots are in Lutheranism, they are undenominational. Mother Basilea has written over 100 books and booklets, which have been translated into 60 languages.

Down Under

It was in November, 1979, the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary established a base in Australia. After 15 months they were able to purchase 5 acres south-west of Sydney, at Theresa Park (10 kms from Camden).

There were 13 Sisters … from 7 nations … at that time. The property had two houses and a Hay-shed … and the latter was stacked with old broken furniture and a few chairs and mattresses. “We appreciated the mattresses,” Sister Gideona added, “because we had no beds!”

“And how did you afford to pay for it?” I asked.

“Some money came from the Sisters in Taiwan … but we were still $2,000 short. And we needed it by the weekend. So we called the bank and parents of one of our Sisters had just transferred some money to her account. It was enough. As a matter of fact, we moved in with $200 to spare. On the Monday (February 23), we drove in … debt free!”

They named the place “Canaan”.

Mother Basilea paid a visit … dedicated the property to the Lord’s work … and was invited to speak at St Andrew’s Cathedral in the heart of Sydney!

Early Days

“In the early days all we had was a Gestetner duplicator,” Sister Christophora continued. “So we began praying for a printing press.”

It so happened that a repairer – and salesman – of second-hand printing machines came across one of Mother Basilea’s booklets. Barry, for that is his name, phoned them up and asked if he might come and visit. He was certainly impressed by what he saw. Before he left he made the amazing statement – “God has told me to give you a print-shop!!”

Sure enough, two months later, a Multi 1250W Press … second-hand but in good working order … arrived at the converted Hay-shed. And a folding machine, a plate maker, a stapler (or stitcher), and a guillotine!!

“And we hadn’t even told him – or anyone except the Lord – that we’d been praying for a press,” Sister Gideona assured me.

I believe her!

The New Press

But now … how to work the Multi 1250W!! It was more complicated than the dear little duplicating machine!

A printer in Gosford offered to give Sister Christophora some lessons, “and give me a ring if you are in trouble,” he added.

Barry paid for her to attend a five day printing course!

For the next four years the press ran almost non-stop – “except Sundays!”

In 1986 Barry suggested that they needed a bigger printing press.

A renovated Heidelberg KORA was supplied – the Hay-shed was extended – and Barry offered to do some of the printing for them. He even built a house “just up the road”, and moved into it with his family!

Australia’s Bi-centennial year arrived, and thousands of tracts were printed. “God Bless Australia” said the colourful cover – and the simple message inside pointed the reader to how they could personally share in that blessing.

Half a million pamphlets and book-marks, appropriate to the celebration, rolled from the Sisters’ press.

Another Crisis

By 1994 the 25 year-old Multi was gasping for breath … or whatever printing presses gasp for!

“It was being held together with paper clips and rubber bands,” Sister Christophora told me. “The elector-static plates we were using were a health-hazard. Paper and chemicals were being wasted. And with Christmas orders coming in from our South-East Asia branches the whole thing was becoming impossible.”

So … they prayed.

Barry – like a knight on a white horse – came charging into the scene once more. He could sell the Multi for them and find another machine … a later model to replace it.

A brochure came their way – and there was a photo of the Ryobi 300MR. New! And way beyond their budget.

But Sister Simone – leader of the Australian community – said, “Maybe we will have to go for a new one …”

Sister Christophora breathed a silent “Thank You, Lord!”

More Miracles

The company were willing to let the Sisters pay it off over 6 months, interest free (which they did) … and deliver it immediately.

A bus driver brought a ladies’ group to see the Sisters … and instead of ‘snoozing’ in the bus, as is often the case, he followed his passengers into the print-shop. He was impressed. Casually he asked if they needed any paper. It seems that he had recently done a job for a printing company that had gone out of business. They were getting rid of their stock. So it was arranged that hundreds of tins of ink were given to the Evangelical Sisters of Mary. And over $1,000 worth of paper.

When a Sister saw shelving in the main street of Camden piled outside of a shop, she enquired as to whether it was being discarded. “Yes” came the reply, “we’re going to send it to the tip.” Life-line provided the transport to bring it to the Hay-shed print-shop.

Stories Galore

“Everything you see here has a story,” Sister Gideona remarked. “See those tables? They weigh a ton. But they were just what we needed. And they only cost us $10 each.”

The guillotine is a Mandelli Type 82HY. The folding machine is a Duplo DF-520. And the plate maker – a Mitsubishi Silver Master CP550 – is a God-send! (Note the capital “G”).

“We used to have to run backwards and forwards into Camden to have plates made. It was so time-consuming. Now we make our own. We were praying about replacing the old one and found this – only $6,000 – hardly used. The man who sold it to us delivered and installed it for us – and donated the chemicals.”

Recently the heater malfunctioned, causing poor quality plates. For $50 (instead of the customary $800), a new heater was obtained and Sister Christophora installed it herself!

Reflections

I drove away from Theresa Park with a tremendous admiration for these dear women. On the one hand, with their quaint costumes and prayer garden and communal living, it was like stepping back into the 14^th century. But the well equipped print-shop and amazing literature output brings one back with a jolt to the present day.

It is a place where the technology of man and miracles of God all intertwine. It is a place of peace and love and comfort and joy.

One day I’ll pay them another visit – not to write another article – but because of the other-worldliness that rubs off on one in their presence. And in the Presence of the One they serve.