251: Jarrod McKenna

My guest today is Jarrod McKenna.

Jarrod McKenna the is the Teaching Pastor at Cornerstone Church in Perth, he is the co-founder of "First Home Project", a community welcoming housing and “giving a hand up not a hand-out” to recently arrived refugees, and is a peace award winning nonviolent social change trainer.

Jarrod obviously a very smart and charismatic man - not many pastors are anything less - but Jarrod is also a man who is voracious in his drive to campaign for positive social change when it comes to asylum seekers and refugees.

Not many folks are willing to risk their lives for a cause - and Jarrod did just that, when he was smuggled onto Manus Island to spend time with and speak with people that our Australian government has detained.

Among those people - are 107 children.

Children like your kids and mine.

Kids who are far from home, scared and needing care and support.

When I pay my taxes, that money gets used for many things that I’m happy about.

Roads, hospitals, infrastructure and social services.

That money is also being used to detain children who had no choice in their situation.

That’s my money. Your money.

Personally - I’m not too happy about it.

Do I have an answer to people arriving to Australia by boat?

Nope.

Is locking up children the answer?

Not as far as I’m concerned.

Jarrod belongs to a church that I have had a few things to do with over the years - and not all of those experiences were positive, but as you’ll hear me say to him - I’ve learned to be quick to see where religious people are right.

Just because I have a different idea of what might be ‘god’ or a ‘higher power’ doesn’t mean that I can’t powerfully share values of kindness, compassion and caring for others in our community that a man like Jarrod does.

Jarrod is a good man, a kind man, and I’m very proud to support him and bring this conversation to you.

If you’d like to support Jarrod and his work - www.kidsoffnauru.com is where to start.

We do talk about some pretty heavy stuff here - including talk about suicide. If you or anyone you know needs support - please take control and call lifeline on 13 11 14.

I hope you enjoy this conversation with Jarrod McKenna.

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