After a life ranging from being a civil engineer to a missionary and a parish minister, Alan Dyall is enjoying the comfort and contentment of living at Uniting AgeWell Hawthorn Community.
Alan has led an interesting life and remains passionate about his calling.
Alan worked as a civil engineer for five years before becoming a missionary. He studied to be a Presbyterian Minister and while at college met his wife, Beth (Elizabeth) who was also called to be a missionary.
They were married and moved to Vanuatu for nine years where they ran a mission station.
Alan recalls life on the South Pacific Ocean Island, where his engineering skills came in handy as he found himself not only ministering to the people, but fixing water tanks and building roads and structures too!
But he and Beth were made of tough stuff and they raised their young family against a backdrop of bush living and often wild weather.
“They were wonderful years,” he recalls. “We were very happy.”
They returned to Australia and he was based at a number of parishes, from Tasmania to remote Carnarvon in Western Australia.
Beth passed away eight years ago.
Nowadays, Alan remains close to his family while enjoying a quieter life at Hawthorn Community.
He attends the exercise classes most mornings, loves playing scrabble, reads the newspapers and enjoys going on bus trip outings.
“The staff look after me very well,” Alan says. “The meals are great and I’m happy here.”
He also enjoys having the time to reflect on a life shaped by his Christian faith and dedicated to helping others.
“You never really retire as a minister,” he says. “You always continue doing God’s work.”
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