Today we received a letter (supposed to be registered mail, but sent regular mail) from the real estate agency that is the agent for the landlord of the property we have rented for the past 3 years. We have been given 60 days to evict the property so the landlord can sell the property vacant.
What does this mean? Well, we have 60 days in which to find a suitable house to rent within budget in the local neighbourhood. Easier said than done given the incredibly tense housing crisis in Australia, with a severe lack of rental homes. Both my wife and I spent an hour or so looking at one of the more popular real estate websites in Australia soon after receiving the letter and it seems that we are going to have to downsize and move into a 3 bedroom home if we want to stay in Mooroolbark or surrounds. Why stay in this area you ask? Several reasons.
My family. Since we have been married, and even before, we have moved a considerable number of times due to circumstances such as expanding families, houses being sold or landlord’s wanting to move back in, cheaper rent, chasing dreams in Queensland (more on that another time) and job offers. Each time we have uprooted the kids from schools and friends, not too mention our lives in the community and schools, and each time I have seen the stress and anxiety that this causes. I have promised my family, my kids that they will not be moving schools and all three of them will see their primary years completed at the local primary school (where I am also on the school council).
Community. We settled in this home, in this community because of the location and suburb. Since moving here we have become friends with many in the street, our neighbours, and in the local community. This has been a deliberate exercise at growing roots and becoming part of the local community — including school councils, chaplaincy committees — not too mention the connections with the local churches and my work in the community, the community meals and various folk.
Ministry. This ties in with the first two points. When we moved back to Melbourne we decided that we would live the incarnation in our neighbourhood, as Jesus in the community. This has seen myself and my wife minister to neighbours, pastor families from the school community and our creation of Holy Fools and the ministry we do each week at the community meals.
So, there you have the reasons for staying around here. Problem is that I can see there are a few obstacles for finding an ideal property in the area. I am praying hard that this is an easy process and one that serves the Kingdom as well as our needs. However, I still worry that not having an employer and surviving on Government subsidies until I get an employer is not going to look too good on an application. Secondly, I can’t afford to keep the phone on at home with the internet, so not sure how we are going to fund a move and deposit etc without outside help.
So, as well as my usual sporadic posts here about the ministry, life and serving Jesus in suburbia, I will be keeping a regular update on here about the impeding housing crisis for the Taylor family. If you’re the praying kind of folk, I would appreciate you keeping our housing in your prayers.
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