The Easter I’ll Never Forget

“Join me for lunch”, he said

It’s the week leading up to Easter 2014 and I’m sitting in the Loaves and Fishes Restaurant in Ashfield, Sydney.

If you don’t know it, it’s run by the Exodus Foundation and feeds approximately 1,400 homeless people per day.

And right now, I’m sitting amongst three hundred of them.

For many, it’s their first proper meal since God knows when.

And it’s a fair bet most are riddled with a mix of cancer, heart disease, gum disease, diabetes, or depression.

Some of them, all five at once.

Hence the reason I’m here.

Across from me is Reverend Bill Crews, needing to raise money for a second-hand dental chair.

Not just to pull rotten teeth – but to give his medical staff a lead domino.

Meaning, if they can help arrest gum disease early, they might reduce the risk of other conditions linked to it – like heart disease and lung infections such as pneumonia.

And then without warning, Rev. Bill stops talking and taps my arm.

At the table next to us, two very unkempt men sit down with a meal each.

“Keep your eye on these blokes” he said.

My eyes are glued…while trying not to stare.

For a few minutes, not much happens. One man starts eating while the other just sits there.

Then Rev. Bill leans in and whispers…

“Why do you think the other fella isn’t eating?”

“Maybe the food is too hot?” I guess

“Keep watching”, he said.

Moments later, the first man finishes his meal.

And my jaw drops.

He slurps some water from his plastic cup…then gently removes his false teeth…and hands them to his mate.

I kid you not.

Two friends. Sharing one set of dentures.

It’s enough to suck the oxygen out of the room.

So, here’s a question for you…

While you were reading this story, were you thinking about Trump, threats of war, tariffs, or the rising cost of living?

Or were you thinking about those two men – and how your life compares?

For better or worse.

It’s amazing how a moment like that can cut through all the noise.

No headlines. No hysteria. No distractions.

Just a quiet, uncomfortable reminder of how lucky most of us really are.

Yes, there’s plenty in the world that feels broken right now.

But there’s also plenty to be grateful for.

Happy Easter!

Adam

Back paddock – a crocodile can run down a horse over 40m and a kangaroo can outrun a greyhound over 400m – David Attenborough