[Dialogue] [Oe List ...] celebrating the completed life of Rob Duffy

Mon May 16 14:00:09 PDT 2016

It's with a mixture of  sorrow and gratitude that we celebrate the
completed life of our colleague, Rob Duffy. His was a presence that stayed
true to the mission in some of the most extraordinary circumstances. I once
had the honor of traveling with him on a tour of Southeast Asia Human
Development Projects, and these were some reflections from that trip:

*24 April 1979*

This is being written in the village development project of Bontoa, South
Sulawesi, Indonesia. We’re in the meeting room, which is a shelter in a
field in the center of the village. We are in a driving rainstorm, with
fifty to one hundred kids running around playing soccer outside and twenty
or so more milling around and chattering inside the shelter; mostly girls
inside, mostly boys outside. A mangy dog, ants, and mosquitoes also
populate the dirt-floored, slat-sided, thatch-roofed structure. Rob's talk
is going on in sentence-by-sentence translation. And somehow it all feels
perfectly normal. At least one fourth of the little boys are stark naked.
Most of the young women – who are village leaders – wear heavy coats of
rice powder on their faces giving what to Western eyes is a ghastly pallor
to otherwise attractive features. It's not the look of a prehistoric
culture – the dress and the eyes (bright, lucid, and alert) deny that. It's
just other.

The rain is pelting now, and it sounds like a tin roof. Rob is yelling at
the top of his voice and is barely audible. If it weren't for the fact that
all ten of us around the table are furiously taking notes and the fact that
Rob is profoundly serious in dealing with the project issues, you'd say
that this is an impossible situation in which to conduct business. But it's
not. It's just other. Rob's presence made it clear that Otherness is no
enemy.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Ann and the family.

John  & Ann Epps

On Mon, May 16, 2016 at 8:56 AM, Sherwood Shankland via Dialogue <
dialogue at lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:

> Journey on Rob Duffy Journey on!
>
> Blessings all around, Sherwood and Eunice Shankland
>
>
>
> *From:* OE [mailto:oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net] *On Behalf Of *John &
> Robyn Hutchinson via OE
> *Sent:* Monday, May 16, 2016 3:40 AM
> *To:* 'OE List' <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net>; Dialogue at lists.wedgeblade.net
> *Subject:* [Oe List ...] celebrating the completed life of Rob Duffy
> *Importance:* High
>
>
>
> Please note correct subject line. Thanks Robyn
>
>
>
> *From:* John & Robyn Hutchinson [mailto:rjhutchinson at optusnet.com.au
> <rjhutchinson at optusnet.com.au>]
> *Sent:* Monday, 16 May 2016 5:51 PM
> *To:* 'Karen Newkirk'; 'richard & Maria Maguire'; 'the telfords'; 'OE
> List'; 'Dialogue at lists.wedgeblade.net'
> *Cc:* 'elisabeth.a.banks at gmail.com'; 'frennieb at yahoo.com.au'; '
> johnboully at hotmail.com'; 'Frank Bremner'; 'hbryant at csu.edu.au'; 'John
> John Burbidge'; 'burdynski at gmail.com'; 'mark.butz at bigpond.com'; '
> benvon at dodo.com.au'; 'susanmarycole at bigpond.com'; '
> sabinadouglashill at gmail.com'; 'margendicott at iprimus.com.au'; '
> sfjw at iprimus.com.au'; 'rtsjkrdk at yahoo.com.au'; 'lucy at claypartners.com'; '
> chrishorsfall at bigpond.com'; 'lhotchin at ncable.net.au'; '
> jhamazing9 at gmail.com'; 'edithhurt at intl-link.com'; 'sinar14 at bigpond.com'; '
> charles at cejago.com'; 'David Jago'; 'gjkeating at bigpond.com'; '
> mvkenny at optusnet.com.au'; 'mellfamily at bigpond.com'; '
> jjmcontact at optusnet.com.au'; 'Margaret and Barry Oakley'; 'Katrin
> Ogilvy'; 'madelynomj at gmail.com'; 'rgr at iinet.net.au'; 'Helen Ritchie'; '
> bgrobins31 at gmail.com'; 'rush.m at xtra.co.nz'; 'tom.schwarz at kinnogene.com.au';
> 'krishna.shrestha at unsw.edu.au'; 'southonh9 at gmail.com'; '
> sandra_jean_44 at hotmail.com'; 'Jeanette Stanfield'; '
> a.thomson35 at bigpond.com'; 'rillawitt at optusnet.com.au'
> *Subject:* RE: ICA Australia AGM Agenda
>
>
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
> It is with great sadness that we let you know of the passing of our dear
> long term colleague, Rob Duffy.
>
>
>
> Rob had been ill for some time.  We celebrate Rob’s wonderfully completed
> life, lived on behalf of others in true pioneering style.
>
> Our prayers are with Ann and the family.
>
>
>
> We have spoken with Linda, the Duffy’s daughter. She has shared her mobile
> if you would like to contact the Duffy family. Mob. 0441 535 228
>
>
>
> Please forward this note on to others who might not receive this otherwise.
>
>
>
> Grace and Peace. John and Robyn Hutchinson
>
>
>
> *From:* SEC Email Address Mailbox [mailto:sec at nswact.uca.org.au
> <sec at nswact.uca.org.au>]
> *Sent:* Monday, 16 May 2016 10:47 AM
> *Subject:* Pastoral Note - Rev. Robert Duffy
>
>
>
> [image: cid:image001.png at 01CFD18F.114EF730]
>
>
>
> Dear All
>
>
>
> I regret to advise you that Rev. Robert (Rob) Duffy passed away on Tuesday
> 10th May. The funeral will be held at Bay and Basin Uniting Church (St
> Georges Basin) on Wed 25th May at 10 am. Rob is survived by his wife Ann.
>
>
>
> Please keep the family in your prayers.
>
>
>
> Kindest regards
>
>
>
> *Jennifer Jacobs | Administrative Assistant | Secretariat*
>
>
>
> *The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT *
>
> Level 9, 222 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
>
> *t * 02 8267 4329 |  *f* 02 9261 4359
>
> *e* JenniferJ at nswact.uca.org.au
>
> www.nswact.uca.org.au
>
>
>
> [image: uc logo]
>
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