The Impossible Dream

I just thought you might be interested in having a look at the address I gave last night at our installation meeting, held at the Melbourne Convention Centre.

Forty years ago I went to Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne to see the musical stage production of “Man of La Mancha” with lead roles by Keith Michell and Suzanne Steele.

For those who are unfamiliar with the musical, it is based on a story by the 16^th century novelist Miguel de Cervantes who writes himself into the story as a failed author, soldier, actor and tax collector.

Along with his Squire, he is thrown into a dungeon to await his trial before the Spanish Inquisition. While there they are set upon by the prisoners who set up a mock court where he offers his defense which is in the form of a play.

In this play, Cervantes portrays himself as a country gentleman, no longer young, but one who has brewed over life until his brains have all most dried up. And in his dementia, shut off from the world of reality, saw himself as fearless knight Don Quixote de la Mancha.

Dressed in hideous rusted armor, Don Quixote pursues a quest to rid the world of injustice, cruelty and every kind of wrong.

In his journey he came by a rundown wayside Inn, where he met Aldonza, a scurrilous brazen kitchen maid: a woman who waited on tables by day and on men by night.

Don Quixote saw in her only virtue and beauty, and believed her to be his lady Dulcinea, a woman of purity, honour and grace, the one to whom he would dedicate all his conquests and victories in battle.

The eccentric Don Quixote could only see hope, beauty, possibility and life. He refused to see life as it was, but only life as it should be.

In the stage production, he sang to his lady Dulcinea the signature song that explained his quest, and the passionate cause that drove him forward in his fight against wrong. In the process a life is changed, a life is reborn, the scurrilous kitchen maid Aldonza is transformed when she takes upon herself the mantle of dignity and virtue invested in her by her Knight, Don Quixote de la Mancha.

THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM

To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.
This is my quest, to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far,
To fight for the right without question or pause
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause.
And I know if I’ll only be true, to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm, when I’m laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this, that one man,
scorned and covered with scares.
Still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable star.

Music & Words: Mitch Leigh & Joe Darion

My love of the story has everything to do with the notion that Don Quixote refused to accept life as it was, but rather, chose to see life as it should be, and in that, there is a difference. Maybe that’s why the song is called, The Impossible Dream.

Many would say, an impossible dream at that; but if that is all it is, then there is no hope, no future, no reason to try.

But on the other hand, this world is what it is today because people have been prepared to go where others would not, and do what others claimed could not be done. Many are people who have tried and failed and tried again and succeeded.

This lays bare the heart and spirit of what drives the mission of The Salvation Army throughout the world today, that we would seek to do good amid an avalanche of wrong, injustice and evil.

We refuse to accept life as it is, but rather hold to the belief of what it should be and how it should be.

Is it not our purpose to offer hope and possibility to others who live without hope and possibility? Is it not our purpose to offer life to those who live without living?

This is my quest, to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far,
To fight for the right without question or pause
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause.
And I know if I’ll only be true, to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm, when I’m laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this, that one man, scorned and covered with scares.
Still stove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable star.

Was it not so for Moses who, standing before Pharaoh said to him, “let my people go” ridiculous suggestion you might say, but in the end, Pharaoh let them go.   Exodus 4:21.

And was it also not so for Moses when, after Pharaoh had released the captive nation, when he and the people stood before the Red Sea?

Before them, an uncrossable sea and, behind them, an unmerciful army. Then we are told that Moses stretched out his arms, and the sea walled. An impossible situation you say? Exodus 14:21-22.

And was it not so for young David, a boy who took a sling and a stone and stood before the giant Goliath? Stupid impetuous boy you say, but David defeated him. 1 Samuel 17

And was it not so for Gideon who with only 300 men, went into battle against 120,000 Midianites? ‘Impossible odds you say’, but Gideon and his 300 men won. Judges 7

Do you think our work in housing people from the streets is going to put an end to homelessness? No it won’t but every week we manage to provide 2000 beds each week.

Do you think Employment Plus is going to make a difference to unemployment in this country; well they have managed to find work for over 500,000 since they started, and that is around 1000 people a week.

Do you think that the Army in Bourke St with the Melbourne City Council partnership is going rid the city streets of knives, violence and anti-social behavior?

No I don’t think they will, but they will go a long way to making a positive difference in the lives of many and perhaps even saving the lives of some.

Do you think that the presence of The Salvation Army in the world is going to be able to, right the unrightable wrong?

No, but, let me tell you, “No matter how hopeless, no matter how far, to fight for the right without question or pause and be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause. This is our quest”

Do you know in the past 12 months, Salvation Army ministry has seen over 900 people become Christians and around 700 people become members.

Do you know that over the past 12 months, The Salvation Army has helped over 1,000,000 that is one person every 30 seconds.

Do you think we are going to abandon our mission simply because the world is out of control and it’s getting worse?   -  We will not!

Do you think we are going to despair just because it’s just too hard and too dangerous and our efforts seem so insignificant compared to the size of the problem?  -  We will not!

The cynics might say that we are do-gooders chasing an impossible dream, but we believe, and evidence confirms what Jesus said.

“What is impossible for men, is possible with God” – Luke 18:27

The Salvation Army was born on the streets with a fundamental belief that, “what is impossible for men, is possible with God.”

This simple uncomplicated truth lies at the heart of who and what we are as a people.

We will not retreat from the streets, the hard places, the dangerous people, or infectious environments.

We will not withdraw from the challenges that continually confront us spiritually, morally or ethically.

In fact if anything, we will need to hold our nerve in an increasingly desensitized cultural environment where wrong is beginning to emerge as right and right, as wrong.

But – We believe in the power of God to change the human heart.

We believe in the power of God to heal broken, damaged lives.

We believe in the power of God to make a difference.

We believe it, because we have seen it happen and more importantly, He has done it for us and in us.

WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR MEN, IS POSSIBLE FOR GOD

And so

THIS IS OUR QUEST!