Review of the Oasis Documentary That Won Two AFI Awards, Best Editing and Best Direction
Over 20 years ago there was a poignant in your face, disturbing Documentary by Mike Willesee on the Street Kids that lived in Kings Cross, in Sydney.
And last year Shark Island films released another Documentary that was gritty confronting, and disturbing.
It was called the Oasis and the story of homeless children in Surry Hills Sydney and it's a great Doco.
The characters could not have been better even if they had been given a professional script and their stories of desperation were sad, confronting, and yet sometimes hopeful.
The documentary about the Oasis homeless refuge in inner city Surry Hills in Sydney Australia, has its own school, work opportunities, counseling, and it is networked with all the best re-habs and personal development agencies that can help the young children heal and leave their life of destructive behavior.
Paul Moulds, A Salvation Army officer, the equivalent of a pastor, does not do the job for high wages, nor does any person who works for the Salvation Army get high wages.
You can see him working very long hours in the documentary arriving once at 6 am and still helping children get furniture and linen at 9pm at night.
The children in the film have horrific pasts and are very "needy" and although Paul has over forty people that work with all the services Oasis provides, and he is a very busy man, he always has time for the desperate children in his care, and even for those without a bed in his centre that can only sleep less than twenty at a time.
As a person who sees suicides among the children he has worked with, and overdoses by others, he is somewhat of an authority on youth suicide.
I did a professional volunteers course put on by Street level the centre down the road that provides free food, washing machines and dryers, a cheap hot lunch each day for a dollar, and second hand furniture and clothes, and when in the course Paul Moulds got up to speak on suicide, I was ready for the same old crap I have heard for twenty years.
As a person who has looked suicide in the face four times, I hear a lot of garbage being spoken by so called experts on the subject.
When Paul spoke, I was pleasantly shocked because he knew his stuff and before he was finished about what drives a person to take their own life I had a tear or two in my eyes.
If you wanted someone to speak on suicide prevention or homelessness for your church or your staff in a conference, I could not give anyone I know a bigger personal recommendation then Paul Moulds.
I was once asked to speak to a group of parents who had lost children to suicide and I took a huge risk and it made me cry as I said it.
I said, "The number one thing that is on your mind when you are going to kill yourself is to convey your apologies for taking your life.
So if your children didn't say sorry, here am I on their behalf saying sorry.
" All of the people in that room wanted to shake my hand and many gave me a hug and didn't want to let me go.
I had connected with them! That is what Paul did with me at the course as he spoke the truth with compassion and that is why I cried.
I know quite a few of the kids in the movie, they come into the centre where I work as a kitchenhand in the kitchen that makes the meals, and many of the kids come in there for a meal.
And some of the children are Christians with a good faith and they attend church at Street Level in Surry Hills.
Paul never gives up on his children.
He is firm in his belief if he doesn't help them, who else are going to care enough to give them a hand up.
Paul Mould's wife, Robbin who is in the movie is the finest pastor I have ever met in my life and I have met a lot of pastors.
I encourage you all to get hold of the Oasis documentary even if you are overseas.
If you are in Australia you can hire it free at any Video easy store.
The link to the website is below.
Be Blessed Matthew Robert Payne
And last year Shark Island films released another Documentary that was gritty confronting, and disturbing.
It was called the Oasis and the story of homeless children in Surry Hills Sydney and it's a great Doco.
The characters could not have been better even if they had been given a professional script and their stories of desperation were sad, confronting, and yet sometimes hopeful.
The documentary about the Oasis homeless refuge in inner city Surry Hills in Sydney Australia, has its own school, work opportunities, counseling, and it is networked with all the best re-habs and personal development agencies that can help the young children heal and leave their life of destructive behavior.
Paul Moulds, A Salvation Army officer, the equivalent of a pastor, does not do the job for high wages, nor does any person who works for the Salvation Army get high wages.
You can see him working very long hours in the documentary arriving once at 6 am and still helping children get furniture and linen at 9pm at night.
The children in the film have horrific pasts and are very "needy" and although Paul has over forty people that work with all the services Oasis provides, and he is a very busy man, he always has time for the desperate children in his care, and even for those without a bed in his centre that can only sleep less than twenty at a time.
As a person who sees suicides among the children he has worked with, and overdoses by others, he is somewhat of an authority on youth suicide.
I did a professional volunteers course put on by Street level the centre down the road that provides free food, washing machines and dryers, a cheap hot lunch each day for a dollar, and second hand furniture and clothes, and when in the course Paul Moulds got up to speak on suicide, I was ready for the same old crap I have heard for twenty years.
As a person who has looked suicide in the face four times, I hear a lot of garbage being spoken by so called experts on the subject.
When Paul spoke, I was pleasantly shocked because he knew his stuff and before he was finished about what drives a person to take their own life I had a tear or two in my eyes.
If you wanted someone to speak on suicide prevention or homelessness for your church or your staff in a conference, I could not give anyone I know a bigger personal recommendation then Paul Moulds.
I was once asked to speak to a group of parents who had lost children to suicide and I took a huge risk and it made me cry as I said it.
I said, "The number one thing that is on your mind when you are going to kill yourself is to convey your apologies for taking your life.
So if your children didn't say sorry, here am I on their behalf saying sorry.
" All of the people in that room wanted to shake my hand and many gave me a hug and didn't want to let me go.
I had connected with them! That is what Paul did with me at the course as he spoke the truth with compassion and that is why I cried.
I know quite a few of the kids in the movie, they come into the centre where I work as a kitchenhand in the kitchen that makes the meals, and many of the kids come in there for a meal.
And some of the children are Christians with a good faith and they attend church at Street Level in Surry Hills.
Paul never gives up on his children.
He is firm in his belief if he doesn't help them, who else are going to care enough to give them a hand up.
Paul Mould's wife, Robbin who is in the movie is the finest pastor I have ever met in my life and I have met a lot of pastors.
I encourage you all to get hold of the Oasis documentary even if you are overseas.
If you are in Australia you can hire it free at any Video easy store.
The link to the website is below.
Be Blessed Matthew Robert Payne
