The Red Frogs were out again recently to offer assistance, support and encouragement to young Australians celebrating the end of their school life (known colloquially as “schoolies”). LAUREN MUSCAT, who recently spent a week embedded with a Red Frogs team on Victoria’s south-west coast, writes about her time among them…
THE FROGS: Lauren Muscat (fourth from left in second row from front) and the Red Frog team she worked
with in “safeguarding a generation”. PICTURE: Jacob Plumridge.
Over the course of the past 18 years, the classic Allen’s Red Frog has become synonymous with a group of kind-hearted, generous, self-sacrificing young men and women. In my church, to ‘frog’ has become a recognised and respected verb. Definition: to offer help and support to people when they may have put themselves in harm’s way.
Founded in 1997 on the Gold Coast by ‘Boss Frog’ Andy Gourley, Red Frogs Australia has grown to a 1,700 person operation which, with the support of churches around the country, work to fulfill their mission to “safeguard a generation”. As schoolies descend on holiday spots around the nation, the Red Frogs – running on adrenaline and processed sugar – respond to calls for walking young people home, cooking them pancakes, even just to have a chat.
“My favourite part about serving the schoolies is showing them the same unconditional love that Jesus shows us. Whoever they are, whatever they’ve done, it’s about showing them that we love them for who they are.”– Red Frog Luke Birch |
So, of course, I was more than proud to join their ranks. This year for the first time, I donned the Red Frogs shirt, joining the team down in Lorne during the annual Victorian schoolies period.
Across the week, Red Frogs received over 2,600 calls to their Victorian hotline from beachside locations such as Rye, Phillip Island, Torquay and Lorne. The crews responded to over 400 requests for pancake cook-ups and received more than 1,500 calls requesting or inquiring about their free bus services at all four locations.
“My favourite part about serving the schoolies is showing them the same unconditional love that Jesus shows us. Whoever they are, whatever they’ve done, it’s about showing them that we love them for who they are,” says Luke Birch.
An example of the impression Red Frogs can leave on schoolies, Birch, who came to celebrate schoolies at Lorne after completing his VCE, has just completed his second year with the Red Frogs after his own positive experience with the group.
Our fearless leader (and location leader for Lorne), Raigan Howard has just completed his fifth year as a ‘frogger’. A personal trainer by day, and a former youth worker, Howard joined the Red Frogs in 2011.
“I think my years of youth work has taught me I can build rapport with young people. I can engage with them. So for me it’s just about using my gifts and skills. Red Frogs is simply an extension of my faith. We’ve been called to go into the world,” he says.
“It doesn’t happen very often now that I’m location leader but I really love being able to sit down with one schoolie and really chat. There were two nights consecutively last year where I was just able to sit down with one schoolie who had a lot on his heart and a lot in his head and just had to get it out there, so I really love that. It can be so draining and exhausting but at the same time I love being able to do that.”
But, as I personally discovered, Red Frogs isn’t just there for the benefit of the schoolies.
“A highlight of Frogs is developing young leaders; you give them the challenge, you give them the tools, you give them the inspiration and then you throw them out there, telling them to just go for it and watch them rise up,” says Howard.
Such a process can see some very positive results, Howard explains.
“You’ve got to put yourself under pressure, otherwise you won’t grow. I know that there are things I could do to make things really comfortable for the Frogs. But I almost need that thorn in the side to keep me humble, alert, questioning, thinking, pondering. Something that doesn’t let me get settled in a comfortable environment. It causes me to think about things that I normally wouldn’t think about. It’s a constant challenge. As a result of that challenge, I’ll get back to my church on Sunday with a newfound passion for the local church and its missions and God’s purpose for it”.
For Howard, there are two things he wants to see as a result of participation in Red Frogs: “That every schoolie goes home safe and that every schoolie has a positive experience with a Red Frog. Everything else is important but ultimately it comes down to those two things. We’re just here to serve with no agenda.”
After the experiences of the last week, I can say confidently that Frogs live by the mantra “safeguarding a generation” because the generation is worth safeguarding. These school-leavers are intelligent, curious, searching young people and it was nothing short of an honour being able to serve them wholeheartedly for a week.
Until next year, Red Frogs.
