Pastor/Captain Robbin Moulds of Salvation Army Streetlevel core is one of my friends. Here are some qualities she possesses. She is the finest example of what a true pastor should be. She has proven she is a friend of mine time and time again. I wonder how many friends you have like her?

1. She is honest.

In many pastor training colleges they teach people who are going to be pastors to have some professional distance form their flock. Yet, I don't think there is anything that my pastor would not let me ask her. She might not answer me, but she is so honest that she will tell me why she isn't giving me the answer.

2. She is full of compassion

Many people that have a lot of compassion have suffered pain themselves. This is true of my pastor, but compassion is a choice. Something can strike your compassionate heart about a situation, but you can chose not to reach out with compassion and fix the person that needs the help. My pastor acts every single time.

3. She is friendly.

You only have to see her meet a stranger with a big smile and a handshake and suddenly she is all ears listening to what the person has to say. Robbin runs a community aid centre with the homeless and poor and what people would consider social lepers, Robbin is all smiles and has much time for a stranger.

4. She does not judge you.

I have two mental illnesses but does Robbin judge me for that? Does she treat me different to normal people? Both her and her husband Paul says that their life has been made richer for knowing me. It does not matter if you are transsexual, gay, homeless, a living terror, Robbin is all smiles and hugs for the people in her community.

5. She does not gossip and does not want to hear it.

Gossip simply hurts people. Robbin does not participate in it. If you have a problem with someone and you want to tell her, she will cut you off and see if she can schedule a meeting with her and the person that you have the problem with and you. She says that it is enough that the hurting gossip, but her staff and her hold themselves to a higher standard.

6. She is always busy but has an open door policy.

No matter how busy she is with always three weeks work in her inbox on her table, when you walk through the door she is happy to converse and catch up with you. I love the presence of God in her office, it is a very peaceful place and she simply does not mind me chatting to her as she goes along with her work.

7. When I am missing for just one week from community she is on the phone to me.

I always seem to come into community a couple of times a week. But most of the time with chronic depression I only manage to come in on a day that I have spent the night up before. A couple of times I did not come in all week, only for church and she scheduled to meet me on her day off for lunch to see what was wrong with me.

Many pastors you could leave their church and you wouldn't even get a phone call, let alone going out for lunch with them and their children.

8. She listens to me and puts up with all my talking when I am manic. ( high from mania as a manic depressive)

Many people cannot endure me in this state. But my pastor and her daughter Sarah have plenty of time for me and plenty of love for me. She is just so understanding and all she has to say is after two nights up, is that I have to promise her that I will go to sleep. She will even ring me that night to make sure I am really going to go to bed.

9. She is a great thinker.

I always love people that are intelligent as I have quite a bit even with my two illnesses. Robbin is a very capable centre manager and a great preacher and a great organizer. All of this comes from exceptional thinking and organization.

10. She is a great wife and support to a busy husband.

Not only has she worked tirelessly in her workplace, she has also brought up two very mature children for their age and supported a husband who is very busy and the nation of Australia has more focus on. With all the years that they have been married, all of it dealing with homeless, drug affected, and mentally ill people, they are both a testament to a successful working relationship.

Be Blessed

Matthew Robert Payne