?We are a small ? company. We were into recycling but it?s not that profitable. Our attention turns to waste disposal. My job is to run the place: I organise and do some paper work. We do garbage and recycling?. There?s three guys, and we start at 3 am?. I drive the compactor for half the run, and I run at the back of the truck for the other half. I?ve been doing this for six years. I process the recycling every day. ? It?s heavy manual work. There is lifting, lots of noise especially when you?re processing. Running ? steep streets is physically demanding particularly in the summer ?. You?ve got to get going early, and that is disruptive to family life. You work all days, all weather, even public holidays. As an essential service you can?t have time off. I like the challenge of the physical aspect: how fast and efficient can we get?
But it?s pretty mindless ? smashing bottles, running behind a truck?. People ask me about my work and some see me as a bum. In some way it is an end of the road job. But it is essential and people rely on you. If we went on strike, and waste started to build up, it would be a health risk. ? Recycling is more important these days, and I?m respected a bit. My daughter?s school asked me to speak to the children about recycling. These recycling issues affect us all so my role is important. I know that even if it?s sometimes hard to say, God has called me to do my job.?
[Graeme Marriot, reflecting on his callings as a father of three children and foreman of CBM Waste Management, quoted in Gordon Preece?s article ?Vocation in Historical-Theological Perspective?,?http://www.theologyofwork.org/
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