A Day Out with Disaster Recovery Chaplain Rev. John Latta

Disaster Recovery Business Chaplain Rev. John Latta is met with a warm smile as he walks into the South Lismore Post Office. Post Mistress and Owner Tracey Ward’s smile is a recognition of a friend and companion who has supported her through some very dark and challenging times. 

Tracy is one of thousands in Lismore who have lived through multiple floods in 2017, 2022, and again in 2025 following ex-Cyclone Alfred. The 2022 flood, one of the most severe in Australia’s history, changed the region forever. 

Rev. Latta, a long-time Lismore resident himself, has walked alongside people through all of it, from small business owners to families and those left without homes. 

As he points out watermarks still visible on buildings, the scale of the 2022 disaster comes into focus. 

“It was a Sunday night and it hadn’t stopped raining for days,” he recalls. “People were forced into roof cavities as water rose through their homes. In the darkness, they were banging on their roofs and screaming for help, hoping someone in a tinny would reach them. Many thought they wouldn’t make it out.” 

He agrees that that type of trauma doesn’t leave you.  

“The scale and loss of this natural disaster was in my opinion the worst natural disaster this country has even seen, worse than Cyclone Tracy.” 

The impact of the 2022 flood was devastating for Tracey Ward, impacting her business, home, marriage and the education of her daughters, as schools in the district were so badly damaged.   

Taking over the South Lismore Post Office has presented a new chapter for her family and a sign of Lismore’s slow rebuilding. A former CEO, writer, and PhD candidate, she’s channeling her energy into both recovery and community renewal. 

“Running the post office is about securing my future, but it’s also about helping to rebuild Lismore,” she says. 

“We’ve launched a postcard project to send messages of heart from Lismore across the country to nursing homes, mental health centres, and community programs. We want to remind Australia who we are, a community of resilience and care,” 

Tracey hopes the project will help reframe Lismore’s identity. 

“Rather than being seen as flood victims, I want people to see the heart that defines us, the way we pull together and look after each other.” 

The Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network (DRCN) is a partnership between the Uniting Church and the NSW Government. Its chaplains provide emotional, spiritual, and practical support to people affected by natural disasters across the state. They work alongside emergency services, local councils, and recovery teams, offering care, listening, and presence when people are at their most vulnerable. 

Rev. John Latta is one of many DRCN chaplains who walk beside communities long after media attention fades, helping people like Tracey rebuild hope. 

The Moderator’s Disaster Appeal supports the vital work of the Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network and local congregations assisting communities across NSW and the ACT. Your donation helps provide direct support, training for chaplains, and recovery grants for people and towns still finding their footing after disaster.