This month my team and I have been working with YWAM Outback (Youth With a Mission: http://www.ywamoutback.org.au/) in Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory in Australia.
Although the “outback” as you might imagine it – with koalas hugging trees and kangaroos frolicking about in fields of tall, dried grass – is not far from us, we are living in a “country city” on the beach. This city is surrounded by aboriginal land and several national parks, and about 1 in 4 people here belong to an aboriginal community.
We live at the YWAM compound, and our ministries this month range from cleaning and helping out at the YWAM base, to cooking and building relationships at a local men’s shelter, to teaching Sunday School at two local churches.
By far the most surprising aspect of this month has been the opportunity to rest and enjoy some down-time. My team and I have been able to set aside time to explore and read and pray and worship. This opportunity to rest has also allowed us to press into each other as a family more intentionally, as well as the other team that is working with us this month, Team Consuming Fire!
Celeste, Brian, Heith, Morgan, Erin, Hannah, and Emily have such passion for God and for bringing His love to the people here in Darwin. It has been such a blessing to work with them this month!
What I love most about this month is that, while our defined “ministry” hours are significantly fewer, we know that ministry as a follower of Jesus is a 24/7 thing.
Trips to the market at the local beach become prayer walks,
opportunities to dance to a li’l joyful didgeridoo with aboriginal locals,
or write affirming messages in the sand to future passersby.
Runs to the wharf in the early mornings are opportunities to praise God for another day to live and breathe and love,
to thank Him for able bodies,
to smile at other runners and wave hello to fishermen,
to pour and be poured into by teammates,
and to pray over neighborhoods and bless homes.
“Church” is no longer a building, nor is worship confined to a set time on Sunday mornings.
It is a group of friends sharing childhood stories over dinner,
gathered in a pink trailer to pray and sing,
giggling in awe and nervousness at a local crocodile farm,
washing dishes as if they were God’s personal dishes,
and dancing and singing around a fire on the beach, under a perfect Australian night sky.
This month we’ve worshipped God on the floor, covered in dirt and dust (and flies) while cleaning behind a laundry machine,
piled in a hot, sweaty, 12-person van… with 23 other people singing and laughing uncontrollably together,
swinging in a hammock under a palm tree,
scrubbing termites from walls,
fishing (without a rod… or success) on a hot, humid night,
in the bathroom,
at the sink,
in my bottom bunk,
eating a ‘roo (kangaroo) burger,
hanging up laundry to dry on the line,
talking in an Aussie/British/old lady accent non-stop,
star-gazing on the beach with the wind in my hair,
reading,
closing my eyes and listening to the frogs,
and everything in between.
He is so worthy of our thanks and praise in every moment. He is worthy of rejoicing in and celebrating and singing at the tops of our lungs.
For He is a Father who loves us more than we could ever imagine.
All He asks is for us to receive that love and open up our hearts to Him. And when we choose to take that first step, He runs to meet us exactly where we are and carries us the rest of the way.
Thank you, Abba, for who you are.
Thank you for Darwin and what You are doing here, even in the seemingly mundane, ordinary stuff of life.
