Our month in Australia - Explore Archived World Race Alumni Blogs

This past month in Oenpelli, Australia was tough, and it’s hard to think about what to say to summarize it. In the aboriginal town we were doing ministry in, there was a church that was struggling for survival, at the same time, Christians in town that had somewhat of a dissension against the leader of the church. There’s not really a concept of time that we are used too. If there’s one thing we definitely learned in some ways as a team, it’s the abuse of power and the desire to maintain your “right” to know and control. The ministry contacts we mainly worked with, Noelen and Leon, had a huge desire to see this community of kids and teens be reached where sniffing petrol, alchohol, and violence has corrupted and taken the lives on many at such young ages. The heat and humidity was very intense, but once you’re able to just accept the fact that it’s hot, you get over it.Family members do not say the name of their own people. Only referred to as sister or dad, but never will they say their name. Guys do not hang with women in culture and families live together in homes.

Each day we would do bible studies with the adult aboriginal Christians trying to establish a consistent discipleship with them so they could start taking things on their own. Our time was there was to try to encourage them as much as possible, find leaders who could reach youth, and give them boldness to be proactive in ministry on their own. Every other night we would do fellowships a few times at the church or in people’s front yards. Other nights we would be at the Youth Activity Center hanging out with kids, playing basketball, Kelly was giving a lot of haircuts (our teams beautician!) having incredible conversations where God intersects with their lives, and developing relationships so we could share the love of God. We did see an increase in unity made with the time that we could do, and we truly felt that we gave as much as we could into encouragement.

In all reality, it took me a week before my love really started to happen for these people. I got in the way of what God was trying to show me. God was like, “Why are you letting your comforts, complaints, and attitude become a huge stumbling block to these people and ministry that you have?” One night when Billy and I were playing Australian Footie for the first time against tons of the aboriginal guys (we were picked last, haha) I saw these people in a different light, and as the sunset made the sky burst into colors of pink and orange God was saying, “These people are fearfully and wonderfully made like you John, and they are my most beautiful creation like everyone else.” I wish I could say it was like a light switch for me, it wasn’t because the enemy wants me to “waste time” with my own self rather than invest in others, but in the end it was such a blessing to know these people, encourage them.

I’m so amazed at the provision of God for those who love Him. Our first night was a real test for our team as we stayed in a small metal shack filled with spiders and ticks, and as I lay on the floor covered head to toe in my sleep sack, the lights went out and I had serious lack of faith that God was going to protect me. Even to the point that I thought I was insane for doing the World Race. I asked God to break me of my comforts before I got there, and he was testing me the very first night. I broke, left the room, and slept in a truck after finding ticks on my sleeping back a half hour later. The very next morning we found out we were being moved and our conditions became so much better. But looking back there were two things that I learned. First, what I experienced was reality for many people. God was allowing me to go through this, seeing if I could trust me, and even though He had a plan for something better at night to sleep in, He wanted me to not forget how good I have it all the time back at home. I was humbled, because many people in the aboriginal community’s reality is what we slept in that night. Houses that are dirty beyond thought with ticks, spiders and roaches everywhere. Second, God was truly testing my faith in His protection. I wish I could say I passed the test, but your faith is purified under trials and seen for what it really is. Could I really trust that God would keep me safe over a night time from something as small as a tick? If not, then how big really is God to me? I stumbled in the moment of faith and God picked me up and said, TRUST ME! He will be our shield and protector, whether in death, persecution, weariness, and even something as small as a tick.

Wild Animals Seen:
Many Wallabees
Crocodiles
Dingo
Three snakes: Black Whipping Snake, King Brown (second deadliest in the world), one more
Cuckaboros – small blue birds with big heads and beaks, beautiful!!
Cockatoos – white parrots
HUGE grasshoppers and spiders
Koala
Massive poisonous Cain Toads, EVERYWHERE in Oenpelli
Small frogs everywhere
Lizards
huge Lizard at a Waterfall
Huge Cranes

Massive green ants that you eat and taste really sour

Bats

Walking stick bug

Nature Seen:
Billabongs
Aboriginal Rock Art, thousands of years old
Rainbow
Massive rock mountains
Two waterfalls: 20 feet and about 200 feet
Termite mounds
West, South, East Alligator rivers
Various vegetation

Aboriginal art and musical instrument called a Didgeradoo (it’s got a cool sound!)