Life in Australia (Ministry)
(The pictures included below are places we did ministry and the people we built relationships with)
When one first responds to the call of becoming a missionary, I’ve been told initially there are all these preconceived notions. What ministry will look like, how God will show up, and what you will take away from the experience. I suppose in many ways I was no different. I had an idea of what I wanted things to look like and how I wanted God to move. Fortunately for me God moves and acts way beyond my realm of comprehension. So let me tell you exactly what has happened this month from a ministry standpoint.
These are the men of Wujal Wujal. (Top left) is Bobby he is an elder of the area and lives the traditional aboriginal life.
Ceadric (Top left) is also an elder and a counselmen of the community. He also paints (note his work behind him)
“Grandpa Wujal” (bottom left) is a very gentle soul. He still is very active he fishes, and loves his grandkids
Russel (bottom right) is a HUGE country music fan, runs the local radio station, and is a Christian who really inspired me with his walk with God.
The ministry here in the bush (Wujal Wujal) has been tough from the start. It’s different than any ministry and people group I have ever worked with. To know why it’s been so tough, you must know the history of what has happened here. In 1889 the Lutheran missionaries established a mission here. They ran it until the early 1900’s where then the government of Australia took over due to the mission being unproductive (not one person was ever baptized during that time). After a short while the government left it as well, so the mission was abandoned for over 50 years until the government decided to revive it in the early 1960’s. After it became too much to run, they then turned it back to the Lutheran church to run and look after.
One true account that was told to us was that in the 1960’s the Lutherans punished the aboriginals. If they didn’t attend church they were not allowed out of their house, food rations were withheld, and money, which was due to them for their labor, was withheld. They Lutherans didn’t do this to be cruel from what we were told, but they believed very strongly that having the aboriginal people in church so they would receive the message of Jesus. Over all in many ways the Lutherans did a lot of good for the community, at the same time there were certain ways the true message of the love and salvation that Jesus offers did not reach the people due to the way they were treated.
Most of the people this happened to are still alive, and since this is a very oral culture those stories have been passed down to the children, who have struggled to really care about the old ways of their culture and the message of Jesus. Take that injustice, and add to it the fact that these people were treated a lot like the Native Americans in the fact that their land was stripped away from them and were forced to love in government run communities. In return the government introduced them to alcohol and Television, which further destroyed many aboriginal cultures and communities.
The injustices that have been done here and those that persist break my heart. These aboriginals are a very quiet, gentle, and friendly people group. There exists a small pocket of people who follow Jesus and witness His provision, love, and miracles on a daily basis. However they are greatly outnumbered by the people who’s hearts have hardened to the freedom that Jesus so freely offers. God has increased more light on the matter of Religion vs. Faith, following a bunch of rules to try and please God vs. having a relationship with Him and the freedom that abounds in that.
(top left) – Anthony is an aboriginal of Hope Vale, he is informing me of how far out they go with the net when they fish
(top right) – Squad leader Mark and myself watching as the aboriginals show us how real fishing is done.
(bottom left) Me just taking in the moment, I still can’t believe this is my life.
(bottom middle) Me,Mark, Anthony, and George looking at what we caught.
(bottom right) My team mate Carl, playing with Anthonys son Wyndal on the beach.
(This is the aborginal ministries founder Carl, he informed us earlier that even though he is Australian that he is from Apache decent, thus the reason for his mohawk. He got caught in the “quick sand” on the beach to which I responded ” looks like we caught ourselves a genuine Indian here boys”.)
In spite of all this God has blessed us with many friendships within the community. We’ve done many useful things here this month starting with organizing the local library, showing the kids they are loved by God by playing with them and talking to them about why we are here. We also helped start small fellowship groups in the community which basically is a small bible study which includes a small twenty minute message, some worship songs, and maybe a few people sharing what God is doing in their lives lately. They seem to have loved these, and they have done them in the past but they’ve found it hard to maintain them consistently unless a local pastor or missionary team is there to help facilitate it.
(top left & right) – My team and I playing with the kids, they loved the fact we were from America.
(Bottom left) – Doing a fellowship group, (bottom right) – helping reorganize the local aboriginal library
We pray they will try and continue these fellowship groups long after we leave, we’ve prayed for this community daily and will continue to do so in hopes God raises up leaders. These people have an inherent desperate need of Hope, the hope of something more to this life than what they can see around them. Please keep the people of Wujal Wujal and Hope Vale in your prayers as God continues to draw these people closer to Him and His love.
I walked into the bush of Australia this month with wonder, and expectations of how I wanted to see God work in ministry and in my life. I’m now walking out again, a changed man with a heart that see’s more clearly. This month was tough in many ways but I’m headed to the Philippines ready for how God wants to use me next. I have a feeling each month will be tougher than the month before but at the same time God is preparing me in advance for the work He’s prepared me to do.
Thanks again for reading and following my journey….. Stay tuned for the very 1st video blog coming soon.
