G’Day mate.
Five days of launch prep in Atlanta, seventy two hours of travel, airplane dinners, and airport sleepovers until my squad and I found ourselves on the east coast of Australia.
Month one is an all-squad month (yes that’s all 41 of us), which allows my entire squad the opportunity to get to know each other better both individually and in daily ministry. We’ve come alongside YWAM Byron Bay to assist in their mission here–to disciple young people through their training school and to get out in the streets of Byron and seek community among the locals.
The more people I meet, the more stories I hear, my compassion deepens– beyond what I thought humanly possible. Prayer walks, morning worship sessions, team bonding, and pancake dinners in the local park have brought countless stories and memories.
Last week, I met up with Michael, a 69-year-old man who’s lived on the streets for years. A man whose opinions oppose my own, whose beliefs stands in stark contrast to what I know, and whose daily life I’m unfamiliar. But despite our differences, our conversation flowed easily; time not a factor, finding love and laughter as our common ground. I asked him if I could bring him anything, to which he replied “..you know, I really love maple syrup, Taylor.” What he didn’t know was that we were having a pancake night in the park. Partnering with YWAM, we ventured through Byron loving on souls and bringing pancakes and chai to share a little love. So, I brought him pancakes, and a whole cup on maple syrup. Small blessings create space for large opportunities. He spoke, I listened. I shared, he heard. He allowed me to pray over him, for healing– physically, emotionally, and spiritually; praying to THE God who hears our prayers, and mends the broken heart.
I’m grateful for Michael and the countless others the Lord has led us to. As a team, our only motive is to shift the atmosphere with His Spirit, bringing about light and conviction wherever we step foot. Our desire is that He would overflow in the hearts of the Australians, that they would encounter the sweetness of Jesus, and recognize their desperate need of a Savior.
