Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. Psalm 20:7 (NASB)
The mission team arrived home safely in California on Friday morning! Updating the blog has been difficult for me while we were in the midst of the trip, so instead I will give a retrospective recap, particularly of our second week.
As you may recall from previous posts, the first half of the trip was completely based at Tara Anglican School in the chapel services and the Christian Studies classes. The second week had much more variety to it. Over the weekend, we stayed at a house in The Entrance, Central Coast, and had some time to rest up a bit, visit an old friend who works with YWAM Newcastle, and sightsee.
We attended Hope Unlimited Church that week, a small congregation that adopted Amber and I back in December and provided transportation for the whole team on this trip. We were particularly blessed that morning by a woman who prophesied over us, saying, “As you are going and doing ministry here, trust that God is taking care of everything back home.” It was a reminder not to worry, and for those of us who were feeling conscious of pressures rising at home, the call to be present and trust was a much-needed reminder, which God has since confirmed for all of us.
We also visited a night service at EV Church, and returned to their campus that Monday for some ministry. They host an annual art conference called Taste and were very short-handed on volunteers this year, so we got to be the setup crew for displays of artwork, poetry, music, dance, and films that were made by members of the congregation. Hannah and I even got to share some of our own photography and painting as well. I was inspired by their honoring of aesthetics and beauty, and by the support it received from the congregation; the displays attracted hundreds of people over the next few days.
Tuesday, we were back in scripture classes at the Entrance High, which is a coed school in a much lower-income area than Tara. The scripture teacher at this high school is the same woman who coordinated the Taste Conference, so we really got to see her in her element as she shared her ministry of art and her love of scripture. Jared, Troy and Hannah all shared their testimonies in a scripture class that day, and the team stayed around to answer any questions at recess. Two students came back after the class and shared that they had never heard stories of transformation like these before. They had both decided they wanted to give their lives to Jesus! It was a surreal moment as the team watched God shift these girls’ hearts before our very eyes.
That afternoon the team also joined with a ministry that walked around and offered prayer to strangers in a shopping mall. The interactions that afternoon were personal and varied, and there were some special moments of connection. The evening ended with a barbecue at our friend Sam’s house, from Hope Unlimited Church. We were shown so much hospitality during our stay, and are excited about the friendships that have been rekindled and born out of the fellowship in Australia.
On Wednesday, we had our second and final day in the scripture classes at the Entrance High. Everyone took turns sharing their testimonies in the classes and then we’d open it up for discussion. Alongside the joy of testifying to the gospel, some interactions felt heavy as we listened to the students’ stories and heard consistent themes of drug and alcohol abuse, poverty, and struggle. There were moments in the day that felt “off,” and moments that felt spot on, as the spirit moved in us and them and was met with either resistance or sensitivity. That day another young woman asked Jesus into her heart for the first time! I don’t know how to describe it as anything other than awe-inspiring to get to watch the Holy Spirit connect the dots in someone’s soul.
At the end of the day another girl stopped by and shared that she has been praying for her friends for so long, and that our visit felt like an answer to her prayers. Luke 10:2 says, ‘He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ Thank you God for the prayers of those that sent us out!
That evening, we helped tear down the Taste Conference at EV and then visited a soup kitchen to fellowship with some of the homeless friends of Central Coast. A volunteer gave a small message and led a couple of worship songs, and the sense of reverence and belonging was more profound for me than any church service we had visited on this trip.
We ended our ministry at a caravan park on Thursday with coffee and donuts for the residents. About a decade ago, a robbery at a church was traced back to this park, and ever since then a gathering of Christians from different churches have been visiting and ministering in the area. Greg drove us down to Sydney that night, and we flew home on Friday morning.
There has been so much talk of “next time” we visit, and I believe another trip is imminent—it’s just a question of the Lord’s timing. Thank you for your prayers, and especially for the worship night that was held while we were gone. We were so tangibly blessed by your intercession on our behalf, and it made a noticeable impact on the effective ministry of this team. It is so good to be home, and we look forward to sharing more in person with you all this Sunday, July 8th at the Balaeric Center!
With love and gratitude,
Tabitha and the Aussie Mission Team
Tears of Joy! Thanks so much for trusting Jesus and for “GOing”