australia's aboriginality

As we round the final turn and begin our run toward the finish, our Australia team has been blessed and sometimes overwhelmed with all God has shown us here in Queensland. A good portion of our last two days has been spent with the indigenous (aboriginal) community- observing, interacting with and learning from them as they live out lives straining toward a greater recognition and equality in this setting.

"Deadly" is a good term here!

  We spent the better part of Friday at NAIDOC(National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) which celebrates the indigenous cultures of the aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  It is a festive, carnival-like atmosphere with much joy and thankfulness for the heritages presented.  We watched dances, heard singers and speakers, and interacted with organizations and vendors providing social services information for those in attendance.  

This afternoon we learned to throw boomerangs (some learned better than others) with Goma Conlon, an indigenous pastor and good friend.  He also demonstrated the playing of the didgeridoo (way cool) and talked about what it mans to be a follower of Christ in the aboriginal setting.  Following this, we hopped over to the church at which he and another indigenous pastor are working an shared evening service with them.  It was a great blessing to gather and worship with them.  Josh drummed for their worship team, Don and Alexis shared testimonies and Alexis sang.  What a rich history of stories and struggle were present  among those members!

I thought you might like to share one more collection of photos of this great team:

NAIDOC festivities in downtown Brisbane

Josh and Luke made a new friend

Papa Fresh in da house!

Time for chocolate fondue at Max Brenners

Don sharing testimony at Saturday night service

Remember these guys?! They were the bomb!

Josh and Alexis with Saturday night worship team

Please pray for our last hours here.  I'll preach Sunday morning at Ann Street, and Josh will speak for their Youth Church in the evening.  We want more chances to share the hope that's within us before we leave these shores.  Will you ask God to provide them, and for us to boldly speak of what He's done with our lives and what He wants to do for all who come to Him?  Thanks!  

We'll see youse soon- good on ya!

GO! Australia in Fine Fashion

GO! Australia in Fine Fashion

Wow! it's been a whirlwind first week here in Brisbane for our team. We've tried to update our activities via Facebook, but our long days/evening schedule has hindered blogging up to this point.

Ann Street Church

We made it here with no worries, surprising our missionary (Daun) with her father (Don)!  It was great to see her stunned expression at the airport as he came out the ramp! More than anything throughout this week, we've been impressed with the need and opportunity for relationships.  The young people of the Ann Street Church are so open for friendships, and those connections matter to them.  People with whom we've come into contact are also open to finding more about us and connecting with us on some level.  These opportunities are abundant and fairly easy to negotiate- something all of us are able to do!

Community BBQ

We've been to an island off Brisbane's shore with the church, visited a zoo, cleaned and begun repainting Ann Street's Fellowship Hall, eaten kangaroo, served a Community BBQ (like our Community Supper), dined at the Pancake House in the city at midnite, attended a farewell service for Ron Tatum (visiting for a month from Southside Christian Church in Inglewood), and prayer walked in the city...just to mention a few things. Tomorrow (Sunday), Mike will preach a combined service (Ann St. regulars and their Korean church), then we'll pack up and head to Eidsvold, a small, predominantly aboriginal community 6 hours from here.  Chances are there'll be no way to blog there, so we'll catch you up on our return next Thursday.  Meanwhile, thank you for your prayers and love (keep 'em coming!), and enjoy a few recent snaps:

Daddy Don

Luke the artist

Josh and St. John

Alexis and the Ann St. mob

Work crew gettin' it done

In 'N' Out training pays off 

Beach bunnies!

Mike keeping an eye out

We've experienced a lot in a short time, and there's more to come!  Pray for opportunity and boldness as we represent our God here.  We love you all
!

the brisbane floods- aftermath

 I wanted to provide one more update about the situation in Brisbane following the torrential floods of last week (for some amazing photos, click on http://www.abc.net.au/news/infographics/qld-floods/beforeafter.htm ).  The rains have subsided for the moment and the waters have receded, but they've cut a defining swath of calamity and disaster for thousands of people.  The following is a post we received Sunday from Daun Slauson, our missionary there:

...the water is going down...the river is pretty well back to its normal level, though certainly not its normal colour. It is brown and ugly. But what remains is a path of destruction. It is just so sad. The Premiere, Anna Bleigh, referred to Brisbane (what it looks like) as a war zone...and now I understand what she means.

     On Saturday, a group of us Ann Streeters set out to help with the clean up. We went into to Goodna, an area hit very hard- the Bremmer River that runs through there peaked at 19 meters- so you can imagine the destruction. We went there because that is, of course, where we have families living as well (though they were all untouched by the waters). It was absolutely amazing to see so many people out helping with the clean-up. (Lena told me that she rang Volunteer Queensland yesterday and they said that they have had 60,000 people register in the last week.- Now that is what I call Community Spirit). So on Sat. we drove around Goodna just looking for the right place..we had prayed that God would lead us to a house that there weren't too many people helping. 

     After driving around for some time- seeing the sad, sad result of the flood, we finally ended up at a house of an older (not elderly) woman...she had her son and daughter there helping her, and a few friends, but there was so much work that needed to be done...they excitedly welcomed our help...so into the house we came- 5 guys and 2 girls...with clean rags (which made a huge difference, as all they had were brooms to clean the walls/ceiling- and one high pressure hose running on a generator). Within about 3 hours we had the entire inside of the house clean and mostly mud free. They will still have to do major drying out and disinfecting, but her son told us that earlier in the morning, as he looked around at all that needed to be done, he was sure that he would be there well into this week...but, with our help, it was complete that day, along with some other jobs. It may have only been one house, but the impact that it had on that family was worth the time. Before we left, I asked if we could pray with them, and they willingly took us up on that offer...

     I am heading out again today with Lena and her sisters to help more with the clean up... it will be an ongoing process for some time... and I hope to do all that I can. Please pray that as we are out there, meeting people and hearing their stories, that we will have and take the opportunities to share Christ in any way that we can. There is so much talk of the 'Aussie Spirit" and it is true- there is a great Aussie Spirit..but I want people to see more than just that in me...I want them to see Christ's Spirit... 

Please continue to pray for Daun and the crew at Ann Street as they seek normalcy even while ministering to the needs of others.  Pray that people recognize their need for the Lord, especially at a time like this. Pray that the spirit of Christ would shine through the selflessness of those who serve in his name to so many who need to know him. And that rains of destruction will become rains of mercy and grace as his love floods the lives of those who have been in spiritual drought for far too long.  Keep praying.

high tide in brisbane (the floods, part 2)

I wrote a couple of days ago, asking you to pray about the massive flooding in Queensland, Australia, and especially as the focus was turning to the city of Brisbane.  The Brisbane River was supposed to crest yesterday morning at 10:00 (Anaheim time) at more than 5 meters (that's over 15 feet).  It had already breached its banks and was threatening to turn the heart of Brisbane into a complete waterway.


We received the following update yesterday from Daun Slauson, one of our church members working there with the Ann Street Church of Christ:


well, today we have better news.... the river peaked about 1 metre lower than expected. That may seem like a small amount, but it means that many, many homes were spared. They have now estimated that 'only' 7,500 properties were affected by flooding (others may still have water damage, but not complete flooding). This is a huge answer to prayer!! The waters have already begun to recede, ever so slowly... they say it will be mid week next week before we see the river back to its normal size. As far as I know, no one from Ann St. or the church itself have been hit. But as you can imagine, there is a major clean up that now must begin. 

At this point, the Brisbane drinking water supply is still ok, so we pray that it stays that way. As for getting food and other supplies in, it may take some time, as many of the roads are cut out...

Thanks to those of you who have been praying about this matter.  Please keep praying for safety, for encouragement in the long rebuilding process, for the Church to be a positive force, and for people to turn their hearts to the Lord.

Here are some pictures that tell a grim story:

Pray on!

and the rains came down...(brisbane floods)

"He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."  And oh, the rain is falling. And falling. And falling.


The Brisbane area of northeast Australia is currently facing torrential rains and flooding at an unprecedented level. Areas throughout the northeast have been inundated by monsoonal rains that have continued for weeks, and have sent water levels to new highs.  Many cities and communities have been ravaged by raging floodwaters, with much loss of life and property.  As I write, the waters are now bearing down on the city of Brisbane  (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8194723/instant-inland-tsunami-kills-four).  The water catchment dam built outside the city in 1974 (following massive flooding then) is at 140% of capacity, and if rains don't subside quickly, disaster will continue to escalate.

This is the part of Australia with which we have a partnership, both through our missionary (Daun Slauson) and our Global Outreach (GO!) Teams that have been going there since 2003.  The Ann Street Church of Christ with whom we work is in the downtown area and may be in the path of the floodwaters, should they come.  Many our friends are being directly impacted by these events, and need our prayers.  Will you pray for their safety, and for the rains to abate?  But will you also pray for a spirit of brokenness to sweep over the Australian people, and that they will turn their hearts to God?  This is a country that has been spiritually dry for many years and needs to understand its need for the Lord.  Ask God to reveal his mercy and grace in the midst of great suffering and sorrow.  And that the rain of his love will fall upon a wonderful people in a fresh way.  


Note: here is part of our latest update from Daun, received 01/11: I have spoken to Tim (Ann Street Church elder)...they evacuated everyone out of Brisbane City at about midday today...and told people not to come back unless they absolutely need to. He spoke with his dad re: Ann St (his parents have been around Ann St. for many years) and he feels that we will be safe from the flooding. Though the church is not too far from the river, it is higher up. Let's hope he is right. 

     So, the reason for the higher amount of flooding tomorrow is because they have had to open the gates to the Wivenho Dam, and now that water, along with the rain and flood waters from other areas is coming down river... and tomorrow at 3pm there will be a King Tide... so water rising from the sea and coming in mixed with all the water coming down... all suburbs near the river have been warned to evacuate. They are estimating that a minimum of 7,000 properties will be wiped out.. with another 16,000 affected.