Ministry In Morawa

[Killerjoe]

Hi Guys

This is how we are trying to fit into our new environment and things we are doing in the community, this is a letter written to our Pastor In Pretoria.

We hosted the Dongara Church here in Morawa on the 19th July 2015. I gave a message on discipleship and Roxy did the reading along with Lauren. Aunty Sheida and Roxy also made breyani for the lunch afterwards. The money collected was used for the local community and we helped a lady in the community who is recently separated from her husband and needed school uniforms as she has moved to a new town. It was a huge success and everyone enjoyed the day out.

I have also started little league soccer in the community. It is very informal and thus far we just get together pick 2 teams and play for an hour. I do show them some rules like correct way to throw the ball in and stopping and passing the ball. This town has never really played soccer before however they are really taking to the game and now wear their Barcelona jerseys to training.

Every Wednesday we also have basketball training, it led up to the Naidoc Tournament (Aboriginal Tournament). It was a great event and they had all the local food which the indigenous people prepared. They had dishes like Kangaroo tail and Emu stew. They also has a bread which they call dampers. We gave certificates and goodie bags to organizers and winners on the day. I cannot send those pics yet as there was an indemnity that needs to be first checked before they release the photos. It was really good because this area also suffers with racial tension, this was a day out for everyone to interact and spend time together. The shire CEO was very impressed and has allowed us to continue using the recreational center free of charge for basketball.

We were doing dinners every fortnight at the bowls club as a way to get to know the community and and provide them a different variety of cooking. They loved the curries and since we have stopped for the past 2 weeks we still get requests to do more meals. Our time on Friday night is now filled with badminton at the rec center. We will do a meal at the end of the year and maybe host a dinner and dance. The kids have many friends here and we encourage them to reach out to their friends and show the love to them. I also am getting a few families together and going out together with kids and wife's to build on the relationships in the area. We are very busy with putting "roots" in this place called Morawa. The locals like the fact that we are giving so much to their community and I really think they will miss us, if and when we leave.

I have identified a few christian families however I'm struggling to get them together as invites are not always accepted. I continue to work with them though and visit them. I have an Aboriginal family that I'm working with as well and me and the husband have become good friends. I have started talking to him about the Lord and he is asking me more questions about this God I serve. I am putting inspirational messages on social media to help those I don't have access to physically and trusting God for their well being. I have also purchased many bibles and scripts for teenagers which I use at my place of work. I look after teenagers at a residential campus. This is mainly where I see my calling as these kids are in desperate need of Gods love. I am going to use a juicing program to help curb their weight issues. I also used it and lost 23kg. This is the way I see I can help them. I am making relationships there as well and teaching the boys about leadership. I'm trying to show the girls how important and graceful godly women are.

I have started being the Priest at home, we have put the TV off from Monday to Thursday and we read the bible every night and pray at bed times. We have encouraged more interacting and communication in our family. We have also decided to speak only positive most of the time. So even if there was bad stuff that we need to deal with we generally give thanks and are grateful 1st and foremost before we tackle any difficult issues. The basis we using is to believe and trust in everyone's goodness in our family not become suspicious of motives or having negative thoughts about each other. We choose to give people more chances, also we have started to form relationships with each other and see what is motivating certain behavior. As we get to know each other better and even the community we starting to find the better ways to tackle the difficult issues.

I am finding new ways to live here in Australia and these are things I should have done in South Africa, I just could not frame it differently there and choose to go with the flow which did not help my spiritual life or my walk with God. Ever since my mum has passed in 2008 I have taken on more responsibility and have reached out the way she used to. I'm starting to understand what she was doing and I see how hard it can be sometimes. That being said I am in the process of changing my life also as there is no IT here. I work with kids at a school and it is more rewarding to me. I fix my own car and I have helped change the gearbox and do services etc. I even spray painted my Trailer, as they say here in this country, it is very Flash now...lol. We no longer visit the malls as much or buy take away food as there is nothing here like that. We go to the river of small dams and check nets for Yabbis, and go hiking for fun in this area. There is no built up areas here just huge farms. Not for everyone and I can see most of my family in SA will struggle here. I feel though that this is always what I wanted and Gods given me my hearts desire here.

South African people and our spirit in SA is very strong when I compare to people here in Australia. Through the hardships and trials we have become strong in SA and I think the Australians know we have something that they are lacking. When I tell them about God they are very skeptical. Those in SA cling to God and no matter how difficult the struggle gets the stronger their faith becomes. Here in Australia people don't have the same depth yet, tough times are coming to this land also as the mining boom is over and maybe then that will be the blessing in disguise that is so desperately needed. All the work we do in the community is seen by the locals and they can't understand how we can achieve so much all the time, that's because they don't know our God. I have been telling them to stopping saying how big their problems are but start telling their problems how big our God is.

Johan and Shankar It will be 3 years not drinking in December, so still going strong on that front but falling on other fronts. When I learn moderation then I think my battle will be won. I'm busy waging war on that too and trust God for his guidance for that area of my life. My challenge to everyone that reads this is to try to be better and then best because through Him all things are possible.

[Batigol]

Amen. There's no better way of settling like you are doing. Keep it up.