It has been far too long, and life has changed quite a bit. There have been many things going through my mind that I wanted to share with you all. God has opened doors for ministry even when I feel like I'm not doing enough of it!
Jared(I) has been working at the motel and we are getting into a routine...Though it is not "professional ministry", God(in His grace) brings people to me. There has been more than one occasion where people have said, "Are you a Christian? Will you pray for me?"
One evening Bethany and I rode my bike(she sat on the seat and I pedalled) to the grocery store (Woolies). After picking up our items and hopping back on the bike, an indigenous lady started waving in our direction. I didn't know her, so I looked behind to see if there was someone else who was standing there...but it was just me. She came over and introduced herself as the sister of another lady we knew from Barunga. She said, "You're with the Christian mob, aye?" and then she asked me to pray for her. Immediately after I finished praying for her, another olgamen(old woman) took my hand and said, "Pray for me too." So, with Bethany on the back of the bike, we prayed.
The motel is going through renovations right now, and we've had several different men come to work with us. I was helping one of the men and he said, "So, how long do you think you'll be in Katherine?" I simply said, "As long as the Lord allows." And then he shared that he was a Christian, too, but didn't go to church. He asked me if I thought God was more pleased with the Christians who go to church than with those who don't. It reminded me of Jesus' parable about the tax collector and the Pharisee praying side by side. Which one went away justified in God's sight? I told him that going to church doesn't make us more holy in God's sight, or save us. The only thing that saves us is Jesus Christ's death on the cross and resurrection. If we believe in him, confess our sins, and confess Jesus Christ is Lord, that's when we're saved. However, church is good to give us encouragement from other believers and help us to grow in our walk with the Lord.
There have been random times when people just say, "Are you a Christian?" and then I get to share my faith with them! :) This doesn't happen every single day, but I'm thankful when it does. Please pray for me as I work and adjust to the motel...there have been times when I say, "This isn't what God built me for!"...and yet, that is where he has put me for now. I want to serve well and be an excellent employee/boss--which is challenging at times.
Cheri has been doing well and is building strong friendships with a couple of different ladies in Katherine. It has been very encouraging for her. She is such a blessing to me. She's learning how to sew as well, which has been fun for her. One of her new friends in Katherine came over today and taught her. :) I know Cheri is a blessing to the ladies she is getting to know, as well as to the ladies she has known for a long time.
The kids are doing well and the adjustment to Katherine has been pretty easy for them. :) School is fun for them, and they are learning to swim--in school! These past two weeks, Bethany and Cam are having swimming class every day, and in the next couple of weeks, Alice will go with her class. Cam LOVES IT. He comes home and tells me all about it. Bethany does as well. She told me last night, "Dad we played [name of game] at the pool and GUESS WHO WON? EUGENE!" She is such a vibrant passionate little girl.
Alice is looking forward to her turn. They are all making new friends, and Alice told me today, "I know all the kids in the classes 1 and 2." Knowing that they are doing well is encouraging to me and Cheri.
We have the curriculum for the children's ministry now, and are looking forward to meeting with the other church leaders to hammer out the details. Please pray for all of us, and for the kids in our church as well as throughout Katherine and the Northern Territory. We are in a hurting place. Also, please lift up our pastor and his family as they wait for their visas to be approved. The sooner they can get to Australia, the better.
Thank you all so much for all your prayers and support of our family in the direction God has led us. We really cherish you and praise the Lord for each of you. Please feel free to drop us an e-mail, or comment on this post, too. It really means a lot when we hear from you. May God bless you as you continue to serve Him where He has put you. Pray we would serve well in whatever circumstance God places us in.
