Aussie Monthly 1

Trust
“ . . . so we prayed with her . . .” When I meet someone for the first time, it doesn’t usually feel natural to suddenly start acting like their best friend. So, I might mention to them that I’m a church-planter: we moved here because we wanted the adventure of starting new churches in Wollongong. But I don’t press a spiritual conversation unless the relationship leads to that naturally. Why? Because God is working powerfully in people’s lives and I am living in expectation of God revealing that to me. We’ve met several people and we’re praying for them. I want to tell you about one of them. We went to an appliance store with our teammates, Corey and Emily, and we both bought washers and refrigerators. The woman helping us and making us good deals I’ll refer to as “Tami” (not her real name). After we had been around Tami for a little over 30 minutes, Corey told her our plans and she said, “I knew you guys must be Christians.” How could she tell? “You’re kind people,” she said. Tami is from Malta originally. We were encouraged by her because through her God was confirming that he is present and working in us and in this city. Two days later, we went to the beach on Australia day. There were great crowds of people of all ages all along the beach and walkways. While Corey and I were playing in the ocean, Emily and Nicole (with Ella) were walking amid the crowd. A woman called out to them. It was Tami! In Nicole’s words: “She came over and hugged us. We asked her how she was doing and she said 'I had a prang (car accident) on the way here . . .' And then said, 'I am having such a hard time’ and started to cry a little. She told us briefly that her husband of 30 years had left her for one of her best friends. She asked us to pray for her and so we prayed with her right there.” Corey and I came up all wet and they said, “You would not believe what just happened!” God was using us to bring his will on earth as it is in heaven. We were a tiny group of friends in a huge wave of people, and in God we live and move and have our being! Thank you for your trust and sending us to Wollongong.

Prayer
Thank you, God, for transportation and homes, for the joy of reacquaintance with old church friends in Campbelltown (see above picture). Thank you for Ella and her daily growth and smiles. God, we need your mercy and power so that we won’t give up and so that we can overcome many trials, opposition from without and within. Let us find people that are convicted by the Holy Spirit. Our teammates, the Griffiths, are still in the visa application process. Please let their visa be granted quickly. God, please help us through culture and reverse-culture shock. Let us keep your name holy as we live among our new neighbors. Let them see the Light that shines through jars of cracked clay. We live amid a chaotic void and need a new order created from within. Let us truly be in Christ, being models of broken people who are being made new inside and out. Amen.

Whaleys on Waples in Wollongong
a new lease on Waples Road
We now live at 64 Waples Road, Unanderra, New South Wales, Australia, 2526. The house has an entryway, a study, a living room, dining room and kitchen, a sunroom, a laundry room, three bedrooms, one bathroom, and one toilet room. The yard is very nice and has a beautiful view of Mt. Kembla. See our video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/jasnic06. Please pray along with us that our home will be a place of God’s peace and that we can bring the Good News into other people’s homes as we share the Light.

Peace and Love,
Jason, Nicole, and Ella