It seems like we have been back two months now, but in reality it has only been two weeks. Yet so many great things have happened in this short time. Christine and I both felt incredibly blessed during our time in New Zealand - blessed both by the Lord, and our many Christian friends and family.
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| Holiday at Wanaka |
Unity
While in New Zealand, we asked you to pray regarding the area of unity. Keep it up! In the last fortnight, we had a meeting between two leaders with ministry gifts, where the enemy has been causing disunity. This was successful in that they both saw that the accusations were not coming from each other.
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| Mud getting churned up in the water with thunderstorms in the background |
- Pray for not just a lack of disunity but true unity in the Lord
- Pray for a love for each other to grow between the two churches, and a desire to honour each other
- Pray for unity that is not just skin deep, but is genuine and godly.
- Most importantly pray regarding areas of deception in leaders of both churches that is promoting disunity. These areas of deception are rooted in spiritual pride.
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| Towering Cumulus lining up in rows with a nearby tropical cyclone |
Testimony - what the enemy meant for evil...
Before we returned to Arnhem Land a woman committed suicide. Since Sam and I went to Elcho Island to stand against the sorcerers (galka) in prayer, they have now moved to Lake Evella.
According to Sam, the galka came from Lake Evella by vehicle and over several nights slowly and secretly exsanguinated (drained blood out) a woman until she was very weak. They then rang her up on her mobile and told her to start an argument with a family and then commit suicide. Because of her weak state and fear of the galka, she had the argument and then hung herself on a tree in the middle of Yirrkala. As a result of this people (galka, family, people working for galka) from all across Arnhem Land to bring payback. They blamed a particular women in a family for the suicide saying she was a galka. As you can imagine, being accused of being a galka is terrifying. However Sam and Rosemary went to this family. As a result of this the lady and 31 from two families committed or recommitted their lives to the Lord, forgiving the other family for what they had done.
- Pray for the breaking of this cycle of witchcraft that produces incredible fear, even to the point that one of the leading ministries would not preach this week for fear of being killed.
- Pray for a move of God amongst the galkas
- Pray for Christine and I as we feel under much oppression and attack from a spirit of discouragement since our return
- Pray for Lisa (a MAF pilot), Christine and myself as we join Sam and Rosemary in the discipling of this group of new people.
- Pray that a home-group will start out of this.
- Pray for the exposing of the true galka, and that they would come to Christ
- Pray for an opportunity for me to speak to one of the galkas I know
- Pray for the leading of the Lord in how to deal with this issue. At this stage I do not have freedom from the Lord to approach this subject.
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| Diamond Lake, Wanaka |
Naomi and Nick opportunity
Our middle daughter Naomi and her boyfriend Nick are staying with us in Arnhem Land for a least 6 weeks, maybe longer. Nick and Naomi met in Iris Ministries Mozambique last year.
- Pray that Naomi will find plenty of shifts at the local hospital or visiting the Yolngu communities
- Pray for Nick as he works in the hangar
- Pray that their desire to minister to the young people especially the teenage youth will quickly bring fruit.
Flying
The last two weeks have been full on flying, with long hours and study for annual exams. At my request I have come off the C210 and intend to start flying the Gippsland Airvan next month. This will position me better for the future requirements of Instrument Flying (IFR), as more of them are maintained to the required IFR standard.
- Pray as I learn this new aircraft, that I will easily transition from flying the different Cessna aircraft over the last 5 years
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| Spot the white fella |
A recent near miss with a helicopter highlights the need for continued prayer for safety in the air. It caused me concern because there was nothing I could have done to prevent it or to see the helicopter. I was taking off from Milingimbi airfield and a helicopter was taking off from Milingimbi community. Milingimbi community is directly in the takeoff path of the airfield. Because I was full of passengers, I was climbing and slow. This meant there was little room left in speed above stall to do emergency turns, and I could not see the helicopter because the climb meant that I could not see over the nose of the aircraft. He failed to call lifting off on the correct radio frequency so I did not know he was there. My passengers and I were saved only by time. If I had not spent 30 seconds extra going through pre-takeoff checks, I could have been in the same place at the same time as the helicopter and not seen him until it was too late as he would have climbed under me at a faster rate in a position where I could not see him.
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| Current batch of pilots in Arnhem Land |
Christine’s miraculous healing from 5 years sickness.
Check out in the previous blog, Christine’s story of how the Lord healed her from a condition that had become steadily worse over the last five years.
Christine’s new job
Christine has started work as a library technician in the Christian school where she works already. This will require some up-skilling for her as she learns a new computer program. Please pray for her as she takes on the new challenges
Family News
Our time in New Zealand with the family can be seen in the next post.
Final Word of Thanks
Thank you all for your financial and prayer support, hospitality and friendship.
A special thanks to Chris and Ruth d’Ath for the use of a wonderful car and John and Dorothy Ward for allowing us to pop in and out continually and to Russell and Mary for allowing us to stay some nights and of course their hospitality of our 40ft container!
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