This is what it's all about!

Here are some photos of the book distribution in Timor-Leste that we wanted to share with you...

Children in the Paulus congregation, Subdistrict Remeixio, District Aileu

Distributing books in Caisabe, Outskirts of Dili

Boys of the Samaria congregation, Subdistrict Remeixio, District Aileu

More children from the Samaria congregation

Busy reading, Samaria congregation

Book handover in Samaria - Rev Arlindo Marcal with Rev Mario de Jesus

Our Country, Us Mob

We have left the Northern Territory and journeyed south and are currently house-hunting in Victoria. It is a true test of faith to be in limbo like this - trusting that our Heavenly Father knows and cares about our needs. Having a home, a part of the world that we claim as ours, marking our territory with our belongings, is very important to us humans. But sometimes, perhaps, too important. Sometimes we are struck with the realisation that this is not home, could never be home. We are all just travellers, passing through. Our country, our REAL country, is further than Outback. Our country is Way Beyond The Blue. And there is no comfortable 3 or 4 bedroom homes all with build-ins, waiting for us there. Oh no! There we have mansions. Mansions build to speck. 2000 years in the making. How good is that.


I learned a lot in the Northern Territory. One of the things I learned was how the Indigenous people view family. For teachers it was sometimes confusing, because a child would as likely be picked up from school by an auntie of other family member, as their actual parent. Children are looked after and valued by the whole community, and one's sisters children are as one's own.

Perhaps this is like the Body of Christ. We are all family. We are all one Mob. We all belong to that same Country. Is it suprising, therefore, that we can spend some much time and energy producing literature for the children of our brothers and sisters in Timor-Leste? Of course not. Because that is what we do.

Because we love each other.

Us Mob.

GPS

Yesterday was my last Sunday in Darwin and my family and I said our goodbyes to many dear friends that we have met in our 5 years in the Top End (of Australia). On Saturday we head 4 000 km south to make a new home in Geelong. In this day of almost instant communication, it's hard to imagine such a huge communication void - but the outback of Australia is a desert in more ways than one. Phone reception is in the occassional towns on the way. We won't have much chance of internet either. So this blog may go quiet for a little while.

My friends in Timor-Leste can certainly appreciate that. Communication is available (sometimes) in the capital, Dili, but in the rural areas phone reception and certainly internet access are scarce as hen's teeth.

It is a blessing for me, as for them, that God's Providential Support (GPS) is available everywhere on the planet. He always knows exactly where we are and what we need and hears our prayers.

So please include my family and me in your prayers next week and of course continue prayers for our brothers and sisters in Timor-Leste - particularly those in the remote rural areas.

White unto harvest

One of the most exciting aspects of 'Miguel Nia Jardin' is that it has a Mambae text. There are 5 to 7 districts in Timor-leste which speak Mambae  - Same, Aileu, Ainaro, Ermera, part of Dili, part of Manatuto and part of Liquisa.

This map from Wikipedia, while in German, does highlight the extend in which Mambae is spoken in the country. Please pray for the Presbyterian Church of Timor-Leste as they reach out to their people in these districts.

Money Matters

Navigating throught the murky waters of international money transfers became plain sailing thanks to the wonderful team at Winnellie Commonwealth Bank branch:  Stewart and Veronica, thank you!

I am thrilled to be posting copies of the book to people all over Australia. This project cannot happen without the financial support, interest and prayers of all of you.

The books should arrive in Timor tomorrow. I will try and track their adventures on this blog......

The Book is Printed!

Eight cartons of books!

Yesterday I went to the printers to collect the 1000 copies of the book that will be sold in Australia. The other 4000 will be on a boat to Dili on Wednesday.

If you want to buy a copy/copies, please contact us. We do need to sell copies in order to supply the books free of charge to our brothers and sisters in Timor-Leste.

It is thrilling to be able to see and hold in one's hand the product of months of work and planning. It is even more thrilling for me to hear of the plans of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Timor-Leste to use this resource for the futherance of His Kingdom.  Please, please, please pray for them as they bring the message of hope to their friends, families and communities, as well as promoting literacy and Christian literature, not for personal gain or national pride, but that the Name of Jesus be glorified, and His Kingdom advanced in that country.

Ministry and the Body of Christ #2

And so....I waited.

And then one day, Rev Robert Benn, former moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, came to town and talked to the the good folk at Darwin Presbyterian Church. He told us of the work that was being done by God's people in Timor-Leste and how these people desperately needed our help. He spoke compellingly and from the heart. Ah, may the Church always have such men who move mountains by speaking from their hearts as well as their heads. Yes, he moved mountains. Well, the mountainous island of Timor! Straight into the hearts of more than one person there!