We made it to the top end!
It’s deliciously Hot & not so deliciously steamy! But off have come the winter woollies, the thermals and the merino wool blankets….and out have come the summer jamies which all have been amazed still fit! We seem to be having a late summer….Yay! (okay so some of the family are really not enjoying the heat so much, but this little black duck is LOVIN’ it!)
We find ourselves once again surrendering our agenda to God! And what an amazing bunch of people He has placed us with!
To refresh your memory – we felt God prompted us to leave Melbourne, Victoria and head for Darwin then Maningrida ASAP to help join the NT Mobile Mission Maintenance Team on a project to completely gut and then re-build the manse in Maningrida (at the top of Arnhem Land)….Well we are still headed there but late rainfall has raised the rivers making the road impassable! So that trip has been delayed. However we were redirected to join MMM on another project in Noonamah, a fly spot about 50kms south of Darwin! This project involved the building of 5 dormitory rooms at the Riyalla Christian campsite.
Before we could really figure out what was happening we found ourselves setting up camp in a beautiful tropical setting, with power and water, hot showers and flushing toilets…what luxury! Not to mention the amazing camp kitchen with it’s fans.The only other campers, Bronwyn & Geoff Bauer (also from SE QLD) had made us a sumptuous Dinner, just to bless us. Darrell House the NT MMM State Manager and project manager had organised for us to camp here with no charge. This place was like a stream in the desert for this road weary family ready to make camp and let the dust settle for a while. We were so very thankful, and praising God for His provision once again. The Lord certainly had bigger plans in place, for us as well as for MMM. We weren’t expecting that we would arrive in time to be of any help to these guys, and MMM had expected 6 couples to help on this project and all but 1 couple had called to cancel for various reasons. (we weren’t suppose to be here yet, and they really needed help….)
Riyalla is a lovely place. The campsite bears an aboriginal name meaning “Spring of Living Water”. This is God’s country! This land and this particular place is special. It feels different…. I felt as though Jesus Himself had drawn us up into His loving embrace and said “hey A-D’s, come sit for a while…catch your breath, enjoy my people, quiet your soul and listen….I am with you….” We are once again beyond our limits financially, mentally, physically…and Praise God that He knew what we needed best! After 1 day working on the MMM project, serving God, Daniel had a day’s paid work, things were getting desperate! He has mostly given his time to the MMM project, but for 2 days in this last week and 1/2 he has worked elsewhere and earned an income.
The beautiful people who established this campsite have been such a delight to get to know. They are still “surrendering their agenda” and working where they feel led. Clem at the age of 84 was holding his own working on the MMM project. He just didn’t stop….He reminded me that there really is no retirement age when you are serving the Living God! Clem and Joyce have served the Lord for all of their life….on mission in Elcho Island, in the top end…and establishing Riyalla….and still they have a passion for bringing people to Jesus! What a privilege it has been to have morning tea with them, to work side by side with them and to learn from them. Our children have a front row seat…Wow what a blessing this place is for our family!
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