Dear A.C.T.S. North American Prayer Partner,
I (Fred) want to share the biggest thrill of my missionary life…my second visit through the Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) – Kata Juta (Olga’s) National Park to the burning hearts in the most remote Aboriginal community of Blackstone, Western Australia.
My first visit to Blackstone was interrupted when the High Ace, 12 seat Toyota van slipped on the dusty, red dirt road and went sideways, backwards, and over with 9 passengers in harm’s way. Two were airlifted to the Kalgoorlie Hospital. However, 7 of the passengers were driven from nowhere to Blackstone for an Easter Convention that saw twenty two, 4 – 14 year old children, and five adults respond to God’s saving grace. The Blackstone Community Church was organized and a circuit of 5 remote church starts was initiated.
To launch pastoral education leading to ordination, A.C.T.S. Regional Coordinator, a Nazarene Regional Missionary, invited two senior Nazarene missionaries, John Moore and Harmon Schmelzenbach, their wives, and myself to help. Each of us accepted and began encouraging others to pray for a most fruitful and safe mission.
John Moore and Harmon Schmelzenbach contributed 5 well received and moving sermons, while I coordinated a “Jesus for Children” outreach and discipling. Jongil Kim was the moderator and coordinated the meetings and quarterly training along with outback Pastors Mitchell and Newbury.
By God’s grace, we all felt like we were right at home for Easter. The Blackstone community lovingly cared for us. 9 children and 7 adults responded to God’s saving grace. John Moore is providing materials for 7 courses to direct Jongil’s pastoral training efforts to these remote lay leaders.
This mission was the thrill of my 29 years since we were called “….to evangelize in Australia…the Aborigines.” Outstandingly, we were amongst a mature Christian group celebrating Easter as 16 new Christians sparked God to “rejoice in the heavens.” The local and visiting Christians overcame many barriers to “let them know we were Christians by our love for one another.” All of the logistics and the long, safe drive occurred nearly flawlessly.
Importantly, we were immersed for 5 days with Aboriginals in Australia’s remote outback seeing natural wonders, wild horses and camels by day while observing the Milky Way and the Southern Cross at night.
We pray that you, too, are thrilled by this brief sharing.
Help Equip Jongil Kim to Train Remote Aboriginal Pastors. JongIl Kim finances his transportation expenses in this vast territory primarily through his wife’s wages from an Aboriginal church’s school in Perth. He is always doing it tough and needing donations to get his old bus on the road for his next tour from Perth to Halls Creek and back through Kununurra.
You can also sponsor Jongil Kim during 2019/20 @ $39/month for Biblical resources which he diligently places with most needy remote pastors and Aboriginal children starving for Jesus and His word.
