Walkabout: Prayers from Brisbane

Dear Prayer Warrior,

October has been a “full on” month (Aussie slang). Three of my teammates
celebrated birthdays, Kelly took me to a soccer game, I showed our international
students what a burrito is, and campus has been a great time to see the impact
this team has had for Jesus. The students get a study week and then two weeks of final
exams. Please pray as this is a very stressful time for all of them. Following the final week
of the semester my team and about 40 students are headed out to Byron Bay for our summer
project. Thank you for praying as students raise support and prepare their hearts for this.
I am helping two of my girls, Kelly and Mel get ready for a different project called Beyond
Brisbane. This project reaches out to international students studying English during the
summer before starting a degree next semester. I am so excited that God called Kelly, who
you’ve read about in my August newsletter. This is a big step for her faith and I rejoice in
the Lord for how she has grown and continues to trust Him. I just noticed the other day how
much joyful she has been lately, that makes me so happy!
 At the beginning of the month my team had the
opportunity to go to Sydney for an all Campus Crusade
for Christ Australia (CCCA) staff conference. I got to
meet student life missionaries from all over
Australia as well as people who work with other
ministries of CCCA including Family Life (a ministry
to families) and CRAM (CReative Arts Ministry that
reaches out to high school students through the arts).
While I was there I got a thrilling text message from
Kelly that said, “I was accepted to Beyond Brisbane
yesterday and today I raised all my support.” Later
she called me and I had the best phone conversation
I’ve ever had! She went on to tell me heaps of good
news. Not only did she raise all her support but she
raised more than double her need; God chose to bless
her step of faith in abundance! The great news did not
end there she went on to tell me of her week that she
spent at a leadership camp with her Girl’s Brigade
(kind of like Girl Scouts with a Christian founding).
She had the opportunity to stand before 130 people and
share about how good God is (this was before she was
accepted to project). I was so amazed that she could
stand in front of that many people (she is super shy)
and share something she was not completely sure of
just a few months ago. At the same camp she confronted
many of the teenage girls’ questions about God. She
told them that they could not lose their salvation
and then used a water bottle and the cap to illustrate
how the Holy Spirit fills and seals us (nothing
getting in or out). She addressed many issues with
these girls that she herself had questions about not
long ago. I was so grateful to hear all this because I
was just struggling with the lie that I was not truly
being used by God. Kelly made me realize just how much
He has used me. Just the other day she asked me how I
teach her so many things without her realizing it, (I
didn’t tell her that I am also unaware, haha) it is
definitely God who changes hearts and grows us; it’s a
blessing if He chooses to use us in that process.
Another highlight of that conference would be
the main speaker named Dave Patty who is an American
missionary who lives in the Czech Republic and
founded a mission org called Josiah Venture. This man
just seeped of Jesus and he showed us a couple
Scripture passages that really impacted me. One of his
talks was about the Holy Spirit and our interaction
with Him.
What God Loves to Teach Me
It’s important to look at Jesus and how
he did ministry. During the conference
two things stuck out to me about how I
could be more like Jesus in my
mission. The first was the hard reality
that Jesus watched people walk away,
something I struggle with. When the rich
young ruler went away sad (Matthew
19:22) Jesus did not chase after him.
The second thing I’ve learned is how
Jesus called his disciples.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said,
“and I will make you fishers of
men.” -Mark 1:17
Jesus first gives them a clear
challenge: “come, follow me.” In that
same statement he says that he will
show them by example not by handing
them a manual. He then gives them a
clear commitment: “I will make you…”
This is the bit that is often overlooked.
How can I ask God for anything that I
myself am not willing to be a part of, in
the same way how can I ask someone
to commit to a cause without explaining
my commitment to them? There is also
a clear outcome: “…fishers of men.” In
the following verse it says, “at once they
left…” They had immediate engagement.
This concept applies to many parts of
my mission: not just the students I work
with but also with you. When I asked you
to support me I challenged you to join
me in Brisbane. When I told you what I
would be doing I was committing to you
that you have invested in a calling from
God. When we saw Sunny, Megan,
MinJun and others come to Christ and
even more grow in their faith we saw the
outcome of our faith and investment. It
is upon you to decide if you will have
immediate and continued engagement
in this. I appreciate how you have been
praying and joining me in the battle for
the souls of students from around the
globe.
Thank you for partnership in
spreading the gospel and
loving people!
 The best thing that I
experienced at the conference was
meeting two Japanese STINT guys,
Nobu and Shubo. I shared with them
about RyuSho, my Japanese friend
who struggles with the idea of God.
Nobu prayed for RyuSho with me and
my heart sighed, hearing a plea to
God for RyuSho from a man who was
from his country and who loves
Jesus was music to my ears. God was
really placing Japan on my heart
that week. There was an amazing
house of prayer on top of a huge
hill. The walk up was lined with
flags from many countries; every time
I would stop and pray by the Japanese
flag. One night I wasn’t even planning
on going up to pray but as I walked by
something inside me told me to go and
pray, so I did. As I walked up the dark
hill I kept thinking to myself- Japan
is dead. I had no idea where that
thought came from, but as I neared the
Japanese flag I realized something:
every single flag was violently
blowing in the wind while Japan’s was
perfectly still. I stopped and prayed
for revival in that country, that the
Japanese people would find life in
Christ. I continued up the hill where
God spoke to me and used me to answer
a question for my teammate, Andrew.
The conference renewed my enthusiasm
for the mission, especially for international student ministry (ISM). Andrew and I have been
meeting about what ISM should look like next year and what we want to see for the rest of
this year. Those meeting have not only been enjoyable (I usually strongly dislike meetings)
but God gave us a vision that reflects my heart: Reaching the world through transformed
students who come to Australia as ambassadors of their country but leave ambassadors for
Jesus. Please pray for ISM and for me as I head it up on Griffith next semester.

I had the great opportunity to help Mel and the Indonesian club raise money for the
hurricane that devastated Indonesia. I met many of the women that Mel had told me about
whom she was trying to be a light to, many of whom are Muslim. They are all lovely women
and quick to smile. Mel and I prayed when the video presentation was not working and then
we soon figured it out. I stood there thinking, wow, because I am in Australia, I am able to
stand right next to someone who believes in Islam and be praying in Jesus’ name and it is
commonplace. Sometimes I forget how much I love being in Australia among such diversity and
opportunity to reach the world for Jesus. I was delighted to see how many of our students
stopped by to buy some Indonesian food and invite those working to a dinner we were having
that night. They raised heaps of money to send
with the Indonesian Red Cross. I was glad to see
Mel so encouraged by the money raised, the success,
generosity of students, and her chance to partner
with the Indonesian club. I do not know the
spiritual outcome of that day but I do believe
that no small seed is scattered in vain. We are
responsible for throwing seeds everywhere and
carelessly, for we do not know the quality of the
soil. God only knows the soil type and He knows
where every seed falls.

I have faced the reality that soon I will be leaving

Griffith. I will spend a couple weeks serving in Byron Bay
and then before I know it I will be on the long flight home.
I will have to say goodbye to students who are graduating,
transferring, or returning to their home country. I may not
be able to say goodbye to some of those students. I have
wrestled with the question, have I done enough? I know God
has done exactly what His plan was and I am hopeful in what
next year will bring. I hate goodbyes especially to those who
are not Christians because I don’t know if I will ever see
them again. Sometimes I have to keep my emotions on a tight
leash. I started tearing up with a girl named Emma that I do
a Christianity Explained course with. She was a little taken
back but joked it off. She was talking about the injustice of
people dying of cancer and I exclaimed that her compassion
for the physically dying is the same compassion I have when
I look around this campus and see people dying a spiritual
death. As I looked around I saw several students eating
lunch, studying, and chatting with friends totally unaware
of eternity. Most of those students are completely apathetic toward Christ. I just couldn’t
hold it in. As I kept myself from a complete emotional breakdown I sighed and thought to
myself, “what I cannot do, Lord, I am trusting You to do.” That is the beautiful thing about a
surrendered life, I know where my responsibilities and where my will lies. Who, when, and
where is not up to me, I am simply requested to be ready for the who, when, and where. So will
you proactively (through prayer and making opportunities) wait upon the Lord with me?