What the missionaries are saying
In our weekly round-up, Eternity looks at what some of our Australian missionaries are up to each week.
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Mercy Ships is a global charity that has operated hospital ships in developing nations since 1978 providing free health care and community development services to the forgotten poor. The emphasis is on the needs of the world’s poorest nations in West Africa, where the Africa Mercy provides the platform for services extending up to ten months at a time.
Sonny Scott of Dapto, NSW has just returned from two months service as a volunteer on the world’s largest charity hospital ship. He says, “I was part of the marine crew and felt I was a part of an important team behind the scenes. If it weren’t for the marine crew and if it weren’t for the rest of us in our differing roles onboard there would be no ship to bring medical help and needed community assistance to so many people in West Africa.”
Sonny says he first heard about Mercy Ships when he was younger from his mother, who reminded him periodically when he decided on a career at sea of the work of the international charity. “Then I was at a Hillsong conference talking to a woman about a conference session on evangelism. I mentioned that I was a seafarer and she suggested I volunteer for service on the Africa Mercy. Here a complete stranger was telling me what my mother had already told me, so I did just that. I have been a seafarer since I left high school basically, so being able to serve God on board a ship suited me fine”
Onboard the ship, currently on a ten-month assignment in poor nation of Guinea, Sonny worked on deck helping to maintain and operate the ship’s machinery. He also helped as a volunteer during off-ship eye screenings and anywhere else he could make himself useful.
“I was slightly apprehensive about the experience. I have joined many ships by myself in the past because of the work I do, but I was well aware that the Africa Mercy would be very different. With a crew of more than 400 at any one time, all volunteers, I wondered whether I would be able to find my place. But I developed some great relationships, and those relationships also helped to break down the culture divide between me and the local people, as I knew nothing about Guinea before I joined.”
David and Michelle are serving in Santiago, Chile with their four children, Bronte, Alex, Maddison and Jai with SIM.
They say, “We have been very grateful for the ways that God has allowed us to be involved in people’s lives as we endeavour to strengthen families and marriages through discipleship and evangelism. Small groups using Christianity Explored and Alpha Marriage, parenting workshops and one on one discipleship are key areas of our ministry.”
Recently, David considered the possibility of introducing Sports Chaplaincy into Chile. Michelle blogged last week:
“David had made a few enquiries in Chile of old players whether such a thing existed in the teams in Chile. The reply was, ‘No, but more than that, I would be surprised if it would be allowed. I think they would be closed to it.’
Interestingly enough, God likes to take on the impossible. Or maybe it’s just that he wants to stretch us to trust him in these impossible situations. David was chatting with a friend after church early October, who is the Sports Chaplain to a rugby side. He happened to be attending a conference for Sports Chaplaincy the following weekend. He invited David to come along.
At the conference David met the director of Sports Chaplaincy, one thing led to another and David has found himself going to the next training for the Certificate of Sports Chaplaincy in Adelaide late November. The doors just seem to be flinging open. We are excited for this opportunity for David to be equipped. We are excited about what other doors the Lord is going to open as David investigates options for Sports Chaplaincy in Chile upon our return in February.” (Read the full blog here)
The Maddrells in the Philippines
Roger, Geraldine, Stephen & Sophie are serving in the Philippines, volunteering with GCEInternational.
As of Wednesday morning this week, Typhoon Bopha (nicknamed Pablo) – the strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year – had killed at least 274 people. Packing winds of 160kph (99 mph) with gusts in excess of 210 kph (130 mph), the 500 kilometer-wide (311 miles) storm made landfall at dawn on the east coast of Mindanao island and deluged the Davao region.
Geraldine Maddrell said yesterday, “Praise God for His protection. We had little damage on the island of Negros Oriental, but many power lines down. Will not have electricity for some time to come. The eye of the typhoon was heading directly for us but God sent it about 20klms south. Thank you for all the prayers.”
We know some missionaries work in sensitive countries and we’re setting things up so that they’re not compromised. Got a missionary we should know about? Email us here and we’ll follow them up.
Header image: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1170737
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