Canberra

In Australia we found everything wonderfully organised.  Again about 150 people gathered from about 15 churches to take the Lord's love to the very centre of the city of Canberra.  We had five worship bands out at once at times, including a lovely band made up mainly of Koreans, who really do worship!  Again, an effortless unity between the churches was a delight to see and be part of (especially given the background of little previous unity) and once again, there was a tremendous sense of God's presence on the streets.  On the first day at the barbecue (where it had rained for the first hour - by no means dampening the joy of the Christians), I spent an hour speaking to a senior scientist who was one of our guests.  Many times in that hour he said to me, in some amazement, something like: 'I am an atheist; I have never believed in God.  But what these people have, I want.  It is the real thing.'  Praise the Lord!

About 20 people that we know of gave their lives to Christ (with 12 first time commitments recorded plus some rededications, and others that we know of but didn't get an address for), and the locals know of at least 300 significant conversations.  Something like 2,500 were fed and many were touched in one way or another.  As one leader wrote to us, 'Enormous thanks to you all for coming……..we are full of joy at the outcome, and the unity and lightness of Spirit amongst those who participated. This has continued amongst the core team as we held our post mission debrief this morning'.  And one of our 17 wonderful UK team members who came wrote: 'I don't think I've ever been part of something so clearly God's plan'.

There are thoughts amongst the local leaders of taking this across Australia and maybe beyond.  Discussions continue. 

M.G. March 05