Short-term trips can invigorate a passion for mission, help discern
God’s call towards long-term cross-cultural work, as well as encourage
and build partnership with cross-cultural workers.
Lauren, David and Stephanie have each reflected on their time spent
with our team serving among the Yawo.
Lauren
With every adventure there is a story. Despite the
challenges and exhaustion, it was an opportunity to be
stretched. Mangochi hospital is an awful place, especially
for the mother of a two month old baby who has a high
fever, suffering diarrhoea and vomiting with Panadol
being all on offer except for our prayers. This little boy
was later diagnosed with pneumonia, over the next days
we watched him grow stronger and within weeks he was
eating, God answered our prayers.
(Lauren is pictured above with Yawo women.)
David
My eyes have been opened to both the world, its
beauty, its needs, spiritual realities and the urgency
of the gospel. My own faith has been strengthened
and in spending time with Jonno and Heather I feel
more adequately able to support them from Australia.
Although an overused phrase, I have found the
experience life changing, precisely how my life has
changed, is yet to be confirmed. (David is pictured
below team member Jonno and Yawo people.)
Stephanie
Death and funerals are an all too common reality for the
Yawo. While I was in Mozambique, my language helper’s
grandfather died and Kath and I dressed in traditional
clothes and walked with others to the ceremony. The
shade of the hut on arrival gave us and the other women
a place to sit out of the heat while the men said prayers.
We watched then as some of the women knelt to put
money in a scarf at the base of a flag with Arabic writing
on it. They held their faces in their hands whilst praying
and then together formed a circle around the flag,
singing whilst the men carried the body to the cemetery.
At this time there was loud crying, then reverting back
to singing and dancing. Before leaving we attempted
to shake everyone’s hands to show our respect before
walking home. Three days later, the family hosted a big
meal, lots of people gave food and I took some rice,
feeling welcomed, even though I didn’t speak Ciyawo.
Global Xposure is a learning experience in partnership
with church teams. Participants spend time with a
Global Interaction team serving among a least-reached
people group.
Rather than ‘doing’, Global Xposure is about ‘being’.
It’s about listening, observing and deliberately taking
time to reflect on what God is already doing and saying
in that place, to those people. In the process, God
transforms us.
Interested? Contact your state office or visit:
www.globalinteraction.org.au/GlobalXposure
BEING NOT DOING