Sunday, September 05, 2010

"Outrageous Hope" Down Under...

Sydney Harbour Bridge flag
Over the last few years, OMF Australia has grown under the energetic and capable leadership of an Aussie couple originally from Hong Kong & Singapore who worked cross-culturally in Korea. It was a privilege to spend a week with the Australian team in (a freezing-cold!) Sydney. We joined the Homeside staff conference as they prayed, reviewed the past few months and planned for the next 18 months. Dozens of committed, qualified new candidates have come through the hands of the Australian team. Overall the number of missionaries sent out has doubled to nearly 120. Despite the economic downturn, income for OMF Australia remains rock-solid and over 100% of what is needed. It was wonderful to see how the team has been built and the energy and enthusiasm they displayed was infectious! We enjoyed a morning off which gave us an opportunity to take a ferry down the Parramatta river, see the Sydney Opera House and walk across the Sydney Harbour bridge.


Kookaburra at Naamaroo Camp
We joined the OMF Australia National Conference over three days at Naamaroo Camp along Little Blue Gum Creek in a wooded area of Sydney – possums and kookaburras aplenty! The theme was “Outrageous Hope” with Steve giving the Bible readings from Habakkuk. Anna was encouraged and moved to meet many faithful OMF supporters who shared their memories of her grandfather Walter and great-uncle and great-aunt Alf and Allison Pike who served in China with CIM/OMF. Twenty-five candidates preparing to serve in east Asia told their stories. A number of Aussie OMFers currently on Home Assignment shared courageously and honestly of their struggles and joys.

The current OMF Australia Director and his wife are taking up a leadership position in a team in north-eastern Asia. Johan and Debbie Linder, a couple with many years of experience in Thailand and with the Thai diaspora in Australia are taking over. At the end of the Conference, we travelled across Sydney to the Sydney Missionary and Bible College where we participated in the induction service for Johan and Debbie. It was a demanding but rewarding time down under. Back in Singapore, Josh and Aimee thrived without us and Anna was glad to have survived the cold temperatures of the Aussie winter!