Khesed

Khesed

Khesed

Khesed News #80 November 2009

 

 

Inside:

page 1   Your Birth Place                        page 2   Khesed Road Trip

page 1   Children: TODAY's church!    page 2   News from all around

page 1   Prayer Mats Divide?                 page 3   10 Years' Prayer before PM's Apology

page 2   Alyawarr Mini-Bible                page 3   Aborigines lead in prayer

page 2   Bi-Lingual challenge                page 3   Katherine Women's Convention

Thank you for your support and prayer during 2009. May God bless you heaps as you continue to bless heaps of others, right through the holiday season and 2010.

 

I have called you back from the ends of the earth so you can serve me. For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
…Anyone who opposes you will die. You will look for them in vain. They will all be gone! I am holding you by your right hand--I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid. I am here to help you.  Isaiah 41:9-13 NLT

 

 

Your Birth Place

On our recent road tour, we drove for 2 days in NSW through Wiradjuri country – one of the largest land areas of any tribe in eastern Australia. June found herself in tears and praying during most of that section of the trip. She was born in that country - at West Wyalong - and commenced teaching there at Murrin Bridge Aboriginal Settlement. And John's mother was a missionary there – Condoblin – and he commenced teaching there: Dubbo, Lake Cargelligo and Murrin Bridge.

  Sample Image    Wiradjuri Country - the large brown area

 

June also has a link with the Wiradjuri  language reclamation project that John Rudder and Stan Grant have been working on for some years – she helped John R. with teaching games to be used in the project.

We also felt God drawing us to Narrandera in this trip (also in this lower part of this tribal land), to link with something He is doing there.

June found herself praying the Lord's Prayer over the land – Thy Kingdom come!

Where were you born? What tribe lives and has God's authority there?  – pray for God's Kingdom to come there!

Children: part of TODAY's church!

Eagle Rock Church, Perth, Sunday 15th Nov:– Ps Tim Edwards felt it was the right time for Ps Glenys Schneider to visit and minister on release of the Holy Spirit. Before the service, I prayed once more that God would release our children in ministering in Holy Spirit power NOW – for they are not just 'the church of tomorrow'. There were lots of children present – more than usual – and Ps Tim called them forward and asked Ps Glenys to pray for them – she also has a real heart for this. Then they went out to Children's Church. After a very clear, simple message on Holy Spirit, followed by imparting and release for many adults, parents brought many of the children back for a second touch through Ps Glenys.

Ps Di Edwards commented to me that she had just been reading stories that have just been released of the children of Asuza Street. Pray for an even greater release of the power and gifts of God's Holy Spirit through our children, who are a vital part of TODAY's church!

Prayer Mats Help Divide the Land?

Just before we left on our last road tour, an intercessor called in and shared something God had shown him in Oodnadatta some years ago, and felt he had to share it with us for this trip. Brendon talked about the Afghan and Middle-Eastern camel drivers who travelled this land for many years.

As we travelled, we realised that these men were brought here to help with transportation through the deserts of this land, and five times a day they laid their Muslim prayer mats down on this land.

People in Western Australia talk about 'the East', rather than Melbourne or Sydney or Queensland… Many, many times there has been serious talk about WA cutting free from the rest of the nation… Islam too often divides and destroys, without rebuilding. Today Muslims have even been seen on their mats on the street in front of Christian homes, churches, and even blocking a whole street for a period in several states.

In Adelaide, we were lent a book Tin Mosques and Ghan Towns  [Christine Stevens, 1989, Oxford Univ Press] and found a lot of stickers protruding from the top of pages. Mona told us the Christian intercessors had already been praying through this whole area.

The camel drivers related fairly well with Central Australian Aborigines, and Muslims today identify closely with those who are downtrodden and feel rejected. They are reaching out to Aborigines in prisons, and some are turning to Islam.

Pray that the TRUTH, Jesus Christ, will set them all free through God's love in Holy Spirit power from all oppression, rejection, shame and condemnation.

 

{mospagebreak} 

An Alyawarr milestone  [east of Tennant Creek & Alice Springs]

- from David Blackman's Bush Telegraph, Nov 09

The job’s done! I posted off the CD and 900 page printout of the new Alyawarr MiniAngka  Mwerr-angker, right on the deadline date of 30th October! The weeks leading up to that day were very busy. There were some things my colleague, David Moore, and I would rather have spent more time on, but if we want to meet our deadline of a planned dedication ceremony next Easter, then we should first meet the publisher’s! In this case, the publisher is the Bible Society, who will have the Bible printed in Asia and will make it available at a subsidised price. It will contain extensive selections from Genesis, Exodus, and 1 & 2 Samuel; and all of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Titus and James.

As I mentioned in my last BBT, we have decided to print the Good News English translation in parallel with the Alyawarr text in the New Testament books. This is a version readily available to us, being a Bible Society text. We hope having both languages will encourage more Christian Alyawarr people to buy and read their Bible, especially those who could read Alyawarr with a little bit of practice, and only need the English as a prompt.

Thank you to those who were praying for us. There were several technical hitches along the way. I’m grateful to Gordon Thompson and Janet Ezard for their ability to make a very sophisticated desktop publishing program do what we want and not what it wants! The biggest challenge was to line up the Alyawarr and English texts in the New Testament books, especially once maps and other illustrations were added. As our approach is to translate the meaning of the text, rather than the individual words in it, the Alyawarr often uses many more words than the English. Hence its need for much more space on the page.

The team now plan to finish translating the entire NT and 20% of the OTs.

Bi-Lingual challenge    

- from David Blackman's Bush Telegraph, Nov 09

Some of you will be aware of the ongoing debate in the Northern Territory over the NT Government’s recent decision to dismantle what remains of the bilingual education program, and to teach only in English for the first four hours of each day. SIL assisted with the setting up of the bilingual program back in the seventies, when education in the NT was handled by the Commonwealth. Where the program was well-supported, it worked very well. Where it was not well-supported it did not.

Unfortunately, there has been a systematic policy of non-support or outright opposition at many levels of government over the years. So it is now possible to “prove” (according to the government’s criteria) that the bilingual program is “responsible” for the failure of remote indigenous children to meet national benchmarks. Yet both common sense and extensive research show, that children learn best if taught in their own language in the early years of their schooling.   

AuSIL has joined the ranks of those advocating for a change of policy. Colleague Chuck Grimes has produced a book entitled Indigenous languages in education: what the research actually shows, to challenge the “there is no evidence” line. It contains a bibliography of 691 relevant articles and studies.  It is available from SIL office for $5.00, plus postage. On the home page of AuSIL’s website [www.sil.org.au] there is a link in red print to other items relating to this issue.  Pray for a real breakthrough in government attitudes.

Khesed Directors' 2nd 2009 road trip

Thank you sooooo much for your prayers and support!

Over 7 weeks and 11,000kms: NSW, QLD, SA, WA - Aug-Oct 2009. The Sante Fe 4WD is now 9 months old with 24,000kms on it, and meets our needs extremely well. The new caravan was a hassle, with severe swaying most of the first half of the trip until we were able to fit stabilizer bars [told we didn't need them!] and new tyres [cords deteriorated with age, even thought they had plenty of tread left]. After that it was great!

  Sample ImageActive Image

  We stopped at Penong, SA, to take photos of the many windmills there. May the wind of the Spirit pump the water from the River of God that comes from His throne into every part of this dry and thirsty land!

The trip was a time of catching up with many people and meeting many new friends. Teaching at Ganggala was a real joy – again – as was the Tweed Valley Conference and college graduation – a real time of honouring God and each other!

After we left Perth, we received an invitation to attend a retreat in Adelaide: Training Aboriginal Christian Leaders, which is hosted by the Heads of Churches in Adelaide. This was a really special time.

Our time in Narrandera included meeting with a number of the Wiradjuri Christians and praying with them, and encouraging them in their desire to re-establish their own church in the town and hold a 'Back to Narrandera' festival. There are historic issues that need to be dealt with in the area, and we were able to talk and pray with some about this.

On the way home, we stopped off at Kalgoorlie for a few days of the convention there, and were encouraged to hear of many Wongayis who gave their lives to Jesus.

Overall, a really valuable trip!

Ganggalah Training Centre

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Ganggala Student graduation Aug 2009

Ganggalah Training Centre needs help to purchase a new bus for their students in their daily travel and outreach, including trips for ministry in NSW & QLD towns.

Contact Ps Willy Dumas at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 07 5524 7856    PO Box 6369 Tweed Heads NSW 2486.

Ruakken Church and the Coorong area, east of Adelaide, SA

Earlier this year Rose Rigney wrote to us:

 Please keep us in prayer through your contacts around the nation as we have just relocated to Raukkan Aboriginal Community, in the Lakes/Coorong area of South Australia. My husband Clyde and myself are a part of a body ministry here. We are Aboriginal and from this group (Ngarrindjeri) and God is doing a mighty work here. We are a part of the church on the $50 note...This is the first time I have read this newsletter and do confirm that we have also had words and heard others say that God has shown them that He is going to start fires of revival around the nation and use Indigenous people to spread the Gospel. We will pray for you as you continue your ministry to the Nation through this newsletter...

 The Coorong -  the mouth of the Murray River

Raukkan Aboriginal Community Sample Image

recently celebrated their 150th anniversary and Rose wrote.

The glory of our Lord surely shone on us last Saturday and people have still been ringing the Community to tell of how lovely they thought the day was and how they went away feeling uplifted... we had about 500 people and lots of reunions, reconcilliations and fun...it was certainly a time of Ngarrindjeri 'arising, and shining' in the gifts He has given ....Amen....

Health Funding Delays

WA's special funding for Aboriginal health, designed to help close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous health, has become bogged down in 'consultation processes', so that after five months of the financial year, none of the $20m allocated has been released.

A Western Desert Kidney Project set up by Professor Dr Christine Jeffries-Stokes [wife of Wongayi pastor, Geoff Stokes] has had to delay their project, which will combat the high level of diabetes in the area. Kidney disease is probably something like 100 times higher in the WA Goldfields than in the general population. Stillbirths and children born with defects can be prevented by access to fresh fruit and vegetables, and dealing with this is part of their program.   Pray for release of funding effectively into the right areas to make the dramatic changes that are possible.

Jerusalem House of Indigenous Peoples

- from Gavriel Gefen, Director of WCGIP7

For many years, I have carried a vision toward establishing a house of indigenous people in Jerusalem. A number of tribal leaders around the world have also shared this idea for a long time. Some of them would like to see a house of prayer in Jerusalem set aside for indigenous people, where they may offer up their own traditional songs and prayers and dances. They have hoped for a house that would welcome and host them on pilgrimages of faith. Other tribal leaders would like to have an embassy as a diplomatic center of representation for tribal nations.

 This month, we opened the Jerusalem House of Indigenous Peoples, with the above purposes. It includes an office of representation for indigenous people and also guest rooms for visiting indigenous tribal leaders. It will be a home for indigenous leaders coming for longer visits while connecting in deeper relational ways with both the people and the land. We will coordinate these times of residence in rotation in order to maintain a continual presence and representation of indigenous people in Jerusalem.

Khesed Directors' Program

Healing The Land Road Trips
- a season of encouraging and facilitating the healing of
the ancient lands of this nation and its people.

2009

Nov – Dec – Jan           officework, developing resources, local outreach, family time
+  bush prayer retreat in WA Goldfields, 15-17 December. Contact us for details.

 

2010 

Feb                    Ganggala College teaching [8-12th] + family time in Newcastle

Apr – May         Central Desert road trip

Khesed Resources development: 

Fire in the Outback: we ran out of stock in November and it is currently being reprinted - expected delivery date is Wed 9 Dec, in time for Christmas – it makes a great gift, so get your orders in!

We are planning work over the summer on a simplified Healing The Land manual, Dhurrkay Praise CD, teaching booklet/DVD of God's House, a CD/MP3 book-reading of Fire in the Outback, and a DVD of Australian Indigenous Revival Fire stories.

 

  {mospagebreak}

APOLOGY COMPLETES 10 YEAR
INTERCESSION PROJECT

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Newspaper clipping from The Aboriginal Independent Newspaper 14-17 October 1998

British Reconciliation leader, Brian Mills, kneels in the mud before Noongar elder, Ben Taylor, at Yagan's gravesite

 

 

- Apology article from the Australian Prayer Network Newsletter, 18 Nov 2009

APN Editor’s note:  Ten years ago the British Prayer Movement, at the invitation of the Australian Prayer Network, sent a team of around 50 leaders and Intercessors to Australia to apologise for the sins of their nation in the foundation years of European settlement, in what became known as British/Australian reconciliation.

In particular they apologised for the massacre and ill treatment of the Indigenous People of our nation by those who came in the name of Britain to the shores of this great land, and also to the many thousands of child migrants who were sent here by the British Government without their parents knowledge or permission, to empty crowded orphanages in Britain.

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Whilst the issue was dealt with on a spiritual basis ten years ago it has only been in the past two years that the natural outworking of that intercession has been seen. The apologies given by the Federal Government to our Indigenous Australians last year and the apology given on Monday to the forgotten and abused Australians, including the child migrants sent here by Britain, complete in the natural what was begun in the spiritual 10 years ago. 

We praise God for these apologies which will have far reaching consequences in both the spiritual and natural realms, not to mention in the lives of those people directly impacted by the events for which the apologies were given. The apologies go a long way in helping to heal some of the “wounds of our childhood” as a nation, which were spoken of prophetically at the time of the British visit as being on the heart of God in convicting both the British and Australian prayer movements to journey down the path of repentance and forgiveness relative to these areas of our nation’s life.   

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 KEVIN Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull have offered a historic apology to “forgotten Australians” and former child migrants who suffered abuse, exploitation and neglect in institutions and foster homes.  In emotional scenes in Parliament House’s Great Hall as the Prime Minister said sorry to those children whose childhoods were snatched away, some survivors sobbed while others stood and cheered. A few angrily demanded compensation.

The event was the second landmark apology by Mr Rudd, who in February last year said sorry to the Aboriginal Stolen Generations. Andrew Murray, a former Australian Democrats senator who was instrumental in establishing the first of several Senate inquiries into church and state-sanctioned abuse, demanded the government establish a reparations fund. He said helping survivors of childhood abuse was a matter of reparations.

“When you look worldwide, harsh things have happened to people, whether it’s the Jews in Germany or indigenous people in America - it is reparations that is the word used,” he told reporters in Canberra on Monday. “Compensation is just one part of that.”

In delivering the apology, Mr Rudd apologised for an “ugly chapter” in the nation’s history.

Intercessors get Aborigines to lead them in prayer

The Westralian Intercessors Network Retreat was held on 13-15 November 2009. WIN leaders have a real heart to be honour indigenous Christians and to learn from them. During the retreat, John & June Blacket were asked to share some of their perspective of the current indigenous spiritual state across the nation. Then, instead of splitting into groups to pray, the indigenous Christians present were invited to lead the whole group in prayer and declarations over the nation.

Val – Noongar tribe, south-west WA:

…Your Word shall go forth and not come back void – that we have been delivered – sanctified – washed by the precious blood of the Lamb… The Devil, Satan, Waagyl, Rainbow Serpent… are all false gods that came up before the people when they were blinded. They have no authority in this land!

The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God… from one end of this land to the other – from the north to the south, from the east to the west – throughout this Noongar country, 17 language country – as we step through - from Geraldton to Kalgoorlie, Albany – ALL strongholds have been broken! – cut the cords! – from the mother's roots, the physical cords… have been cut by the Spirit of God! Jesus!  From generation to generation… from Adam right down to this very day! From Eve down to this very day! In the mighty name of Jesus!  Every tribe, every nation, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ IS LORD!

Christine – Kimberley, WA:

All our sins are as filthy rags… and I pray, Father God - You are the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end – and I pray that we will honour You! You see the practises that have been put upon this nation, Lord, and from the very beginning, You have been with us and You see right through our history the things that have occurred. You have seen! You have heard! You know it Lord! And You are the Deliverer, Father God, and I pray that we will look to You – look to the Heavens. For this is where our help will come from.

Lord Jesus, that You will give words… that need to be spoken and declared… You will draw us together for the work that needs to be done… our feet will take us to the places…

I stand in the gap, Lord, from the tip of the north, and I ask for forgiveness, Lord, for the sins that were done to this land from our people – we come to You and lay down at Your feet. …that You will reveal the things in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Father God! You will be the spiritual instrument, Lord! You will give us the spiritual truth, Lord! ...and we just look to You Father God, because we cannot do it alone. 

I pray for unity – You know what's happening in Your churches, Lord… We come before You, broken, Lord. We know that You are the Restorer, the Carer… I pray that You will give us the word that needs to be spoken – declared – and that we will see with Your eyes!that You will do Your perfect work, Lord, and You will speak into the hearts of every one of us, Lord. You have different parts for different ones – You know them from the time they were born until now, and You have created them for such a time as this, and I pray that we will surrender our lives to You, Lord!... We come to You as a child, Lord! You will show us the way and visit us, Lord!

Ann – Kenyan Australian of Hindi heritage:

I pray that out of the dirt – the dust – where there is death, we speak life! Where there is cursing, we speak blessing. Where there is hopelessness, we speak hope! To our indigenous: Leviticus 26v13:- 'I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.'  Lord, we pronounce blessing on them today, that they would fulfil their destiny, reach their full potential in Jesus and be a blessing in this land, not a curse!

Victoria – Torres Strait/N QLD:

We are just filthy rags in Your sight, Lord… We stand in the gap for the many nations here in this land.. You know our children, Lord… You know their hearts, Lord… We bind those spirits, Lord… Thank You for what You are doing, Lord – for our people in the Centre – for the Pitjantjatjara tribe, Lord… for the new beginning, Lord… Thank You, Yeshua, that we are grafted in, Lord…. We worship You, Yeshua!

Jenny– Noongar tribe, south-west WA:

Father God…  our Noongar people… I pray that You forgive them and cleanse them from all unrighteousness, Lord… Touch them, Lord… purify them… Send Your ministering angels to them… that You would bring healing in the name of Jesus… Bring them out of the darkness into Your marvellous Light, Lord… Satan has so bound us! You are going to set them free, Lord, by the blood of the Lamb…  so bound up with drugs – bound up in their own little worlds, Lord! Bring them out of their sinful ways, Lord, into the Light, Father God!

- European Australian:

Father in heaven, You have heard the words of our indigenous sisters, Lord. I pray they are a sweet sound in Your ears, Lord! We have heard their heart, and I pray that You will bless them… They are right in the middle of Your cupped hands, Lord… They have a lot of prophetic words over their lives, Lord… Many have tried to help them – governments, organisations –  with good intentions. …we can't change them, but God does! So we come to You Lord, and ask in the name of Jesus, that You will move through this land – the power of Your Spirit will be like the wind... and flow out even from this room, Lord – effective: gather and gather and gather. We know You are, and we pray for more!  

No revival can flow in this land until we include the indigenous people! Blessed are the feet of those who bring Good News… Bless their feet as they go forth and spread the Gospel in the name of Jesus! And may their footprints become Holy Ground! ...The atrocities that have been done in this land:- I pray for forgiveness for what we have done! We ask You to cleanse the land in the name of Jesus – everywhere their feet tread… The First Nations people, Lord!

Katherine Women's Convention – September 2009

Report from Gail Musch, Indigenous Ministry Links Australia, North Queensland

Amazing and refreshing! Women from Arnhem Land and from around Australia gathered on the banks of Katherine River to praise and worship the King! It was an occasion of repentance, forgiveness, and joy.  Women poured from their hearts about relatives who had suicided or died and the toll that has had on their lives and communities and how the Lord Jesus has helped them overcome their grief and loss. The testimonies of the power of forgiveness were incredible! It was good to be among Christian women of all ages and to get to know people. All the way along our journey to Katherine and back we spent much of our time sitting and meeting ladies and listening to their stories.  It has certainly renewed Janice’s vision to reach out to the women of Cape York.

Report from Gloria Dyer, Arrowhead Ministries, Perth

Robin Green sang and preached a mighty word on our first day and led us in anointing the people.  She asked one of the elders to anoint their heads while I anointed their feet.  She and many others then prayed for the people.  It was a mighty time of healing and God restoring His daughters.

Shirley Humphries, the wife of Aboriginal Pastor Denzil Humphries, spoke about mothers and the roles of women and gave practical words to the women.  She also spoke in a panel of 3 on suicide and it's impact.  Her session was wonderful as an older woman to us younger ones.

[Gloria had some dreams:] …showed me that these were to do with a spirit trying to frighten me and possibly the other women.  On the last night, what I dreamed proved to be a reality in the spirit realm. 

Georgie Ballinger had just preached a very powerful and vulnerable sermon about the Father.  The impact of Fathers in our lives was evident in the gathering and the lack of them as hands were lifted.  We are in a fatherless generation was one of Georgie's comments.  Bad fathers and the impact of how they affect our relationship with God the Father was very clear.  The ladies were having a time of brokenness and repentance. 

Rejection was being dealt with when a young woman about 14 years old came forward and read words of encouragement that were written on her forearm.  I saw later a whole block of writing and a language I couldn't read on her forearm.  She said it was the Hebrew language and she was able to interpret it for us.  She also received the Roman language and had other writings at home.  I knew I was looking at a miracle.  The writing was perfect.  Every single letter was the same height.  It didn't look like she had written it.  Like a stamp!  Every line was perfectly spaced - very exciting and very amazing and a perfect word of encouragement from the Lord for his daughters and their broken and wounded hearts.  

…I went to see what this noise was in the trees.  It was very dark and I suspected that it was spiritual.  I began to pray in tongues and war in the spirit… I prayed a little more and then pleaded the blood of Jesus over the area and positioned angels around us.  I spoke to the Indigenous lady who was leading the worship …(she) told me her young grand daughter had seen the shape of a man walking through the trees.  She told me of the sound of a bird which was not the type of birds present and knew of evil spirits present.  So this was an eye opener for me and to learn to take special notice of dreams that God gives me…

The FIRE of God fell throughout the meetings!  But especially on Tuesday morning, after the worship, there was a leading of the Spirit to bring the children forwards and for the women to pray for them.  Then after that, another leading and the children turned around from inside the circle and prayed outwards to the women.  One of them led in a prayer for us.  Next another person felt the Lord wanted them to march around us.  The girl with the miraculous writing led the children and young people with a flag of fire and the Dove representing the Holy Spirit in the middle of it.  It was so powerful and the children were in tune with what God was doing. 

The men who were serving us were called forwards, 4 of them!  They stood in the gap and the women prayed for them and surrounded them.  Men and women began falling under the power of the Holy Spirit.  Bodies on the ground caught up in the moment.  Unable to stand under the anointing!  The men were touched by God and thanked the women for their openness to the Spirit of God! 

I preached after this and felt the heart of God and His Love for His daughters.  Words of taking up their cross and following Jesus, of making a stand for God and becoming revolutionaries for Jesus.  To change their area by doing what Jesus tells them to do.  I felt the tears of God's heart!  I touched on how Wilberforce in England and Martin Luther King in America made stands against slavery.

The night before was a time where Rachel preached, and she led us into a time of repentance for our sins.  A piece of paper was given out to everyone and we were asked to tick the boxes.  This was for generational sins as well as our own ones!  I ended up signing the whole paper and writing for everything that was on it!  After Millie and Georgie shared what everything meant, we all took our papers and burned our sins in the fire prophetically. 

 

 

 

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