A Journey to the true outback
About 2 months ago we as wYw were on our way to the beautiful country Australia. With so much excitement in my heart I expected big things to happen. Knowing that Australia has more or less the same culture as South Africa was huge benefit for me and for wYw as a team. Coming from a sporting family back in SA and entering a country with a very wide range of different sports created so much excitement in my heart, I was ready to learn new sports and to share and tell people about my experience in sport and also meeting Jesus Christ through sport.
Suddenly I felt like a little boy waiting to play his first rugby game. In today’s life sport plays a big role in millions of people’s lives. And to use sport as an instrument to tell people about God and how one can play for Him and give Him the glory whether you win or lose is awesome to me. As you look at the country Australia you would think the people have everything, it’s a rich country, you can find anything you want in a heartbeat and to see how many people achieves a lot in sport, you would think Australia is perfect- that’s what I thought. We tend to look at the country and say how good they are doing, but we haven’t look at the outback, what happens behind all the nice looking places and big buildings etc.
It is the same with the people, we look at them and we see nothing wrong, their appearance looks good, they smile and they enjoy life and maybe they prosper in life but the question is what goes on in the outback of their lives? God had a journey all planned out for me to show me what people need although it looks like they have it all worked out.
& nbsp;
We were working on a campsite called Mountain Trails where kids go on camps to be challenge in different ways like caving, abseiling, high ropes, riding horses and enjoying the speed of dirt bikes. Mountain Trails is a place where the people have a passion for Jesus Christ and their vision is to restore Heaven to earth, to tell the kids about God and what He has done for us and at the same time be challenged with the different activities. It is a place to grow spiritually and to be changed into a new being. I worked on the senior camp which was held in mid July. I was a bit nervous but at the same time also excited about meeting new people. I was also a cabin leader where I had the opportunity to share about my life to young boys who has their whole lives before them.
I had the privilege of living with 5 boys, Harry, Todd, Justin, Kevin and BJ. All of them are awesome kids and they have so much potential and like all of us in life we must still learn a lot of things in life. I pray that God will change their lives and that they will experience His power and that they will be mighty warriors in the Kingdom of God. But what I want to tell you is a story about BJ, a young little aboriginal boy who changed my life. When we were preparing for this camp, I felt in my spirit that I needed or that I was going to give my Bible away. At first I said nothing about it. When I met BJ for the first time he didn’t want to know anything about God. He knew about Him and everything but he never had that experience. For me it was difficult to think how I can change his mind or what can I do, and then I realized that I can’t count on my own strength or understanding but only on the power of God.
I said to myself that I’m not going to force anyone to believe or condemn them but that I’m going to show him through my lifestyle that I have a Saviour who lives inside me. My pastor back home once said:” People in today’s life don’t read Bible anymore, YOU are the only Bible they will ever read in their lives.” The Bible promises us that the person who reads the Word of God and put it into practice will be blessed. I decided to give BJ actions rather than preaching to him. Throughout the week we had a good time, we did all the activities and we played touch rugby together and it was just such a great time enjoying life to the full. As I started to build on my relationship with BJ he started to ask questions about God and my life and God started to open doors for me to work with young BJ. It was so amazing to see how God was working in his life and changing his heart.
BJ also plays rugby and he has big dreams like playing for his country and I could relate to that having the same dreams of playing for my country one day. I saw so much of myself in BJ and when I look back at my own life when I played rugby for all the teams I wanted to and we won every league, but I lacked only one thing and that was Jesus Christ. By the grace of God He saved me and now I know it’s all about Him and I want BJ to know that. If we play for Christ and if we give everything for Him, He will bless us so much. I pray that BJ will play for the glory of God and not for his own glory.
During the week BJ came to me one morning and he told me that he was reading my Bible and I was amazed that he actually read it. I asked what did he read and he said something about the future God wants for me and I asked in what book in the Bible did you read it and he didn’t knew the books and he said it’s about the plans God has for me, plans to prosper. Immediately the Holy Spirit reminded me about Jeremiah 29:11 where it tells us that God has plans for us, plans to prosper, not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future. I was blown away by God, because He was busy working in BJ’s life. That was also confirmation for me to give my Bible to BJ. At that time I knew he needed it so much.
Sadly the camp came to an end on the Friday and just before everyone left I gave my Bible to him and I told God gave me the order to give my Bible to you. BJ was amazed and so thankful. I still have contact with him and he told me his Bible is like gold to him and he told his whole family about what happened. My prayer to him is that God will change his life and heart more and more and I pray that he will be a light to his family and that they will meet Him through his (BJ) life.
This experience will forever be part of my life and God used me for His Kingdom and His own Glory, what a privilege. Not to us O Lord not to us but to Your Name give glory for Your unfailing love and faithfulness. Psalm 115:1
God is pouring rain on the outback of people’s lives, which will spring forth trees and fruit, godliness and life in Christ Jesus.
A journey to the true outback…