From Cherbourg to Eidsvold

Well we just returned from an amazing week and I am struggling to know where to begin. Sunday Robert preached to the congregation at Ann Street in downtown Brisbane. He talked about our desire to move to AZ and the similarities to the Native Americans and the Aboriginal people here in Australia. He spoke from his heart and from the word of God and you could see the faces in the crowd nodding in agreement with him and crying with him. I was hugged by several people afterward saying I want to go with you. It was amazing how he is able to open his heart the way he does and share God's love and call for us, I have never been so proud of him and how blessed I am to be called his wife.
We then jumped on a bus and headed for Cherbourg It was one of the places people were "dumped" when the government wanted to move them from their land. We were served an incredible meal, not just the food, but the company and able to participate in their church service that evening. Robert and Matt (our worship pastor) were invited to share on their local radio station, needless to say they were very excited. The next morning, we attended a "kick off" for NAIDOC (National Aboriginal Islander Day of Celebration), including the unveiling of a film from one of their residents Annie (in the picture with me and Daun, KACC's missionary here), speaking about her time in the dormitories as a child of the stolen generation. Children who were half-castes (half white/half aboriginal) were taken from their families and placed in dorms in the hopes of breeding the Aboriginal out of them. This was going in the early seventies still, during my lifetime. The stories of abuse and betrayal and anger and hurt are overwhelming, but necessary to hear and try and understand where they are coming from. The common thread is the hope, the hope we have in Christ who forgave us our sins, and enables us to forgive others. I will never understand what they have gone through, but I know that Jesus does and heals those wounds and leads us into a brighter future with Him.
We then drove into Eidsvold. A small community in the "outback" where we played with kids, did crafts, sports, and attended their "disco" Wednesday night! We were given a tour of the town by one of the first Aboriginal residents, Elizabeth, who was the first Aboriginal able to live in a house in town and not have to live in the bush outside of town. Incredible stories and an amazing education, too much to write here but I wanted to give you a taste of what I have experienced here. Thank you for your prayers and comments!