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 Bob
Harkrider and I arrived in Sydney, Australia on Friday, Sept
.23.'77, and on Saturday flew 850 miles north to Bundaberg, Q'
Id. Rolly McDowell preaches there and we made his travel trailer
our home. Learning that small churches farther north had
requested our services, we "split" the work so that I
taught in Bundy while Harkrider visited Rockhampton, 250 mi.
north. The work is growing there, with A.M. Johnson as preacher
and guide. Then Bob returned to Bundy, and I flew 950 mi. north
to Cairns. The Ron Doyle and Ian Harland families are working
hard to establish a church there. We had Services in a school
building Saturday, through Tuesday, making contact with an
episcopal couple who seemed interested in N. T. Christianity. On
Wednesday, Ian took me to Innisfail, 60 mi. South. Five families
have their own building there, and Cam LaSpina preaches, and
works on a tea plantation. I worked with them, Wednesday through
Friday, and learned to love the LaSpinas, where I stayed. On
Saturday, I flew south, meeting Harkrider in Brisbane. Here, as
when we came north, brethren met the plane and we had an airport
visit. We flew on to Sydney, beginning two weeks of work there.
But this too was "split. Bob made a weekend trip to
Armidale and Inverell (300 plus miles north), and I spent one
night in Gosford, visiting brethren there. The work plan in
Sydney' (Miranda church) was classes from l0: a.m. to 12:15; Bob
teaching Revelation and me teaching Romans. At night we divided
the time, Bob teaching his excellent series on the Cults, and me
preaching on the scheme of redemption and the church. Sydney
needs a full-time worker who could concentrate on building up
the church in that place of 3 million souls. They have their own
meeting place and a nucleus
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of dedicated saints.
Came
Saturday, and I was off to Wagga Wagga (300 in . SW) and Bob
went to Warner's Bay. Wagga work was disappointing due to a
foul-up in dates; but I taught in one home; and on Wednesday and
Friday nights and Sunday mornings, in a public hall. Sunday
nights we had services in Tarcutta — 30 mi. east. There are
good people in Wagga but I believe they must decide on a
permanent meeting place, or two, before they can hope for fixed
gains.
Max
Burgin came up from Melbourne on Friday, and on Monday we drove
to Albury, met Bob's plane, and continued south to Lima, Vic.,
where Randy and Judy Hilburn (Antioch, Calif.) manage a camp for
the Victoria school system. We spent several days resting there,
but we also bad two long studies with members of the Brethren
church. 'The Hilburns worship regularly in their home, and work
hard at trying to teach others. Friday, at 10:30 p.m., after a
long Bible Study, we "took off" for Melbourne (250
mi.).
In
Melbourne we stayed in a travel trailer as guests of Max and
Kathy Burgin. Three mornings each week we drove 30 miles one way
to Heidelberg, to teach Revelation and Romans. For two weeks we
preached in a school building in Baronia at night, taking
"turns" there; and also preaching on Wednesday nights
and Sundays at Heidelberg. This church has had a shakeup but
seems ready for solid growth now. (continued on page 5)
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