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Going MAD in the Outback

Wycliffe Today October 2019

MAD OZ was an opportunity to explore what God is doing in some of the Aboriginal communities of Central Australia with a bunch of ‘new’ friends experiencing it with me. I was blessed to see God working in and through me, as well as my fellow travelers. I came away with a better understanding and greater appreciation for the ministries that go on out there, as well as the greater work that God does inside of us when we allow Him to stretch us. It truly was a MAD experience! – Gary

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a real privilege to go on a MAD OZ trip after hearing about them for many years. Being the cook was a stretching experience for me but everyone was so helpful. Dave Wake was a fantastic leader. Getting to know Wycliffe member, Lyn Street, was also a real highlight. Together with her late husband, Chester, Lyn made connections with the people in Wadeye and translated Scripture and language resources into the Murrinhpatha language. I also loved getting to know the team, hearing their testimonies and watching them grow as they learned and practised Bible Storytelling and engaged with the Aboriginal people. I learned a lot about Aboriginal culture and enjoyed spending time in the four communities we visited. – Robyn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been so encouraging to see Indigenous communities and meeting people who have a real faith. Yet my heart breaks that there is still such a need for discipleship, leadership and Bible resources to be available in Aboriginal languages. I have been so encouraged by the sacrifice and hard work of the translators who have been working in these communities to make this happen.  – Sarah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had the opportunity to learn about the work of Wycliffe and Bible translation. It was a pleasure to experience how Aboriginal people do community and interact with those who share God’s Word and the love of our Lord Jesus. I loved all the teaching we received, especially learning about Bible engagement and Bible Storytelling. I found this to be a great tool for sharing the Word of God with all ages and audiences in any setting. – Mandy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAD is an amazing cross-cultural experience with Aboriginal communities from Central and Coastal Australia. I love the way that everyone on the team gets to use their gifts for the encouragement of others. It makes a big impact on my life every time I lead the trip and shows me the value of Bible translation in others’ lives. – Dave

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really heavy on my heart after my MAD experience is that we have so many English translations of the Bible while so many Indigenous communities do not have anything in their language. Some languages have translated books and there is now a Kriol Bible but this does not speak to everyone. What can I do to help with translation? – Tracy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many Aboriginal people we met are open to the gospel but they are in need of effective discipleship in order to grow stronger in their faith. God’s Word, access to it in our own languages and having an understanding of it is essential to growing in discipleship and knowing Christ. – April

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God uses ordinary, broken people to do his work. We will not be perfect and we will make mistakes, but he chooses to use us anyway. – Adele

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your patience...

Waiting is hard, isn't it. But imagine waiting 2000 years for Scripture in your language! Thanks for your patience. And thanks for your generous support which will help bring the long wait to an end...