Initial Newsletter

We are very excited to share the news that we are up and headed off overseas. Tara, Lillika, Rafi, and myself are heading to Africa to serve the Lord and see what it is exactly He has for us in that part of the world. As most of you know we have been serving at Calvary Chapel Newcastle Australia for several years. I moved to Australia in 2002 and helped out here with a church plant and while doing so I fell in love with Tara and got married a short time later. Tara and I have two little girls, Lillika aged 3 ½ and Rafi aged 1 ½. Since moving to Newcastle I have been teaching bible college classes and filling in for Terry, the pastor when need be. As of late I have been teaching through the book of Acts for a mid week study for the fellowship and have loved every minute of it.

In late October last year I injured my back working as an underground coal miner and it seemed like my ability to work in a labor intensive work force such as coal mining was not an option. All of my doctors and medical specialist recommended not returning to this type of work and informed me that my back was not going to hold up long term in the profession I was working in. It was at this point that Tara and I began to seek the Lord for what He had next for us. We understood doors to be closing and we were looking forward to the next path the Lord would have for us that we should walk in. So, Tara and I began to speak about the options of going to Africa and fulfill a heart’s desire that primarily Tara has had since she was very young. Surprisingly the Lord has been giving me more and more of a desire to go to Africa and see what it is the Lord may have for us there. Tara and I had been sensing the Lord calling us both into more of a vocational ministry and we didn’t think we could pursue that in Australia until we seek out why it was that the Lord had been putting Africa on our hearts. We have a desire to be a part of pastoral ministry here in Australia but understood that once we settle down to plant a church or take over a pastor-less Calvary in Australia we will need to remain faithful to that work and plow the ground and care for the sheep entrusted into our care. And so we thought it wise to see what He has for us in Africa before committing to another work in Australia. It may be that the Lord is calling us to do a 6 month trip to Africa and serve where we are needed or it may be that He wants us to stay on longer. We are open to His leading and are excited to step out in this new venture of faith. Whether we stay in Africa or return home to plant a church in Australia it is a very exciting place to be following after His will for our next steps in this life.

Upon researching where in Africa the Lord might want us to go we came across a Calvary Chapel in Nairobi Kenya that was in need of personnel to serve in many different ways and it seemed to match in with our hearts desires and gifting. They have a ministry to the refugee women which teaches them crafts that they are then able to sell to provide for their families. They also have several ministry opportunities in the slums which is where all the poverty stricken people live. Tara will be helping with nursing in the slums and Rabuni Fi which is the ministry to the refugee women. Tara will also be serving by leading worship and working with orphaned children. These are all things that Tara is very excited about and as stated before that meet up with the desires in her heart. The church also is in need of bible teachers for both bible college courses and church services. I will therefore have an opportunity to teach and serve in any other capacity that David Zavala (the pastor) needs help in. We are really looking forward to this trip and expecting the Lord to use us and encourage us mutually with the faith of the believers in Kenya. We are planning on keeping all of you that receive this newsletter posted on what great things He is doing and what our next steps are as we take them. So please will you join with us in prayer as we go!