IN PARTNERSHIP DECEMBER 2018 Healing and Restoring

There are times when we are faced Sexual Abuse has indicated that preparation for responding to abuse with a choice that can’t and must a small number of these children survivors, and accepting the risk that not be avoided. GMP is in such a have described the experience of the claims for redress might have an situation. To make this important being abused while in care, and impact on the assets that make much decision we reflected on our values there may be more. One of the of the ministry of IMA possible. and on how we can rely on the recommendations of the report of the grace and goodness of God, and we Royal Commission is that institutions Our decision became clear. Our decided to focus our attention on cooperate with the Government commitment is to build a future others and not on ourselves. in offering support, counseling, an on good and strong foundations apology and redress in recognition rather than building it on the pain Let me give the background. About of the abuse having happened. It is and suffering of others. We want to five years ago GMP launched hoped that this process will assist in be part of a healing and restoring Indigenous Ministries Australia (IMA) the process of healing. process. So GMP will begin the and we did so based on income process to opt in to the National from investing the assets of the GMP was faced with a choice. What Redress Scheme. We will do so former Australian Churches of Christ should we do? We can attempt to trusting in God’s grace and healing Indigenous Ministries (ACCIM). This protect the assets we received from for the lives of the hurt and harmed. new initiative flowed from the closure ACCIM and not enter into the National of ACCIM and the decision by the Redress Scheme or we can decide to Join us in prayer for the healing of ACCIM Board to trust GMP with a begin the process to opt in. hurts, the coming of justice and group of Indigenous leaders to plan a future in this important ministry a new journey in this important area If we decided not to take part, we guided by God’s goodness and grace. of ministry. IMA is a gift to GMP and would be avoiding responsibility for we have learned much from our what happened to some children. John Gilmore, Indigenous sisters and brothers. Staying out might protect assets. Executive Officer However we would not be part of a Part of the history of ACCIM included healing process. the care of children in residential Also in the Issue settings. The Royal Commission To enter into the Redress Scheme News & Events 2 into Institutional Responses to Child means financial and organisational Partner Visits Transform Lives 2

Great Gifts for Christmas 2 Merry Christmas from GMP 100 Years in 3

“Let the Heavens Rejoice and Ikuningen Church Gets More the Earth be glad.” Psalm 96:11 than a Roof 3

Visiting Friends and Doing We at GMP wish you and your Mission at the Same Time 4 loved ones a very joyful and peaceful Christmas season. For even more of the latest Please note that our office will be news, check out out website or follow us on facebook. closed from 12pm on the 24th of December and will reopen on the www.gmp.org.au nd 2 of January 2019. facebook.com/gmpaustralia

Australian Churches of Christ Global Mission Partners Ltd. ABN 30 455 408 814 www.gmp.org.au | [email protected] | 1800 467 222 2 inpartnership News & Events

A Time of Transition for Fiji Churches Bruce Edwards, the Director of Fiji Churches of Christ, leaves Fiji at the

December 2018 end of 2018. GMP thanks Bruce for six years of commitment, leading the ministry in Fiji, and we wish him and his family all the best for the future! Read the full article A Time of Transition in the ‘News’ section Partner Visits of our GMP website. Sharing skills and www.gmp.org.au/about-us/news Transform Lives weaving baskets in Vanuatu Lisa and Bruce Edwards God has done some amazing things for the first time, GMP Partner Visits this past year. The highlights for transform lives. Those that step out me are seeing how partnering with in faith are changed forever. Each GMP changes people’s lives, both visit has a unique agenda, and on from the local church perspective every trip I am reminded that it is and for our international partners. God who puts the agenda together, This year we have seen individuals not us. I have not met one person and churches step out in faith to who has returned from a Partner serve God, whether it be mentoring Visit whose heart is not changed COCOA Christmas Offering the church in Fiji, visiting Ambae forever. Often people might think, evacuees to let them know that they “What can I do? I am not qualified This December Churches of are loved and not forgotten, visiting for anything.” – but don’t worry, Christ across Australia will be old friends or strengthening God’s God qualifies the called. participating in the COCOA presence in communities through Christmas Offering! Join us this training in Vanuatu. Whether Vicki Marney, Christmas and help bring hope and it is making new friends, as a team QLD Partnership Coordinator real change to people who are in experiences a Partner Visit for the desperate need. Ask your church first time or engaging young people for an offering envelope during December or contact GMP today to participate in this life-changing offering. FreeCall 1800 467 222. Video and Powerpoint resources are available on the GMP website. Great Gifts for Christmas

The GMP Great Gifts catalogue is a fantastic way to make a real impact Kids and Water this Christmas. If you would like to place an order to receive printed cards Change Lives in time for Christmas, make sure you do so before December 10. This year Hudson (aged 7) and Toby (aged 5) both decided they You can then print your own cards at home or receive them via email until wanted to be involved in the Safe December 20. Find more information online at www.greatgifts.org.au Water September Challenge with their Nana Anne. It not only showed $ $ the boys how easy it was to help 40 15 others but just how lucky we are to have access to clean water every single day. Read more in the ‘News’ section of our GMP website. www.gmp.org.au/about-us/news Hudson and Toby

New Tyres Cooking Classes New tyres make a difference to a Cooking classes will equip Indigenous motorbike evangelist who rides young people to explore and develop frequently on rough rural dirt roads to their creativity, self-esteem and life share the gospel IN ZIMBABWE​ skills IN NEW SOUTH WALES 3 inpartnership December 2018

SPOTLIGHT

Vana Bawm (front center) 100 Years in Bangladesh with members of his community

For Vana Bawm and his community In January, the Bawm community Vana has been ministering to local in remote Bangladesh, December will gather together, with other churches since 2007 and works in 12 is a significant day of guests, in the small town of outreach ministry amongst the Mru remembrance and celebration. Ruma not only to commemorate people, many of whom still hold the exciting occasion, but also animist beliefs. Following in the Prior to the year 1918 the Bawm to reunite with members of the footsteps of his evangelist father, tribe had never heard the gospel. Bawm community from around the and in partnership with Global Living in the relatively untouched world, and share the love of Christ Mission Partners since 2012, he and remote hills of Bangladesh with neighbouring communities in has worked to plant 16 churches, the community practiced animism, Bangladesh. totaling 700 members. believing that all things were living and spiritual, but not following or The celebrations will involve While the gospel has reached a worshipping one God. cultural shows, traditional dancing significant number of people in and group singing, as well as Bangladesh, is still a On December 12 in 1918, the Bawm the commemoration of several minority religion. Please pray for tribe was visited by a missionary important historical events, Vana’s ministry to the from North East General including a dramatic retelling of and other neighbouring people Mission named Edwin Rowlands. how the received the groups, and join the Bawm people This Welsh missionary, known for gospel. in rejoicing in 100 years of gospel visiting and preaching to remote ministry in Bangladesh. unreached villages, shared the Vana Bawm, founder and General gospel with the Bawm people Secretary of the Bandarban Hill To support the Bangladesh church for the first time. The gospel was Churches of Christ, said that the partnership through GMP, visit: welcomed by the tribe, whose celebrations are an important time www.gmp.org.au/what-we-do/ descendants still trust and follow for the Bawm people to reflect and projects/bangladesh/bangladesh- God to this day. rejoice. As a visionary leader with a church-partnership heart for outreach, Vana hopes that Now, 100 years later, the Bawm the joyful celebrations will have a people are celebrating a century of profound impact on neighbouring knowing God. people groups.

Ikuningen Church Gets More than a Roof

A team of 11 volunteers from South Australia travelled to Tanna, Vanuatu, in September. A highlight for the team was to assist Ikuningen Church to finish the last of the blockwork, and construct the roof for their new chapel – the building that had been destroyed by Cyclone Pam. Read more online in the GMP ‘News’ section on our website. www.gmp.org.au/about-us/news (Right) The Ikuningen Church building is complete! 4 inpartnership Jenny from Nowra Church of Christ, shares icecream with Pastor Raj and Nirmala in Fiji. December 2018

Visiting Friends and Doing Mission at the Same Time

Giving away resources? Collecting resources, drew country borders experiences? Sitting in the dust? across their tribal boundaries and What is mission about? Particularly insisted that their way of doing things short trips from Australia? was superior. Sometimes the work of development is undoing the impact A short while ago we had a long of these visits (many of which were discussion at GMP about ‘Short not short term!). As we have said Term Mission Trips’, as they were often in these articles, our helping called. Some of us were uneasy must always begin, and major on, a Sometimes mission starts about the name because it could relationship of respect – where we with a bucket of cash or suggest that: may come to help and contribute, but also expect to learn and gain resources to be sent to 1. Mission is a short-term endeavor. those in need. in the process, trusting that our 2. That the Australians on the trip partner will do the same. That is a would do the mission to those partnership. they met. If we go on a Partnership Visit we go With our emphasis at GMP on expecting to deepen the relationship partnership, the suggestion of an that we have in the gospel. We go uneven relationship just didn’t fit. expecting to meet someone who is Eventually we came up with ‘Partner seeking to follow just like we Visits’. The emphasis here was are, and who we can encourage and that the team going was visiting a be encouraged by. We go to share church or project where there were the resources that God has given us people who had equal standing and to learn new things. We go to Sometimes we set off with with the team. Indeed, they were a help out with whatever part of God’s an empty bucket, to bring group that the visitors were already mission our friends are involved in at back new experiences. in partnership with across the sea, the moment. This is not a ‘short-term’ even before the visit began, because mission. God has been working on they had been already talking and it since creation! Our role is not so praying together. They were visiting much doing the mission, as joining people who they were in partnership our partners and God in God’s with on God’s mission, the long-term mission. project of reconciling all things to God in Jesus. As Australians we have a bucket- load of cash and resources that we Maybe we were over sensitive about should be sharing with those in need semantics – but better sensitive than and there are many new experiences sloppy. amongst our partners that we can be Why not turn the bucket enriched by, but these things need to upside down, place it in As I travel to visit our partners I stem from a posture of partnership, the dust and sit beside often see the impact of the way where we sit beside our neighbours your neighbour? communities have been treated in the dust together. badly by visitors in the past. Visitors who did not see them as equals, Colin Scott, visitors who took their land or other COCOA Director