BROKEN DREAMS

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Our amazing tour trailer took a big hit on the road back from Inverell, NSW. The Bruxner Highway is a shocking road and took its toll on our poor trailer. The main chassis frame of the trailer was fractured badly to the point that the insurance company have written the trailer off. This is bad news for us as it will take a lot to replace our custom built tour trailer. The reality is we have to let it go, move on and believe God for the next season.

Fortunately, our insurance company have helped us to purchase a smaller trailer to get us through this next tour across the Nullarbor plain to Western Australia and back. We will be on the lookout for a future touring trailer as we continue doing ministry.

New Tractor Donated

The Furguson TE20 Tractor donated for the future missions base in Tenterfield. Ced Grace with John Doeke, Steve and Dave the tractor mechanic.

The Furguson TE20 Tractor donated for the future missions base in Tenterfield. Ced Grace with John Doeke, Steve and Dave the tractor mechanic.

A 1953 Furguson TE20 Tractor has been donated to World Missions to help us develop our future ministry base in Tenterfield NSW. John has been a tractor enthusiast for many years and has fully restored the vintage tractor mechanically.. It’s basically got a brand new 4 cylinder Vangard engine and is ready for work. We plan to repaint the old Furgy back to its classic grey colour and use it for practical jobs around the property. 

We are grateful for God’s provision with this new venture and plan to establish a tax deductible giving account that will help with future buildings and construction. Thanks so much to those who have already expressed interest in helping with the dream. Thanks also to Dennis and Kim for your part in the faith adventure.

3 Week Mission to South Australia

The recent drought in South Australia put preparations on hold for many farmers across the Eyre Peninsula. Planting seed crops for the new season were delayed as the traditional ANZAC Day rains never came this year.

Still, you will have to drive a long way to meet a farmer who has given up hope. The families on the land across the Eyre and Yorke Peninsula’s are just about the most resilient, hard working people I’ve ever met. Every year this agricultural region faces big challenges with droughts, bushfires, insect and mice plagues etc… And yet it is famous as a grain producing region due to the tenacity and will of the families working the land. 

Over the coming weeks we will be doing events in many of the rural communities and we appreciate your prayers. Thanks to those who have invited us to come and pray for rain and preach the Gospel. Yes it’s winter in South Australia but we believe this is where God has called us to at this time!

– Steve & Kerrie

The Dream of Crossing Australia

Photo: Chris Tangey (ASFTV).

A few years have passed since I came up with the dream of crossing the continent of Australia on a motorcycle... the hard way. The original dream was to ride an old Harley Sportster on desert tracks from Shark Bay to Byron Bay venturing through some of the great wilderness regions of the Great Southland. The dream was never meant to make sense. It was always a mission destined with potential failure. Just like the journey of life.

So much about life makes no sense and is subject to setbacks and failure. Life is hard. When we get blatantly honest with ourselves we soon realise we cannot do the journey on our own. We were never created to be alone. Crossing Australia the hard way on a Harley Davidson motorcycle doesn’t make much sense… just ask the folks at Harley Davidson head office in Sydney, Australia. They are not interested in supporting the campaign, even though we are doing the ride to fight the curse of depression and suicide that exists like a cancer in remote and rural regions of Australia. Most of the support for the venture is coming from people who have been there… people who have lost loved ones to suicide, some that still struggle with the ‘black dog’ of depression. Support is coming from ordinary people, tradesmen, truckies, paramedics, bikers, small business owners and friends. We are grateful.

"Crossing Australia the hard way on a Harley doesn’t make much sense… just ask the folks at Harley Davidson"

The Crossing Australia expedition is filled with invitations from isolated towns and remote communities who are excited about getting everyone in town together for a BBQ and a concert. These towns know the reality of loss and grief. We want to bring them hope which we know can only come through a relationship with the creator of life.

I want to thank my mate Phil Sprigg and Coates Hire in Western Australia for standing with me in the dream of Crossing Australia. A company that seems to understand the need to bring issues like depression and suicide out of the shadows. Thanks so much for your support. Crossing Australia starts in 28 days.

We’ve started a GoFundMe campaign if you’d like to join the adventure. Otherwise you can subscribe to our YouTube channel and keep updated via FaceBook and Instagram. Thanks for your support.

 
 

The Power of Forgiveness at the Cross

Pictured: Our good friend Lenny Nelson with his father Johnny Nelson, survivor of the Coniston massacre in 1928. Photo: Paul McLaughlin

Pictured: Our good friend Lenny Nelson with his father Johnny Nelson, survivor of the Coniston massacre in 1928. Photo: Paul McLaughlin

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

On August 7th, 1928 a Dingo hunter named Fredrick Brooks was killed by Aboriginal men after he had taken one of their wives. It was a time of drought and water holes were drying up. Cattle spearing by tribal groups in the region had caused tensions between Aboriginals and owners of Coniston station north west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. In the following weeks it is believed up to 170 Walpiri, Anmantyerre and Kaytetye men, women and children were massacred by a lawless group of men lead by the constable from Barrow Creek. (Some stories say many more were killed) 

Old Johnny Nelson, who was about 2 years old, is the only known living survivor from one of the attacks. A quiet man of grace and forgiveness. His son Lenny is involved with the Baptist Church in Ali Curung community and plays some of the best country gospel music you will ever hear on his Fender Telecaster guitar. Stories of the Coniston massacre are never far from their thoughts and memory.

The Nelson family know what it means to forgive. They know what it means to place all the pain and poison of the past at the foot of the Cross. It is only when we fully understand why Jesus Christ went to the Cross to forgive us all of our sin that we can live with real hope. The curse of unforgiveness and payback is like a cancer that kills.. But the symbol of the Cross reminds us not only of Christ’s sacrifice but the miracle of His resurrection and promise of eternity. 

In mid July the traditional landowners of the region near where the Coniston massacre took place are erecting a 30 metre high Cross to tell the world they have been reconciled to God through Christ and Christ alone. Other tribal communities in the desert such as Haast’s Bluff are also planning similar events. Our Indigenous brothers and sisters are leading the way to proclaim Jesus Christ as the only real hope for our nation. If you’d like to join us on July 15-17 head for Ali Curung. Or click on the Button below for more info: 

Thank God we have forgiveness from our failures and the shame of the past. Thank God we have a future because of Jesus!

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Godspeed.

Steve Grace

Nullarbor to Nashville

We have not actually taken delivery of the new shipment of CD’s yet here in Alice Springs. But they are on the way! This brand new album of 13 songs is the ‘pride of the fleet’ after nearly 30 years of recording and concert tours across Australia and around the world.

This classic country rock project features songs written from the dusty corrugated roads of the Outback. Authentic Australian songs recorded in one of Nashville’s finest studios, Watershed Recording Studio with producer Mark Burchfield. Many thanks to the musicians and engineers for your passion for your craft. It has made this album a collection of timeless songs ready for the road.

Thanks to Cheyne Grace for your management of this project and passion for excellence, to Chris Tangey for your awesome photography and to Cade Embery for the art direction! WOW! I am excited about this new release!