Australian Travelogue
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 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)