On Saturday April 1 we left Tamworth for a 3 month outback ministry trip to reach and resource as many First Nation people as we could with Derek Prince Ministries' teaching. By Good Friday we had reached Haast Bluff for the Launch of the Forgiveness Cross’’ in a very remote Indigenous community, in the centre of our Australian desert. It could only be accessed by 4WD.
The erection of this 20 metre high cross had been the initiative of the local First Nation Ikuntji people. The Lord gave this vision to the people of the land and they have stewarded the vision for 40 years. To see it come to fruition and be able to celebrate it with them was astounding and a great privilege. We believe it has significant spiritual, and prophetic significance for Australia. We believe is it a profound proclamation of the resurrection power of Jesus in the heartland of our nation. We continued the celebrations and prayer on Saturday then drove to Alice Springs NT.
On Easter Sunday morning (9th April) we joined Living Hope Church in Alice Springs NT, an Iris Ministry base in the heart of the nation. It is pastored by Daniel and Katy Spackman. We have begun to get to know the First Nations Arente people and the Pitjantjatjara people, who gather there to worship Jesus.
In the evening (9th April) both Katie and I were privileged to be invited to speak in an open air church gathering at Todd Mall Park in the heart of Alice Springs NT. This gathering is run by Pastor Sherry Lowah, who is an on the ground’ significant Indigenous leader in this area.
That Thursday 13th April in Alice Springs we attended a Bible Study at Living Hope Church where they were studying the book of Galatians. There were readings in English and 3 different Aboriginal languages. The way in which kingdom culture and the languages of the different Aboriginal nations in the region is honoured in this church, creates a safe place for our people to be discipled in the word of God.
On Sunday 16th April Katie shared a communion message and I preached on the work of the cross. The service went over 3 hours with anointed dance and worship by the different Aboriginal community groups attending. No one was eager to leave. There we distributed a box load of Derek Prince books, which were eagerly received and appreciated by the First Nations Arente and the Pitjantjara people and by the leaders in the Church. The people are hungry.
On the Monday 17th we met with Pastor Sherry Lowah to talk about leadership development among emerging Indigenous leaders. We left her and her church members with Derek Prince books, which were again received with great appreciation. We plan to travel to Katherine NT and out to a remote Aboriginal community in Beswick NT 113kms East of Katherine, before heading to the community of Kununurra, West of Katherine in the Kimberley region, near the NT and WA border. From there we travel to Wyndham and into two very remote communities of Wormun and Beau River.
Thankyou Derek Prince Ministries Australia for your prayer and financial support. The Bible teaching materials are very much appreciated. Your support helps us to reach what is often thought of as the unreacheable in the remote Indigenous communities of our great nation. Without your valued support, this would not be possible.
With grateful hearts,
Peter and Katie Dunstan
