Arnhem Land - a look back at the weekend

Saturday

The flight team work 6 day week rota and so Tim Vallance-Webb ( and others) are flying on Saturday.

The plans, passengers, schedules and operations seem to change very frequently. Tim was planning to fly to Elcho Island (west of Gove) when other requests came in and so he rescheduled and headed South to 'Trial Bay' to collect passengers and freight.

I join him at 3.45pm (rescheduled from 1.30) but our passengers do not arrive and so we wait a while before cancelling these plans!

Sunday

On Sunday I go to the Yirrkala church with Brett and Michelle. It's in the middle of the Yirrkala community. The building has open sides. At the front large screens of scriptun English and local languages. Dogs wander in and out and I notice several butterflies have fluttered through.

A breeze is very welcome this morning as we sit, stand, sing and listen. This morning's occasion lasts several hours.
It's a commissioning service for the new pastor - Pastor Dhangatanga.
People have come from Elcho Island especially for this occasion.
There is a programme including singing, prayers, a choir, speeches and a lot of participation.

One visiting pastor says, 'Paul says that there are many gifts. some are called to be apostles, some evangelists and some pastors. Our brother Dhangotanga has been called to be a pastor - we pray that the Holy Spirit will lead him in this and we must support him in this.'

Apparently services are not always this scheduled. Start and end times can be variable from week to week as is the congregation size. Brett only discovered this morning that he is on the programme expected to make a speech on behalf of MAF for this occasion!

Amazing Grace in Gumatj language

I recognise a few tunes (Amazing Grace) and listen for the pronunciation of the local language.
My time here is brief but it's good to visit and to connect with our families living and serving in this unusual and remote place.