A Learning Okerrance

What has been happening in the lives of the Kerr’s over the last 3-4 months? Well, since we last wrote, we have settled down into more of a routine following the Christmas period. Jessica started at the Illawarra Christian School Prep school two days a week, which she is loving; Josiah is the same – enjoying the slower pace of school work. Cricket has given way to football for the winter months and he has a match every Saturday morning for the next 18 weeks or so! He is beginning to show promise in a ball winning mid field position – in other words his big size is good at getting in the way of the opposition! Jessica has flourished in her ballet classes, and will be performing soon! Maria has been beginning to build deeper relationships with some at church and she is enjoying the Women on Wednesday (WOW) group that has been looking at the Moore College Correspondence Course on Mark’s Gospel this past term.

James’ FOCUS on learning

Learning for me that is! People have been asking me how I have been settling in at FOCUS this year. And whilst I have often given the answer with what we have been doing and what we have been teaching, the truth is, I am the one who has been learning the most. The first four months have been packed full of good stuff. When we last wrote, I was planning the year at FOCUS and still finding my footing. Well, you might not be surprised to know that I am still finding my footing! I have much to learn about International work and how to best reach out to a wide variety of peoples from different countries. I find preaching to a group that is really diverse, challenging, mainly because there is no homogeneity in the group we speak to. Chinese, Papua New Guinean, Indian, Vietnamese with a spattering of local students who help out at FOCUS (which the staff deeply appreciate!). A large number who do visit us on Thursday nights are not Christians as well, so the level at which we pitch our talks and teach is always a challenge! Do pray for me especially, as I learn how to communicate the Gospel simply and clearly to the students with such a wide range of backgrounds.

Having said that, do praise God for this wonderful opportunity that we have at FOCUS, to preach the Gospel boldly and faithfully into the lives of believers and unbelievers alike. There is still a lot of interest by students from China to know Jesus, and that happens at both the smaller group level (we carry out Christianity Explained classes) and at the individual level (a number of the staff are meeting with those interested to find out more in one to one regular meetings). Pray for all those we have been meeting with this semester – that the Holy Spirit would convict them of the truth about Jesus, sin and judgment! One man from China I have been meeting with has been interested in Christian things for a while now, but unfortunately he is moving away from Wollongong soon. Please could you pray specifically for him, that the distractions of relationships and the world would not crowd out his enthusiasm to know Christ. Pray also for another from China who has been coming to our bible study group this semester - that although he is there for friendships and to practice his English (not uncommon at FOCUS), that somehow our witness to the word and our Christian lives would leave a deep impact on him.

To help us build relationships with the students (and to help them build relationships with each other), we meet together before our FOCUS meeting to have a meal together. This has been a terrific way of getting to understand how each student ticks, and how they stand with God and Jesus. We titled this gathering time as ‘Table Talk’, appropriately, because we try and centre our conversation on the main theme of the talk that evening. So far, table talk has been going well, so pray that God uses that time to build relationships with a view to sharing the Gospel. We also had FOCUS fun days to the Blue Mountains during the Easter break, which gave FOCUS regulars a chance to invite friends along and for their friends to get involved in real fellowship – I even had a chance to give a Sermonette on the Mount! To follow that up, we had a FOCUS games day and dinner which was well attended by Christian and non- Christian alike.

For those of you interested about my week you can take a look below. For those who are not interested, you can shift your eyes to the next paragraph! I have three staff meetings a week (of various kinds!), a bible study group, a Christianity Explained group, Small group leader’s training, helper’s training and of course, our main FOCUS meeting on Thursday evening. The rest of the time I have left is in preparation and one to one work! I will update you on individual aspects of the work through our FOCUS Foto snapshots I hope to be sending out every month from now on.

However, and more importantly, its not just about the ministry at FOCUS that I have been learning about over these last few months. I have also been learning about me in so many ways, not least my own weakness and failings through my own sinfulness as a husband and as a father. As many of you know, I am a fairly anxious person and this can be quite a challenge to cope with in ministry, which in turn can have a knock on effect to relationships and especially our marriage. In moving again, and changing jobs etc, you will always expect additional stressors to come. This has made me anxious unfortunately, and I don’t think I have coped with them that well. Its only now I am realizing that I need to address this issue, so do pray for me as I speak to the right people about how best to address it. Pray for me as a husband too that I will not be distracted or negligent towards Maria (whether by stress or anxiety), and that I will learn to love and to cherish Maria more and more, as Christ loved his own body, the church.

Over to Maria

Magnolia - I became an aunt for the 5th time when my new niece Magnolia Grace Finley arrived end of January. Its really lovely to be able to enjoy a baby without the sleep deprivation and the demands of a newborn. Being an aunt is a bit like being a grandparent. You enjoy all the perks of having a cute little bub to play with without all the hard work! Magnolia is now coming to 4 months old and looks very much like her older brother Oscar. Please thank God with us for creating another precious little life.

Making splashes – For those of you who have been praying for & asking after my health, thank you! God has been very gracious in the area of my health since arriving back in Australia. The reoccurring infections seemed to have come to a halt. I have also committed to doing aqua aerobics twice a week and have been amazed at how much it helps my energy levels. Please thank God for restoring my health and the opportunity to do regular exercise.

Friends & family – Arriving in Wollongong is like arriving home even though I have never lived in Wollongong before. We are so grateful for the church family here, it makes settling in and deepening relationships so much easier. I look forward to Women on Wednesdays (bible study group) and to our weekly gathering on Sunday mornings. At WOW, I have been challenged to think again about what following Jesus – discipleship – means to me at this point in life. Please thank God for the new family He has provided for us here, and pray with me to think through and to commit to changing areas of my life that needs changing as I follow Jesus.

FOCUS – Although I have little day to day involvement with the overseas students at FOCUS, I have had opportunities to build relationships through hosting meals, joining in the socials (recently to the Blue Mountains) and sometimes attending night church. I am especially enjoying getting to know one Singaporean lady – Xinyi - who attends FOCUS. Do pray for the students who are far away from home and missing family and familiar things. Pray especially that the time they have at FOCUS will help them Know God and to put their trust in Him.

Singlish weekend - One of the highlights in the month of May was when we had friends from Singapore visit & stay with us! We were especially touched that although two of our friends were actually on honeymoon, that they still took the time to come and see us! It was a great time of renewing our friendships in Christ and catching up with news and updates of our family in Christ back in Singapore. Thanking God for the oneness that we have in Christ and for faithful servants of the Gospel in Singapore. Please pray that the Gospel continues to gather people under the headship of Christ in Singapore.