Serving Faithfully for Three Decades
1/05/2017 5:06:04 PM |
Marg has been serving in both Africa and South East Asia for the past 30 years and the work that she has been involved in has been remarkable. Marg began her intercultural journey back in 1988 in West Timor before moving onto Zimbabwe for most of the ‘90s and then to South East Asia until 2016. With visa difficulties and aging parents, Marg felt that it was time for a new season in Australia.
In West Timor, Marg taught English to four siblings from NSW via correspondence, drawing on her teaching experience from the years before her mission work. In Zimbabwe, Marg taught Sunday School teachers, set up an after-school ministry and assisted in the development of a pre-school. She was also involved in women’s ministries and pastoral support. Marg has a gift for building strong relationships with people and through this, many experienced God’s love during her service.
In South East Asia, Marg worked among a least-reached-people group, the B.I people, and spent much of her time teaching English at three different universities. This new role involved a large degree of adjustment as Marg had not lived in a Muslim community previously. However, this did not phase her and she did all she could to learn how to relate. This dedication to learning showed those she was teaching she could be trusted and helped build many significant relationships.
Marg was a pioneer team member among this people group and was instrumental in setting up an island branch of the Education Foundation. Marg came into contact with thousands of students and their families, lecturers, other English teachers and many more people in the community. Over time, she was invited to be involved in numerous family cultural and religious events. In some cases, Marg was delighted to become the ‘Aussie Grandma’.
With diligence and a high standard in the classroom, Marg became very well-known and respected throughout her community.
Marg was committed to learning about the B.I people and their Muslim faith and culture in order to build relationships and allow for opportunities to share Jesus with her friends. She also shared her experience and knowledge with the younger members of the Global Interaction team.
Through compassion, curiosity and respect these relationships allowed for conversations of faith to occur. By putting in the hard yards of learning the local language Marg showed the community members how important they were to her and that she really did want to know about them and their culture at a deep level.
The B.I describe themselves to be like pineapples; rough on the outside but sweet on the inside and this is something that Marg certainly witnessed.
They accepted Marg and gave her the opportunity to feel more and more like an insider in their community. Through compassion, curiosity and respect these relationships allowed for conversations of faith to occur.
By putting in the hard yards of learning the local language Marg showed the community members how important they were to her and that she really did value them and their culture at a deep level. Marg’s prayer is that the team members and local believers will continue to develop deep relationships.
The future is looking bright for the Global Interaction team in South East Asia and Marg hopes that there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that brings many into a personal relationship with Jesus. Relationships take time to develop and Marg prays that there will be others willing to work long-term, as she did, to show God’s love through compassion and willingness.
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