We Are Being Sent To Cambodia

September 17th, 2015 we were formally informed by the team at Global Interaction Melbourne that we have been assigned to the team to go to Cambodia. We have studies that take us through to end of 2016 so from that time onwards we are open to be living in Cambodia. This was an exhilarating experience knowing the “where” likened to the delight of child birth. This verse; God has used in my (Deb’s) call to mission I see this as both for me individually and for those I serve. Gods mission I have a lot to learn and be shaped in this process. This verse I will come back to many times in the future as I have in the past to get to this point. Jeremy 29:11-13 “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”.

Here’s the link for South Australia Global Interaction Office for more information

http://www.globalinteraction.org.au/contact/sa-nt

Back In Our Temporary Home Country

Dearest Friends,

We value you tracking with us; as we transition together into Gods plans and purposes for long-term cross cultural life and work. We have not long returned from 2 months travel on another continent exploring some of this wonderfilled world. We are conscious as we return that this is marking Australia as our temporary home country. We hope by the end of this year to be sharing with you all ‘where’ God is sending us. This confirmation of location between God calling us, Global Interaction as the agency, teams both in country and those preparing to leave for the field, us as a couple, and other individuals who have spoken into our lives.

We are conscious of being framed and hemmed in by our Lord. This awareness provides us both with His peace and leading in all the decisions that lie ahead of us. His time frame and processes are what is key in the big scheme of life. Occasionally my mind (Deb) may run away with the things to ‘be done’ but I am pulled up as I rest in knowing God is a God of order, creation shows this as a great example. I want Gods timeliness not my desire to ‘tick boxes’ mentality.

Luke 18:42-43 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it they also praised God.

Rob & Deb Griffith

Global Interaction candidates for long-term cross cultural work

Griffith Gleanings August 2015

If you want to receive our newsletters send an email to myrtle@live.com.au Ephesians 3:17b-18 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.

Rom 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. View this email in your browser

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS Our studies this year have taken us through preparations for intercultural life and work (from a subject appropriately named “Intercultural Life and Work” at Tabor college) as well as the beginnings of a ‘formation’ subject to help us get more than head knowledge and introductions to both Old and New Testament. We expect you are aware of our conviction towards preparing for long term cross-cultural work with Global Interaction (the Australian Baptist mission agency). If you haven’t already done so and have internet access, we encourage you to check out Global Interaction. We provide a link and web address to Global Interaction at the bottom of this newsletter. The process of confirming where we will serve continues to take shape and we plan to meet up with some other couples in the coming months that are at a similar stage of preparations as ourselves. We think we are on track to complete our part time studies late in 2016. AUGUST 2015 Rebekah, Nathan and Miriam continue to make progress to complete their respective studies / apprenticeship this year. In May Jeremy returned from his Brazil, Atlantic and European adventure to launch into his traineeship in outdoor education at El Shaddai Camping Centre at Wellington on the Murray River. The past two months while Rob and Deb have explored another continent without their four children has been preparation for some of the adjustments we will make over the next couple of years as a family. It has been encouraging to watch them pull together in support of each other through this stage. Whilst local friendships came alongside and supported our almost all adult children in our absence.

We have several trips to Melbourne in the next handful of months for an intensive course on strategic mission and for team meetings. Thankyou for taking this journey with us. We know that we can only move forward with the encouragement and prayerful support of our friends and church family here in Australia and around the globe. God has blessed us with some wonderful opportunities to make the most of our studies, friendships and travels so far this year. Please read some of the highlights we have prepared of our last few months. Rob I am continually reminded of the privilege of learning as we approach the halfway mark in our part-time studies. The past semester included some sobering reading about the stress levels of cross-cultural workers being beyond what makes most people physically ill (not to mention the threat of disease, disaster and possible violence!). It is a good thing that we are not in this experience for fun and entertainment, or on our own! The Formation subject has complemented our learning to get a balanced perspective and hear wise guidance of others on the journey with us. We have also been reminded of the need of a commitment to life-long learning. The research paper I prepared last semester was on the topic of exploring the issues arising from being a western cross-cultural worker in a poor ‘developing’ country* in light of 1 John 3:17 (and whether the love of God can be in someone who has no pity in a “brother in need”). After finishing the paper I took a book with me overseas to explore the topic some more and frequently found myself struggling with a book titled “Walking with the Poor” while I was mixing with overfed and indulgent westerners. This subject will no doubt be one that is never “settled” when aware of the plight of need around me in a poor community. Yes having pity for the brother in need and giving generously is something that should characterise Christians, but there is a need that this practical expression of love; is considered and not just a reaction to perceived need that can bring harm. Ultimately the unseen God is visible in those who express the love of God dwelling in them. Have you had similar experiences and thoughts? How do you deal with human needs where you have lived? Praise Points – For positive progress in Miriam’s studies. – Safe and refreshing travels overseas for ourselves. – Good health and provisions. Prayer Requests – Increased study load and work this semester. – For God’s continued leading regarding his plans. – Transitioning well in our various relationships. http://www.globalinteraction.org.au/who-we-are/people-groups/khmer/rob-and-deb May Mission Month Drawing attention to mission during the month of May is an idea that Global Interaction uses to encourage Australian Baptist Churches to focus on mission locally and abroad. We had the privilege of visiting and speaking at five church services and a 150th year anniversary event at Flinders Street Baptist (for South Australian Baptist Missionary Society – a precursor organisation to Global Interaction) to be introduced as the most recent candidates for cross-cultural service. These gatherings provided opportunities to begin relationships as we shared our conviction towards long term cross-cultural service.Advocacy Group An opportunity exists for those who would like to support us at a local level (prior to our departure and then meeting together quarterly when we go overseas). Drop us a line so we can explain a bit more if the idea of being a part of an advocacy group interests you. Deb Experiencing the gift of a Spiritual Director this year has opened up opportunities for someone to speak into spaces in my life to enable a deeper penetration of understanding Gods nature as He is being revealed through my life so finely tuning me, into my God awareness and connectedness. Many lifetime memories and experiences came from our recent travels. One I will share bicycle riding in Amsterdam; which proved to test us despite doing it in many other countries that same trip. Navigating streets and canals with map in hand where the streets shared similar confusing names and the map was incomplete. Bicycle lanes shared with motor bikes, wheel chairs, and the regular spray of unaware pedestrians. Bicycle riders in Amsterdam rule the roads so they don’t ride defensively as we are familiar with. Suffice to say it felt chaotic, stressful and made our defensive characteristics heighten as a couple with each other. I can report good outcomes for us and the bicycles. Overall I enjoyed myself, as I have always refused to pay for something and not get the maximum value from it. On reflection as a couple we recognise when we live in the ‘majority’ world* we will be living constantly with discomfort and unfamiliarity and we need as a couple to pool together our strengths and do life more slowly. God is knitting together relationships from our pasts, present and into our future, to track with us and support us along the way. Thankyou to each of you for your messages of love and support, further confirming Gods mission is active and corporate. *we prefer to use the words ‘majority’ world rather than ‘developing’.Ephesians 3:17b-18 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.

Griffith Gleanings April 2015

If you want to receive our newsletters send an email to myrtle@live.com.au Rom 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Late last year we (Rob & Deb) were accepted as candidates for long term cross-cultural work with Global Interaction (the Australian Baptist mission agency). Global Interaction exists to empower communities to develop their own distinctive ways of following Jesus. The process of confirming where we will go, we expect will take shape as the year progresses. Global Interaction focuses on 9 least reached people groups…so that narrows down the possibilities! Once confirmed we will begin visiting churches to make connections with new friends and supporters. The Diploma of Intercultural Studies we are currently studying part time will likely take us to late 2016 to complete. In January we completed our Old Testament summer subject and enjoyed studying the theme of our last assignment tracing the mission of God through the Old Testament. We also participated in Global Interaction training from the National Office in Melbourne preparing us for partnership development.We have an exciting year before us with some May Mission Month activities coming up, Bible College studies throughout the year, and a Global Interaction course in September. Rob is taking some long service leave mid-year for us both to take a break and doing some first world travel and experiencing a variety of different cultures and languages.Rob I have had a sense of calling to overseas cross-cultural work most of my adult life, but resisted the idea for a fair while. I am moved by the fact that a couple of billion people in the world can go from birth to death without having the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus in a way that they can understand. I believe God has a heart for people of all nations and people groups and that I have been blessed so that I can be a blessing to others. Helping to feed the world has been a professional motivation for me working in agriculture, but with several short term trips to India and Africa in recent years I have been aware that the food we produce in Australia will rarely make it onto the dinner plates of the world’s poor. If I can help people sustainably produce their daily requirements of nutrition that would be a bonus working in the majority world, where “hungry seasons” can be normal. Whether I use food production skills where we are heading will depend on the strategy of the Global Interaction team in that location, but in many places where Global Interaction operates as many as 90% of the population is still engaged in agriculture. Praise Points -Safe travels for our adult children. -Quality family time together. -All that God is teaching us. -Being sustained by our Lord as a family as we prepare and transition into new phases Global Interaction is celebrating 150 years. If you are in South Australia on Sunday 3rd of May 2015 why don’t you join us for the 150th Anniversary Event to be held at Flinders Street Baptist Church between 2pm and 5pm?Below is a link to a Global Interaction web page that introduces the two of us and a way that you can support us financially. There is also lots of other information that you can read there to find out more about Global Interaction. Support details: http://www.globalinteraction.org.au/who-we-are/people-groups/khmer/rob-and-deb Jeremy (19), Rebekah (22), Miriam (17), Nathan (21) Rebekah, Nathan and Miriam complete their respective studies / apprenticeship this year and in May Jeremy will return from his Brazil, Atlantic and European adventure to take up a trainee role in outdoor education at a Christian camp site on the Murray River. Our four children will be staying on in South Australia. They have been preparing for this for some years, but there will be some adjustments for us all during the process. Deb Growing up in a turbulent home environment as a foster child the Father heart of God shepherded me through my formative years. There is not a time in my life that I was not aware of God’s presence, even though significant experiences pressed in around me. In my mid teen years whilst in a very public arena at a mission’s convention with Helen Roseveare speaking, I heard and responded to the call of God upon my life. This commitment has helped shape life decisions, whom I married, parenting and life experience. Being a registered nurse and midwife has opened many doors in life, currently with the homeless and those at risk of homelessness and our refugee community here in Adelaide. Learning the language of disadvantage has been a great teacher to me. Not knowing the next steps in this mission is an act of grace; knowing Gods wisdom prevails, He is in charge it is not my resilience but His strength to reflect. God’s glory is for us to share His mission with you. We want to use this forum to take you with us, we invite you to join us in God’s mission in whatever way He leads you. Please travel with us as confirmation that we are in Gods mission together. Rebekah with Miriam on her Year 12 Formal night Jeremy at the helm sailing on the Young Endeavour Tall Ship from Rio de Janiero, Brazil to Barcelona, Spain. Prayer Requests -Our daughter Miriam studies and life directions. -Our son Jeremy starting his traineeship and living in a small community. -That God would remain at the centre of our studies and other preparations.