God loves people, He uses ordinary people, He seeks humble, willing vessels simply available, and prepared to listen to His voice and obey. Who would have thought a small group of “seemingly” ordinary Christians in a sleepy country town called Merrigum (between Tatura and Kyabram, half hour from Shepparton in the Goulburn Valley) could have believed for Ps. Danny and the Catch The Fire Team (Dianne, Rosalie, Glen & Noreen) to join with them for a whole weekend and host a special worship weekend during the peak of the Goulburn Valley fruit-picking season? To be blessed in seeing God touch the hearts of so many young backpackers from the nations of the world as they stood to give thanks for our nation of Australia and their role in “the Harvest”.

Shalom Worship Centre, a non-denominational apostolic healing Church hosted a special prayer and worship weekend “Miracles in Merrigum” believing for God to bring hope and healing to our communities presently struggling with the many issues confronting both our farming communities, flood and fire victims, and those seriously affected by the global economic meltdown. Our nation needs prayer, our farmers need prayer, our leaders need prayer, …the Church needs to learn how to pray! Jesus is turning over the money tables in His Church, God is calling His House back to be what the Father had purposed – “that My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all Nations”! (Mathew 21:12-13, Isaiah 56:7, 11 Chronicles 6&7 –ordinances of prayer)

Friday night was opportunity to lay a platform for unity over the weekend as we shared communion and declared the “power of the blood of Jesus Christ” in standing against the forces of evil in this world that seeks to kill, maim and destroy human life. God has made provision for victory, for healing, for restitution and living free from fear, to live in His peace and abundance of goodness – to overcome evil with good!

After a beautiful time of worship, Ps. Danny shared his heart on the new season God’s Church is entering with the call to real discipleship to the Lord Jesus Christ with its accompanying glory sacrifices and challenges. Needy hearts responded to the Lord’s grace upon Dianne, as she ministered with much gentleness, love and “words of wisdom & encouragement”.   

Saturday morning, the CTFM team went on a “farm walk” to meet Peter’s cows (husband of Ps. Felicity Reid- Senior Pastor of Shalom Worship Centre) on their 400 cow dairy farm – the team’s weekend accommodation. Checking out these “curious faces” on the other side of the fence helped to bring some reality to the present crisis in the Victorian Dairy Industry with the prolonged effects of the drought, – ever increasing fodder costs with the loss of secured irrigation water to grow any  grass, the astronomical debt situation because farmers have been forced to keep borrowing money to remain on their farms (most would be technically insolvent), and now hit by drastic reductions in milk price returns flowing on from the impact of the global economic crisis on world milk prices. Ps. Danny recognised the great need to bring these issues back to the city for continued intercessory prayer.

The local fruit and tomato industries are also impacted with the nations’ future sustainable water issues but it is the dairy industry now that faces an imminent disaster with great personal cost to many local  rural communities providing business and support services, and livelihoods that depend on one of our nations key primary export industries.

Prayer “breakthrough” is urgent for informed government leaders to recognise the need to strengthen one of our nation’s “backbone” industries. Farmers need to know what to do now- they can’t sell farms to get out, they can’t borrow more money to stay. They need daily wisdom, ongoing endurance, comfort in their grief, provision for families.

One of our local, longstanding Christian farmers led the gathering worshippers on the Saturday night in prayer for those affected with the farming issues. It was a Holy Spirit inspired prayer and one of several intercessory prophetic prayers for serious crisis situations in various parts of the world. Ps Danny led prayer for an urgent need in Afghanistan, and the present Middle East crisis with the proposal to divide Jerusalem as an answer to the ongoing disputes and claims over the land of Israel. Dianne declared the “word of the Lord” triumphantly as the saints united to proclaim Jesus Christ -  “Who was,… who is,…. and is to come!”

The “spirit of prophecy” was on the meeting and much blessing as several received personal words of encouragement, revealing the God’s caring heart for His people, knowing where each is at … the struggles of the past, the hopes for the future, the desire to be used to reach out to others… and that He does loves us, thinks about us and really does have overall control – and “redemptive plan” for our distressed planet.

Sunday morning was a unique “window of opportunity” to invite the visiting backpackers staying in the local Merrigum Caravan Park to come over to the Town Hall reserve for a free barbecue tea supported through Greater City of Shepparton “community drought relief” funds. Ps. Felicity, Ps. Dianne and Rosalie had the privilege to meet the many young people from many different parts of the world – even in the park’s dining room there was truly a “united nations community” preparing meals together. We met some of the large contingency of French-speaking travellers (about 40 in the camp), plus German, English, Irish, Canadian, Mauritius, Indian, Nepalese, Taiwan, Korean, and Japanese, – and then there were the sleepyheads (Aussies!) also recovering from their hard weeks’ work “up the ladders” seeking to earn good money with the current pear crop being harvested.

While at the caravan park, (back in the farm kitchen), Noreen and Glen were “cooking up an Indian storm” with their Indian “chicken curry sensation”, cooked rice and yogurt salad while Ps. Danny used opportunity to attend to emails. Checked out some laughing, to discover Noreen spraying “cardamom pods” towards the ceiling as she was trying to improvise with non-Indian equipment! However, what a blessing to come together as “family” around the meal table, and share the delights of our various  cultures “to the glory of  God”!  

5pm we grouped for a “combined family photo” and then greatly encouraged to see small groups of “fruit-pickers’ wander over for the barbecue. Later they were to stand together as “one” before God as Ps. Danny and Ps. Dianne led them in prayers to thank the Lord for this year’s harvest in Merrigum and surrounding region, for much needed rain to fall, for the Nation of Australia, and blessings on them as labourers of the harvest.

Ps. Danny sensed the Holy Spirit unction to share his personal stories of God’s hand of protection and intervention in real “life and death” situations under Sharia law in Saudi Arabia. He closed with all standing and being led in the “prayer of salvation” , singing “He Is Lord” before the Shalom worship team led “The Great Southland” with many waving the Australian flag.

It was a delight to see our two Indian visitors from the caravan park (Christians) … so comfortable and excited with Glen & Noreen (originally from Northern Indian – CTFM team members). These guys remained for the final Sunday night meeting and we believed for the Lord to have imparted much into them as Ps. Danny ministered. The weekend closed with much joy and liberty … new faces had joined us, families seeking for miracles for their babies and children, and four members of one family, one by one, gave their hearts to the Lord. We were all strengthened, challenged and refreshed by the Lord’s strong, gentle presence touching the hearts of the people, our “Saviour King”…. a sense of new beginnings!

Shalom blessings… Ps. Felicity