One in God’s eyes

I saw . . .

space, distance, time, patience, desire and outreach.

travel, red dust, corrugated roads and vehicles pushed to the limit.

huts, shacks, tin sheds, dogs, houses, more dogs, small communities, larger communities, homes, cars and four-wheel drives.

people gathering together; purposefully coming – for ‘church’, children, dogs – all the same, but at difference places.

One Sunday morning soon after 7.00 am we left Alice Springs and, after travelling three hours and 280 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs, I saw Yuelamu. I saw the basketball court under a tin roof where 27 people gathered for service and a baptism too, where we stood together for holy communion.

We all stood as one – equal in God’s eyes; where he loves each one unconditionally; knowing it’s our hearts he wants.

I saw a little church with a bell at Laramba, about two hour’s drive from Yuelamu, for the second service, where group of 34 people gathered. Both of these services were in English. Then we had another two-hour drive back to Alice Springs and arrived after 4.00 pm.

Two days later, I bumped over rough dirt roads as we travelled north-east of Alice Springs to more communities – this time it was Camel Camp about 240 kilometres from the major centre. I saw people coming from all directions – by car and on foot with their dogs and prams. I saw the ‘church’ – poles in the ground with a twig roof, a boot lid of a car with legs, which was the altar, with a cross on top. I saw 34 people sit on the ground and wait patiently for the people to arrive for two baptisms.

I saw Ingkaarta (pastor) Darryl Mattner once again present the message that there is only one way to God, through Christ. He would say a few lines in English and this would then be interpreted into Anmatyerr, the language of the local people. I saw the group listening attentively and while I couldn’t understand the words, I grasped what he was saying. An experience I won’t forget.

I saw children sitting on the ground with a tin sheet as a table, with a picture and pencils, as they coloured in during the service. I saw each of the baptised children choose a knitted teddy bear to remember the day.

I again stood in line with the community as we received Christ’s body and blood. I saw the welcoming in their faces as they all wanted to shake my hand in greeting at the end of the service.

I saw Ingkaarta Darryl go to a new community that he hadn’t visited before to tell the people there that next time he’s in the area he would lead a worship service for them.

I saw many landscapes go by on the way to Ampilatwatja, 323 kilometres north-east of Alice, to stay overnight and for Darryl to meet with the local pastor, Ingkaarta Frank Turner, who has five communities to look after.

My impressions of my visits is one where bricks and mortar, seating, gowns and rituals, order of liturgy and the like don’t matter; where people come to worship as they are; where we all stood as one – equal in God’s eyes; where he loves each one unconditionally; knowing it’s our hearts he wants.

I am thankful I had the privilege to experience and see it all.

Coralie Mattner is the mother of Finke River Mission Pastoral Support Worker Darryl Mattner. She visited a number of FRM communities with her son.

This feature story comes from The Lutheran April 2016. Visit the website to find out more about The Lutheran or to subscribe.