Goodiwindi to Longreach and back to Bourke

Goondiwindi on to Longreach then back to Bourke

As I have continued on from Goondiwindi the next town was St George and on the way there I met up with a man on the road and a couple at a road camp and they also were believers so we all had a great evening of fellowship together and left the next day very encouraged. I made it into St George and stayed a few days meeting up with some lovely Christian folk. I caught some Yellow belly down at the river and had a two good meals of that.

After I left there my home church pastor Gavin and his wife Jill Jackel met up with me on the road and we had dinner in the wagon before they went on there way back from there holidays. I stopped in at Surat and met a couple who lost there son through a drowning and was able to share the Scriptures with them and went to there house where he did a welding job on the wagon.

I then made my way on to Roma and stayed the night at the saleyards on the way into town. The next morning I met Alan Green a lovely Christian man at a market where he had booked me in to set up near him. Alan gives away Bible verse on a plaque and makes them himself. He gave away 39 that day and I gave away a lot of literature and Bibles. I went to a church there but it was very disappointing as the truth was not preached and the people seemed to be unable to see there great need.

I pressed on to Mitchell and found that the going was hard on the horses as the road feed had changed and the grass had not a lot of nutrition in it. I should have been giving the horses more grain and pellets with theLucerne chaff  and more often so the horses lost some weight and this was a concern. I went on to Morven where Alan and Marree Green live and they looked after me well and gave meLucerne hay and chaff.

Next step was to go to Charleville and stayed with John and Cathy Bursall, they helped me greatly as well and Luke also. We had a church meeting at the Bursall’s place the Green’s come from Morven to that as well we had four people that I invited to the meeting when I was up the street with the wagon and horses. I preach a very strong salvation message that day.

The next week my son Tony and two of my grandson’s came Ethan and Judah and we had a great week as I was home sick before that and wanted to see my family and friends from our local church. We went out shooting and fishing as well as other things and it was sad to see them go.

Judah's birthday party at the Bursall's house, Tony and Judah standing and Ethan front right

I was feeling better though and was able to go on with the help of the Bursall’s and the Green’s, the Lord knows what they done for me the horses and wagon. They also got together and brought me a UHF radio so I can talk to the truckies when in a tight situation.

You are constantly  being pulled up by people as you travel along so this slows us up a lot but I am able to share the truth of God’s Word to them and that is a blessing.

From Charleville I went to Augathella and then on to Tambo from Tambo we made it to Blackall where I was met by a group of people near the caravan park where I hoped to stay. I was unable to book in there and started to go back to the wagon and a lady and her husband offered there front yard and a small back paddock for the horse while in town and this was perfect. As I left the town at about 6.45am a man approached me and asks for some spiritual guidance and help so I was able to advise him and give him some booklets to help instruct him. From Blackall I went on to Isisford where I met up with Colin Clewet and John McDonnell and spent about three weeks with them as we went from Isisford up to Longreach.

Longreach was as far as I thought best to go at this time as the Lord seemed to close the door onMount Isa where we had hoped to attend to rodeo there and reach out to the locals. The problem was that we could not get any place to stay while there as every area was booked out. We found out that being the biggest rodeo in the Southern hemisphere it also attracted a lot of bad drunkenness and undesirables and is hard to get anywhere with them at that time so we thought best not to push it. I decided to take a break from the wagon ministry for about ten days and give the horses a spell which was the best thing for all.

I was having a hard time with the home sickness and this helped me some what. We drove up to the golf country and did a bit of fishing and had a look around.

Getting back to Longreach we worked the street there and set up the wagon and met a good number of people.

I was talking to Alan Green and he volunteered to bring the horses and wagon back to Cunnamulla on his truck so I took up the offer as I would have been going over the same areas I had been before. Once at Cunnamulla I went up the street to minister there for a while and then head of to Bourke. On the way I met two truckies who wanted to know my life story how I came to be doing the wagon ministry so I was able to give them the Gospel message in that and they were very interested.

I stopped at the NSW and Qld. Border at a place called Barringun and was able to give everyone there a few tracts and talk to a lady and her husband who had had a stroke 6 years ago and was in a wheelchair and his dear wife was looking after him along with the shop and accommodation place they had.

From here I headed into Bourke but not after I had a bit of a set back, I was getting water for the horses in a side paddock and as I came out I stopped to close the gate and it was a very windy gusty day and some thing spooked the horses and they bolted with the wagon down the road and came to the highway and turned onto it as normal and trotted down the highway with me chasing them. I was about to catch them when I felt my hamstring give and then the inside muscle on the other leg gave out as I stretched forward to grab the side of the wagon and then fell to the road. The horses and wagon just kept going with Sally the dog looking over the side of the wagon and back at me as if to say what are you going to do now. I got up and hobbled after them and the horses stopped to a walk and I was able to catch them up and get aboard. My ankle which is not good a the best of times was now really painful and I was having trouble walking. I also lost my phone and was unable to find it in the long grass where the chase started.

Well we made it to Bourke ok and stayed at a caravan park on the way in and then went to the showgrounds the next few nights. All in all it was a good time of ministry as I met a few people that wanted to hear the truth of God’s Word.

                 

From Bourke I went down the Darling River to Louth and met a few along the way which took Bible tracts.

From Louth I went on to Tilpa and the next day on a dirt track I had 25 people take Bible stories of me about salvation and spoke to them concerning where they were going to spend eternity.

I finally made to just out side of Wilcania and camped on the Darling river where I met up with two men and was able to share with them some spiritual thoughts concerning salvation. The next morning I went into Wilcania where I was met by some very keen people and also some workers on a building site that wanted me to come and talk with them and invited me to have a shower and clean up there. I took them up on this and had some very meaningful discussions with them concerning there spiritual needs.    

 I have now left Wilcania and am making my way towards Menindi.                   

Gunnedah to Goondiwindi

Well having left Gunnedah I moved on to Manilla and went through some hilly country to get there but the horses were ok with it. I was met out side of Manilla by Vincent Wall a Pastor of a local Church and he arranged for me to stay at a property near the edge of town, I ministered up the street on Saturday and was able to preach at the Church on Sunday evening. I headed of to Barraba early Monday and made that ok but there was plenty of hills, we travelled about 50km that day. The next day I went on to Bingara but ran into trouble getting over a very long and steep hill. The horses did there best and were scratching there way up it but could not quite make it. We stopped and waited till someone pulled up and they gave me pull up so we got out of that one.Once in Bingara I was met by John McDonnell and his friend Graham from Lismore. We were also met there by Adrian, Carolyn and David Barry who are believers that used to live in Albury, they all joined us in some productive ministry in the main street of Bingara, John was singing as well as ever and has in the past spent a bit of time with me on the Gospel Wagon until he was bashed by a drug and alcohol affected man up the drive way of my home. He was flown to Melbourne in a critical condition with fractures to his skull. But praise God he is coming along well.

David Barry, Adrian Barry, Carolyn Barry, Graeme & John McDonnell

We left the Barry family and we moved on to Warialda where we had ministry for a couple of days and met up with Bill Macintosh who used to live at Yakandandah. Then it was sad as John and Graham left to return back to there homes at Casino and Lismore. I was on my own again and headed for Moree along a quiet road that had Sally very busy chasing all the wild life. I seen some little wild pigs feeding on some crop and got the gun to see if I could get one, but they were to quick and got away. I would not eat a bigger one as they have worms in them but the baby one's are ok to eat. I camped near a creek next to an old Church that was not used anymore and next day went on into Moree. I met up with Lin Phillips and his son Jason in the street next day, Lin is from Bendigo and is a great brother in the Lord. Had some very good times with people sharing the Word of God, One man was very keen to talk but was following the JW's so I showed him from the Scriptures that Jesus Christ was God, they reject that and are very blind to the truth and would rather follow a false prophet. He was still struggling hard with sin so I hope some of what I shared with him from God's will sink in.

Well I left there and have now moved into Qld. and the town of Goondiwindi, that took three days and was met up by the Barry's on the way at a place called North Star where we had lunch and a time of fellowship. They returned to Stanthorpe and I went on the next day into Goondiwindi where I met in the street a couple that came up and were very helpful to me with directions on where to camp and get supplies, I seen them the next day and we had a coffee together where I was able share with them about the Gospel. Once I get all my jobs done on Tuesday I will be moving on.

Tamworth to Gunnedah

Have continued my journey on to Tamworth with Andrew Lewis who came with me for a few days. The Old Time Gospel Wagon ministry was well received. We had a great location in Peel Street allotted to us by the council. Many people came up to the horses and wagon and took a lot of Bibles books and tracts.I preached at the Tamworth Bible Baptist Church on the Sunday morning. The people there are a great blessing and helped me in many ways as they served the Lord Jesus Christ, they came out with us and worked with me in speaking to those that inquired of the way of salvation and gave me many meals and support.
From Tamworth I moved on to Gunnedah via Sumerton and arrived at the Showgrounds where I am now camped. I snapped a timber that holds the swindle bars as the horses tried to jump over a rail cross with shinny checker plate steel about a meter wide around the track. This was not good as I was stranded just over the rail line and cars were building up behind. I managed to get some ropes in place and got out of the way. It seems to have split the water tank as well under the wagon and I lost all my water. It must have been some jolt to do that.
Now making repairs before I move on, I realize that all things work for the good to them that love the Lord, so I give thanks for these things on my birthday and hope to be going again tomorrow Lord willing that is.

Visit Back Home

Just made it back home. Looking forward to seeing family and friends and also going to Lavington Bapitst Church anniversary this weekend.
Have left Aaron and Nelly and Wagon with a Christian couple just out of Quirindi in NSW.

When I return we will continue on up to Tamworth to meet up with a local Church there and spread the Word in a few good locations as the Lord allows. As we go about I am trying to be directed by God to my next location further north and up into Queensland