It is nearly 25 years since Alan left full-time employment to concentrate fully on the Lord’s work. A letter of commendation from Southport Assembly was also sent to Tidings, now called Serving Together, who published it.It is nearly 25 years since Alan left full-time employment to concentrate fully on the Lord’s work. A letter of commendation from Southport Assembly was also sent to Tidings, now called Serving Together, who published it.
The verse on our Prayer Card is Psalm 116 v.12: “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me.”
Who are we to be so blessed and able to give thanks for His faithfulness and support and support of the Assemblies and of His people? Praise be to Him for what He has done with us and others. He opened many doors of opportunity, but we had many adversaries. We have travelled four times around Australia and five times half-way around, and many visits up and down the Southern and Eastern States. We have also done ministry during six visits to Tamil Nadu State in India. Through gifts from Australian Assemblies and individuals, help has been given for buildings, motorbikes, scooters and accordions for evangelists and the dear saints there.
We use our model of the Tabernacle that we constructed over thirty years ago. My faithful wife and helper made large Charts of the Bible from Egypt to Canaan through to End Times which we also use both in the gospel and ministry. We help deliver and have meetings with thousands of Gospels of John and tracts, and have open air meetings and use our piano accordion, greatly helping with the variety of Hymns from our Hymn Books. We have had the help of some of God’s lovely brothers and sisters, such as Adrian and Heather Cotton from Mareeba Assembly, on our first trip around Australia.
Eric and May Russell from Grovely Assembly, who help in Christian Businessmen Connection, and Marty and Robyn Whitton from Dubbo Assembly (with Gideons), travel in their own vehicleand marvellously help with the work. We have forged great friendships with them and many others, and have gone as far as Weipa in North Queensland. We have helped in many indigenous communities and outback places. We carry a ladder which we use to put up texts and help with practical work, preparing and painting Assembly and Church buildings and some homes as well. I installed both hot water systems and showers in some of these places and also installed ceilings. We have seen blessings and many lives changed so much that the other family members have been saved also.
We had to endure many difficulties such as the complete burn up of our vehicle whilst travelling south to Norseman WA. The only things we rescued was our model of the Tabernacle and our charts and accordion, our dog and the clothes we stood up in. Marty commented that it seems Satan seeks to destroy this model of the Tabernacle as I would speak on it up to forty times during our trips.
Years before, thieves had broken into our vehicle and stole this model but we found it thrown away in pieces in a creek. May said it has been through fire and flood and beauty for ashes. The Logo on the Norseman Workshop was “Help is on the way”. We travelled across the Nullarbor Plains with our friends where we were able to buy a much more suitable vehicle from Trevor Altman’s sister at Port Augusta in SA. This shows us how God knows and meets our every need (Php 4:19).
The many bad roads caused some hardships and some hard work in very hot weather. As Prison Chaplain, Alan continues to visit inmates at Southport Watch House and also teaches RE at the Labrador School, and has taken many Weddings and Funerals. Regular Bible Studies continue Wednesdaymornings at the chapel and at our Retirement Resort on each second Monday morning. The open air meetings on Saturday mornings at the Beach Boardwalk at Surfers Paradise with the help of Eddie and Anthony giving out tracts encourages some discussions and some opposition. We have had many blessings and some disappointments, but as servants in His hands we continue and seek to givethanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 5:20).
Alan and Daphne Bailey