Greetings from ‘the Kimberley’ where we are now in the ‘wet’ season of high temperatures, punctuated by thunder storms which bring heavy cooling rains.
Over the wet season period we have transitioned from working with Kingdom Aviation to becoming the first official full time missionaries serving under the Growing Families Australia name.
Growing Families Australia (GFA) is a Christian organisation committed to providing the family, church and community with parenting resources that will help instil, encourage, and perpetuate the passing on of biblical values from one generation to the next.
‘Family God’s Way in the Kimberley’ is one of several ministry initiatives of GFA. This ministry seeks to take the biblical parenting principles found in the material of ‘Growing Families International’ (authored and taught by Gary & Ann-Marie Ezzo) and ‘translate’ it into words and pictures appropriate for Australian Indigenous families. We are excited about the opportunity to fully focus on the Families God’s Way in the Kimberley parenting project and continue on with discipleship/pastoral relationships with the Indigenous people of the West Kimberley.
So far, two 6 session parts have been developed largely by Bill & Joan Grosser (former Growing Families Australia National Directors) and with valuable input by Rowena Mouda (Aboriginal Bardi woman).
Part One sessions are:
1. Our Family, Our Future (which is designed to get people thinking about what they would like for their children to be, showing that morals play a big part in these things. It is a challenge for parents to take seriously the training of their children – Proverbs 22:6)
2. Who Am I? (A session to explore who we are, what we will pass on to our children and what we can be in Christ.)
3. What is Love? (Explores the different types of love and the 5 love languages.)
4. Building Relationships (Talks about what makes a good or bad relationship and how to improve our relationships.)
5. How to Raise a Moral Child (Talks about how it is important to teach the moral reason why we do the things we do or do not do.)
6. Developing Character: Respect, Honour & Honesty (Explains character and the six natural relationships that are basic to every culture and society.)
Part Two sessions are:
1. Your Child’s Moral Conscience (Reviews the idea of teaching our children why we do what’s right and talks about how to do so.)
2. Love (More in depth teaching on love.)
3. Respect (Discusses the why, who and how of respect, plus examples of respect in Aboriginal history.)
4. Honesty (What is biblical honesty? Discusses 3 areas of honesty – in what we say, how we act and how we treat ourselves.)
5. Right Beginnings (teaches on the importance of the parents relationship with each other.)
6. Dads (A special session especially for the fathers.)
We have enjoyed the challenge of presenting these sessions in Mowanjum, Looma and One Arm Point (on the Dampier Peninsula) and are just starting classes in our home in Derby.
Bill & Joan Grosser have been our mentors and have already done so much ground work all over the Kimberley, starting up classes and getting people excited about the material.
The Families God’s Way material is available for those who are committed to teaching it and desire to do so in their area. If you would like to know more, contact us at wilsons@wilsonsword.com.