Photos '06

Welcome to the Spinifex Ministries Photo Album for 2006.

Remember: to see photos in full size, just click on them and then click "back" to return to this screen!

2006 started the same way 2005 ended - with an open day. On the 31st Dec we had an SM Open Day in Newcastle, and then on the 2nd Jan, we had a SM Open Day in Sydney .  

 Our first formal visit for the year was as usual the Catacomb Church at Coober Pedy. Here Phil built an elaborate table and chair .

It was then onto AIM Alice Springs where Phil continued on repairing the church bus (as well as a number of other jobs). This time, he rebuilt the rear end of the bus due to rust and gave it a lick of paint and Cathy gave it a cut and polish . 

Then on to AIM Tennant Creek where Phil and AIM Teem Partner Eugen replace the dilapidated church ceiling .

Church Before . After  

Sunday School Before . After . 

AIM Elliot followed where we caught up on some maintenance on the mission house. It was also at this time when the rain depression from Cyclone Larry hit and flooded out the town of Katherine and many East Kimberley, NT and North Qld roads, making it difficult for the missionaries at AIM Camooweal to pick up the materials needed for our visit.

This was the road closure/restriction map for the NT around Easter time!

We had an early Easter break as the materials for AIM Camooweal were delayed (due to Larry). But once we arrived,Phil was able to get into building them a new mission office. .   

With the visit to Camooweal now over and the road to Borroloola now just open, we headed north through a very green Brunette Downs and many, many flooded floodways .   

We arrived at AIM Borroloola in the same way we left it - wet! Here we tiled the breezeway as well as painting and tiling the school room .    

Our time in Borroloola was not without some excitement. Here we watched and waited to see if Cyclone Monica would come our way. After a few changes in course, it thankfully went north. But as it made its way to Darwin, it tuned into a rain depression, once again flooding many NT roads including the road out of Borroloola! So once again it was an exciting drive back to the Stuart Hwy through many flooded floodways! 

It was now time for us to make our way to the Katherine Christian Convention (KCC) where we arrived to a drying out Morrow's farm where KCC is held. (The Katherine River flows along the boundary of the property). The sun came out a few days before the convention enabling the grounds to be dry by the time most of the people started arriving. It was a great time of fellowship, catching up with friends, making new friends and hearing God's message.. Tent city outside our van by MAF and CMS missionaries. We felt like the "Mother Ship" .

After KCC we headed onto Darwin where we flew out to Nhulunbuy to help MAF. Here we caught up with many people we have met over the last 3 years and met many more new people. Whilst in Nhulunbuy we caught up on some maintenance on MAF housing in the town of Nhulunbuy and out at Yirrkala Aboriginal Community - not far out of town.

Our second week there, we flew out to Gapuwiyak Community where we did some much need maintenance on MAF housing there. 

Our stay was in a 5 star tent with a bed more comfortable than ours in the van!

On our last morning in Gapuwiyak, one of the MAF pilots took us out sight seeing and we ended up getting just a little bogged! Phil and Josh left the rest of the party and started walking the 20 plus kilometres back to town! Thankfully after about an hour and a half, they reached mobile coverage where they called for help. To cut a long story short, we made it to the airport, covered in mud with just 5 minutes to spare!    

Once back in Nhulunbuy we worked on the MAF hanger out at Gove airport replacing a section of the roof.  

From Nhulunbuy, we picked up the van in Darwin and drove straight for Kununurra where Phil preached at the People's Church and then on to Wyndham Anglican Church where Phil, Pete Palmer (Anglican Minister) as well as help from friends and prisoners from the Wyndham goal, put a ceiling in the church and reline the walls, enabling the church to have a much needed aircon. (Wyndham Anglican is the hottest church in the North West Dioceses!)  

Josh helping Phil.  

Before and afters...  

A last minute addition above the pulpit!

God's glorious creation at a lagoon near Wyndham.

 Just a few visitors we had in the first 6 months of the year... And yes the Praying Mantis is real!

After Wyndham, we headed for AIM Fitzroy Crossing where we worked out at Junjuwa Aboriginal Community catching up on maintenance on the People's church there. 

On a night before we left, we had a great night of fellowship with the Pastor of Junjuwa Church and his family out on the bed of the Fitzroy River.  

From Fitzroy Crossing we headed to Looma Community to help out with setting up for the Kimberley Christian Fellowship (KCF) Convention. After we finished up at Looma, we moved onto the Derby People's Church where Phil relieved the minister there. Phil preached 3 times a week for 3 weeks and we both helped out with the youth group. Soon it was time to move onto South Hedland where we spent time with the Baptist church there catching up on maintenance on the church as well as fixing/replacing termite eaten roof timbers in the roof of the manse. 

Finishing there we moved onto South Hedland Anglican Church where we painted the outside of the rectory there.

After only a few days there, it was time to make our way south to Perth, making visits to Newman, Meekatharra and Mt Magnet Anglican Churches. In Perth, Joshua was able to celebrate his 10th birthday with family and friends. Phil was also able to attend a Presbytery meeting and the WPC Synod (which was the reason we came down to Perth this time of year). While also in Perth we spent our time catching up with the mission's and our personal supporters. 

Half way through our time in Perth we headed east to Brookton, to the Calvary Presbyterian Church (Aboriginal Church) for 3 weeks to preach and catch up on some much needed maintenance. Phil rebuilt the rear steps and built a ramp into the church hall. Cathy is seen here re-pointing the brickwork.  

On the night before we left Perth, Phil preached at Scots Presbyterian Church in Fremantle. Phil loves this photo as he has never preached this high up before!

We left Perth with Phil's parent in tow and spent a few days together sight-seeing while heading back up north.  

During our time travelling north, we dropped in to see a number of ministers and mission and personal supporters along the way.

After Phil's parents turned south and headed for home, we spent a day at Shark Bay. For interest, this is a shell quarry from which shell bricks were quarried! The Denham Anglican Church is made from Shell bricks!

Our first "job" back up north, was at Looma Community where we prepped the very uneven church floor and then tiled it!  

This is what happens when you park in the wrong spot when it rains! Fitzroy Crossing.  

After a week at Fitzroy Crossing, we looked after the Wyndham Anglican Church for 3 weeks and then spent the next 3 weeks helping out with the maintenance there. 

Remember back to when we lined the church here 6 months ago, well this is it after it was painted by a Qld work-party!

In December, we had a week off and headed to Darwin.

Finally, the last Saturday in the year after moving to Kununurra to look after Bethel (Aboriginal) Community, we went fishing out bush with a few friends. No luck with the fish, but the goanna tasted great!

Well that's it! It is really hard to know what photos to put in and what to leave out. I hope that you have enjoyed a quick trip through 2006 with Spinifex Ministries.