Power To Change

Revealing Hope, Restoring Life

Ty Pok was a widow by the time she was just 23 years old, living in a rural province in Cambodia. In search of work, she left her hometown for the capital, Phnom Penh. There she was able to earn an income by working as a maid, however this all changed when she was sexually assaulted by a man she trusted and soon discovered that she was pregnant. As her pregnancy progressed, she left her job and decided to return to her hometown despite the shame she felt.

Lockdowns soon began due to COVID-19 and people were afraid to go to the market where they would buy and sell goods. With no income and no job opportunities in sight, Ty Pok was in a desperate situation to provide for her now 5 month old son.

Bread of Life Gift Cards

- by Jody Kubo working with International Students in Power to Change

In April, we heard about a Christian couple who just arrived in Sydney from Nepal. The husband planned to work in order to support his wife as she studied towards a Masters degree in Public Health. They arrived with happy expectations—they didn’t expect a pandemic lockdown.

I called John and Jane (fictitious names). Jane said she had yet to set foot on her campus because of the lockdown and her husband couldn't find work. They were living in a cramped share-house and were still in need of basic items while struggling with cultural adjustment. Our team sent them a Care Pack.

Like other Power to Change ministries in Australia, our Macquarie Uni team began giving away “Care Packs” of basic food stuffs, face masks, sanitiser, and toilet paper. But by May, we were hearing stories about students who lost part-time jobs and were having trouble paying rent, as well as worrying about their families back home. A new believer in our ministry said that her dad lost his job in Sri Lanka because of the virus. Students are very stressed.

Power to Change – Transition of Chairman

Power to Change has announced a transition in the leadership of its Governing Board.

After 7 years of faithful service as Chairperson, Robert Rawson OAM (aka Jim Rawson) has stepped down from the Board. A new Chairperson will be announced after the upcoming AGM.

During that time as Chair of Power to Change it has grown larger and stronger under his experienced and bold leadership. He will be sadly missed and is much loved.

Online and Making a Difference!

As I’m sure you are aware, schools have gone through some drastic changes! They are open, but families have asked if they are able to keep their children at home. Therefore learning has moved online.

As a school chaplain, Stuart Brownscombe’s role seemed impossible. That is until the school principal asked him to continue his role in a special way.

Egg On My Face!

by Suan Lee Campbell

It’s embarrassing for me to share this story but my colleagues think I should write it up because it shows the generosity of giving, which reflects Christ’s free gift on the cross. It also shows how difficult it can be to be a recipient of another’s generosity due to self-sufficiency and pride. This incident has taught me the timeliness of God when He interrupts my daily life to teach me a good lesson.

Connexion 2020

~ by Jenny Finnan

Bridie Fallon rose to her feet, joining the enthusiastic applause as 182 Power to Change missionaries gave a standing ovation for colleagues receiving awards for long term service in mission. Just two years into her own service, Bridie revelled in honouring missionaries for 40 and 45 years of helping fulfil the Great Commission. Her voice lifts as she remembers, “It was so amazing to stand up with everyone and celebrate those missionaries who have been in ministry for such a long time, and who have impacted so many people for Jesus”.

This celebration was the climax of ConneXion, Power to Change’s missionary conference. ConneXion gathers the organisation’s gospel workers and their families from around Australia every second January for a week of Bible teaching, leadership development, worship, and refreshment in Jesus.

Humility, Sacrifice, Love...from a manger.

- by Liz Folland, Missionary, Sydney

One of my favorite hymns is Away in a Manger...

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.

The stars in the sky look down where He lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.”

Those words paint such a picture for me of that first Christmas. In a bed borrowed from cattle and sheep, lit by the borrowed light of a starry night, with a family resting in a cave borrowed from an innkeeper or shepherds; the Saviour of the world was born.

What a humble, simple beginning for anyone, but especially for a king.

Study shows big impact of Christian uni ministry on student lives - with Rowan Kemp and Geoff Folland

A new study of student wellbeing at Sydney University carried out by McCrindle Research highlights the positive impacts that faith groups are having in the lives of students on campus.

Dominic Steele speaks with Rowan Kemp from the Sydney University Evangelical Union and Geoffrey Folland from Power to Change USYD about the impact of the gospel on campus life. McCrindle research has recently found that students who belong to faith groups will rate their experiences in those groups much more highly than their experiences at university generally.

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