when all hope seemed lost, which bordered on the miraculous, and certainly came after a lot of prayer and hard work.
This conference was very historic because never before (except in commendable Baptist women initiatives) have Baptist
leaders and people from the entire South West Pacific come together to serve, worship and to experience how enriching it is
to meet sisters and brothers from nearby islands, for there was virtually no one present who was not an islander!
There was an incredible sense of Christian community throughout the conference. Time and again, the statement was
made that the genius for this Living Water conference was the richness and diversity of the cultures and languages that
permeated the conference. Baptists of the region had discovered each other! Perhaps nowhere was this more evident than
in the network groups where strenuous enquiry and a sharing of insights between the cultures could take place. The small
groups that regularly formed for prayer during the plenary sessions were a very personal and intimate way to draw close to
people, most of whom were previously unknown to one another. Predictably, around meal tables, people from the various
islands gathered for fellowship, laughter, animated discussion and, sometimes, to pray together.
A very educational and well received presentation was given by four indigenous Australians from Central Australia who
through song explained their own striking art forms on bark sheets (iconography) and taught the delegates how the story of
the life of Jesus is dramatically presented to their own people. It was significant that the conference began by acknowledging
that the land on which we were meeting originally belonged to the indigenous people of Australia.
The Lord’s Supper was conducted with some special and different features; a water pouring with accompanying liturgy
spoken by women from different nations in national dress; and a foot-washing service. The latter event, with two leaders from
Papua New Guinea and Australia washing the feet of others, including a small girl from Papua New Guinea, an indigenous
Australian woman, a Samoan woman and Australian and Fijian leaders, was a highlight and a creative expression of the
Living Water motif and the servant leadership emphasis.
The BWA was represented by BWA Director of Evangelism and Education Fausto Vasconcelos, and
Living Water Coordinator Tony Cupit, along with BWA commission members from within the region, Keith
Jobberns, Trevor Spicer, Margaret Cupit, David Loder and Brian Winslade. Also present were APBF General
Secretary Bonny Resu, Vice President John Kok from Malaysia, and Treasurer Allan Smith, as well as APBF
leaders Alan Marr and Les Fussell from Australia, Victor Rembeth from Java, and Kabi Gangmei from India.
PHOTOS: A Samoan worship team leads in congregational singing during the BWA Living Water conference in Cairns, Australia; Murray Robertson of
New Zealand, one of the presenters at the BWA Living Water conference in Cairns, Australia
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