The other week (18-23 Feb 2008) Phil Drew and I were part of a group of 10 Christian men who went on a 6-day walk in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area. The men came from 8 congregations in Australia, New Zealand, and the US. We walked about 75 km along the Overland Track, starting at Cradle Mountain, and finished at Lake St Clair. Here are some lessons which I learnt along the way:

• Christian fellowship is divine. We don’t have to wait for Heaven to start enjoying it. Although Heaven will be the fullness of salvation, we can start experiencing the joy of fellowship with God and each other now. We just have to make time for it. The walk was organised months ago – bookings made, gear bought, and training undertaken. Likewise, great fellowship takes time, effort and planning.
• Christians relationships can bridge the generation gap. The oldest in our group was veteran missionary Gordon Hogan, who’ll turn 80 in mid-March. Our youngest was 41. The group spanned the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. We talked, walked and prayed as if age didn’t matter (and it didn’t).
• Anytime is an opportunity for evangelism. Our two guides – Rob from Victoria and Tom from Switzerland – taught us much about the area. In turn, several of us engaged them in thoughtful discussions about creation, the environment, world affairs and God. In quiet moments, I also heard individuals explained to Rob and Tom how they came to faith in Christ. I saw how Rob and Tom took note how well the group worked together and how helpful individuals were with common chores like cleaning rooms and huts. We were evangelising as we walked.

That’s what I learnt from the hike.

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Last update : 04-03-2008 07:20

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