Ailsa and Cris, a couple with a gift for hospitality, recently moved into an apartment complex in North Wollongong. From day one, they’ve had a clear sense that God has placed them there for a purpose.
They began by daily praying for their neighbours and prayer walking the 7 floors of their apartment building every week. They also started to spontaneously reach out to their neighbours with a desire to regularly connect.
After personally letter-dropping the other 55 units in their building, they began hosting monthly Sunday afternoon cheese and wine gatherings—simple welcoming spaces for people to meet and build community. Cris, a chef by trade, and Ailsa both have a natural gift for creating environments where people feel seen and safe to connect more deeply.
Already, they’re seeing signs of spiritual openness. Cris plans to meet with a couple of men to build more connection, and Ailsa has found herself in ongoing meaningful and spiritual conversations. This has included her now reading scripture with one woman every week. Their prayer is to see Discovery Bible Studies birthed from these early seeds of faith.
Their story is a powerful reminder to be intentional with the people right under our noses—those living next door, walking the same hallways, or sharing everyday spaces. God is already at work in hearts all around us. When we tune in and take small steps of faith, we may find spiritually open people ready to explore Jesus—and see discovery groups emerge in the most natural, Spirit-led ways.