Rowan and Annika du Boulay, along with their young family are stepping out into the south-west regions of Western Australia (WA). As they follow existing connections, they are starting to see the gospel spread.
Annika is following her own family connections into these farming communities sharing the Discovery Bible Study method. Annika’s ‘Auntie Ruth’ is sowing God’s word into a group of women from her town of Gnowangerup. This group, which includes several indigenous women, is now sharing with their families.
Like many Aussies from the country, Auntie Ruth is widely connected with many farming families. Many of these people no longer attend the churches in their towns.
In 2011, two young Praxeis workers, Niro and Mindy, prayer walked every town across WA’s south-west. Towns like Gnowangerup. Rowan and Annika are aware of the spiritual foundation these prayers have laid. They can see God answering the prayers of these two young women as he raises up locals like Auntie Ruth.
The Du Boulays have been recently sent by their local church, Parkerville Baptist in the Perth Hills to see disciple making movements birthed across these remote farming communities.
Rowan shares, “There are so many empty church buildings in these regional places. The need is huge. We dream of seeing vibrant spiritual communities form. For these people to awaken again and rediscover Jesus.”
Following relational lines is evident all throughout the New Testament as the early church grew virally. Barnabas’ first leg of his missionary journey with Paul, in Acts 13, is one example as he returned to his homeland of Cyprus (see Acts 4:36). The Du Boulays are doing the same today as they follow Jesus and seek to make disciples through their existing networks across this vast area of WA.