Missionaries reflect on Summer School 2024
Each year, several thousand people across Australia attend CMS Summer Conferences to deepen partnerships in cross-cultural mission and engage with God’s kingdom-growing work. Here, missionaries share their reflections on CMS NSW & ACT Summer School:
What does NSW & ACT Summer School look like for a missionary?
Adam & Avril Friend
Madagascar
“In many ways, Summer School serves the same purpose for missionaries as it does for everyone else. For us, it has helped us to pause from the craziness of preparing to leave for Madagascar, and remember why we’re going, and the great fellowship sending us.
We get the opportunity to hang out with kids too, and chat to them about why the gospel sends us overseas and what the gospel could be doing in their lives as well. We also get to run missionary sessions to share our experiences and seek to encourage those who are supporting us. It’s a real taste of the joy and privilege of serving in the CMS fellowship.”
Norm & Janelle Gorrie
Kenya
“Summer School is a great highlight and important part of Home Assignment for us. It’s a busy week–we had something ‘official’ on every day, but were also kept busy with conversations and meeting people. We were so encouraged by how much people listened to and engaged with us.
Summer School is an opportunity to recalibrate and to see Jesus set us free for mission. It’s a chance to build partnerships, and to share what God has been doing through these partnerships–not only with us, but with our brothers and sisters in North Kenya. It’s also a chance to help supporters understand our context. We get to share the struggles Kenyans face, and how God has worked through them. Norm had an opportunity to share about the school ministries in North Kenya, and of three Kenyan brothers who are doing great work for the kingdom. Our desire is to ‘pass on the baton’, so it was great to get supporters praying for the people we serve among, and prompt them to consider serving in Kenya.”
Taulama
Vietnam
“It’s interesting being on this side of CMS Summer School, as a missionary. It was a very busy week, but so encouraging to have great conversations with people.”
S (with W)
Middle East
“Summer School is chaotic and joyous. It’s chaotic trying to get a two-year-old along to the kids’ program, while also being a part of sessions. But there’s also many joys–the programs are so well organised and our kids are so well cared for. It’s a joy to meet people at morning tea or in the coffee line who are interested in what we’re doing, are praying for us and are excited to send us–whether they’re from a link church or not.”
Gavin (& Megan) Rosser
Jordan
“Summer School looks the same for missionaries as everyone else. We go to the same sessions, but sometimes we also get to speak. We also get to live closer to the auditorium and have our meals provided for us!”
What were the highlights of the week?
Adam & Avril Friend
Madagascar
“We were encouraged in every sphere of Summer School–from being taught directly from God’s Word in the sessions, to having impromptu conversations with people while walking places or between sessions.”
Megan & Gavin Rosser
Jordan
“A highlight was having people come up to encourage us and say that they’re praying for us. Knowing that people are praying is super important–it reminds us that God is listening, and he will be at work in what we do.
Just as everyone else, we found it really encouraging being in the sessions, hearing God’s Word, and singing his praises. It’s great to be around a group of people who are excited about mission and about what we’re going to do in Jordan.”
Norm & Janelle Gorrie
Kenya
“A big highlight was spending the week with our five grandchildren! Another highlight was the teaching from Galatians. The talks were a great encouragement to us after not receiving much teaching over the past few years.”
Taulama
Vietnam
“A big highlight was the several Year 11 and 12 boys that came to talk to me. It was incredibly encouraging to hear them ask questions, and talk about their own desires to live their lives for Jesus.”
S (with W)
Middle East
“A highlight for me was the morning teas and time around sessions to meet people from different places, hear about how the gospel is at work in their life and contexts, and then share about God’s work in the Middle East as well. It’s great to mutually share how God is at work in growing his kingdom.”
CARE
There are many ways to continue your partnership with CMS missionaries after Summer School. Keep praying for missionaries by signing up to a prayer newsletter, or write an email to share an encouragement from Summer School. Click here for more ideas on how to care for missionaries!
