Newspaper clipping from The Aboriginal Independent Newspaper 14-17 October 1998
British Reconciliation leader, Brian Mills, kneels in the mud before Noongar elder, Ben Taylor, at Yagan's gravesite
- Apology article from the
Australian Prayer Network Newsletter, 18 Nov 2009
APN Editor’s note: Ten years ago the British Prayer
Movement, at the invitation of the Australian Prayer Network, sent a team of
around 50 leaders and Intercessors to Australia to apologise for the sins of
their nation in the foundation years of European settlement, in what became
known as British/Australian reconciliation.
In particular they apologised for
the massacre and ill treatment of the Indigenous People of our nation by those
who came in the name of Britain to the shores of this great land, and also to
the many thousands of child migrants who were sent here by the British
Government without their parents knowledge or permission, to empty crowded
orphanages in Britain.
Whilst the issue was dealt with
on a spiritual basis ten years ago it has only been in the past two years that
the natural outworking of that intercession has been seen. The apologies given
by the Federal Government to our Indigenous Australians last year and the
apology given on Monday to the forgotten and abused Australians, including the
child migrants sent here by Britain, complete in the natural what was begun in
the spiritual 10 years ago.
We praise God for these apologies
which will have far reaching consequences in both the spiritual and natural
realms, not to mention in the lives of those people directly impacted by the
events for which the apologies were given. The apologies go a long way in
helping to heal some of the “wounds of our childhood” as a nation, which were
spoken of prophetically at the time of the British visit as being on the heart
of God in convicting both the British and Australian prayer movements to
journey down the path of repentance and forgiveness relative to these areas of
our nation’s life.
KEVIN Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull have offered a historic
apology to “forgotten Australians” and former child migrants who suffered
abuse, exploitation and neglect in institutions and foster homes. In emotional scenes in Parliament
House’s Great Hall as the Prime Minister said sorry to those children whose
childhoods were snatched away, some survivors sobbed while others stood and
cheered. A few angrily demanded compensation.
The event was the second landmark
apology by Mr Rudd, who in February last year said sorry to the Aboriginal
Stolen Generations. Andrew Murray, a former Australian Democrats senator who
was instrumental in establishing the first of several Senate inquiries into
church and state-sanctioned abuse, demanded the government establish a
reparations fund. He said helping survivors of childhood abuse was a matter of
reparations.
“When you look worldwide, harsh
things have happened to people, whether it’s the Jews in Germany or indigenous
people in America - it is reparations that is the word used,” he told reporters
in Canberra on Monday. “Compensation is just one part of that.”
In delivering the apology, Mr Rudd
apologised for an “ugly chapter” in the nation’s history.
Intercessors get Aborigines to lead them in prayer
The Westralian Intercessors Network Retreat was held on
13-15 November 2009. WIN leaders have a real heart to be honour indigenous
Christians and to learn from them. During the retreat, John & June Blacket
were asked to share some of their perspective of the current indigenous
spiritual state across the nation. Then, instead of splitting into groups to
pray, the indigenous Christians present were invited to lead the whole group in
prayer and declarations over the nation.
Val – Noongar tribe, south-west WA:
…Your Word shall go forth and not come back void – that we
have been delivered – sanctified – washed by the precious blood of the Lamb… The
Devil, Satan, Waagyl, Rainbow Serpent… are all false gods that came up before
the people when they were blinded. They have no authority in this land!
The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God… from one end of
this land to the other – from the north to the south, from the east to the west
– throughout this Noongar country, 17 language country – as we step through -
from Geraldton to Kalgoorlie, Albany – ALL strongholds have
been broken! – cut the cords! – from the mother's
roots, the physical cords… have been cut by the Spirit of God! Jesus! From generation to generation… from
Adam right down to this very day! From Eve down to this very day! In the mighty
name of Jesus! Every tribe, every
nation, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ IS LORD!
Christine – Kimberley, WA:
All our sins are as filthy rags… and I pray, Father God -
You are the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end – and I pray that
we will honour You! You see the practises that have been put upon this nation,
Lord, and from the very beginning, You have been with us and You see right
through our history the things that have occurred. You have seen! You have
heard! You know it Lord! And You are the Deliverer, Father God, and I pray that
we will look to You – look to the Heavens. For this is where our help will come
from.
Lord Jesus, that You will give words… that need to be spoken
and declared… You will draw us together for the work that needs to be done… our
feet will take us to the places…
I stand in the gap, Lord, from the tip of the north, and I
ask for forgiveness, Lord, for the sins that were done to this land from our
people – we come to You and lay down at Your feet. …that You will reveal the
things in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Father
God! You will be the spiritual instrument, Lord! You will give us the spiritual
truth, Lord! ...and we just look to You Father God, because we cannot do it
alone.
I pray for unity – You know what's happening in Your
churches, Lord… We come before You, broken, Lord. We know that You are the
Restorer, the Carer… I pray that You will give us the word that needs to be
spoken – declared – and that we will see with Your eyes! – that You will do Your perfect work,
Lord, and You will speak into the hearts of every one of us, Lord. You have
different parts for different ones – You know them from the time they were born
until now, and You have created them for such a time as this, and I pray that
we will surrender our lives to You, Lord!... We come to You as a child, Lord!
You will show us the way and visit us, Lord!
Ann – Kenyan Australian of Hindi heritage:
I pray that out of the dirt – the dust – where there is
death, we speak life! Where there is cursing, we speak blessing. Where there is
hopelessness, we speak hope! To our indigenous: Leviticus 26v13:- 'I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to
walk with heads held high.' Lord,
we pronounce blessing on them today, that they would fulfil their destiny,
reach their full potential in Jesus and be a blessing in this land, not a
curse!
Victoria – Torres Strait/N QLD:
We are just filthy rags in Your sight, Lord… We stand in the
gap for the many nations here in this land.. You know our children, Lord… You
know their hearts, Lord… We bind those spirits, Lord… Thank You for what You
are doing, Lord – for our people in the Centre – for the Pitjantjatjara tribe,
Lord… for the new beginning, Lord… Thank You, Yeshua, that we are grafted in,
Lord…. We worship You, Yeshua!
Jenny– Noongar tribe, south-west WA:
Father God… our
Noongar people… I pray that You forgive them and cleanse them from all
unrighteousness, Lord… Touch them, Lord… purify them… Send Your ministering
angels to them… that You would bring healing in the name of Jesus… Bring them
out of the darkness into Your marvellous Light, Lord… Satan has so bound us!
You are going to set them free, Lord, by the blood of the Lamb… so bound up with drugs – bound up in
their own little worlds, Lord! Bring them out of their sinful ways, Lord, into
the Light, Father God!
- European Australian:
Father in heaven, You have heard the words of our indigenous
sisters, Lord. I pray they are a sweet sound in Your ears, Lord! We have heard
their heart, and I pray that You will bless them… They are right in the middle
of Your cupped hands, Lord… They have a lot of prophetic words over their
lives, Lord… Many have tried to help them – governments, organisations – with good intentions. …we can't change
them, but God does! So we come to You Lord, and ask in the name of Jesus, that
You will move through this land – the power of Your Spirit will be like the
wind... and flow out even from this room, Lord – effective: gather and gather
and gather. We know You are, and we pray for more!
No revival can flow in this land until we include the
indigenous people! Blessed
are the feet of those who bring Good News… Bless their feet as they go forth
and spread the Gospel in the name of Jesus! And may their footprints
become Holy Ground! ...The atrocities that
have been done in this land:- I pray for forgiveness for what we have done! We
ask You to cleanse the land in the name of Jesus – everywhere their feet tread…
The First Nations people, Lord!
Katherine
Women's Convention – September 2009
Report
from Gail Musch, Indigenous Ministry Links Australia, North Queensland
Amazing
and refreshing! Women from Arnhem Land and from around Australia gathered on
the banks of Katherine River
to praise and worship the King! It was an occasion of repentance, forgiveness,
and joy. Women poured from their
hearts about relatives who had suicided or died and the toll that has had on
their lives and communities and how the Lord Jesus has helped them overcome
their grief and loss. The testimonies of the power of forgiveness were
incredible! It was good to be among Christian women of all ages and to get to
know people. All the way along our journey to Katherine and back we spent much
of our time sitting and meeting ladies and listening to their stories. It has certainly renewed Janice’s
vision to reach out to the women of Cape York.
Report from Gloria Dyer,
Arrowhead Ministries, Perth
Robin Green sang and preached a mighty word on
our first day and led us in anointing the people. She asked one of the
elders to anoint their heads while I anointed their feet. She and many
others then prayed for the people. It was a mighty time of healing and
God restoring His daughters.
Shirley Humphries, the wife of Aboriginal
Pastor Denzil Humphries, spoke about mothers and the roles of women and gave
practical words to the women. She also spoke in a panel of 3 on suicide
and it's impact. Her session was wonderful as an older woman to us
younger ones.
[Gloria had some dreams:] …showed me that these were to do with a spirit
trying to frighten me and possibly the other women. On the last night,
what I dreamed proved to be a reality in the spirit realm.
Georgie Ballinger had just preached a very
powerful and vulnerable sermon about the Father. The impact of Fathers in
our lives was evident in the gathering and the lack of them as hands were
lifted. We are in a fatherless generation was one of Georgie's
comments. Bad fathers and the impact of how they affect our relationship
with God the Father was very clear. The ladies were having a time of
brokenness and repentance.
Rejection was being dealt with when a young
woman about 14 years old came forward and read words of encouragement that were
written on her forearm. I saw later a whole block of writing and a
language I couldn't read on her forearm. She said it was the Hebrew language
and she was able to interpret it for us. She also received the Roman
language and had other writings at home. I knew I was looking at a
miracle. The writing was perfect. Every single letter was the same
height. It didn't look like she had written it. Like a stamp!
Every line was perfectly spaced - very exciting and very amazing and a perfect
word of encouragement from the Lord for his daughters and their broken and
wounded hearts.
…I went to see what this noise was in the
trees. It was very dark and I suspected that it was spiritual. I
began to pray in tongues and war in the spirit… I prayed a little more and then
pleaded the blood of Jesus over the area and positioned angels around us.
I spoke to the Indigenous lady who was leading the worship …(she) told me her
young grand daughter had seen the shape of a man walking through the
trees. She told me of the sound of a bird which was not the type of birds
present and knew of evil spirits present. So this was an eye opener for
me and to learn to take special notice of dreams that God gives me…
The FIRE of God fell throughout the
meetings! But especially on Tuesday morning, after the worship, there was
a leading of the Spirit to bring the children forwards and for the women to
pray for them. Then after that, another leading and the children turned
around from inside the circle and prayed outwards to the women. One of
them led in a prayer for us. Next another person felt the Lord wanted
them to march around us. The girl with the miraculous writing led the
children and young people with a flag of fire and the Dove representing the
Holy Spirit in the middle of it. It was so powerful and the children were
in tune with what God was doing.
The men who were serving us were called
forwards, 4 of them! They stood in the gap and the women prayed for them
and surrounded them. Men and women began falling under the power of the
Holy Spirit. Bodies on the ground caught up in the moment. Unable
to stand under the anointing! The men were touched by God and thanked the
women for their openness to the Spirit of God!
I preached after this and felt the heart of God
and His Love for His daughters. Words of taking up their cross and
following Jesus, of making a stand for God and becoming revolutionaries for
Jesus. To change their area by doing what Jesus tells them to do. I
felt the tears of God's heart! I touched on how Wilberforce in England
and Martin Luther King in America made stands against slavery.
The night before was a time where Rachel
preached, and she led us into a time of repentance for our sins. A piece
of paper was given out to everyone and we were asked to tick the boxes.
This was for generational sins as well as our own ones! I ended up
signing the whole paper and writing for everything that was on it! After
Millie and Georgie shared what everything meant, we all took our papers and
burned our sins in the fire prophetically.
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