local mission bases

featured this month - healthy soul ministries in blackwater

Located about 190km West of Rockhampton and just below the Tropic of Capricorn, Blackwater is Queenslands' Coal Capital. Trains over a kilometre long rumble through the town every 20 minutes, while massive draglines gouge thousands of tonnes of 'black gold' from gaping open cut mines nearby.

For nearly two years Church Army officers Stuart and Kathy Haines have led a local mission base here, in partnership the Anglican Diocese of Rockhampton and the Bush Church Aid Society. Healthy Soul Ministries is now a thriving church where dozens of people have met Jesus for the first time or restarted their relationship with God after a long break.

"When we arrived here we weren't sure where to start - so we just got out among the locals and asked a lot of questions," Stuart recalls. "There was so much to learn about the town and its unique culture. We found people in local community groups. the local council and the management at the mines who could hep us understand life out here. we tried a lot of things to connect with people, from hanging out in the put to teaching Scripture in the local school. All the time we prayed, 'Lord, what do you want us to do?'"

"One of the biggest surprises cam when we ran a pamper stall at the local women's expo," says Kathy. "I joined with a couple of local women to offer free facials and foot massages. While we pampered, women talked and we learned.

"We discovered that there are a lot isolated women in Blackwater. High wages paid by the mines attract men to Blackwater, in the hope of making money quickly. Some stay in mining camps, flying home when they're 'off shift'. Others move their families here. While husbands work long shifts at the mine, wives can quickly become isolated and lonely, leading to inactivity, weight gain and depression."

Soon afterward, Kathy launched 'Soul Fitness', a holistic program that helps women build friendships, do some gentle exercise, learn about maintaining good health and receive spiritual input. There are not three groups meeting through the week, and Kathy is looking for alternate venues with more space - and hopefully air-conditioning.

"Soul Fitness has been incredibly effective in developing a sense of community amongst the women here. It also creates a safe place to explore spirituality," says Kathy. "Most of the women coming to church first came to Soul Fitness".

"The mining town culture creates some big challenges for mission, " remarks Stuart. "The FIFO (Fly-In-Fly-Out) workers are jere just to work and sleep. They fly hometo their families when they have time off, and it's really difficult to engage them. Other people live here with their families when they're on shift, and then drive to the coast when they're off. There's no water around here, but there are plenty of boats in driveways."

"It makes attendance for Sunday services really unpredictable!" says Kathy. "We never know who's in town".

"And the rotating shifts in the mines make it hard to plan weekly programs," Stuart observes. "Plus the mining culture is also transient. We've had about 10 families in the church move away this year due to cutbacks at the miens of offers of better jobs elsewhere."

Despite the challenges, Healthy Soul Ministries continues to grow. Stuart and Kathy are now developing local leaders to take over the growing number of activities the church runs to reach and disciple the people of Blackwater.

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