Warrambui Training

Day 15 – May 25, 2009
We drove from Sydney to Warrambui, a Lutheran camp about 40 km outside of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The drive was took us about 3 hours, giving Ted and I an opportunity to get an up close view of the landscape we had flown over on Friday. The terrain varied as we travelled, though it generally was quite hilly. The first part of the trip was through more heavily forested portions of the State, which were thick with gum trees (eucalyptus trees to those of us from North America). The trees themselves are majestic, forming a high canopy over the forest floor. With gum trees, the bark tends to strip off the trees, leaving a very smooth and often light coloured surface. As our host noted “In North America, your trees lose their leaves but keep their bark. In Australia, our trees lose their bark but keep their leaves.”
The latter part of our drive was through rolling hills, filled with sheep and cattle. We also saw what appeared to be alpacas. Having had some recent rain, much of the land was green and somewhat lush, though at times more thinly grassed.
We arrived at Warrumbui about 11:30 am and began setting up for our 3 day Conflict Coaching Practicum with the New South Wales and New Zealand District Pastors. The conference facility was quite modern, with good multimedia equipment. We quickly set up and were able to enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by the camp staff.
The first day of the practicum we teach the basic of biblical peacemaking. Each group is quite different in its spirit and nature. The NSW/NZ group seemed to very quickly connect to the theme of the gospel that underlies all of the work we do. Indeed, it is the distinctive that sets our work apart from secular mediation and gives it much of its power to restore relationships.
The class continued up to dinner, which was served in the dining hall of the conference hall. Being adjacent to the conference room, we were able to quickly reassemble after dinner for the last part of the day’s teaching. While Ted and my day ended with a devotion about 8:00pm, the pastors of the NSW District met afterwards to conduct some District business. The dedicated pastors of the District worked for over an hour while Ted and I had an opportunity to chat over a drink with the New Zealand pastors. After a bit over an hour, our NSW bretheran joined us for a nightcap and some Stohlen.
Tomorrow we will start the skill development portion of the training. Wednesday will focus on two extended role plays to allow the pastors to apply these skills in a more realistic context. The idea of the longer role plays is to provide them with an opportunity to take some risks in experimenting with the skills and materials we have taught in a safe environment. This will hopefully give them a greater familiarity when they are called to coach individuals in their ministries.
Soli Deo Gloria
Francis.